DEA CRACKDOWN LACKS LOGIC

I was shocked to read in the March 9 Register-Guard about the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration's arrest of two Eugene glass blowers.
Persecution of artists is a hallmark of totalitarian regimes. The DEA's
pretext of stamping out drug paraphernalia is ludicrous - apples, pop cans,
syringes, spoons, light bulbs, mirrors and dollar bills are all commonly
used in the consumption of illegal drugs. Shall we arrest everyone who
produces these items?

It's highly ironic that the glass pipes in question can also be used to
smoke tobacco, a highly addictive and carcinogenic drug whose production
has been subsidized by the federal government. Tobacco paraphernalia is
also commonly used to smoke marijuana - the DEA's logic dictates that all
producers of cigarette lighters, rolling papers, matches and tobacco pipes
must now be imprisoned.

There is no logic or reason behind this most recent manifestation of the
war on drugs in Eugene. It is pure tyranny, a glaring symptom of the
decline of our alleged American democracy. It is the height of hypocrisy
for our government to be fomenting war abroad in the name of democracy
while actively dismantling democracy at home. We need regime change!

Geth Noble, Florence