Regarding the column (Feb. 16) by Mary Mitchell, "Advising kids to say 'No'
when you said 'Yes,' "

The maxim "truth is the first casualty of war" is particularly true in the
war on drugs. A prohibition, accompanied by harsh sanctions, is a sure
stifler of truth.

Mitchell spoke from her heart in her courageous column. While I applaud
her, I don't condemn those who are silenced by fear of imprisonment, job
loss and public ostracism.

Predictably, the imprisonment of taxpaying pot smokers and the destruction
of their families has failed to show any success in halting the flow of
drugs to schoolchildren. Zero-tolerance "reefer madness" propaganda also
has failed.

When intelligent teens, like Mitchell's son, seek out authority figures for
guidance on marijuana, they are entitled to the same truths they are taught
in math or English.

Arthur R. Sobey,
Corpus Christi, Texas