Is the Drug Czar Afraid to Debate?
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On September 10, White House Drug Czar John Walters called for "a national debate" about marijuana policy. The Marijuana Policy Project hopes he meant it.
As soon as Walters' offer to debate was reported in the September 17 Seattle Weekly, we faxed the following letter to his office:
John Walters, DirectorThe offer to debate marks a shift for Walters, who has previously ducked every opportunity to debate knowledgeable critics of his policies. Instead, he has made phony offers -- for example, singling out just one of my organization's 13,000 members and offering to debate him -- while hiding from real debate invitations.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
The White House
Dear Mr. Walters,
I was pleased to hear that in your Sept. 10 news conference in Seattle, you said, "The real issue is, should we legalize marijuana? Let's have a national debate about that."
You were absolutely correct when you told your Seattle audience that marijuana policy has never been properly and thoroughly debated in this country. It's time to have that debate, so I am pleased to accept your invitation.
I propose that you and I immediately agree to hold a public debate within the next six months in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. The time and place should be suitable for national television coverage, and the debate should be moderated by a neutral journalist chosen by mutual agreement.
I am confident your offer represents a genuine desire to move past the demonization of those who disagree with your policies by finally having an honest debate about the impact of marijuana prohibition. I have no doubt that -- once armed with all the facts -- the American people will make wise choices.
Please have your staff contact my executive assistant, Jen Grizard, as soon as possible so that we can begin making the necessary arrangements. I look forward to working with you on this effort.
Sincerely,
Robert Kampia, Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
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