A CHANGE OF COURSE IN WAR ON DRUGS

Two marijuana bills have been introduced into the House of
Representatives that will save the taxpayers billions of dollars.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., is a leader on both measures. The Medical
Marijuana Patient Protection Act (HR 5842) would reschedule marijuana
from a Schedule I to a Schedule II drug under the Controlled
Substances Act. The change would allow physicians to recommend use of
marijuana under conditions set by law.

An act to remove federal penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana
by Responsible Adults (HR 5843) would eliminate federal penalties for
the possession of small amounts (up to 100 grams) or not-for-profit
transfer of small amounts (up to one ounce, 28.3 grams) of marijuana.

The bipartisan group of initial co-sponsors includes Reps. Ron Paul,
R-Texas: Sam Farr, D-Calif.; Frank Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., and Dana
Rohrabacher, R-Calif. The bill incorporated the basic recommendations of the
National Commission of Marijuana and Drug Abuse, which was issued during the
Nixon administration in 1972.

Last December, Louis Nardozi did a cost/benefit analysis of the war on
drugs with figures from the Department of Justice's own statistics.
The cost to taxpayers was $200,756,696,174. That works out to be $699
for every man, woman and child in America. Over the last 20 years,
every family of four has paid the equivalent of $28,122 to support the
drug war.

Bills HR 5842 and HR 5843 chart a new course that would be a real
victory in the war on drugs.

Larry Seguin

Lisbon