Pubdate: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) Copyright: 1999 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/ Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Interact.html Author: John C Fox LEGALIZING DRUGS To the editor: At last an elected official at state level has said it: "Legalize drugs." Can't say how many votes New Mexico governor Gary Johnson will lose, but he surely would have mine for sensible thinking and courageous speaking. Too many youths (especially minorities) languish in jails because of (to use Henry Hyde's terminology) "youthful indiscretions." Legal, personal use is a personal choice. Let's get the witch hunters out of lives of otherwise harmless citizens and empty the prisons of offenders too insignificant to be winked at and set free. May the Governor's remarks be the beginning of an irenic discussion and final solution to this national affliction. John C Fox, Bradenton - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D