POT 'GATEWAY' IS DUE TO DEALERS, NOT POT

I'm writing about Robert Sharpe's outstanding letter, "Reefer Madness
revisited?" (June 9-16):

If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms,
coffee would be illegal but marijuana would be legal. If we drink 65
cups of coffee in a single day, we have a 50 percent chance of dying
as a result.

On the other hand, if we smoke the world's most potent pot all day
long, the worst effect would be a severe case of the munchies.
(Actually, the worst effect would be getting arrested and thrown in
jail with violent criminals).

I'd like to add that I have never seen heroin, cocaine, LSD, or
methamphetamine. However, I was offered free samples of these
dangerous drugs on several occasions by my marijuana suppliers when I
was a user of marijuana, which is more than 15 years ago.

Like the vast majority of marijuana users, I was only interested in
marijuana and no other illegal drugs.

Fortunately, I turned down all offers of free samples of other drugs.
Unfortunately, many others do not - thus the gateway effect.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.