QUESTIONS FOR GOVERNOR JOHNSON

Dear editor, I am thinking of buying two bumper stickers which would state:
"I'm Republican, I voted for Chavez." I was surprised when so many Democrats
voted for Johnson. The headline in the March 23 Daily Press stated, "Johnson
renews drug legalization campaign." In the article, Johnson is quoted as
follows:

In 1999: 1. 450,000 people died from tobacco-related health problems; 2.
150,000 died from the health consequences of alcohol; 3. 100,000 people died
from prescription drugs; 4. 3,000 died from cocaine and heroin.

Johnson indicates that this proves that cocaine and heroine are not the big
problem, that alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs are.

What Johnson's data tells me is that illegal drug enforcement is far more
successful than legal drug control. Does he want it to be: 1. 450,000 died
from tobacco; 2. 150,000 died from alcohol; 3. 100,000 died from
prescription drugs; 4. 450,000 died from cocaine; 5. 450,000 died from
heroin?

I always understood that the most alcohol-related deaths came from its
impact on driving cars, hunting, boating, and, in general, loss of control
of equipment due to alcohol-impairment.

Also, what about the broken bodies, insurance and property losses?

Johnson didn't mention it but I always understood the main problem of drug
abuse was its degradation of families and society, in general, not the
number of deaths. I don't understand his 100,000 deaths from prescription
drugs. The doctors and druggists that I have known were very careful about
control of prescription drugs.

(s)Charles M. Redman, Tyrone
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