Pubdate: Sat, 09 Dec 2000 Source: Sacramento Bee (CA) Copyright: 2000 The Sacramento Bee Contact: P.O.Box 15779, Sacramento CA 95852 Feedback: http://www.sacbee.com/about_us/sacbeemail.html Website: http://www.sacbee.com/ Forum: http://www.sacbee.com/voices/voices_forum.html Authors : Valeri Kennedy, Janice Bonser, Greg Patton, John R. Marshall DRUG WAR VICTIMS The Dec. 3 article "No roadblock for liberty" cites the two most important questions in our so-called drug wars: Where do we draw the line on infringement of our constitutionally-guaranteed personal liberties; and what were the intentions of our Founding Fathers when they drafted the laws of our land? A look at paragraph two of our Declaration of Independence clearly answers both questions: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Our "drug wars" have created a situation whereby your liberty is taken, often for life, because of your choice of pursuit of happiness. The line of infringement into our personal liberties was crossed a long time ago. Valeri Kennedy, West Sacramento - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE HEMP SOLUTION Re "Greenhouse solution," letter, Nov. 27: The person who recommended breathing less to help restore the ozone layer sounds helpless about man ever changing to a less selfish lifestyle. Our cars and practically all of our motors run on fuel that pollutes our planet. Our paper and our building materials come from trees. Hemp is a viable alternative. Hemp fuel is cheaper than petroleum fuel, does not pollute and cannot be monopolized. While the Supreme Court wonders about the medical value of marijuana, there is no wonder about hemp's industrial value. Unfortunately, a war of ignorance is being waged against it. Hemp is hope, not dope. Janice Bonser, Carmichael - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REHAB Re "Actor's drug relapse no surprise to experts," Nov. 29: Robert Downey Jr.'s relapse may be no surprise to the "experts" of drug rehab, but he didn't relapse because of genetics. He went back to drugs only because he was treated with failed and unworkable psychiatric rehab technology. Yet, rather than fix the programs, the people in charge of them justify their failures by labeling the condition as a genetic brain disease, and by claiming that addicts can never be cured. What other industry could explain away its failures by blaming the customer? Greg Patton, Carmichael - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIOLATION OF TRUST Re "Deputy enters plea in steroids case," Nov. 30: While these deputies should be allowed to complete a substance-abuse program, they should no longer work as deputies. What these men did was illegal. To allow them back into service would send the message out that it's OK for some to use controlled substances and syringes, but others will be punished. It's bad enough that sworn officers would break the law with the illegal use of steroids, but the use of hypodermic syringes constitutes a health risk to the officers, their families and officers and people they may come in contact with. John R. Marshall, Citrus Heights - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens