Source: Centre Daily Times (PA)
Contact:  Sat, 04 Jul 1998
Author:  Gene Tinelli Department of psychiatry State University of New York

REPLACE DRUG WAR WITH HEALTH POLICY

As an addiction psychiatrist, I am appalled at the way retired Professor
Julian Heicklen is being treated. His cause is liberty and is using the
hemp plant as a torch to illuminate the utter futility of our drug war. For
this he is arrested?

If anyone in Pennsylvania still believes the drug war is working, he need
only look to Lancaster County where two Amish men were charged with
distributing crack cocaine to fellow Amish. When we delude ourselves that
only poor people of color are involved, we continue the war. But how can we
continue the war when Pennsylvanians such as retired emeritus professors
and Amish are involved? It's not working!

End the insane drug war now and replace it with a sane and compassionate
public health policy.

Gene Tinelli
Department of psychiatry
State University of New York

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Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)