Pubdate: Mon, 03 May 2004
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2004 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Graham Boyd
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n632/a12.html?62419

STILL ILLEGAL AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

To the Editor:

Eric Schlosser's freedom to publicly criticize the government's war on 
marijuana is at the core of the constitutional protection of free speech.

Unfortunately, thoughtful critiques such as his may soon be effectively 
outlawed in many public places. On Wednesday, a federal court in Washington 
heard a challenge to a law that cancels all federal financing to transit 
authorities that display ads promoting reform of marijuana laws. Evidently, 
criticisms of marijuana policy are so threatening to the government that it 
has resorted to enacting laws that blatantly trample our First Amendment 
rights.

Mr. Schlosser's critique of American marijuana policies is courageous, 
insightful and, above all, necessary. Let us hope that in the coming weeks 
the federal court will uphold the First Amendment and defend our right to 
publicly question unfair and wasteful marijuana laws.

GRAHAM BOYD New Haven, April 29, 2004 The writer is director, A.C.L.U. Drug 
Policy Litigation Project. 
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