While the word on the street (yeah, Huggy Bear told me) is that former Minnesota Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad is going to be President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy (or “drug czar”), this petition to have Obama choose drug reformer and head of Drug Policy Alliance Ethan Nadelmann for the position is worth signing. For years we’ve had military generals and law enforcement types dealing with the medical issue that is drug abuse. It’s about time we had a drug law reformer who would base policy on science and medicine!
Nadelmann for Drug Czar Petition | Drug Czar of My Dreams
To: President-elect Barack Obama
We the undersigned request the appointment of Ethan Nadelmann to direct the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (“Drug Czar”) of the United States of America.
For more than 20 years, Mr. Nadelmann has advocated in The United States and abroad for an open discussion of national drug control policy. His grasp of international law, the history of prohibition and current global drug control regimes is unparalleled. Through his books, dozens of published articles, academic lectures and papers, Mr. Nadelmann has demonstrated a detailed grasp of the evolving network of global prohibitions and international enforcement treaties. His exemplary research skills and resulting accomplishments have provided him a unique understanding of the history, development and contemporary practices of U.S. drug control policy and its relationship to the health of the citizens of The United States.
Mr. Nadelmann’s command of the best available peer-reviewed scientific research would best serve The United States at the Drug Czar position, responsible for setting national goals on education, drug abuse prevention and law enforcement. He is eminently qualified to conceive of a national drug control policy that vastly improves on the current model, which has changed little over the last 35 years, in order to better safeguard the health of our children and the general U.S. population, reduce crime rates and recidivism, abate drug-related violence, conspiratorial activity and address head on a vast source of clandestine financial support for international terrorism.
Mr. Nadelmann has directed the non-partisan, nonprofit advocacy group the Drug Policy Alliance for more than 15 years, which boasts the support of Nobel laureates, prominent U.S. government representatives from both political parties, economists, scientists, and members of law enforcement.
It is our belief that his rigorous approach to identifying common-sense solutions, combined with his unique ability to inspire diverse audiences from both sides of the aisle, makes Mr. Nadelmann uniquely qualified for the position of Drug Czar in an administration whose stated goals are to repeal the harshest drug sentences, remove federal bans on funding syringe-exchange programs to reduce AIDS, give medical marijuana a fair chance to prove itself, and support treatment alternatives for low-level drug offenders.
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where can i sign the petition?