Decriminalizing Marijuana

The columns by Robert Scheer (Column Left, Nov. 19) and Robert A. Jones (Essay, Nov. 20) advocating the need to reexamine our national policies on drugs are right on target. Although there is a large segment of the population that insists on treating the misuse of drugs as an emotional issue of banning a sin, there is another large segment that has decided we are beating our heads against a wall and just making the problems worse.

Although it is difficult to arrange for any rational discussion of alternative policies, every discussion or poll I’ve seen in the last year has indicated around half the population has already decided it’s time to do something different. The passage of the relevant propositions in California and Arizona is the most recent example. The citizens of the country are ahead of our political leaders in recognizing the need for a change.

T. H. CROWLEY

Palm Desert

* Scheer’s misplaced article carries the implication that reefers or joints, i.e., marijuana cigarettes, are somehow safer than tobacco cigarettes. Recent articles, including reports in The Times (Oct. 18), have shown a direct link between polynuclear aromatic compounds, such as benzo(a)pyrene, and cancer. This finding was taken as further proof of the fact that smoking and cancer are directly linked.

Marijuana cigarettes produce more of these types of carcinogens per smoke than tobacco cigarettes. Because joints actually weigh more per smoke, they produce proportionally more benzo(a)pyrene and other similar carcinogens.

There is a direct link between smoking reefers and cancer. If you want THC it is far better (but still risky, of course) to ingest it or take the drugs that contain it rather than smoke a reefer. Unless Scheer has data that show that people who smoke reefers die from cancer at an equal or lower rate than the nonsmoking population, which would mean that somehow something in marijuana protects one from the carcinogens, I think he ought to think about the implications of his article.

WILLIAM A. FARONE

Irvine