REEFER WRONGNESS

Victor Cass' central argument for keeping marijuana illegal is
patently false ("The enemy within," Sept. 9, 2010). Officer Cass
claims that drug prohibition, particularly the marijuana ban,
protects children. However, the fact is that Cass' pot war makes kids
more vulnerable to marijuana use and use of other genuinely dangerous drugs.

Officer Cass tries to ignore the utter failure of law enforcement to
prevent marijuana use among high school students while claiming that
a policy started on the basis of outrageous lies serves a valid moral
purpose. The idea that America's drug war protects anyone is utterly absurd.

Officer Cass repeats the same kind of worn out, lie-filled, racist
propaganda that Harry Anslinger used to get marijuana outlawed in 1937:

"... The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the
degenerate races." - Federal Bureau of Narcotics Director Harry J.
Anslinger, 1930

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity,
criminality and death."

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."

"[Smoking] one [marijuana] cigarette might develop a homicidal mania,
probably to kill his brother." (See US Government Propaganda To
Outlaw Marijuana - druglibrary.org/ schaffer/hemp/taxact/t3.htm )
Cass' belief that lies, fictions and exaggerations serve a positive
moral purpose runs against all common sense and the lessons of history.

The cause of Officer Cass' promotion of marijuana prohibition is fear
of losing police income generated by enforcing useless marijuana
laws. Cops make money in overtime, court payments and property
confiscations related to enforcing marijuana laws. Police do not want
to see their easy money go away, so they are willing to support the
most ridiculous fictions to keep the gravy train running.

Officer Cass cannot point to any historic records of crime and
violence being associated with any currently illegal drugs before
they were outlawed. There are no police records indicating any crime
connection between cocaine, heroin, morphine, marijuana or any other
drug before they were banned. There were no drug cartels, no
desperate addicts and no crime whatsoever connected with any drugs
while they were cheaply and legally available at the corner pharmacy.
Cass' claims of positive results from keeping marijuana illegal fail
to meet the stink test.

Redford Givens, Webmaster

Schaffer Library of Drug Policy

San Francisco