DOPE DISASTER

To the editor:

I was really pleased by two items in the Sept. 18 paper relating to Question
9, the marijuana initiative. The federal drug czar is speaking out against
the measure, as are the doctors in their ad against the proposition.

The proponents of this measure are running a sleazy, dishonest campaign in
favor of it. Their campaign keeps referring to marijuana as a "recreational"
drug far less addictive than tobacco, and they use the term "for medical
purposes." Well, both are completely dishonest. They propose to make the
state a drug pusher by giving it the power to sell the drug and to tax it,
the latter being an inducement to avoid other taxes needed to raise revenue.
Further, they promise that no marijuana will be sold to anyone under the age
of 21.

They completely ignore the fact that marijuana is the drug easiest for young
people to obtain. And are they trying to tell us that 14-year-olds don't
know someone 21 or over who will make the buy?

As a former school administrator, I can tell you that any one of my
counselors who had a student whose grades declined suddenly could tell the
parents -- almost to the exact date -- when their child began using pot by
looking at his records. Marijuana is without question addictive and the
gateway to "hard stuff." Pot a "recreational" drug? Since when is being a
drug addict, of any drug, a form of recreation?

As an advanced form of sleaze, the term "medical marijuana" takes the cake.
Doctors will readily tell you that there are legitimate medicines that will
dull the pain of cancer. The use of the word "medical" is the crow bar used
to jimmy open the door to being flooded with marijuana. Vote against
Question 9 and head off this disaster.

Carl Friedman

Las Vegas