American Notes ALASKA

For 15 years, the right of Alaskans to smoke grass at home has been as commonplace as the privilege of watching a moose graze in the backyard. But antidrug crusaders, who expect to be bolstered this week by a visit from federal drug czar William Bennett, are pressing voters to recriminalize the private possession of small amounts of marijuana -- made legal in 1975 by a court privacy decision -- this November. Says Marie Majewske of Alaskans for the Recriminalization of Marijuana: "When a drug is perceived to be socially acceptable, it is used and abused a great deal more."

Nonsense, say opponents. The ballot measure targets one of the least dangerous drugs, they claim, and ignores the far more serious problems posed by alcohol in Alaska. More fundamentally, argue ads launched by Alaskans for Privacy this month, the campaign is "about the government telling you what you can eat, drink or smoke in your own home." Poll tallies taken before the latest privacy offensive show the anti-pot initiative passing 60% to 40%.