As I've written before, the escalating and increasingly violent drug wars in Mexico represent a serious national security threat to the United States. And recognizing the proven link between drug trafficking and illegal immigration, we should urge our elected representatives to reject amnesty programs disguised as "comprehensive immigration reform."

Last October I wrote a column quoting local terrorism expert Larry Martines, a former homeland security adviser to Gov. Jim Gibbons, on the connection between illegal immigration and drug trafficking in Northern Nevada and elsewhere throughout the nation. According to Martines, four ultra-violent Mexican drug cartels are battling for control of lucrative drug routes into the United States. He also reported that more than 5,000 Mexicans - including women and children caught in the crossfire -- have been killed since 2006.

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The Reno police drug unit seized more than $1.1 million in illegal drugs and $177,714 and made 56 felony and 12 misdemeanor arrests in its first year, officials said Thursday.

The Drug Interdiction Unit was organized in January 2008, said Sgt. Mac Venson, unit supervisor. Two officers are in the unit.

"They are incredibly successful for being a two-man unit," Venson said. "With (Interstate) 80 as a major corridor, if we can stop drugs from coming in here, we can stop problems elsewhere."

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The random drug-testing program at Green Valley High has seen a drop in the number of students found with drugs in their system in the year since its inception last winter.

With 165 students tested since the beginning of the school year, administrators credit the program for a 50 percent drop in positive tests.

The first public school in the state to launch the individually-funded program, the school has tested roughly 15 students per week and has reported four positive tests this school year - none from athletes.

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This year the killings just across the Mexican border made headlines as much for their brutality -- including beheadings -- as for their numbers, more than 5,000.

It is nothing short of mass slaughter as drug gangs torture and kill rivals and use the same tactics against Mexican soldiers, police, judges, journalists and anyone else who goes against them.

Here in the Unites States, we can perceive the bloodshed as a Mexican problem. Or we can think about it more accurately -- as an American problem.

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Why is the press aiding and abetting the deprivation of rights under the color of law?

Millions of Americans have been arrested and their property has been seized for violating the marijuana laws.

Millions of us have the right to question the validity of these laws and are denied the right to due process of law.

Marijuana is still illegal because the judiciary does not recognize marijuana users as persons and does not recognize marijuana as property. Only persons and property under the Constitution's Fourth and Fifth Amendments are protected from unreasonable deprivation of liberty and property.

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The Line Between Private And Public Should Be Reinforced

In March, the 9th Circuit Court ruled that it was unconstitutional for employers to require pre-employment drug tests, maintaining that such policies were in violation of the Fourth Amendment. Because the trial involved an applicant for a position in an Oregon library, its ramifications extend to all public, non-safety oriented jobs in Oregon, as well as Nevada, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana and Washington, all of which are under the jurisdiction of the 9th Circuit Court.

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A congressional report has faulted the Bush administration's use of tax dollars to pay for political campaigning in Nevada and other states.

At issue is White House drug "czar" John Walters and his campaign trips to Nevada, Utah and Missouri to campaign against local ballot measures in 2006.

The report by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found that White House aide Karl Rove's office requested special help for Republican congressional candidates who were in election trouble in the months before the 2006 elections, and Walters leaped at the chance to campaign, being called a "superstar" by a Rove aide. Walters called news conferences in the states at which he doled out half-million-dollar grants with the congressmembers--two U.S. House members and a senator--at his side, the grants serving as the pretext for his campaigning.

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A& K Earthmovers Praised For Its Low Rate Of Positive Tests

Attendees at the quarterly Churchill Community Coalition meeting learned Wednesdaythatasoliddrugtestingpolicycan save small businesses money on insurance, workers compensation claims and help weed out poor job candidates. Senior Deputy District Attorney Lane Mills saidbusinessownersneedtobeawareoftheir liability when one of their employees be-comes injured or injures another person while on the job under the influence of drugs of alcohol. Employers could face civil or criminal lia-bilities if a worker is involved in an injury acci-dent. As an example, a daycare owner would be criminally liable if a worker, under the in-fluence of drugs, injured a child while on the job, Mills said. The stakes are too high to not perform drug testing at large corporations and govern-ment entities, Mills said, and he urged small businesses to implement a consistent drug testing program and keep good records. DaveOakdenwithSandCClaimsServices Inc. in Las Vegas said some of his clients re-ceive discountedinsuranceifthebusinesshas a drug testing policy in place.

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McQueen High School officials will seek permission Tuesday from the Washoe County school board for random drug testing of varsity, junior varsity and freshman football players this season, becoming the first Northern Nevada school to test for recreational and performance- enhancing drugs.

Green Valley High School in Henderson has tested athletes for both since 2006. Battle Mountain High School has tested for recreational drugs, but not alcohol, since 2004.

"I'm very excited about the potential to implement a drug testing policy, depending on the school board's decision," McQueen coach Ken Dalton said. "I really have felt strongly for the last couple years that this would only help.

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Here's something the so-called "immigration advocates" don't want you to know: Illegal immigrants are deeply involved in the drug trade in Northern Nevada, and elsewhere on the West Coast and around the country.

The latest example of the dangerous and troubling connection between illegal immigration and drug trafficking occurred in Reno last month when federal, state and local anti-drug agents teamed-up to arrest 10 Mexican nationals - most of them illegal immigrants - on charges of possessing large quantities of illicit narcotics with the intention of selling them to our children and grandchildren. Members of the Northern Nevada High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force seized 100 grams of heroin, 500 grams of cocaine, more than five grams of meth and $100,000 in cash in a series of raids in Reno.

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Protect the children Re "Remove pot prohibition" (Guest comment, April 19):

Regarding JR Reynolds' thoughtful column, drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age, but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for protecting the children.

Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like meth, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

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Decriminalizing, Regulating Cannabis Would Eliminate Black Market As Well As Alleviate Misuse Of Tax Dollars

An act in the House of Representatives would decriminalize the possession of 30 grams of pot, with further restrictions under certain conditions, such as when the possessor is driving.

The vast majority of marijuana imported in the U.S. comes from Mexican drug cartels that supply mostly to inner-city street gangs. The herb is then distributed to neighborhood dealers before it seeps out to the surrounding areas and the rest of the country.

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In recent months, leaders of this community have targeted a specific evil enemy in hopes of saving many of our young people from the devastation it causes. This enemy is known as methamphetamine. We as citizens of this great community responded quite swiftly, as we should with any threat that has the capability to harm our youth or any citizen. The fight persists and likely will for some time to come.

As the use of methamphetamine appears to be on the decline in this community, the use of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and heroin (opiates) are on the rise. While attempting to put one evil nemesis to rest, we in fact woke other opportunistic creatures waiting to wreak havoc on our young people.

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John Simms' column on today's Opinion page (page A12) is both heartening and discouraging. It says that meth use may have declined in Carson City, but now there are other evils out there to take its place.

In light of that, it seems a good move by the city's anti-meth coalition, Partnership Carson City, to broaden its scope to become anti-illegal drugs and anti-underage drinking. That good news on meth likely stems in part from the work of that coalition and law enforcement, and if they can exert the same influence on other drugs, the community will be better off.

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Misinformation for the purpose of perpetuating a lie is wrong. Most of us were told this by our parents. And yet, today we allow government officials to twist the truth to suit their agenda.

Case in point: Marijuana laws. These laws were not created to protect society at large, but rather to protect the interests of those who profit from marijuana's illegality. The feds seem to have the biggest need to see that this plant remains against the law regardless of the fact that individual states and the populace within see it differently.

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The Churchill County School Board was put on notice Thursday night about potential lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada regarding the use of drug-sniffing dogs to search students' belongings.

The school board is considering an administrative regulation to allow dogs to sniff backpacks of high school and junior high students.

Lee Rowland, northern coordinator for the ACLU of Nevada, warned the board what could happen if a complaint were lodged against the district. The ACLU was contacted by community members concerned that the proposal was being discussed.

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CARSON CITY -- The water, the lights, the seeds, the soil. The problem could be several things.

Some patients will learn how to grow, said Claude Miller, a Nevada medical marijuana consultant, while some won't.

"There's patients who can't grow a flower," he said, "much less medical marijuana."

That's part of the reason he started his business. Many of the 900 patients in Nevada's program know little about the plant when they register.

But those patients, despite a provision in state law, must grow their marijuana themselves or find a state-approved "caregiver" who will grow it for them.

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Federal Government Blocks State-Run Medical Marijuana Distribution

The water, the lights, the seeds, the soil. The problem could be several things.

Some patients will learn how to grow, said Claude Miller, a Nevada medical marijuana consultant, some won't.

"There's patients who can't grow a flower," he said. "Much less medical marijuana."

That's part of the reason he started his business. Many of the 900 patients in Nevada's program know little about the plant when they register.

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Federal Government Stands In The Way Of A State-Run Medical Marijuana Distribution

The water, the lights, the seeds, the soil. The problem could be several things.

Some patients will learn how to grow, said Claude Miller, a Nevada medical marijuana consultant, some won't.

"There's patients who can't grow a flower," he said. "Much less medical marijuana."

That's part of the reason he started his business. Many of the 900 patients in Nevada's program know little about the plant when they register.

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More children and families are spending time at Pat Baker Park these days, since a partnership among the Reno Police Department, the city of Reno and the residents has decreased drug trafficking.

"It's a changed neighborhood," local property owner Lonnie Feemster said. "I'd say about 95 percent of the drug problem has been eliminated in the area because of police involvement and cooperation of the city manger with the residents."

A July survey of 137 residents revealed that 74 percent said they found nearby Pat Baker Park unusable and cited drugs as their top concern. Residents and city officials have seen a big change in themonths since the effort to regenerate the neighborhood was organized in October.

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