WEED NOT THE PROBLEM

Alex Kingsbury's op-ed on Thursday ("Fear and Smoking in America," p. 4)
about the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy ads that show
the "extreme dangers" of smoking marijuana. Adding to this sentiment, this
week the so-called "Guru of Ganja" Ed Rosenthal was found guilty and will
be sentenced for up to 83 years for cultivating marijuana. All of this
simply adds to my frustration with the country's obsession with a low-key
drug, while there are so many other drugs that pose a more serious threat
to humans.

Just as Kingsbury said, I cannot think of the last time I read about rape,
violence, or an accidental pregnancy that resulted from marijuana use.
While it is entirely true that marijuana is an illegal drug that does
affect the brain, the WHONDCP is overlooking a type of drug abuse that has
a larger effect on the teenage population - alcohol.

According to a study published by CBS News, 17,448 people were killed in
2001 due to alcohol-related car accidents. That is 41 percent of the total
motor vehicle accidents that occurred nationwide. Additionally, about
20,000 people die each year from alcohol-related causes that do not involve
motor vehicles.

A large portion of that group is related to teenage binge drinking.
Thurston Hall alone had more than 10 hospitalizations due to alcohol
poisoning in the fall semester. There were no hospitalizations due to
smoking too much marijuana.

It angers me to see so much money wasted on anti-marijuana ads when it
should be spent on educating people about the dangers of driving drunk.

- -Liz Roth freshman