EDITORIAL UPDATE: DEBATING MARIJUANA PROHIBITION

On Sept. 16, Seattle voters passed Initiative 75, which directed
police and prosecutors to make enforcement of personal marijuana
possession laws their very lowest priority.

A few days before the vote, White House "drug czar" John Walters
harrumphed that "the real issue is, should we legalize marijuana?
Let's have a national debate about that."

A couple of days later, Rob Kampia of the Marijuana Policy Project in
Washington faxed Mr. Walters a letter offering to debate him
"anywhere, anytime."

Mr. Walters has not responded. Does he really want a debate?

In fact, if Mr. Walters is sincere, it would be a welcome departure
from his own previous position and that of other drug czars and the
federal drug-policy establishment, which have consistenty refused to
engage in such a debate. Perhaps the time has arrived.