TASTELESS TEASE

This is in response to your Sept. 12 article on actor-comedian Tommy Chong
being sentenced to prison for selling marijuana bongs and pipes. The first
line of your story is a poor, out-of-context tease: "Actor-comedian Tommy
Chong admits he had become the pot-smoking loser he once played in the
movies. As a result, his freedom will go up in smoke ...."

Chong's complete quote is this: "I admit I did become that character for a
while. I'm back to who I am."

I don't think it's funny to poke fun at pot-smokers. What I find less
humorous is poor and distasteful attempts to attract attention to your
article. Leave your opinions of marijuana use out of your journalism. Leave
the comedy to the comedians (Tommy Chong).

Since the War on Drugs has proven itself to be a complete, money-sucking
failure, must you now resort to the use of "put-downs" as the next
deterrent? How about becoming a role model instead? It's cheaper and more
effective.

Please leave "high-brow" editorializing away from balanced reporting.

Roger J. Lodge

Squirrel Hill