MISGUIDED DRUG WAR

A new survey conducted by the National Association of Counties polled law
enforcement agencies in 500 counties in 45 states. Fifty-eight percent of
those agencies ranked methamphetamine as their worst illegal drug problem.

If a majority of local law enforcement officials say methamphetamine is the
biggest illegal drug problem, why is the national drug use prevention
effort focused on marijuana?

The reason, obviously, is job security.

Back in the 1990s the DEA and ONDCP got failing grades by the GAO because
they were unable to show they were accomplishing anything.

The White House set a new goal for the ONDCP: reducing (by specific
percentages) the number of illegal drug users in the United States.

Since there are more marijuana users than users of all other illicit drugs
combined the ONDCP focused resources on pot smokers in order to inflate
their numbers and keep their $11 billion a year budget intact.

This is a classic case of ?let?s look like we?re doing something,? when in
reality NOTHING is being done.

Maybe it?s time for states to craft their own drug policies. Let?s lead the
way in Alabama by taxing, regulating and controlling marijuana so our cops
will be able to focus their limited resources on real problems.

Loretta Nall,

Alabama Marijuana Party

Montgomery