IN DEFENCE OF PHELPS

Re: Pot charge possible after swimming star Michael Phelps' pipe photo, Feb. 2.

I still can't seem to understand all the controversy surrounding this
incident. Michael Phelps didn't rob a liquor store, he took a bong
hoot at a party. I wish people would get off this bandwagon and take
a look at what we're dealing with here -- a plant, grown in the
ground, deemed illegal many years ago, before its effects had been
clinically studied in the long term.

So, before we publicly denounce this poor guy any further, let's take
a good, hard look at what he did versus what he's done. He's still a
national hero in my books -- give him a break. In fact, give him a
chocolate bar endorsement -- I would still eat them.

Garrett Rondeau

Oakbank