Pubdate: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 Source: Pensacola News Journal (FL) Copyright: 2003 The Pensacola News Journal Contact: http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1675 Author: Marion Grumbir Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1907/a05.html WON'T WORK HERE I am not perfect, nor have I never made bad choices or mistakes. However, I do know there are consequences to my actions. That said, the statement in the Dec. 11 News Journal by attorney Jim Jenkins that "the majority of the people who have contacted me are merely personal users of cocaine (sic)" blew me away. His argument is that because they just use they cause no harm. Who does he think he is kidding? The "merely personal users" are the very people responsible for trafficking. They are the sole reason the cocaine dealers are in business. My cousin's fiancee, Keith Stansell, along with two other American citizens, Marc Gonsalvez and Thomas Howes, are being held hostage in Columbia by FARC, a rebel group who is nothing but a huge drug cartel. The Americans and hundreds of other Colombian citizens are held because of the money the cartels make on "merely personal users of cocaine" and other such illicit drugs. One doesn't just accidentally become addicted to cocaine. Unless a person is as stupid as Jenkins seems to think we are, one doesn't decide to even try cocaine in any of its forms without knowing it is illegal. Jenkins should try his argument somewhere else. It won't work here. Marion Grumbir, Pace - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake