DRUG WAR

The case of your letter writer advocating the use of marijuana does
indeed serve as an indictment on our horribly flawed drug war, most
notably the war against otherwise law abiding marijuana users. As
noted in the original story of her arrest, a bevy of police officers
swarmed her house based on 'a phone tip that she was growing
marijuana'. Aside from the fact that phone tips rarely provide
probable cause for a valid search warrant, it is absurd that so many
officers had to be used for such a non-event. It is apparent that
officers were targeting her based on her political activities,
something I thought went out in the 1960s and '70s, but perhaps not in
Alabama.

She is correct in noting that the damage associated with a marijuana
arrest is far more detrimental to people than is the actual ingestion
of marijuana itself. Teens who read of her case will logically arrive
at this conclusion and instead of abstaining from marijuana use based
on its potential health risks, they will instead focus on using
without getting caught.

Yet another sad, distorted byproduct of the ill advised War Against
Americans, formerly known as the War Against Drugs.

STEPHEN HEATH

Drug Policy Forum of Florida

Clearwater
Fla.