MARIJUANA, USERS POSE NO THREAT

Thank you for the column on legalizing pot ("Here's the dope on why pot
should be legal," @issue, Sept. 18). It is about time we get past the
misconception that marijuana is an addictive gateway drug and so should be
illegal. Marijuana just does not stand up when compared with our actual
addictive, and most important, legal, drugs: cigarettes and alcohol.

Why don't the feds want to get it? Get the nonviolent drug offenders out of
our overcrowded prisons, put our tax money to use for what it was intended.
Focus on getting criminals who really are a threat to the community at
large off the streets and into treatment programs.

CLAIRE GALLOWAY, Sugar Hill