Lone Rider Is on a Crusade

TEXAN URGES DRUG REFORM

A self-styled Texas cowboy is waging a cross-country battle against
the country's drug policy, one hoof step at a time.

Howard Wooldridge, a resident of Fort Worth, Texas, and a member of a
group called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, moseyed down Route
9 Friday on his horse, Sam, to spread his message of drug policy
reform. Wooldridge believes illegal drugs should be treated the same
way as alcohol.

"We want to make our communities safer places and I know that this
[drug] policy has created this huge crime wave," Wooldridge, a
retired police officer, said. He was wearing a cowboy hat and a white
shirt that read "Cops say legalize drugs. Ask me why."

"We should spend more time chasing DWIs instead of people like Willie
Nelson who want to smoke marijuana on their back porch," Wooldridge said.

Sgt. Russ Bailey of the Dutchess County Drug Task force said the
message that illegal drugs should be treated the same as alcohol was
an oversimplification.