Dear President Obama,

Please begin the process of ending the so-called "Drug War" by eliminating the position of "Drug Czar" from your administration. The arrogant and aggressive presumption that America needs a "Czar" of any kind is offensive, but even more so since what is truly called for now is a shift to compassion and reason.

I recommend that you immediately convene the U.S. Conference of Mayors to act upon recommendations made in the resolution they passed in June 2007. A panel of experts made up of people from several related disciplines would be a responsible, level-headed way to start.

I further recommend Ethan Nadelmann from the Drug Policy Alliance, Jack Cole from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Congressman Ron Paul as capable allies in the shift to a pragmatic drug policy.

Please heed the wisdom of Mr. Lincoln, stated so clearly,

"Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes crimes out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."

Abraham Lincoln
Apr. 11, 1865 - from his last public address

How bad do things have to get before all solutions are considered?

Sincerely,

Paul J. von Hartmann
California Cannabis Ministry
Mount Shasta, California