TERROR IS NO EXCUSE TO TOKE

We thought we had heard every kind of wild policy proposal justified by the
war on terror. Now Commentary columnist Deroy Murdock wants to use the war
as an excuse to legalize marijuana ("Marijuana campaign lights up," April 17).

Mr. Murdock, who extols toking up to "enhance music, fine dining and long
walks on secluded beaches," ignores the human toll inflicted on those who
become psychologically addicted to pot and then move on to cocaine, LSD,
"speed" and heroin.

Like other media elites, Mr. Murdock can probably check into the Betty Ford
Clinic if his own apparent escapades with weed get out of hand. Not so for
the millions of people on the edge of society who find it easier to light a
joint than to fix the front steps or hold down a job.

Drug dependence fuels a cycle of extended adolescence, shortened attention
spans and an inability to think straight. America can only be a
self-governing nation if its citizens are in a rational state of mind.

The siren call of drugs is a ticket to more dependency and less
self-reliance. In the interests of preserving liberty, you'd think the
libertarians would want fewer stoned citizens instead of more.

ROBERT H. KNIGHT

Washington

Robert H. Knight is director of the Culture and Family Institute, an
affiliate of Concerned Women for America.