RECLASSIFYING MARIJUANA

Major kudos for your outstanding editorial: "Federal reclassification
of marijuana a smart move" (Dec. 11). Is there any legitimate reason
that a natural herb that has never killed anybody should be
classified the same as heroin? I think not.

I know from personal experience that marijuana is a substitute for
potentially deadly painkillers like Vicodin and is also a substitute
for alcohol. The pharmaceutical industry knows this and so does the
alcohol industry. And this is probably why marijuana remains a
criminalized substance.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.