What are they smoking?

From the compassionate Republicans: (excerpts)

House GOP Targets Medical Marijuana States

House Republicans are pressing for legislation that would strip federal anti-drug money from local police in states that have passed medical marijuana laws.

The overall legislation, which would keep the White House drug policy office in business for another five years, would also allow the office to run ads opposing medical marijuana initiatives.

Tom Riley, spokesman for White House drug policy director John Walters, said: ``One of the duties of the drug czar is to oppose efforts to legalize drugs. ...''

The House Government Reform Committee was expected to approve the legislation Thursday, with an amendment prohibiting ads expressly advocating support or defeat of a candidate or ballot question.

Steve Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project said his group was especially concerned about the possibility of huge advertising expenditures by the White House in an attempt to influence elections.

``This leaves them free to run ads saying medicinal marijuana is a lie and a ploy to legalize marijuana for all purposes,'' he said.

The states with medical marijuana laws are Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada and Maine.

One duty of the drug czar is to oppose efforts to legalize drugs? No matter what? Even if the drug in question is deemed harmless (or even useful)? And anyway, what's the government doing influencing elections?

Face it. The Republicans don't like democracy.

posted by Quiddity at 5/22/2003 12:10:00 AM