Pubdate: Mon, 29 Nov 1999
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Copyright: 1999 Star Tribune
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Author: Peter F. Neuman

GRAMS AND DRUG LAWS

Spare me! When Rod Grams calls the police to look for his son, he's
acting as a father. But when he passes laws keeping the marijuana
market together with the hard-drug markets, he's acting as a senator.

Most teens start on drugs by using the alcohol and tobacco they see
their parents using before ever using marijuana or hard drugs. Teens
see thousands of prodrug messages daily, whether it's a leering
Captain Morgan or a lurking Virginia Slim. More teens are killed by
drunk driving sooner or tobacco later than killed by illegal drugs
ever.

If we wanted to keep kids off drugs, Grams would treat alcohol and
tobacco like narcotics. Why is his son free to drink and smoke himself
to death but criminalized by his dad's laws prohibiting use of marijuana?

- -- Peter F. Neuman, Minneapolis
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