A previous letter to the editor of The Colombus Dispatch by former Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) deputy sheriff Carlis McDerment had mistakenly made the impression that the anti-drug group has suddenly had a change of heart.
The letter, which posed the former sheriff's support for the legalization of marijuana, has now been taken down from the site, but was captured by another news reporter in time for his Twitter followers to see.
The Washington Post's Christopher Ingraham tweeted the op-ed, even saying, "The drug war is finally over," as DARE called out for the legalization of cannabis.
The Drug War is officially over: DARE publishes op-ed calling for marijuana legalization. https://t.co/F5VrwKFR3P pic.twitter.com/trTsO20bUA
— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) July 30, 2015
"I know from enforcing senseless marijuana laws that children only are being put in more danger when marijuana is kept illegal," McDerment wrote. He added that prohibiting marijuana aimed to eradicate the use of the drug, however in reality, it turned out more difficult to control. He also stressed that the solution to the problems that arise because of pot use is not prohibition or incarceration, but regulation and education. The former deputy sheriff does not disagree with the fact that the consumption of marijuana is harmful to children, but emphasized that "anyone who suggests we outlaw everything dangerous to children would also have to ban stairs, Tylenol, bleach, forks and outlet socks and definitely alcohol."
DARE followed up with a statement saying it stands by its advocacy against the legalization of pot use.
On Tuesday, DARE told Ingraham, addressing the Washington Post reporter as "Scott," that the group has definitely not had a change of heart and that the post was a mistake. The group stressed that they do not support legalization, and said:
"Scott, thanks for the heads up. We do not support legalization nor do we advocate for legalization of marijuana. We are in the process of taking this article down. We have a new service and the header 'Purchasing Marijuana Puts Kids at Risk' may be why it was posted. A mistake on our part but one we are correcting. Thanks again for the alert. -John."
The anti-marijuana legalization group DARE was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles, and is currently being implemented in 75 percent of school districts in the US and in over 43 countries worldwide. It engages in officer-led classroom sessions, teaching children from kindergarten to the 12th grade how to live free of drugs and violence, and resist peer pressures.
