SANTA, ASK THE DEA TO CHILL

A not so jolly drug-war Santa has delivered Chicago's Southwest Siders
a really big lump of coal in the form of 650 pounds of that dreaded
weed, America's favorite illegal and uncontrolled substance --
cannabis sativa. ["650 lbs. of pot seized in Stickney,"
suntimes.com.]

The drugs, valued at nearly $2 million, were imported from Mexico,
despite a really big fence partially constructed along the 1,952-mile
border.

The DEA isn't saying whether the drugs got over, under, around or
through the really big fence, but chances are, given the season, the
drugs were stowed, unbeknownst to Santa, inside one of his really big
sleighs that regularly evade radar in the Caribbean.

South suburban mayors from Orland Park and Palos Park may wonder
whether the Christmastime drug delivery was an attempt to replace the
marijuana seized during an investigation of an Orland Park marijuana
drug murder and home invasion in September, or perhaps 6,000 marijuana
plants seized near Palos Park in the Sneed Woods.

This Santa's helper wonders if we'd have less marijuana and a merrier
Christmas without the Capone tradition and DEA-style prohibition of a
relatively benign substance, safer than now-legal holiday glogg.

Certainly, the 900,000 people arrested in the U.S. each year for
criminal marijuana violations (90 percent for the mere possession of
the plant) and millions of taxpayers supporting drug-war prisons would
relish the gift.

James E. Gierach,

Palos Park