ISN'T EVERYONE IN A DRUG CULTURE?

Johnson County Attorney J. Patrick White recently spoke against a
change in law that could make possession of personal use amounts of
marijuana a simple misdemeanor rather than a serious misdemeanor
("White responds to marijuana ideas," Feb. 10). Mr. White is quoted
as saying such an action would send the wrong message, that "we've
spent years telling people not to get into the drug culture."

I hope this will not shock Mr. White's socks off, but America, along
with the rest of the world, is steeped in the drug culture, whether
it is the use of, to name just a few, marijuana, alcohol, sleeping
pills, pain pills, steroids, stimulants for weight loss or staying
awake to study for an exam, cocaine, hair restorer lotions, or acid
reflux and anti-depression medications.

Though he must not know it, the County Attorney daily comes into
contact with people who have taken valium, had too much to drink the
previous day, smoked a joint that morning or popped a Viagra the
night before. At least one person in any given job category is on a
daily basis using drugs, including law enforcement and medicine.

We cannot with a straight face condone a small classification of
drugs while the general populace is injecting, guzzling, popping, or
inhaling other drugs at record rates. Our young people are not fools;
they know when authority figures are spouting hypocrisy.

Kudos to Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek, who is clearly a man of
intelligence, reason, and compassion -- as well as an elected
official looking to save the taxpayers money by not arresting people
who are statistically no more of a threat to society than anyone else.

Carol deProsse

Lone Tree