SMOKE AND MIRRORS

To the editors:

Charles Duhigg's criticism of Gary Johnson's brave, if not always perfectly
stated, opposition to the war on drugs seems to be mostly attitude and very
little substance ("Tokin' Reformer," April 3). For example, Duhigg
categorizes as "flimsy evidence" Johnson's citing of government statistics
showing that, annually, 450,000 Americans die from tobacco use, 150,000
from alcohol, and 100,000 from legal drugs, while there are only about 3000
deaths from cocaine and heroin and no reported deaths from marijuana. What
better evidence that our energy, time, and money are not well-directed?

Johnson has two main faults. First, he uses the widely misunderstood word
"legalize" regarding illicit drugs, when he means "control and regulate,"
as we do with alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs. Second, he tries to
go too far too fast. The general public is not yet ready for sophisticated
discussions concerning how best to deal with cocaine and heroin
addicts. Johnson would be better advised to concentrate on
decriminalization and regulation of marijuana, fairer sentencing, and harm
reduction.

Contrary to what Duhigg would have us believe, Johnson is saying what many
politicians and law enforcement officials acknowledge in private. That is
hardly a reason to scoff at him.

Robert E. Field
Co-chair, Common Sense for Drug Policy
Lancaster, Pennsylvania