DRUG ADDICTS NEED TREATMENT, WE NEED WINNABLE WAR

Allan Turner's Nov. 21 article on Alan Robison and the Drug Policy Forum of
Texas was excellent, fair and accurate ("Professor leads the charge in
battle against drug war"). The Drug Policy Forum of Texas' preferred reforms
emphasize individual responsibility and would like to see the government
permit responsible, mature individuals suffering from cancer and other
illnesses to grow marijuana and use it in their own homes as medicine, which
is now against federal law, although seven states have legalized it.

With respect to marijuana being a "gateway" drug, I would point out that the
real "gateway" drugs are nicotine and alcohol, which respectively cause more
than 400,000 and 100,000 deaths per year, respectively, have no proven
medical benefits and are far more addictive than marijuana.

Marijuana is a unique, irreplaceable drug that has been used medically for
thousands of years and has never killed anyone. I have never touched it,
because it is illegal, but I know people who need it and use it medically,
and if I ever do need it, I certainly want to be able to use it legally.

The people who tell you that your brain on drugs resembles a fried egg are
making a good living out of the war on drugs and probably hope it goes on
forever, with an ever-increasing budget and more and bigger prisons with
more people in them.

When you hear anti-drug propaganda, consider the source and remember that
liquor and cigarettes -- which are legal -- contain the most dangerous,
lethal, addictive drugs of all.

We tried Prohibition on alcohol and it didn't work. Prohibition of marijuana
isn't working either.

Frank C. Smith Jr., Houston