Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Contact: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Pubdate: 17 Nov 1998 Author: Dr Alex Wodak DRUG-REFORM BALLOTS WERE SIGNIFICANT JOHN R. MILLER argues ("Big money behind legalising drugs", Letters, 12 November) that my article on 7 November regarding voter support for a change in drug policy omitted to mention the small number of American states where majorities in 11 of 11 ballots supported drug reform. I also omitted to mention that the six western states and the District of Columbia account for 20 per cent of the United States population. Mr Miller argues that the result was influenced by vast sums spent on advertising. Expenditure of $US5 million on advertising for a population of 50 million seems minimal. In comparison, our own Federal Government spent more than $A15 million advertising arguments for taxation reform for a population of almost 19 million. Another glaring omission was my failure to draw attention to the attempts by prohibition supporters to override the democratic process. Legislators stopped votes in Colorado and the District of Columbia from being officially tallied. When asked about his own views on drug policy, Mr Soros says that he is not really sure but leans to reform of some kind. He funds another drug policy group apart from the Lindesmith Centre with more traditional views. Although Mr Miller sees consideration of medical use of marijuana as the thin edge of an ugly legalisation wedge, cannabis was used for medicinal purposes in Australia until a few decades ago and remained on the US Pharmacopoeia until 1937. Did this bring about legalisation then? (Dr) A. WODAK President Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation Darlinghurst, NSW - --- Checked-by: Pat Dolan