FORUM FEATURES SEVERAL VIEWPOINTS ON DRUG WAR

The war on drugs will be a topic for discussion Thursday night at Western
Michigan University's Bernhard Center.

Several individuals, including justice and law-enforcement officials from
throughout the state, will take part in the debate.

The event, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., is part of the WMU Peace
Week celebration and is open to the public.

The discussion will feature eight panelists, including Kalamazoo County
Prosecutor James Gregart, Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Philip D.
Schaefer and Detective Lt. Bill Ford, commander of the Southwest
Enforcement Team.

The discussion will center on the country's fight against drugs and will
feature several viewpoints on the matter.

Sheriff Bill Masters, of the San Miguel County, Colo., Sheriff's Department
will take part in the event. Masters has served with the department since
1979 and is an advocate for the repeal of drug prohibition, according to a
WMU news release.

Other participants in the debate will include state Sen. Tom George, the
Rev. Edwin C. Sanders II, Nora Callahan and Sanho Tree.

Sanders is the founder and senior servant of the Metropolitan
Interdenominational Church, which has outreach ministries for drug abusers.

Callahan is a founder of the November Coalition, which she founded with her
brother, who is currently serving a 27-year sentence in a federal
penitentiary. The coalition attempts to raise awareness about the
injustices of the drug war.

Tree is a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.,
and director of the organization's drug-policy project, the news release said.