REEFER SANITY BY SJC

Your editorial demonstrates an author suffering "reefer madness," an
illness that causes the sufferer to forget the principles of the
Constitution ("Wacky weed indeed," April 21).

The Supreme Judicial Court implies that police may give the operator
a citation for possession based upon the odor. It also noted the
record, contrary to the lone dissenting justice's conclusion, did not
support ordering the operator out of the vehicle on suspicion of
operating under the influence.

On the latter point, I note that driving after consumption of
marijuana is inappropriate. However, the science comparing impairment
by consumption of marijuana to alcohol establishes marijuana is safer.

Steven S. Epstein, Georgetown

The writer is among the authors of the friend of the court brief
submitted by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.