Pubdate: Fri, 06 Dec 2002 Source: Naples Daily News (FL) Copyright: 2002 Naples Daily News. Contact: http://www.naplesnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/284 Author: Kirk Muse DON'T BE A DOPE Editors, Naples Daily News: Thank you for publishing online Bill Keller's outstanding column, "Reefer Madness" (Dec. 2). In the 5,000-year history of its use, marijuana has never been documented to kill a single person. Methamphetamine, on the other hand, is dangerous to the users, dangerous to the manufacturers, dangerous to the police, dangerous to the public and dangerous to our environment. The United States is experiencing a methamphetamine epidemic. For the reason why, I suggest we look to our "drug warriors" who lie about and/or grossly exaggerate the dangers of marijuana. About half of all high school students will use marijuana before they graduate. They know from personal experience that marijuana is not highly addictive nor very dangerous. Our youth make the logical assumption that if the "drug warriors" lied about marijuana, they are probably lying about the danger of meth. Thus we have a meth epidemic throughout the United States. Thus it is time to do something different -- substantially different. KIRK MUSE Mesa, Ariz - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)