'DRUG CZAR' BLASTS PROPONENTS OF POT LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE

Proponents of a state ballot initiative to legalize the possession of small
amounts of marijuana are throwing up a smoke screen when they say the
measure is meant to help law enforcement, the White House drug czar said today.

"Let's not kid ourselves -- this is about helping the marijuana dealers by
making it easier to buy and sell on a wider scale and eventually legalize
all drugs," said John Walters, the national drug control policy director
and so-called "drug czar."

Walters was in Las Vegas today to address an anti-drug law enforcement
convention at the Hilton.

Prior to a news conference, he told the Sun that Nevada is a key
battleground in the war on drugs because of the initiative that got put on
the November ballot by the Marijuana Policy Project.

Billy Rogers, who is on leave from that organization to organize efforts
for local supporters of the measure, Nevadans for Responsible Law
Enforcement, said Walters is "out of touch with reality" and doubts he has
read the initiative.

"It is not true that our goal is to legalize all drugs," Rogers said.

"And if the drug czar had read the initiative he would not have said that
this would aid the marijuana dealers because it says transfer of marijuana
in and out of Nevada is strictly prohibited."

Passage of the question in November and again in 2004 would
constitutionally protect the rights of people to possess up to three ounces
of marijuana.

Rogers' group argues that the police and the courts are clogged with too
many minor pot possession cases.

The group also says there are safeguards in place in the initiative that
would provide stiff penalties for people who smoke marijuana in public,
sell pot to minors or kill people while operating vehicles under the
influence of marijuana.

Walters was not impressed.

"We already have stronger prohibitions under current laws," he said. "I
would not expect that anyone with common sense would accept that the law
would work any better with passage of this initiative because there would
be more drugs available and marijuana use would be a lot higher."

Walters said this is an issue that will be highly influenced by marketing.
He says proponents will spend a lot of money and use marketing tools to
pass the measure.

Walters said he would make another trip to Nevada as election day draws
closer to help educate voters.