DRUG CZAR'S COMMENTS UNTRUE

This week, the Republican governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson,
declared support of the legalization of marijuana and heroin as an
alternative to the current Drug War, which he classifies as a failure.

Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey has attacked the governor's stance as
"nutty," "bizarre" and most recently "irresponsible." He asserts these
drugs "are ferociously addictive and they make people act in a
compulsive manner. They make them unemployable and they get them
involved in permanently altered and impaired brain function." He
further attacked Johnson by claiming that public officials must have
"informed and rational perspectives."

It seems that the "czar" could stand to take some of his own advice,
especially with regards to marijuana:

1) "Ferociously addictive" According to the Institute of Medicine's
report earlier this year on marijuana, few users develop any sort of
dependence, and withdrawal is "mild and short-lived." The National
Institute of Drug Abuse shows the levels of dependence, withdrawal and
tolerance of marijuana to be below those of caffeine.

2) "Unemployable" A survey released in September by the Department of
Health and Human Services reveals that 70 percent of all drug users
are fully employed (this includes all illegal drugs, not just marijuana).

3) "Permanently altered and impaired brain function"

Noticeably absent in all the current research regarding marijuana is
anything that would support this statement.

The Institute of Medicine mentions this as a possible concern, and
points out that while some studies have attempted to prove that heavy
marijuana use (notice the czar does not differentiate between normal
use and heavy use/abuse) causes long-term brain changes, the results
are not conclusive.

Based on the current scientific knowledge, this is nothing more than a
scare story at it's worst.

I guess no one should be surprised with McCaffrey's lack of knowledge
this is the same man who once blamed the fact that Holland has a
murder rate twice that of the United States on their liberal drug policy.

The murder rate in Holland is actually one-fourth of that in the
United States.

McCaffrey has also misrepresented the results two Canadian reports on
the effectiveness of needle-exchange programs (which McCaffrey does
not support).

The researchers were so horrified that they took out an advertisement
in the New York Times to correct McCaffrey and urge the United States
to adopt similar programs because of their proven success.

The American people deserve better than a man who does nothing but
continue to perpetuate myths.

Until we begin calling him on his lies, he will continue to misinform
the American public, making any sensible drug policy all but impossible.

Chris Knestrick
graduate student