Source: Lynnwood Enterprise (WA)
Mail: P.O. Box 977 Lynnwood wa 98046-0977
Contact:  Wed, 13 Jan 1998
Author: Darral Good

THE DRUG WAR IS A WAR ON PEOPLE

How can the Tacoma police justify the arrest and jailing of a blind man who
lives with AIDS along with his caregiver mother for three cannabis plants? 

What segment of society were the police "serving" by this unfeeling
yuletime bust? Does society really desire protection from the helplessly
ill? What if the stress of this bust adversly affects his health?

I understand that the prosecutor's office has wisely decided to drop the
charges against them both. I applaud that, but what about the family's
dignity? Who will restore that?

What about the invasion of their privacy and the public airing of their
medical conditions and arrest records? 

Doctors who know about cannabis as medication would probably reccomend this
herb to treat many more people but, cases like this makes them fearful that
law enforcement will soon be arresting and jailing them.

I thank the voters of Washington state for having the courage and
compassion to allow the use of this valuable herb as medicine and remind
the law enforcement community that the drug war is truly a war on people.

When prohibition was recognized by the people as an exercise in futility,
they banded together and fought for the repeal of the Volstead act. One of
the groups that was intregal to passing of the 21st ammendment was known as
the W.O.N.P.R. - "Women Of National Prohibition Reform" and they had a
large amount of members from our state.

They were ordinary people who realized that fighting a war on "demon rum"
wasn't worth the orginized crime that it created.

During prohibtion the medical use of marijuana was allowed.

Al Capone was once quoted in a newspaper article as saying: "prohibition
has brought nothing but trouble". But then again it doesn't take a rocket
scientist to figure that out!

We need good people like the WONPR today to help reform marijuana laws.

That is why I encourage people to visit our website and compare legal and
illegal drugs: http://www.olywa.net/when

WHEN is a community of volunteer hemp activists providing verifiable
information on cannabis. We counteract disinformation and work to change
cannabis laws that harm all Americans and the environment.

Darral Good, 
Member of the Board of Directors: 
Washington Hemp Education Network
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