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US PA: Former Detective: Legalize Pot


bongme

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Hi

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n835/a07.html

Newshawk: Increase Your Media http://www.mapinc.org/resource

Votes: 0

Pubdate: Wed, 03 Sep 2008

Source: Daily Item (Sunbury, PA)

Copyright: 2008 The Daily Item

Contact: letters@dailyitem.com

Website: http://www.dailyitem.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1045

Author: Jaime North, The Daily Item

Cited: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://leap.cc

FORMER DETECTIVE: LEGALIZE POT

SUNBURY -- A former police detective who claims drug policies have failed to curb narcotics use and trafficking will visit Sunbury tonight to talk about ways he would solve the problem, including legalizing marijuana.

Howard Wooldridge, of Washington D.C., is among the founders of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ( LEAP ), which launched its effort six years ago to shed light on the failures of drug policies. Wooldridge worked 18 years as a police officer in Michigan before helping to form the group.

LEAP, composed of current and former members of law enforcement and criminal justice communities, says the policies fail to address the problems of drug abuse and addiction, as well as problems of drug-related crime.

Wooldridge begins his visit to the Valley today at Bloomsburg University. The national speaker will then lead a discussion tonight at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles in Sunbury. Both public forums are being sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union's Central Susquehanna chapter in Lewisburg.

"We're always looking for interesting speakers who can get people to think and maybe take a new look on things," said David Young, the Union County vice president of the regional chapter. "LEAP's belief on the drug policies is a great example. These policies are extremely expensive and are just not working. There are all kinds of related issues, such as overcrowding in prisons with nonviolent criminals. Our criminal justice system is being stretched in all kinds of ways."

According to Young, the public forum will cover LEAP's strategies to control narcotics, which the group says will save taxpayers billions of dollars and reduce crime.

Wooldridge claims drugs dealers only fear one thing -- legalization. Decriminalizing marijuana is just one of a dozen thought-provoking topics Wooldridge plans to cover, according to Young, who said the public forums will be great platforms for residents to have their concerns heard.

"It's time for us to take another look at this ( the war on drugs )," Young said. "It's advantageous for us, as voters and as citizens, to see what else is out there and if there is a better way to do it."

Ear

Bongme

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