Editor's Note: Good eye, Mr. Blumenaeur, good eye. While this investigation absolutely should happen, and taxpayer dollars should not be spent promoting the "No on 91" M.O./anti-marijuana-legalization initiative (nor the pro-marijuana M.O.), it seems to me these ads may well be a waste of money. As The Washington Post wrote in July in the article aptly titled, "The lonely lot of the anti-pot crusader": "The anti-marijuana movement has little funding or staff, little momentum and, it appears, little audience." WashPo was writing in the context of the vote in D.C., but it seems to apply nationwide. Perhaps the lack of funds is why the anti-pot "crusaders" might just be reaching into taxpayer's pockets.
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenaeur (D-Ore.) has asked federal officials to look into whether taxpayer money was improperly used to organize an anti-drug tour scheduled to roll out across Oregon just as voters will cast ballots on Measure 91, which would legalize marijuana in the state.
Blumenauer on Friday sent a letter to the top officials at the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration asking the agencies to investigate taxpayer-funded support of the "Oregon Marijuana Education Tour," which will feature anti-drug activist Kevin Sabet.
