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. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl