Pubdate: Tue, 05 Dec 2000
Date: 12/05/2000
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Author: Stephen Young
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1813/a06.html

It is heartening to see the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against random
drug checkpoints ("Court strikes down drug checkpoints," Nov. 29). For
years the drug war has been used to invade the privacy of all citizens.

For example, if you want a job, you must prove yourself innocent of
drug crimes by submitting bodily fluids for analysis.

The same is true if you are a student hoping to join in an
extracurricular activity.

And all students are subject to random searches by dogs trained to
detect drugs, while anyone who travels by bus may find themselves face
to face with a law enforcement officer who "requests" to search their
personal belongings.

Since many illegal drug users look and act just like people who don't
use illegal drugs, those would protect us from ourselves surveil everyone.

In making people prove their innocence, some drug users may be caught.
However, such procedures also allow authorities to scrutinize citizens
without cause.

The war on drugs is also a war on personal privacy.

Stephen Young