Pubdate: Mon, 15 May 2000
Source: New Rebublic, The (US)
Copyright: 2000 The New Republic
Contact:  http://www.thenewrepublic.com/
Author: Robert E. Field
Cited: Common Sense for Drug Policy: http://www.csdp.org/
Bookmark: For Gov. Johnson articles:
http://www.mapinc.org/johnson.htm

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

To the editors:

Charles Duhigg's criticism of Gary Johnson's brave, if not always perfectly 
stated, opposition to the war on drugs seems to be mostly attitude and very 
little substance ("Tokin' Reformer," April 3).  For example, Duhigg 
categorizes as "flimsy evidence" Johnson's citing of government statistics 
showing that, annually, 450,000 Americans die from tobacco use, 150,000 
from alcohol, and 100,000 from legal drugs, while there are only about 3000 
deaths from cocaine and heroin and no reported deaths from marijuana.  What 
better evidence that our energy, time, and money are not well-directed?

Johnson has two main faults.  First, he uses the widely misunderstood word 
"legalize" regarding illicit drugs, when he means "control and regulate," 
as we do with alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs. Second, he tries to 
go too far too fast.  The general public is not yet ready for sophisticated 
discussions concerning how best to deal with cocaine and heroin 
addicts.  Johnson would be better advised to concentrate on 
decriminalization and regulation of marijuana, fairer sentencing, and harm 
reduction.

Contrary to what Duhigg would have us believe, Johnson is saying what many 
politicians and law enforcement officials acknowledge in private. That is 
hardly a reason to scoff at him.

Robert E. Field
Co-chair, Common Sense for Drug Policy
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake