THE BIGGEST DRUG PROBLEM IS METH

YOUR JULY 15 editorial, "_Meth Math_
(http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2005/07/15/meth_math/)
," was right on target. While local governments are struggling with
a methamphetamine epidemic, the Office of National Drug Control
Policy is spending millions on a reefer madness revisited ad
campaign. This reflects a bizarre sense of priorities.

A National Association of Counties survey found that the vast
majority of county officials report that methamphetamine is the
biggest drug problem. These are the public safety professionals who
deal with drug offenses on a daily basis. And it's not marijuana that
concerns them, but rather meth. Meanwhile, an out-of-touch federal
government continues to be obsessed with marijuana, even going so far
as to prosecute terminally ill patients who use medical marijuana.
The biggest lie to come out of the ONDCP is that new, potent strains
of marijuana allegedly make pot a far more dangerous drug. This is
nonsense. The only difference between weak and strong marijuana is
that potent marijuana requires significantly less smoke inhalation
to achieve the desired effect.

It's actually less harmful. The tax dollars wasted on the ONDCP's
misleading anti-marijuana campaign would be better spent on treatment
for methamphetamine addicts.

ROBERT SHARPE

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.