Pubdate: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 Source: Houston Press (TX) Copyright: 2002 New Times, Inc Contact: http://www.houston-press.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/199 Author: Robert Sharpe, Buster Jones Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n036/a11.html HALE TO THE CHIEF PAC it in: Thanks to Mr. Hale ["Grassroots Campaign," by Wendy Grossman, January 10]. But I wish more Americans would speak up about using pot in the past, even those holding office now. As for there not being enough pot smokers in your city to elect Mr. Hale, I would like to remind him that he can "get by with a little help from my friends." That is, if Mr. Hale will get in touch with www.norml.org. They now have a PAC that might throw a little green his way. Buster Jones Albany, Georgia POT SHOTS A skeptic of Stephen Hale's call to decriminalize marijuana is quoted as saying, "I don't personally think there's enough stoners out there to get somebody elected." Anyone who pays taxes has a vested interest in reforming marijuana laws. In 2000, there were 734,497 arrests for marijuana in this country, 646,042 for possession alone. For a drug that has never been shown to cause an overdose death, the allocation of resources used to enforce marijuana laws is outrageous. Taxing and regulating marijuana is a cost-effective alternative to the $50 billion drug war. Decriminalization acknowledges the social reality of marijuana use and frees users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What's really needed is a regulated market with enforceable age controls. Right now kids have an easier time buying pot than beer. The reefer madness myths have long been discredited, forcing the drug-war gravy train to spend millions of tax dollars on politicized research, trying to find harm in a relatively harmless plant. The direct experience of millions of Americans contradicts the sensationalistic myths used to justify marijuana prohibition. Robert Sharpe The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth