STUDIES DISCREDIT 'GATEWAY DRUG' THEORY

If Lt. Carl Gottardi's opinion ("Reform group criticizes state's marijuana
fight, Mar. 18) about whether to re-legalize cannabis (marijuana) depends
on whether marijuana is a gateway to other stronger drugs such as crack
cocaine and heroin, then it is time to change the laws. The gateway theory
has been discredited by nearly every recent study. Re-legalizing and
regulating cannabis separates it from sales that occur next to those hard
drugs. Surely the sheriff's office has confiscated enough cannabis to see
it is a plant, not a drug.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.