HARD-LINERS SOFTEN WHEN LAWS HIT HOME

Re: "Napolitano Admits Pot Use in College" (Oct. 10)

Kudos to the Tribune for the hard hitting question of Governor candidate
Janet Napolitano, "If police had caught her smoking pot in college, would
she want to have been arrested, jailed, strip-searched and charged with a
felony--as required by Arizona's current legal system?"

Those that support our current system of drug prohibition quickly change
their tune when the system personally involves themselves or their loved
ones. A good example is Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the personification of a
drug warrior--until it involved his own daughter.

Our current system of marijuana prohibition resulted in greater than
734,000 arrests last year for marijuana violations. More arrests than for
murder, rape, assault, burglary and armed robbery--combined!

It seems to me that our jails and court system should be reserved for
people that harm other people--not themselves.

Kirk Muse

Mesa