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Pubdate: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 The Abbotsford Times Contact: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009 Author: Marcia Downham, The Times Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Tim+Felger Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada) FELGER CALLS IN DRUG AGENT Marijuana Candidate Aims to Clear the Air Leading up to, and after, the federal election, Abbotsford marijuana activist Tim Felger has invited retired drug agent and acclaimed public speaker and educator Celerino "Cele" Castillo to speak about the nation's war on drugs. Beginning Oct. 5, Felger - who is running for Abbotsford MP representing the Marijuana Party - will personally present Castillo to Abbotsford's federal and municipal candidates, the Abbotsford Police Department and police Chief Const. Bob Rich and other city representatives to discuss street violence and gang crime. "The problem with gangs has increased, and what Cele will be touching on is how most drug problems and gangs, in any city, continue to worsen due to excessive amounts of enforcement," said Felger. "More policing is ridiculous, and by inviting Castillo I want to try and balance the tables and present another side to this problem while looking at other ways to deal with it at the local level." Castillo will also be doing public presentations on drug prohibition and the war on drugs at the Matsqui Auditorium Oct.15 [translated into Punjabi] and Oct. 22 [in English]. "I will be speaking about why the war on drugs has failed over all these years," said Castillo. "We did try the John Wayne approach many years ago and we are continuing to do so in violation of our civil liberties." He said the reason more drugs are on the market than there were 15 years ago is because enforcement and more policing has never worked. "If it did work we wouldn't be seeing such a dramatic increase." Castillo is a 20-year veteran of state and federal law enforcement with 12 years of service in the U.S. Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Administration. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake