Churchill County School Board trustees will continue discussion Thursday on a proposed employee drug and alcohol testing policy.

When the board first broached the subject two weeks ago, it decided to meet with representatives of the district's three labor unions before adopting a drug testing policy. Union representatives said they are not opposed to drug and alcohol testing but want provisions in the policy to protect employees' civil liberties.

The original draft of the plan would allow testing of employees if there is a reasonable suspicion that an employee is impaired. It would also require testing whenever a worker's compensation claim is filed, and after an accident that causes $500 or more in damage.

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A recent article in the Nevada Appeal ("Illegal immigrants present a creative, sometimes violent challenge," Aug. 24) discussed the fact that some of Nevada's National Guard troops are currently stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. The troops are assisting with the Border Patrol's efforts to reduce illegal immigration, but they have also witnessed drug smugglers bringing marijuana into the U.S. from Mexico - threatening the lives of Border Patrol agents in the process.

This is a classic illustration of the failure of our marijuana laws: The prohibition of marijuana has led to a profitable criminal market, which is luring drug cartels across our border. Along the way, they threaten the lives of our border guards.

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In response to your article on the lack of opportunities for low-income and minority public school students in Nevada: It is time for Nevada to change its priority from building prisons to building schools.

Currently, Nevada police waste time and taxpayer resources on pursuing, arresting and imprisoning peaceful marijuana smokers. Instead of continuing this waste of money, while ignoring our state's most vulnerable citizens, Nevada should tax and regulate marijuana distribution. The extra money provided by such tax could improve our lackluster education system, while providing opportunities to our community's minorities and low-income students.

If you agree that teaching children is better than punishing potheads, then please support Question 7 this fall.

Howard Knudsen

Reno

[end]

Churchill County School Board trustees will review Thursday a proposed drug and alcohol policy that would allow district officials to request a drug test from employees involved in workplace accidents, or if there is reasonable suspicion the employee is using drugs or alcohol on the job.

The 23-page draft policy will be discussed by the school board at its meeting in the pit at the Old High School. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. The board will not be voting on the proposed policy at this meeting. It is listed on the agenda for discussion only.

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As the executive director of the world's largest organization of police, judges and other criminal justice professionals who oppose the policy of drug prohibition, I want to disagree with letter writer Phillip Beebe (Passing marijuana initiative would be a mistake - Aug. 6). The campaign to legalize marijuana in Nevada is smart business. Based on the combined experience of the cops and judges who make up our organization, there are few public policies more useless than using the criminal justice system as a hammer against people who elect to use marijuana.

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ELKO -- The Elko Daily Free Press has joined with Newmont Mining Corp., Barrick North America, Cashman Equipment, Stewart Title, Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital and Dr. Stephen Price as a group of business leaders seeking to make a positive impact in the battle against methamphetamine use in Elko County and northeastern Nevada.

"All too often, we, as community members, expect law enforcement and other social service agencies to bear full responsibility for this problem and for solving its direct and indirect effects on our residents," said Elko Daily Free Press Publisher Rhonda Zuraff.

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To quote Steve Miller's letter to the editor: "Unlike with alcohol or tobacco, no one has ever died from using marijuana."

Tell that to the cop in Reno that died because the girl that pulled out in front of him was high on marijuana.

"In addition, while marijuana is not harmless, its risks are lower than those of many legal drugs."

A little marijuana, then let's try a bit of cocaine, move on to the heroin, and finish off the day with a spot of meth.

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In November 2006, the citizens of Nevada will face a difficult decision. Nevadans will vote on a ballot initiative that seeks to replace our failed marijuana laws with a system of strict regulation and control.

Last year in the United States, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies arrested more people for simple marijuana offenses that hit an all-time high of 771,605 nationwide - more then one arrest per minute. That's equivalent of arresting the populations of Las Vegas and Reno combined. The Nevada Department of Public Safety has released its crime and justice report for the year 2005, which contains a monthly crime data report submitted by law enforcement agencies across the state. According to the monthly data, 5,532 marijuana arrests were made in Nevada. The crime and justice reports states; "Nevada Arrested More People for Marijuana Possession Last Year Than Murder, Manslaughter, Rape, Robbery, and Aggravated Assault Combined."

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When the Appeal last month republished an editorial from Fallon's Lahontan Valley News endorsing a ballot initiative that would legalize small amounts of marijuana, the potheads rejoiced on the Appeal's Web site. But they must have been disappointed a few days later when Editor Barry Ginter reiterated this paper's longtime opposition to drug legalization.

"There may be some readers under the impression that the Appeal ... has endorsed a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana," Ginter wrote. "We haven't." He rejected arguments calling pot a "harmless drug" and favored "whatever option results in the least amount of marijuana being used in Nevada," which sounds reasonable to me. Because, as my loyal readers know, I'm adamantly opposed to the legalization of marijuana and other dangerous drugs.

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As a Colorado Christian, like citizens throughout America, I am hoping Nevada citizens vote to re-legalize cannabis and thank you for your editorial in helping see positive results.

I also enjoyed Al Engleman's letter: "Time For Legalization Of Marijuana Is Now." I also encourage all Nevada politicians to join in ending the policy of caging humans for using the plant cannabis. And I encourage this Biblically by pointing out that God indicated He created all the seed bearing plants saying they are all good on literally the very first page of the Bible (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30).

Isn't it hypocritical and discrediting for government and politicians to say they support their constituents and support caging them for using a God-given plant at the same time?

Truthfully,

Stan White

[end]

As a member of Nevada's Marijuana Policy Project from the start of this initiative, it is with gratefulness that I thank, and most of all laud, your recent editorial in support of our efforts. Your editorial has received national attention.

Any rational person would concede that our present laws don't work, and as is the case with medical marijuana, have become so cumbersome so as to deny medicine to our sick citizens. It seems we have more to fear from knee-jerk authoritarian government than we do from pot. Even the August Federal Probation Report has stated that the biggest danger in using and possessing marijuana came from the laws against it.

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I'm writing about Jason Haynie's not-so-thoughtful letter, "Marijuana piece lacked reasoning, a good solution."

It was Haynie's letter that lacked reasoning and a good solution, not your thoughtful editorial, "It's Time To Enact New State Marijuana Policy."

In the Czech Republic, citizens can legally grow and possess small quantities of marijuana. The Czech overall drug arrest rate is 1 per 100,000 population. The U. S. overall drug arrest rate is 585 per 100,000 population.

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Topic: Meth epidemic

Our View: Combating the phenomenon is a community project that calls for additional resources.

Methamphetamine addiction is an epidemic that is ravaging our cities, our rural areas and our nation. It is a disease that everyone wants to cure, but hardly anyone fully knows how. Our tentative first steps involve a complex set of social-psychological, medical, legal and economic strategies. Getting well is a community project that requires more resources than are currently being invested.

Some are trying. Law enforcement agencies, of course. And treatment facilities set up to manage drug and alcohol addictions. Quest Counseling and Bristlecone Family Resources in Reno, Vitality Center in Elko, the Partnership Carson City Anti-Meth Coalition in the state's capital and the new Meth Community Response Alliance are soliciting the full force of community resources to combat this scourge. Contacting any of them can turn a person back toward a normal, fulfilling, human existence. This society and this community can ill afford to ignore them.

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I want to take the time to thank you for your very accurate and informative report on methamphetamine ["Meth: Shattering lives in Northern Nevada," June 25]. Just the title describes the true horrors of this drug.

I am a recovering addict of meth. I once was considered a solid citizen, valuable employee and a loving mom and wife. Nothing could have separated me from my beautiful children until methamphetamine. I cannot describe to you the destruction meth had on not only myself but everyone directly involved in my life. If your report has kept one person from trying meth, then you have saved an entire family unit from the pain my family has endured.

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My daughter, Kellie Parry, was murdered in 1999 by Brandon Allan. In your Sunday series on meth ["Meth: Shattering Lives in Northern Nevada," June 25], you quoted Allan's attorney saying, "An accident is an accident." This was no accident and your article was a slap in the face to me.

You also indicated that Allan is serving two life sentences. Let me shed some light on that: Allan is serving "two 10 year to life" sentences and could theoretically be out in 13 years. The manner in which our prisons are being run, it wouldn't surprise me if they let him out earlier.

If you are going to write about these victims, maybe you should ask the survivors instead of the defense attorneys. Then you will find out the truth.

Gayle Weaver-Farley

Reno

[end]

The drug war has come down on women like a huge hammer in recent years. During the 1990s, drug offenders accounted for the largest source of the total growth among female inmates (36 percent). As of 2004, almost one-third of all women prisoners were convicted of drug offenses; in federal prisons, this figure was 65 percent.

In 1979, only 10 percent of women in state prison were drug offenders.

Much of the increase in women prisoners comes from the impact of mandatory sentencing laws, passed during the 1980s crackdown on crime. Under many of these laws, mitigating circumstances (e.g., having children, few or no prior offenses, non-violent offenses) are rarely allowed. A majority of women in prison are there for the first time; many had no prior felony convictions. When the harsh Rockefeller drug laws (New York) were passed in 1974, only 400 women were in prison and only 100 were in for drugs.

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Carson City will get federal funding to help support its anti-methamphetamine program.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., announced the funding as part of the 2007 appropriations act. But a spokesman from his office was unable to say how much money Partnership Carson City will receive. She said the actual dollar amount won't be determined until the conference committee of House and Senate members meets.

Carson City Manager Linda Ritter said the city asked for $350,000 but confirmed there isn't a dollar amount in the legislation at this point.

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Carson City's new anti-methamphetamine coalition is slated to receive federal funding for the battle against methamphetamine, U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Reno, said Thursday.

"This is a great day for Nevada," said Gibbons, a candidate for governor. " ... I'm excited we are finally attacking the meth epidemic from all aspects."

The amount will be determined later by a conference committee. Gibbons said he also will seek money for the Washoe County Meth Community Response Alliance and other counties.

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A three-month Reno Gazette-Journal investigation found that methamphetamine's grip on the Truckee Meadows has become a stranglehold.

Earlier this year a Spanish Springs High School senior and her father met with her counselor to withdraw from school.

She was one semester shy of graduation.

The girl had privately told counselor Lara Dreelan she was a methamphetamine addict. She was skipping school and didn't care anymore.

"I tried to talk to her dad and said she needed drug rehab because she couldn't fight it on her own," Dreelan said. "He said, 'Whew, I thought you were going to tell me she was pregnant.'"

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A three-month Reno Gazette-Journal investigation found that methamphetamine's grip on the Truckee Meadows has become a stranglehold.

Everyone was talking about it.

Meth destroyed this life, meth contributed to that tragedy.

Jails were filling with meth addicts, their children were being placed in foster care and school children were becoming the latest meth users.

So representatives from law enforcement, drug prevention and treatment, schools and public health came together to do something about a drug many feel has taken over the community.

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