DRUG EXAGGERATION HURTS CREDIBILITY

I'm writing about the Register's thoughtful editorial: "New ad campaign
gives straight dope on marijuana" (Sept. 23).

Methamphetamine use is at epidemic levels throughout the United States. If
you want to know the major cause, please look in a mirror. I invite "drug
warriors" like Asa Hutchinson of the DEA and Drug Czar John Walters to do
the same.

When these people lie and/or grossly exaggerate the dangers of marijuana,
they
lose all credibility. At least half of all high school students will use
marijuana before they graduate. They know from personal experience that what
Hutchinson, Walters and other "drug warriors" say about marijuana is false.
They know from personal experience that marijuana is not addictive.

Our federal government estimates that at least 80 million Americans have
used marijuana. Obviously, there are nowhere near 80 million marijuana
addicts. Our youth make the logical assumption that if these people lied
anor grossly exaggerated the harms of marijuana, they must be lying about
the dangers of meth.

Therefore, we now have a methamphetamine epidemic.

KIRK MUSE

Mesa, Ariz.