MARIJUANA QUESTION NOT JUST A LOCAL ISSUE

To the editor:

As an "out-of-stater" who has contributed dollars to the campaign backing
Nevada's Question 9, I appreciate your attention to the meddling in Nevada
matters by drug czar John Walters (editorial, Oct. 14).

As a Floridian, I am donating a portion of my hard-earned wages to Question
9 because I believe it urgent to counter the money being used from my tax
dollars to fund current laws which subject responsible adult marijuana
users to arrest, prosecution and incarceration.

As an average American taxpayer I "donated" more than $250 this year to the
federal drug-war machine. Mr. Walters' complaints about the $5 million
being used to promote Question 9 is a laugh since his own office receives
an equal amount of tax funding literally every 2.4 hours. Despite this
gross disparity, his point of view is in serious jeopardy of being rejected
in a public vote.

Mr. Walters and those who benefit financially from the war on marijuana
users fear this question being put to a vote. For it is at the ballot box
that a person's true and honest anonymous voice can be heard. If ending
jail sentences for adult marijuana users was to be approved in any
jurisdiction, it would open the door to the war ending in other states.
Why, before you know it, our police nationwide would be re-focused on
crimes against persons and/or property.

Nevadans, you are not living in a vacuum. Your vote in November has a
ripple effect felt by Americans everywhere. You can make a positive
difference by voting yes to Question 9.

STEPHEN HEATH

CLEARWATER, FLA.