Theresa Rice's letter to the editor opposing advocates of the decriminalization of marijuana reveals a deep misunderstanding of the concept of freedom. Despite Ms. Rice's admonitions about the dangers and foolishness of illicit drug use (with which I agree), it properly is a solely personal decision. Freedom includes the freedom to make bad decisions, even if they prove to be ultimately self-destructive. Ms. Rice also suggests that the money spent on drugs, alcohol and tobacco could be better spent by giving it to people who can not provide for their own basic needs but fails to ponder the implications of the billions of dollars the government spends on the tax-funded "War on Drugs."