BRIEF REBUTTALS

Dear editor,

It's wonderful that our local newspaper reaches from coast to coast
and to Canada, and so went my letter of April 12, which put down Gov.
Johnson's policy on the legalization of hard drugs.

It should be known by now that this same governor rescinded his policy
on heroin April 25 -- a fairly good indication of his management
superficiality and flip-flop style on important governmental matters,
but welcome news nevertheless.

Four letters were published from out-of-state readers which upheld the
governor's weird philosophy. I offer brief rebuttals:

Clifford A. Schaffer, Canyon Country, Calif., director of DRCNet
Online Library of Drug Pol-icy (?): I would suggest that he spent 10
productive years on a nonproductive study of a foregone negative
conclusion. But, yes, our current drug laws are not working and such
historical references are not pertinent.

Robert Sharpe, Washington, D.C.: It has been medically proven that
overdose deaths occur whether or not the drugs being used are "pure."
In addition, regarding Johnson's "bad press" -- New Mexico has the
highest drug overdose incidence in the nation. Further, it's the lack
of an adequate prison system which forces deficiencies in the courts
and offenders being plea bargained back on the street.

Matthew Katz, New Haven, Conn.: Freedom does not by any means produce
dysfunctional families, but drug abuse of any kind does.

Alan Randell, Victoria, B.C., Canada: His insipid rendering deserves
no comment.

(s)Bob Myers,
Silver City