FED MARIJUANA CRUSADE IGNORES GREATER PROBLEMS

To the editor:

Regarding Tim Rowland's March 27 column, alcohol kills more people
each year than all illegal drugs combined. Prescription-overdose
deaths are now second only to motor-vehicle crashes as a cause of
death from unintentional injury. Television is filled with
sophisticated pro-drug messages paid for by alcohol and
pharmaceutical companies.

The Bush administration doesn't have a problem with corporate drug
pushers. But hoist a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner at an off-campus high
school rally in Alaska, and they will fight you all the way to the
Supreme Court. It is not clear how this nonsensical phrase somehow
merits limiting free speech.

Culture warriors in the White House seem to think the war on pot is
more important than the Constitution. It doesn't stop there. By
raiding voter-approved medical marijuana providers in California, the
very same Bush administration that claims illicit drug use funds
terrorism is forcing cancer and AIDS patients into the hands of
street dealers. Apparently marijuana prohibition is more important
than protecting the country from terrorism, too.

Robert Sharpe

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.