Pubdate: Sun, 05 May 2002
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2002, The Tribune Co.
Contact:  http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Section: Commentary, page 3
Author: Robert Sharpe

CULTURE WARRIORS

Gov. Jeb Bush would be doing a lot more crying if his daughter Noelle had 
been given a lengthy mandatory minimum sentence for her drug offense 
instead of a treatment referral. Fortunately for Noelle, her drug of choice 
was prescription Xanax and not crack cocaine. Prison cells are hardly 
appropriate health interventions for illicit drugs.

Do we really want big government monitoring everything that goes into our 
bodies? And if it is the proper role of government to punish citizens for 
unhealthy choices, why target drugs like marijuana? Unlike alcohol, 
marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it 
share the addictive properties of nicotine. Unfortunately, marijuana 
represents the '60s counterculture to reactionaries in Congress intent on 
forcibly imposing their version of morality. This country cannot afford to 
continue subsidizing the prejudices of culture warriors.

Robert Sharpe, Washington, D.C.

The writer is program officer with the Drug Policy Alliance.
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