MARIJUANA NOT A GATEWAY TO HARDER STUFF

I'm writing about Russell Barth's and Christine Lowe's letter
Legalizing Pot Will Curb Crime (March 16). I'd like to add that it
sure seems to work in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic is the only nation in the world where adult
citizens can legally use, possess and grow small quantities of
marijuana. (In the Netherlands, marijuana is quasi-legal -- not
officially legal.)

The Czech overall drug arrest rate is one per 100,000 population. The
United States' overall drug arrest rate is 585 per 100,000 population.

The Czech robbery rate is two per 100,000 population. The United
States' robbery rate is 145.9 per 100,000 population, according to the
FBI. According to our drug war cheerleaders, tolerant marijuana laws
cause people to use other, much more dangerous drugs, like meth and
heroin. Obviously, this doesn't happen in the Czech Republic. Why not?

Could it be that when people can legally obtain marijuana at an
affordable price, they tend not to use or desire any other
recreational drugs?

Could it be that marijuana legalization actually creates a roadblock
to hard drug use -- not a gateway?

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz