Pubdate: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 Date: 06/30/1999 Source: Roanoke Times (VA) Author: Michael Krawitz DRIVING while impaired is a risk no one should take, and losing a friend or loved one (in a car wreck) is something no one should have to face (June 12 article "Man faces 2 years, 11 months for crash that took friend's life"). I am president of the (http://www.vt.edu/)Virginia Tech Chapter, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. NORML does not condone driving while impaired or the use of impairing substances (without a doctor's order) by children. Our document ("Principles of responsible marijuana use") details how to use marijuana responsibly, a topic often overlooked in school drug-prevention classes. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is working hard to add alcohol warnings to the federal government's billion-dollar anti-drug advertising budget, over strong opposition from the drug czar's office. I applaud MADD for its efforts. It's high time this country began to assess drugs not by their name but by their effects. Whether the substance that causes impairment is called Sudafed, marijuana or alcohol, this should have no bearing on the punishment for knowingly driving while impaired. What should be punished is the level of impairment, not the name of the drug. MICHAEL KRAWITZ, BLACKSBURG