CONCERN ABOUT JUDGE'S COMMENTS IN HOLY SMOKE TRIAL

Dear editor.

In your report of the Holy Smoke trial ("Holy Smoke4"guilty,Oct.1),
the defendants claimed that they provided customers with safe
marijuana that could also be used as medicine. In response, Judge
Donald Sperry said that the undercover police who were sold marijuana
there wanted it for neither purpose.

The response by the judge is irrelevant. By analogy, people buy
condoms mainly to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies and
sexually transmitted diseases. That some people buy them to use as
water containers has no bearing on whether condoms should be sold or
not.

The motive of the buyer is irrelevant to the argument of the defence
that Holy Smoke has provided a community service.

John Rowell

Nelson