L.E.A.P. SUPPORTS DRUG LEGALIZATION

The slogan for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is "COPS SAY LEGALIZE
DRUGS ASK US WHY!" This non-profit organization was founded by Jack Cole,
a former New Jersey Detective and is comprised of former police officers
and government officials.

The Criminal Justice Department of Jackson State University sponsored an
event involving L.E.A.P called Winning the War on Drugs: Prohibition or
Legalization, hosted by Department of Criminal Justice Chair, Dr. Thomas
Calhoun on Feb. 21 in room 266 of the Dollye M.E. Robinson Liberal Arts
Building.

During the informational lecture, there were different respected speakers
on the subject names like former United States Attorney Brad Piggot,
Robert Walker, special assistant to Mayor Frank Melton of Jackson, Miss.
and Jim Gierach a retired attorney and homicide prosecutor.

Piggot was once a United States Attorney appointed to his position by
former president Bill Clinton and his feelings are that the war on drugs
is one that the United States will not win.

Piggot said, "Using the phrase winning the war on drugs is a little
confusing to American citizens because we are used to winning wars, and
this war has to be won within the home before it can be won on the
battlefield of the streets."

This statement puts the majority of the blame for America's drug problem
into the hands rightful owners, the parents who are leading their kids to
a life of drugs, according to Piggot.

"Parents in this day and age are doing a terrible job of child rendering,
there is not enough effort to tell our children not to use drugs and
communicate the evils of drugs," Piggot continued.

Jim Gierach a Retired Attorney and Homicide prosecutor for over 30 years
in Cook County, Chicago has the sentiments that are close to Piggot.

Gierach said "The war on drugs is unwinnable because it fuels entire
communities off the money from drugs. To legalize drugs would stop the
creation of underground systems because if it was legal it would be easier
to eliminate the dealing because of the supply and demand factor."

There is a demand for drug legalization because it will a give a sense of
hope on stopping the war on drugs, according to leap.cc.

Also the legalization of drugs can help deserving people with the
necessary medicine that is needed for people with AIDS and glaucoma,
according to Gierach.

"Marijuana can help with the cost of AIDS medicine because it is a natural
remedy to apply the leaf to the skin, it also really help glaucoma
patients as well because it helps to boost your sight. But we as a society
outlaw these drugs that can actually help people in need," Girech
continued.

Since 70 percent of all crimes are in some way drug related, according to
special assistant to the mayor Frank Melton of Jackson,Miss. Robert
Walker, "drugs should be legalized in order to stop having to waste money
building prisons when that money could go toward building schools around
the world."

Geirach said, "The sad thing about this situation is that the goal is to
get drugs out of the prison but the prison is infected with more drugs
than the streets."

The L.E.A.P organization believes legalizing drugs is the best option to
stop the war on drugs. To learn more about the drug legalization
controversy go to http://leap.cc