Former drug czars oppose Washington measure to legalize pot
Oct 15, 2012, 11:09 AM | Updated: 12:50 pm
Former drug czar John Walters fears the use of marijuana will explode to the same numbers as those who regularly drink alcohol if I-502 and others like it pass in November. (AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
A coalition of former police officials, federal drug czars, and addiction experts is urging Washington voters to reject an initiative to legalize marijuana.
During a national conference call on Monday, they warned the passage of Initiative 502 in Washington, and similar initiatives in Colorado and Oregon, would trigger a constitutional showdown.
Former drug czar John Walters fears the use of marijuana will explode to the same numbers as those who regularly drink alcohol, which he estimates at 133 million users.
“What’s the country going to look like if there are a hundred million marijuana users?” asked Walters. “This isn’t a joke, this isn’t hard to see. It’s a clear and present danger.”
If I-502 wins passage, former drug czars predict that federal drug agents will crack down on those who grow and distribute marijuana while conceding that small users would have little to fear.
Backers of I-502 chastise the coalition for interfering in a local issue. A statement from former U.S. attorney for Western Washington John McKay calls the comments from the coalition a “misguided attempt to influence state elections.”
