DRUGS ARE DANGEROUS! MMM-KAY?

Violent enforcers of the drug cartels are rampaging on both sides of
the Mexican/US border killing cops, journalists and innocent
civilians. Osama bin Laden and the Taliban are harvesting tens of
millions of dollars each year from their control of the Afghan drug
trade. Drug gangs in the US are responsible for needless and
countless deaths, mutilations and other violent and reprehensible acts
designed to ensure their sales turf remains intact. Each year
hundreds of thousands of Americans contract HIV, Hep C or other deadly
diseases because government policy will not allow for easy exchange or
sales of hypodermic syringes.

Recently, the Houston Chronicle gave a one-two punch in behalf of
needle exchange programs. The Chronicle stated that numerous studies
across the country have shown significant decreases in both HIV and
hepatitis C infections in cities that have needle exchange programs.
This editorial also displayed for all the see the enormous fiscal
failure of prohibiting needle exchange: compassion isn't
persuasive enough, lawmakers should consider the massive costs to
taxpayer-funded health programs. According to statistics compiled by
the Communicable Disease Prevention Project of the Texas ACLU, the
average yearly cost for a local syringe exchange program is $169,000,
while the lifetime cost of treating one person infected with HIV is
$119,000 -- $100,000 for a victim of Hepatitis C. If such programs had
prevented just 5 percent of the 113,000 HIV and hepatitis C cases
reported in Texas between 2000-2003, a half billion dollars in health
costs would have been saved. (The actual percentage is more like 35%)

The second punch from the Chronicle came from William Martin, Senior
Fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice
University. This, my friends is no lightweight outfit. In the spring
of 2002, the Baker Institute sponsored an international drug
conference which brought to the fore, doctors, scientists, authors and
even the director of the US office of drug control policy, the
ONDCP. Professor Martin had an opinion piece in the Chronicle the
same day as the editorial, here's part of that OPED: Using drugs
such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, particularly in the
corrupted state in which they typically reach the retail market, is
risky business. The professor, in a subsequent phone conversation
with yours truly, stated: by the time these drugs hit the street,
they are likely to be mixed with almost anything which are not only
cutting it, but are making it more toxic.

The Professor closed his piece with these thoughts: Without
exception, every independent commission to look at this issue has
concluded that these programs dramatically reduce the spread of
blood-borne diseases without increasing either rates of injection or
use of other illegal drugs.

Why, then, have policymakers, from the White House to City Hall,
resisted establishment of such proven life-saving programs?

The real reason may be fear that any sign of being soft on drugs will
hurt their standing among people who have not looked at the issue.

But the rationale most commonly, often honestly, offered is, "It sends
the wrong message=94.

The Texas Legislature is considering a bill to permit needle exchange
programs. No responsible person wants to encourage drug abuse.

No fiscally prudent person wants to waste money simply to satisfy a
sense of righteous indignation. No compassionate person wants to
consign people unnecessarily to death or a living hell. Fortunately,
providing injecting drug users with access to sterile syringes allows
us to be responsible, prudent and compassionate -- admirable criteria
for good public policy.

To read this full policy paper please go to:
www.bakerinstitute.org/Pubs/wp_needles.pdf.

There is nothing compassionate, smart or scientific about the current
tactics of the drug war. Contact your Texas legislators at:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

Ed Rosenthal, America's Guru of Ganja is coming to Houston for the 4:20
Fest on Saturday, April 23 at the Last Concert Cafe. The 4:20 Fest
will feature eight great bands including Slapshifter, Mikado, Grooving
Ground, Guy Schwartz & The New Jack Hippies, Sean Reefer & The Resin
Valley Boys, The Hightailers and Mark May & The Agitators. (Starts @
4:20 PM.)
Note: On Friday, April 22 at 1PM, Ed Rosenthal and a coalition of
organizations will be at the Harris County Courthouse to call for an
end to the war on medicinal marijuana users. Be there, wear a decent
shirt, leave the ganja at home and bring a full bag of attitude. Call
Dean Becker at 281-752-9198 to learn more.