Pubdate: Wed, 10 Mar 2004
Source: Lumberjack, The (CA Edu)
Copyright: The Lumberjack Newspaper, Humboldt State Univesity, 2004
Contact:  http://www.thejack.org/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2736
Author: Ed Rosenthal

FOSTER DOESN'T KNOW POT

The Guru's Opinion - Renowned Pot Activist Ed Rosenthal Shares His
Views Regarding UPD's Stance on the Issue.

It was unfair to HSU's police chief Robert Foster to ask him to
comment on either the law or society's relationship to marijuana.
[Times Standard 2/19] His remarks showed how ill equipped he is to make
any comments regarding the prohibition issue. First, he has been
mis-educated by his police peers and has no other experience with the
sociology of drug use. (Check out The CA Narcotics Police Officers
Assn. Web site -Our Policies.) More importantly, his attitudes,
typical of many law enforcement personnel, are colored by his fear
that medical marijuana opens the gate to legalization of all
marijuana. Members of the criminal justice system are opposed to
medical marijuana because they figure it is the gateway to
unemployment for the prohibition industry. Foster's failure to
acknowledge his self-interest in maintaining the drug laws is very
telling.

 From his very first statement Foster shows his ignorance. There is no
indication that U.S. residents use more drugs than residents of other
industrial societies, or for that matter, less developed societies.
This statement, which is patently false, was meant to upset the
reader. The article is composed with a very radical disingenuous
attitude towards drug use. If Foster is concerned with health and
saving lives he would be spending more energy discouraging tobacco and
alcohol use, rather than concentrating his efforts on marijuana. The
government's own DAWN reports, which have been reporting drug
statistics for over 35 years, have never noted a death from use of
marijuana.

The long-term effects Foster describes, lung cancer, memory loss,
lowered resistance to infections and disrupted reproductive systems
are proof that marijuana causes hysteria in people opposed to
legalization. The government has been trying to prove that marijuana
is harmful for 20 years. Instead the studies show that it is very
safe, has many medicinal uses and often leads to a better quality of
life.

The main danger that marijuana poses to the overwhelming number of
users the chief points out, is its illegality. In other words, he 's
getting paid to try to bust you if you have even a passing
acquaintance with marijuana. Even though he knows an arrest could ruin
your life, he's sorry, it's all in a night's work.

The chief's article was the ultimate act of the tail wagging the dog.
The university is home to professors who have studied the issue,
thought about it and have some real insights about drug use and harm
reduction. Rather than seeking an opinion from someone who knows
something about the subject, the chief was called. It's apparent he
did not consult them before he wrote his piece.

Foster's only real expertise and training regarding drugs is how to
recognize controlled substances, to arrest the owners, buyers and
sellers, and how to testify in court. That's fine - he's supposed to
enforce the law. But he steps beyond his knowledge when he suggests
himself as an expert on policy. Foster probably knows less about drugs
and drug use than the average Humboldt student.

If Foster thinks Prop 215 or SB 420 are ambiguous regarding the
legality of medical marijuana he has less of an understanding of these
important California laws than the average citizen. It's truly
dangerous to have such an incompetent individual in such a responsible
position, where he can affect so many peoples' lives.

No law should be more harmful to individuals and society than the
behavior it's attempting to regulate. Further, no law should be
instituted that will be flouted so widely that it is treated with
contempt. From any perspective, criminal, economic, sociological,
constitutional, even national security the marijuana laws cause much
more harm than the herb. There are 750,000 arrests for marijuana every
year, 100,000 people are incarcerated right now, it costs about $30
billion a year to try to enforce. Yet anyone who wants to purchase can
find a willing seller. The laws are unenforceable. The tragedy of the
human toll is incredible. It's apparent, especially in Humboldt, that
the most harmful aspect of marijuana use is the law. Civilly
regulating it is the best harm reduction paradigm for society. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake