Pubdate: Wed, 30 Mar 2005
Source: Quartzsite Times (AZ)
Copyright: 2005 Quartzsite Times
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/3728
Website: 
http://www.blythecanews.com/BLYTHECANEWS/myarticles.asp?S=395&PubID=13916&P=1101
Author: Joanne Winer, Quartzite Times
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

MAN WITH A MISSION TRAVELS THROUGH TOWN

Former Police Detective Wants An End To War On Drugs

Howard J. Wooldridge is a man on a mission. He is a 53-year-old retired 
police detective from Fort Worth, Texas who is traveling across the country 
on his one-eyed paint mare named Misty. Before he is done, he will have 
travelled 3,600 miles on his seven-month journey that started in Los 
Angeles on March 4 and will end up in New York City by Nov. 1.

Howard is a former lobbyist in the Texas Legislature. He is the media 
director for a group called L.E.A.P. which means Law Enforcement Against 
Prohibition.

The organization was started three years ago, and now has over 2,000 
members, including 80 speakers like himself, at least one in every state. 
The goal of this organization is to educate Americans about the need to 
legalize all drugs and destroy the black market.

He is quick to assure people that he does not advocate drug use, but feels 
that the legalization of all drugs will take the very costly "War on Drugs" 
out of the hands of the police and under health control so the police can 
focus on the really bad people like murderers, child molesters, drunk 
drivers and other perpetrators of violent crimes.

"We need to make all drug issues a matter of public health, handled by 
doctors and clinics, not police or prisons," Wooldridge said.

"With over 70 billion dollars per year spent on the War on Drugs, it seems 
that the money should be spent to focus on the more serious crimes instead 
of using the police to spend their time on something that could be handled 
by the medical community."

Wooldridge and the others in L.E.A.P., speak all over the country at 
Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis, and other groups. They have received lots of 
support from other law enforcement officers, mostly retired, who agree with 
their concept of what is most important for law enforcement to be 
concentrating on.

He told about how he saw three police cruisers stop a car recently, with 
six officers taking over an hour checking out a car for possible drugs, 
while they could have been letting many drunk drivers or other criminals 
pass by.

His group is one of many who believe that time is being wasted that could 
be better used for more serious things. There are more than a half dozen 
major reform groups, including the Drug Policy Alliance, M.P.P.-the 
Marijuana Policy Project, and N.O.R.M.L. -- the National Organization for 
Reform of Marijuana Laws.

They all believe that prohibition of drugs should be repealed and that it 
would take the black market away from the drug lords just as the end of 
prohibition against alcohol diminished the big mafia control in the days of 
Al Capone.

Wooldridge will be travelling through the lower states on his journey to 
New York, speaking all through the trip.

After he reaches New York, his plans are to become a lobbyist again, this 
time in the U.S. government, where he hopes to find some officials willing 
to accept his ideas and further the cause.

He knows that the idea is not easily acceptable, but it has been receiving 
much more support every year. He believes that sometime in the future, 
people will understand what his group is trying to accomplish and that the 
laws will be changed. If you would like more information about L.E.A.P., 
please contact them at www.leap.cc or you can contact Howard Wooldridge 
himself at  or call him at 817-975-1110.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D