‘Bennett the Menace’

President George Bush has nominated Bennett to head the new White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Bennett, who has been described as tough and combative, may have the right temperament for the dictatorial powers implied by the term “drug czar.” I hope, however, that Bennett will not set up the kind of repressive police state that would be needed to succeed in eradicating drug use.

We should not replace a great evil with an even greater one. Decriminalizing drugs would be a more positive step to reducing the staggering social cost of drug addiction and would allow us to focus more attention on eliminating the root cause of habitual drug use: low self-esteem.

I also hope that the public spotlight cast on Bennett by his new position will help him overcome his personal addictions to smoking and to overeating.

ERNST F. GHERMANN

Winnetka