Pubdate: Wed, 28 Feb 2001
Source: Post-Standard, The (NY)
Copyright: 2001, Syracuse Post-Standard
Contact:  P.O. Box 4915, Syracuse, N.Y. 13221-4915
Website: http://www.syracuse.com/
Forum: http://www.syracuse.com/forums/
Author: Erik Kriss
Note: Erik Kriss' Albany Notebook appears Sunday in the Herald American and 
Wednesday in The Post-Standard.
Cited: ReconsiDer  http://www.reconsider.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?140 (Rockefeller Drug Laws)

DRUG LAW SWITCH DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED

Nowadays when politicians change their minds on an issue they're often 
accused of flip-flopping.

But two former state senators were honored here Monday night for switching 
their positions on New York's drug laws.

Republicans H. Douglas Barclay of Pulaski and John Dunne of Long Island 
were recognized at a $125-per-person dinner at La Serre, one of Albany's 
top French restaurants.

ReconsiDer, a non-profit drug policy group, honored the two for supporting 
rolling back or modifying the Rockefeller Drug Laws.

Barclay and Dunne both backed the laws, which require harsh penalties even 
for relatively minor drug use, when Gov. Nelson Rockefeller signed them in 
the early 1970s.

Now many mainstream politicians argue low-level drug users should receive 
more treatment and less prison, and judges should have more discretion in 
sentencing.

Gov. George Pataki and the leaders of both houses of the Legislature have 
voiced support for softening the laws.

Barclay, who was unable to attend the Monday night dinner, retired from the 
Senate in 1984. He's a lawyer in Syracuse and president of the Metropolitan 
Development Association. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake