Pubdate: Wed, 13 Mar 2002
Source: Quad-City Times (IA)
Section: Opinion, Page A11, Letters To The Editor, above fold
Copyright: 2002 Quad-City Times
Contact:  http://www.qctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/857
Author: Joseph Sanders
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/campaign.htm (ONDCP Media Campaign)

MARIJUANA POLICIES SHOULD BE SANER

Coming next month, Congress will begin holding hearings concerning our 
intelligence/security agencies' failures to spot the terrorists before the 
tragedy. The CIA will hide behind national security while evading the 
question of why they had not one agent inside Afghanistan, while the FBI 
will blame miscommunication as a problem they are solving. And we all hope 
they are indeed.

But one fact that may not be discussed publicly is the immediate reaction 
the FBI took once the planes had crashed. Within hours, they had taken 
1,600 agents off the drug war and put them on the war on terror.  So unlike 
the new anti-drug commercials that try to blame drug users as supporting 
terrorists, what may have been their biggest support came from an agency 
much more interested in pot smokers than investigating flight schools.

Here's one American who is hoping that we'll have a national dialogue on 
legalizing at least medical marijuana. ...Since the majority of arrests in 
this war on drugs is against marijuana users, just think of the agents who 
could be freed to stop the terrorists before they get another chance.

Should we adopt a saner policy towards marijuana?

Joseph Sanders

Clinton
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