Pubdate: Thu, 14 Sep 2006
Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
Copyright: 2006 Austin American-Statesman
Contact:  http://www.statesman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/32

FRIEDMAN CALLS FOR LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

AUSTIN (AP) -- Candidate says he would release those already in  
prison to open up space.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman said Wednesday  
that he favored legalizing marijuana to keep nonviolent users out of  
prison and said he would push to release those already in prison for  
the offense to free prison space for more violent criminals.

"I think that's long overdue," Friedman said. "I think everybody  
knows what (U.S. Sen.) John McCain said is right: We've pretty well  
lost the war on drugs doing it the way we're doing it. Drugs are more  
available and cheaper than ever before. What we're doing is not  
working."

Friedman also said he would "clean house" in numerous state boards  
and commissions whose members are appointed by the governor, would  
get rid of the TAKS test for public school students even if that  
meant the state would lose federal school money and would give more  
careful review to death row inmates facing execution.
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