LETTER OF THE WEEK

SLAPPED BY MARSHALL

By M. Tony Anthony

Congressman Jim Marshall recently gave me the back of his hand,
verbally, when I suggested we need to take another look at the War on
Drugs, especially marijuana.

The War on Drugs is a massively expensive failure. Constitutional
protections have been, and are being, trampled. Large numbers of our
citizens are in prison for using a drug which is relatively
innocuous, in comparison with many legal drugs with serious and
sometimes lethal side effects. I wish I could believe he is a man of
principle with only the best interests of the people at heart.

Rather, I think he is representing big pharma and the alcohol
industry. We are bombarded 24/7 by drug pushers on TV. I don't
believe the congressman is mentally challenged, so there must be
another explanation for his rock solid stance of support for the War
on Drugs. He cannot support his claim that it has a positive
deterrent effect with anything other than opinions. In my opinion,
this is just one more indication of the U.S. now having the best
government money can buy.

Congress needs to support taking a clear-eyed look at how current
strategies are affecting the supply and demand of drugs. Congressman
Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., has introduced a bill to do just that. There has
not been a thorough, frank evaluation of the fight against drugs in decades.

The drug czar office's annual report is not enough. Recommendations
by an independent commission, however, could generate the consensus
and strategy we sorely need.

M. Tony Anthony

Warner Robins

Pubdate: Thu, 20 Aug 2009

Source: Macon Telegraph (GA)