MARIJUANA AND SAFETY

Dallas -- As a retired police officer and recipient of an award from MADD
(making the most driving-under-the-influence arrests in my department), I
was surprised by the comments of MADD's president Louise Knox (Ottawa Plans
To Let Police Conduct Roadside Drug Tests -- Oct. 23).

She must be unaware that road officers in the United States spend more time
looking for pot in someone's car than they do arresting DUI drivers.

If all officers stopped wasting time on the non-public safety threat of
simply transporting marijuana, 2,000 drunk-driving deaths could be avoided
each year. Marijuana prohibition reduces public safety, period.