TEXAS DRUG GROUP ASKS BUSH TO PARDON OFFENDERS

DALLAS - Texas Gov. George W. Bush should pardon thousands of convicted
drug offenders because he has refused to answer questions about alleged
drug use in his past, a group advocating drug law reform said Tuesday.

The Drug Policy Forum of Texas urged the Republican presidential
front-runner to use his executive powers to commute the sentences of those
in jail and cleanse the records of those who have served their time.

``Governor Bush has sort of taken the position that it was a youthful
indiscretion. Yet there are all sorts of people in prison for the same
thing,'' said Carl Veley, manager of the Houston-based group.

Bush's 2000 presidential campaign has been dogged by allegations of
possible drug use, similar to the problems Bill Clinton had in his first
campaign with claims he had smoked marijuana as a young man.

While Clinton admitted he had smoked but not inhaled, Bush has refused to
answer questions about possible drug use, saying only that when he was
``young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible.''

In a letter to the governor, the Drug Policy Forum asked Bush to review the
sentences of first-time, nonviolent drug offenders, who can face prison
terms of 10 years or more under mandatory sentencing laws.

``A criminal record for what is often a youthful indiscretion makes it very
difficult for an individual to be a fully productive, taxpaying citizen,''
the letter said. ``It also prevents people from participating in electoral
politics as voters or candidates for office.''

A spokeswoman for Bush said the governor had not yet seen the letter.
``Governor Bush is reluctant to grant pardons because of his basic belief
that those who commit crimes should suffer the consequences of those
crimes,'' spokeswoman Linda Edwards said.

Under Texas law, the governor can only recommend a pardon or commutation if
it is first recommended by a majority of the Texas Board of Pardons and
Paroles.

Applications must be made on an individual basis directly to the board,
Edwards said.

The Drug Policy Forum said there were currently at least 28,000 people in
Texas jails for drug offenses.