MAILBAG:

Thanks for publishing federal Judge James P. Gray’s outstanding opinion (“Current drug policies inefficient,” Sept. 30).

It seems to me that in order to properly evaluate our nation’s drug policies, we need to compare and contrast our drug policies with those of another nation with substantially different drug policies. I suggest that we use the Czech Republic for our comparison.

In the Czech Republic, citizens can legally use, possess, grow, or purchase small quantities of marijuana.

In the United States, many otherwise law-abiding citizens are locked in prison cages for possessing, growing or selling various amounts of marijuana.

The Czech overall drug arrest rate is one per 100,000 population. The U.S. overall drug arrest rate is 585 per 100,000 population.

The Czech robbery rate is two per 100,000 population. The U.S. robbery rate is 145.9 per 100,000 population, according to the FBI.

According to our drug war cheerleaders, tolerant marijuana laws cause people to use other, much more dangerous drugs like meth and heroin.

Obviously, this doesn’t happen in the Czech Republic. Why not?

Could it be that when people can legally obtain marijuana at an affordable price, they tend not to use or desire any other recreational drugs?

Could it be that marijuana legalization actually creates a roadblock to hard drug use — not a gateway?

KIRK MUSE

Arizona

 Polled Muslims say violence acceptable

In the Forum (“Behind The Headlines,” Sept. 30) Imam Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini is asked: “What are some of the biggest misconceptions American have about Islam?”

He replies, “Without a doubt the biggest misconception Americans have about Islam is that it is associated with violence and terrorism.”

Indeed! Is this a misconception or is the Imam in total denial?

The people involved in the bombings and terrorist attacks in London, Madrid, India, Bali and the World Trade Center all were acknowledged Muslim terrorists.

Isn’t the mayhem and atrocities that we currently see in Iraq being perpetrated by his co-religionists?

Recent polls of American Muslims found that a great many think it’s perfectly acceptable to use violence and terrorism to further the goal of jihad.

What the world needs are Muslim leaders who acknowledge the cancer that is affecting their religion and for them to speak out against it and not worry about supposed “misconceptions.”

LAWRENCE FREEDMAN

Newport Beach