PUZZLED BY TIRADE AGAINST MARIJUANA

Editor, The Star:

Rob Wilton's tirade against marijuana (5/8) contains some puzzling
statements. He writes: "Some short-sighted people believe they have a right
to consume whatever they want because it is their bodies. Well, they have
the same rights as I to not to wear a seat-belt while driving, or a helmet
while riding a motorcycle. Smoking pot is not an activity isolated to the
user." But this example shows that it is isolated to the user. Not wearing
a seat belt hurts the driver, not whatever he impacts. The same goes with
the helmet.

Of course, Wilton never asks, "Why, if this is such an evil, incapacitating
drug, do millions of working people enjoy smoking it?" It cannot be that
they are all less intelligent than Mr. Wilton. Even Mensa requires only the
98th percentile, which is roughly that you're "smarter" than 97 out of a
hundred. Mr. Wilton, clearly, is smarter than millions.

To compound the confusion, the letter ends with "Marijuana is big business,
gang-controlled and always will be, as long as it's illegal somewhere." Is
this a recommendation to legalize, or an approval of gang control? Wilton
needs to solve such contradictions before he can be taken seriously in the
matter of cannabis and the law.

HARRY D. FISHER,

Woodland Hills, CA