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