American needs to end pot prohibition. Roughly, smoking marijuana is the combination of drinking a beer and smoking tobacco, both legal for adults. Every hour our profession spends chasing the suppliers of pot means we miss DUIs, rapists and other public safety threats. Even a high-ranking official of MADD I spoke to agrees that police time could be better spent. We have been at this pot war for 35 years and have nothing to show for it, except prisons full of the wrong people. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge, retired Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Washington, D.C. [end]
How is the "War on Drugs" working for us in America? Is it reducing crime? Is it reducing rates of death and disease? Is it effective in keeping drugs and drug dealers away from our children? These are important questions for a policy that costs us taxpayers some $70 billion this year. As a police officer, I fought on the side of the "good guys" for 15 years in this war. I gained a lot of actual experience in the trenches. [continues 419 words]
Regarding "Committee rejects tougher beer sales" (news story, Feb. 16): Rep. Thad Balkman's bill to save lives by increasing penalties for supplying alcohol to minors failed -- and rightfully so. If increased penalties for supplying illegal drugs worked, Oklahoma would have become drug-free 20 years ago. Balkman should introduce a bill that would actually save lives and injury; namely, when a teen is dying of an alcohol or drug overdose, make the call to 911 an arrest-free act, no matter who supplied the drug or alcohol. Having cops and paramedics step over a dead body to catch the drug supplier is a pro-death policy that no parent supports. Howard J. Wooldridge, Norman [end]
Dallas -- Re Will The Real Dopes In This Marijuana-Use Study Please Stand Up? (Feb. 11): Shocking that smoking 350 joints a week is not healthy. Beware: 140 cups of coffee in one hour will deliver a lethal dose of caffeine. Eating 10 raw potatoes may kill you. How can such a study on pot be used to justify cannabis prohibition? Thanks for the chuckle. Howard J. Wooldridge media director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition [end]
Editor, The Transcript: Your headline trumpets 100 marijuana plants seized on one day. The next day Chief Cotten laments that drunk drivers killed five citizens last year. In the Chief's report I did not read that marijuana use had caused any deaths. As a retired police officer, I know that if the Norman police would focus on the deadly threat of drunk drivers, death and injury caused by DUIs would go down. The Transcript could help by recognizing Norman officers who arrest two or more DUIs on one shift. Publicize their life-saving efforts. Put meaningless, public-safety reducing marijuana busts on the back page where they belong. Howard J. Wooldridge, (retired) Media Director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Norman [end]
Editor, Edward Hill's comments on cannabis prohibition were spot on. However he, like most others, leave out how this prohibition reduces public safety. All the police hours spent busting grow-ops could have been spent finding rapists and thieves and drunk drivers. The advice of the Canadian Senate is to treat cannabis just like whiskey: legal/regulated and taxed. Let the police concentrate on public safety. Howard J. Wooldridge, (Retired) Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, http://leap.cc/ Dallas, Texas [end]
Dr. Hoffman keeps mentioning Marinol as an answer [Re: 3rd Degree, Jan. 6]. Two pills a day cost over a thousand dollars a month. For those without health insurance and no money, what does he suggest? Eat cake? Marijuana he admits has at least some efficacy. The prohibition of marijuana has all to do with keeping up the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. Whom is he trying to kid? Howard J. Wooldridge Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Dallas, Texas [end]
Professor Shelden's comments were accurate and this reader appreciates you have the courage to print them ["Expensive Drug War Still Not Working," Dec. 30]. As a retired police officer, my feeling is the only area he left blank was the reduction in public safety caused by drug prohibition. As my colleagues chase marijuana, DUIs killed 17,000 innocents every year. Year after year, about 75 percent of felony crime is caused by drug prohibition (not the use of drugs). Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and end drug prohibition? Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired), Media Director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, http://www.leap.cc/ Dallas, Texas [end]
Regarding "Interstate buy ways; Meth cooks head for the border" (Our Views, Jan. 4): You are mistaken in saying state policy "appears instrumental in reducing the meth problem here in Oklahoma." Meth is still readily available, imported from other states or Mexico. The meth prohibition in Oklahoma and elsewhere continues to be a failure. Drug prohibition reduces public safety. Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and end the New Prohibition? Howard J. Wooldridge Norman [end]
As a retired police officer, I completely agree with the editorial's view that simple possession of pot should be treated the same as if someone ran a stop sign. Houston Rep. Harold Dutton's bill would allow my colleagues to write a quick ticket and then be available for serious crimes such as catching drunken drivers. This is a no-brainer. Howard J. Wooldridge Dallas [end]
J.B. Cole is correct in that marijuana is a mind-altering drug that like alcohol, etc, all should avoid. After that truth, Mr. Cole engaged in a bit of his own "reefer madness." The most glaring "fact" involved treatment. More kids are in treatment for pot than alcohol because they are given a choice -- treatment or jail. They rarely, if ever, are given that Faustian choice with alcohol. Of course, kids choose treatment, even if they don't need it. [continues 104 words]
Dear Editor, What evidence do you possess to believe that more alcohol prohibition on campus (of OK U) will be helpful? Prohibition has never worked well since Adam and Eve bit on the apple. A huge problem will remain, even if all the new ideas are implemented. Since 21 year olds who supply booze are afraid of being arrested, they will not call 911, when the underage drinker is dying. Oklahoma needs to make drug over-dose calls an arrest-free act. What parent would want the police to catch the person who supplied the booze at the cost of their dead child? Howard J. Wooldridge, Norman, Retired Police Officer [end]
Thank you for a balanced report on the nation's policy of drug prohibition. As a retired police officer, I would only add that every hour my colleagues spend chasing dope often means one more drunk driver and one more child molester is loose to hurt and kill innocents. We are a "Thin Blue Line." Where should we focus our efforts? Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) media director Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Dallas [end]
To the editor: I am against recreational drug use as much as Rev. Gorham. However, as a retired police officer, I have to ask, what part of drug prohibition is helping any individual, community or country? The two deadliest drugs in Canada are legal, regulated and taxed. Imagine 'winning' the drug war. Mankind has been using mind-altering drugs for thousands of years. Five million Canadians switch from marijuana, cocaine and heroin to whiskey. Who believes that Canada would be better off with alcoholics instead of potheads? Given the amount of violence and death associated with the use of alcohol, from a law enforcement standpoint, replacing marijuana with whiskey would be a five-alarm disaster. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge Media director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Dallas, Texas [end]
Dear Editor, Your conclusions that ending marijuana prohibition would resolve nothing left me puzzled. The government would purchase cannabis from growers, put a reasonable tax on it and sell it. Grown legally, cannabis will be very, very cheap, i.e. not worth the trouble for most people or for smugglers to grow their own. Those who want to smuggle it to America will do what bootleggers did in the 20s and 30s; buy the product legally in Canada and ship it across the border. America's folly of cannabis prohibition should be no excuse for Canada to continue its participation. Moreover, it will allow my colleagues to refocus on public safety threats like drunk drivers and rapists. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) Media Director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition [end]
Like the recent announcement by drug czar John Walters that the $3.3 billion "Plan Colombia" is a total failure, so too will be Oklahoma's new law to combat meth labs. If all 50 states adopt the ban on pseudoephedrine, meth will be produced in Mexico and smuggled in. Not only will there be an abundant supply of meth, but more dollars will be lost to the economy of Mexico. This policy of drug prohibition/war on drugs is a costly failure. Howard J. Wooldridge Dallas Wooldridge is media director of a group called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. [end]
Visiting your fair city Friday, I read about the drug bust and the arrest of 25 dealers. Has the Orlando Sentinel already informed its readers that such drug busts are meaningless? Every police officer knows that the only net effect of arresting a drug dealer is the taxpayers will have to build another useless prison. The 25 arrested will all be replaced within about three weeks, according to federal studies. There is always someone stupid enough or desperate enough to become a drug dealer. Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and end drug prohibition? Howard J. Wooldridge, Media director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Dallas [end]
Re: "For Sale: B.C. Bud," Editorial, June 14. As a retired police officer, I found your condemnation of the Fraser report missed a huge point: namely, the reduction in public safety caused by cannabis prohibition. Constables seek out cannabis while drunk drivers kill innocents, as our attention is diverted from public safety. Crimes like shoplifting and murder are non-consensual crimes and should remain on the books. Joe Citizen using marijuana in the privacy of his home is a bad choice, but he is not a threat to the public. Do you want to follow the U.S.'s lead and start building prisons in a hopeless attempt to deter Canadians from growing cannabis? Howard J. Wooldridge Dallas, Texas Howard Wooldridge is media director for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. [end]
Not all cops favor building more prisons because of the Rockefeller Drug Law. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is lobbying to regulate all drugs and make personal responsibility once again the cornerstone of our drug laws. Our collective thousands of years in the trenches showed us that the net effect of arresting a drug dealer was zero difference on the streets and the taxpayers were forced to build yet another prison. Drug prohibition is a cancer destroying our youth and our country. Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and end drug prohibition? Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) Media Director Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://www.leap.cc Dallas [end]
As a retired officer, I would like to spare the taxpayers of Asheville a million dollars and false hopes. All law-enforcement professionals know that every drug dealer ever arrested or killed is quickly replaced. The only net effect of an arrest is the taxpayers have to build another prison. We can arrest more people if you hire the 12 officers, but it will not reduce the drug problem one iota. The policy is prohibition - didn't work for our grandparents, not working in 2004. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) media director Law Enforcement Against Prohibition www.leap.cc Dallas, Texas [end]
As a retired police officer, I had to chuckle at U.S. Rep. Brad Carson's idea for yet another federal law to make a difference in stopping the production of meth, the moonshine of the 21st century. We've been trying such tiny measures for 34 years to make our policy of drug prohibition work. All have failed and so would this one. The cancer in our nation is drug prohibition. Let us be as wise as our grandparents, make personal responsibility the cornerstone of drug policy and end prohibition. Howard J. Wooldridge Dallas [end]
Editor: Corruption of police officers and drug task forces seem to go hand in hand in Texas these days (24th and 25th task forces, Tulia, Dallas Sheetrock scandal, etc.). How sad for my profession. Lt. Stan Bonewitz (March 31 Wilson County News) of the Department of Public Safety might have added that it really does not matter if drug dealers are arrested or not. All cops know, but few will admit to the public, that every drug dealer ever arrested has been replaced quickly. Thus, arresting or even killing them does not put a dent in the supply of drugs or drug dealers. Prohibition, you gotta love it. Retired officer and Media director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Dallas [end]
Dear Editor: As a retired police officer, I am amazed at your lack of understanding regarding the dynamics of cannabis prohibition in Canada. Prohibition causes the price of marijuana to become more valuable, ounce for ounce, than gold. This creates jobs for those who want to make a lot of easy money despite the risks. Criminals gravitate to these illegal jobs and that begets violence within the industry because these entrepreneurs cannot go to court to settle differences. End cannabis prohibition and you'll see an end to 99 per cent of the criminal and safety problems associated with growing and selling marijuana. More importantly, that would allow the (police) in Canada to pursue and arrest real criminals who hurt other people. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Dallas, Texas [end]
As a retired police officer, I appreciate your thoughts on reducing police time used to enforce marijuana prohibition. Indeed, the Thin Blue Line has much more important tasks, like DUI enforcement, etc. I urge the Boulder City Council to enact a "Seattle 75" type of policy. Until marijuana is again a legal, regulated and taxed product, we should do all we can to focus my colleagues on public-safety threats. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired)/via Internet [end]
As a retired police officer, I appreciated your editorial on medical marijuana. Federal law enforcement aside, this is a state's rights issue, the same as alcohol. Authorizing patients in Wisconsin to legally possess marijuana would present few problems to law enforcement. Patients could have an ID card issued by the state to possess marijuana, like the state issues a license to drive on the road. Show the card and there is no issue for the officer. Howard J. Wooldridge, member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Mount Horeb [end]
As a retired police officer, I had to chuckle and then cry over the statements from Ms. Morgan ("Group's reaction puzzles resident," Jan. 23) concerning the 50-year sentence (for Kado Jackson). Ms. Morgan, we in law enforcement know that every drug dealer arrested or killed is quickly replaced. If you want to end the violence and death and 75 percent of the felony crime in Mississippi, you need to get rid of drug prohibition. A policy whose cornerstone is personal responsibility would help both individuals and society. The government and its police are not the answer. Howard J. Wooldridge, member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, (www.leap.cc) Dallas, Texas [end]
Editor: As a retired police officer, my area of expertise is law enforcement. I am sure that RCMP Cpl. Tomalty is also well-versed in his chosen career. DARE has been shown over and over again to have no meaningful influence on whether a teenager uses drugs, legal or illegal. DARE does not give students the information they need to make a wise choice not to do drugs, rather the simplistic - drugs are bad, don't do drugs. DARE lumps cannabis in with heroin as deadly substances. [continues 73 words]
To the Editor: 1984 is riding into town on the back of the methods used by the police and society in the drug war. Warrant less, suspicion less searches using urine or dogs is indoctrinating our youth to accept Big Brother as their guardian angel. Whatever happened to parental responsibility? Since drugs are cheaper, stronger and easier to buy than 30 years ago, what good is drug prohibition? Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired), Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Dallas, Texas [end]
As a retired police officer, I read with interest your Nov. 18 opinion piece, "Time to find new ways to fight drugs," advocating safe-injections sites for drug addicts. The three co-authors are correct when they say safe-injection sites are far more effective than the law enforcement in fighting drug addiction. In my professional experience, I have learned every drug dealer ever arrested or killed is replaced within days. Drugs are cheaper, stronger and easier to buy than 30 years ago. The time and money we and the prison system spend on drug prohibition is a complete waste. Worse, prohibition efforts mean less time spent looking for real criminals like drunk drivers and rapists. All drug use and abuse should be dealt with by doctors and clinics, not police and prisons. Howard J. Wooldridge Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc) Dallas, Tex. [end]
As a police officer, I know the futility and failure of drug prohibition. Sheriff Al Cannon believes that the liberal notion that more police and prisons (more government) can prevent people from putting things in their mouths tells me he must be a rookie ("Legalize this," City Beat, Nov. 12). Worse, his belief in prohibition causes our kids to grow up in a world infested with drug dealers and their free samples. Prohibition sucks our youth into criminality. I challenge sheriff Cannon to name one positive outcome of prohibition. Howard J. Wooldridge (retired), Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc), Dallas, Texas [end]
As a retired police officer, I know that drug dealers accept, as a condition of employment, risk of death and long prison terms. A recent letter writer's idea that making Florida's prisons into hellholes would deter criminals is naive. Drug dealers only exist because of the prohibition on narcotics. Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents, who abandoned the prohibition of alcohol, and end this failed and futile approach to drugs? Howard J. Wooldridge Keller, Texas [end]
As a retired police officer and one who is trying to end the prohibition of marijuana in this country, I appreciated your enlightened commentary on medical marijuana. Not only is it as good or better than some pills, let us not forget that some 50 million Americans have no health insurance in which to buy medicine. For them, God's plant can take the place of pills and can be grown for free in the basement. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge, retired [end]
Rebecca Graber's comments about cannabis ("The fragrant winds of change", September 23) were spot on. From a law enforcement standpoint, cannabis is not a societal problem. In my 15 years as a police officer I never went to one call for service generated by the use of cannabis. Canada and the US need to legalize, regulate and tax cannabis tomorrow. Let us get the police chasing drunk drivers and others who actually hurt someone else. - -Officer Howard J. Wooldridge Fort Worth, Texas Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (www.leap.cc) [end]
I enjoyed Schoenkopf's piece on marijuana. The only item I would add regards public safety. As a police officer, I know that every hour spent looking for pot by officers reduces public safety. This year, we will spend roughly 10 million hours looking for pot under a kid's front seat--after we already know that driver is not intoxicated. Meanwhile, drunk drivers sail past these traffic stops and kill 18,000 innocent people. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ( www.leap.cc ) Fort Worth, Texas [end]
Of course we in law enforcement lie about the number of drug users, etc. (Editorial, Aug. 6). How else to force politicians to give us more money, which means more cops, which means more promotions to sergeant or lieutenant? As a retired police officer and a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, I know drug prohibition is a cash cow for those in police work and they have milked this baby for 30 years, even though we have never eliminated one drug job as a result. All drug dealers arrested or killed are quickly replaced. Prohibition, you gotta love it. Howard J. Wooldridge Keller, Texas [end]
Having citizens report meth labs is like reporting a moonshine still 80 years ago. As you bust up one, another springs up. While not ignoring the real dangers posed by meth labs, you might encourage your readers to do some critical thinking of why meth labs exist at all; namely, drug prohibition. Moonshine used to blind or kill its users, while meth labs contaminate an area, both bad things. Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and end drug prohibition and return to a policy based on personal responsibility (like we have with alcohol and cigarettes)? Howard J. Wooldridge Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition [end]
To the editor: As a police professional, I was saddened to read of the arrest of former Cape Girardeau police detective Paul Tipler. His alleged actions are a disgrace to his department and our profession. I hope and trust that, if convicted, he will receive appropriate punishment. The temptations generated by drugs destroy good police officers every day. How sad. It has been six months since my horse Misty and I crossed the Mississippi River on that old bridge of yours. I hope the next time we trot over that bridge, all drugs will be a medical issue handled by clinics and doctors, not a police nightmare. Howard J. Wooldridge Austin, Texas [end]
WHO'D AH thunk it? More and more Canadians and Americans realize that child molesters and rapists are still roaming free because our police detectives are flying around in helicopters looking for pot in someone's backyard. Except for medicinal purposes, using cannabis is a poor choice. Having us in law enforcement chase it reduces public safety. Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) Member Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Austin, Tex. (It certainly doesn't seem to be garnering much benefit) [end]
As a police professional I urge Justice Minister Martin Cauchon to consider the serious reduction in public safety caused by cannabis prohibition in Canada. Every hour spent by police looking for and busting for cannabis, is an hour not spent looking for robbers, rapists and drunk drivers. Except for medical reasons, using cannabis is a poor choice. It is the combination of smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer, all bad choices. Forcing us in law enforcement to chase after it is a horrible waste of good police time. Howard J. Wooldridge Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (Thanks for your perspective.) [end]
Re: Celina schools to start drug testing (April 4 news story). Great idea. Now student athletes will smoke less marijuana. That is the good news. The bad news is that they will use mind-altering drugs, which they can use on Friday that won't show up on a Monday drug test, namely alcohol, ecstasy and cocaine. Are school officials so naive that they think students don't know this? Whatever happened to parental responsibility? Or is the school preparing students to live in a "Big Brother is watching" country? I thought Texas was a conservative state. Howard J. Wooldridge, Austin [end]
Re: "New drug to hit 'like a Mack truck,' " March 23. Calgary police Det. Pat Tetley fears methamphetamine coming on like a Mack truck. Certainly, local governments will experience serious cleanup costs of the illegal meth labs. You might have to build another prison or two to hold those who produce it. All that is caused by the prohibition approach to dangerous drugs. The meth itself is no more dangerous than the amphetamine obtainable from a pharmacy. Would Tetley declare with a straight face that meth use will cause as much pain, suffering and death as the alcohol? Prohibition is the cancer and meth labs are just one of the unintended consequences of this liberal, big-government approach to some dangerous drugs. Howard J. Wooldridge Austin, Tex. Howard J. Wooldridge is a retired police officer and a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. [end]
Mack Croft is correct when he asserts that most crime is committed to buy drugs. We in law enforcement know that about 75 percent of all felony crime touches some aspect of prohibition -- from murder to burglary. Mr. Burnett is correct in that essentially nobody steals because they want to buy marijuana. The liberal approach of drug prohibition has always been a failure and always will be. We police officers know that every drug dealer arrested, shot or killed is quickly replaced. Drugs are cheaper, more powerful and more available than ever before. We are truly the mosquito on the butt of an elephant. [continues 53 words]
Pot shots Brian Bergman's thoughts on how to approach cannabis were on target ("Just say 'yes,'" Essay, March 3). Should police spend their time chasing marijuana, when drunk drivers are 10,000 times more dangerous than the average user? In my 15 years as a police officer, I handled some 2,000 accidents, not one of which involved a "stoned" driver. I never went to one call for service generated by the use of cannabis. Cannabis is not a societal problem and rarely a personal one. - -- Howard J. Wooldridge, Austin, Tex. [end]
Brent Biles hit lots of nails on the head with his excellent June 30 column, "Now, some possible solutions to drug problem." As a retired police officer with 15 years' experience in law enforcement, I can state that prohibition guarantees the existence of drug dealers. Prohibition is the root problem Mr. Biles is talking about. Prohibition has not worked since Adam and Eve bit the apple. Eighty-eight years ago, when people could go to the pharmacy and buy cocaine and heroin, about 2 percent of the U.S. population was abusing those two drugs. Today, 2 percent of the population is still abusing those two drugs. [continues 87 words]
Fort Worth, Tex. -- Lynn Crosbie's recent comments on marijuana (Testing Positive With The Stoner Demographic -- June 5) reminded me of Reefer Madness, the 1930s U.S. government propaganda film. I especially liked her comment that users are, "by nature slow and methodical people." I stopped using pot two weeks before starting the police academy. During my seven years of use I became fluent in German and French, received a BA and bench-pressed 130 per cent of my body weight. Slow and methodical types include hundreds of professional athletes, the current mayor of New York and the former president and vice-president of the United States. I am neither for nor against marijuana. I do know that pot smoking causes law enforcement zero problems. The prohibition of pot causes police officers and others to die every day. And for what? Howard J. Wooldridge Retired Police Officer [end]
Larry Nickerson's Feb. 12 commentary on prisons vs. schools was right on the mark. Putting nonviolent drug users in prison is a horrible waste of lives and tax dollars. We do not put alcoholics in prison. Why should we jail someone addicted to cocaine? Now Gov. Rick Perry wants to build even more prisons. I thought Texas A&M graduates were smarter than that. Howard J. Wooldridge, Keller [end]
