Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jan 2003
Source: Standard Democrat, The (MO)
Copyright: 2003 DA Publishing, LLC
Contact:  http://www.standard-democrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1843
Author: Jerry Epstein

WHO'S RIGHT?

I take great offense to the letter cited by you from the president of the 
National District Attorneys Association, Dan M. Alsobrook's saying (1) they 
(those of us who wish to legalize drugs) do not mind deceiving the American 
public as well. (2) And to absurd claims about marijuana from Scott Burns, 
a bureaucrat at ONDCP.

One question: Do you trust the world's leading medical journal for over a 
century, The Lancet, or U.S. politicians, police and bureaucrats to more 
accurately assess marijuana? The Lancet: "... on the medical evidence 
available, moderate indulgence in cannabis has little ill-effect on 
health...." (1)

"But decriminalization of possession does not go far enough in our view.... 
Sooner or later politicians will have to stop running scared and address 
the evidence: cannabis per se is not a hazard to society but driving it 
further underground may well be." (2)

How can Lancet be so at odds with U.S. propaganda? One of them is lying. 
Guess who?

I have been fighting modern prohibition, the drug war, for the basic 
reasons that my parents fought alcohol prohibition. It doesn't work and it 
does great damage to our children and society. And, like nearly all of my 
friends who help lead state groups for the drug reform movement, I 
personally haven't taken a penny in over seven years of our "well financed" 
fight.

The modern phase of the drug war was first brought to you by the same folks 
who brought you Watergate. See E. Jay Epstein's "Agency of Fear," Dan 
Baum's "Smoke and Mirrors," Alan Bock's "Waiting to Inhale" and Mike Gray's 
"Drug Crazy" - among many, for the remarkable history of government 
duplicity regarding drugs from decade to decade since 1914 (and earlier).

Jerry Epstein, Houston, Texas
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens