Pubdate: Wed, 13 Aug 2008
Source: Tallahassee Democrat (FL)
Copyright: 2008 Tallahassee Democrat
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/hdEs6Z0o
Website: http://www.tallahassee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/444
Author: Elena Ortega
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08.n783.a13.html

THE ISSUE HERE IS INFORMANTS, NOT THE DRUG LAWS

Re: "Here's how to change drug laws" (My View, Aug. 11).

I was appalled at the narrowness of Andrew Collard's My View. Yes,
even if you are a cannabis-smoking freedom fighter in hopes of
changing the laws of your illegal habit, you still can be
narrow-minded.

The fact is, I am hearing this argument everywhere I
go.

Hard as it is to focus on, the youth close to this situation are
missing the point of Rachel Hoffman's disturbing and untimely death.
They are taking this chance to try to reform drug laws. But the use of
cannabis is a victim-taking drug. It is both mentally and physically
addictive. This drug affects many families. Relationships break up.
Jobs are lost, if obtained at all. Ambition is lost. There should not
be a "Rachel Law," but rather with the hope that this will educate
youth and others of the dangers of partaking in illegal drug use.

The many people touched by this tragedy should be focusing on
reforming the use of undercover informants. After being arrested for
illegal drug use, Hoffman should not have been offered the
get-out-of-jail-free card via acting as a cop. The normal protocol of
having her introduce an official undercover cop to larger drug dealers
should have taken place.

This is the outrage! This is the problem. It was not that she was an
informant in a massive drug and weapon deal, but that she was allowed
to be. This was a choice she made, and yet one she never should have
had offered to her.

Students graduating from the police academy are as young as 18 years
old. There is no reason these trained, dedicated servants of law and
order should have sat this one out.

Elena Ortega is a resident of Tallahassee.
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MAP posted-by: dan