Smokers as Murderers?

Equating cigarette smoking with heroin use (“Koop Focuses on Addiction and Nicotine” by Allan Parachini, May 10) would be merely preposterous--if it were not downright vicious.

Reading the article, I was reminded of my late mother’s pronouncement about 50 years ago after she discovered I had taken up the filthy habit: “A girl who would smoke would do ANYTHING!”

Anything? Whew! Faced with such a mind-boggling threat to society--nay, to civilization--shouldn’t we (you, that is) push to make lighting up a felony at least as serious as murder with special circumstances?

It’s petition time right now. Get busy out there and sign up all the tunnel-visioned bigots.

ELAINE ATKINSON

San Pedro