DOPE SMOKING'S NO REASON TO STRIP TITLE

Editor:

It is irrational to take away Chris Del Bosco's national championship title
(see "Downhiller Del Bosco positive for THC") for the use of cannabis. While
cycling's governing bodies need cyclists to respect and honor the
anti-doping measures in place, the prohibition of cannabis (marijuana/THC)
is historically discredited and has no place in cycling. If the various
cycling governing bodies want cyclists to respect anti-doping regulations,
then they should do everything to separate their credible efforts from
discredited government political efforts to prohibit and exterminate the
plant cannabis. That a cyclist uses cannabis instead of beer after a race
should not be of concern. Supporting government's discredited political
effort to exterminate the plant cannabis will negatively affect the credible
efforts banning performance-enhancing drugs that cycling is struggling with.

Stan White

Dillon, Colorado

Editor's note: Maybe so, Stan. Still, if we were a pro athlete gunning for a
rainbow jersey instead of a desk jockey chasing typos, we'd probably lay off
the bong for a while. As Dr. Hunter S. Thompson has said more than once,
"Buy the ticket, take the ride." - Editor