I would like Miss Tess Forbush ("Smoking pot is a choice, one with
consequences," April 5) to know that voting is a choice with
consequences, too. This November's election will determine whether
Alaskans have the proper education about the issues before them. As
clear as the glass that can be made from hemp, the choice is whether
to establish a renewable, sustainable, natural, economic resource for
Alaska, or continue on the destructive environmental path industry has
chosen instead.

The "real danger of marijuana" is that ignorant people, such as you
portray yourself, Miss Forbush, fail to see past the one, nontoxic
hemp product called "marijuana" and realize the other 49,999 products
that comprehensively cover fuel, fiber, food and medicine.

Children in Alaskan villages are dying from sniffing gasoline, and I
don't hear you spouting statistics to incarcerate gasoline users.
Being a teenager, I'm sure you'd rather have your friends on Prozac,
Ritalin, Valium, or beer than use marijuana. Just realize that more
people died from aspirin last year than from marijuana use. But even
if using marijuana never killed anybody, not using marijuana
environmentally may kill us all! It's a choice Alaskans can vote upon
in November.

R.L. Marcy, chair, HEMP2000, Wasilla