Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jul 2002
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Webpage: 
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/07/23/ED1
5486.DTL
Copyright: 2002 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact:  http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Stanley F. Kern

DON'T CARICATURE 'PARTY-TIME POTHEADS'

Editor -- I object to the crude caricature of advocates for the 
decriminalization of marijuana in your editorial, "A remedy for Prop. 215 
headaches" (July 22).

Referring to us as "party-time potheads," this regrettable smear besmirches 
the many fine citizens who sincerely and philosophically oppose the 
government's most colossal and expensive failure: its war on drugs.

There are, of course, potheads among us. There are also alkie (alcoholics), 
tobacco freaks (cigarette smokers) and zombies (insomniacs). It's easy to 
mischaracterize a whole group of people with terms that have sinister 
overtones. It's much more difficult to use reasoned arguments to defend 
prohibition.

STANLEY F. KERN

Daly City
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