The Cavalier daily :: Wednesday, March 4, 1970 :: University of Virginia Library

A bill concerned with Virginia's drug
control act, currently before the House of
Delegates, with action on it expected by
the end of the week, has drawn testimony
from an associate professor of psychiatry
at the University.

John Buckman, who has been involved
in extensive drug research here and in
England for more than twenty years,
testified before a subcommittee of the
House General Laws Committee on
February 25.

Second Meeting

On Monday he returned to Richmond
to speak to the Courts and Justice
Committee of the Senate on a drug
amendment under consideration in that
house.

Following his testimony last week, Dr.
Buckman sent a letter to "a number of
people" who he felt would be concerned
with House Bill No: 271. The group, he
said, includes educators, lawyers, members
of civic groups (PTA's) and ministers.
Most were described as "people who
are working with youth."

Dr. Buckman wrote of his concern "with the
fact that all drugs are abused in the western
society at present and that children grow up in
homes where whole families are drug abusers."
The greatest increase in abuse, he said, is in the
area of hallucinogens and "especially marijuana."

Dispels Myth

Taking issue with President Nixon's estimate
that eight million Americans have tried
marijuana, Dr. Buckman puts the number
between 15 and 20 million. Pointing to
estimates of U.S. heroin addicts reaching
upward of 250,000, he sees a ratio "dispelling
the myth that marijuana necessarily leads to
heroin."

The letter continues, "We now know that all
heroin users graduate on to heroin through
multiple drug use, including marijuana, alcohol,
amphetamines, barbiturates, and many others.
The alarming fact is that younger and younger
persons are using drugs."

New York Rate

It is estimated that before the end of this
year. Dr. Buckman said, "one child under
fifteen will die every day, in New York alone,
from heroin overdosage." He points to two
facts "which have recently become very
obvious." First, that an unavailability of
marijuana makes it easier for narcotic rings to
"push" heroin.

Secondly, Dr. Buckman warned "the last
place that a young marijuana user should be
sent to, is a penitentiary, as you can almost
guarantee exposure to heroin, as well as other
learned crime, in prison."

His letter refers to a statement by "an
official at one of the prisons in this state"
admitting that $3000 worth of narcotics are
smuggled into his institution every week of the
year.

No Pot Shops

Dr. Buckman does not advocate legalizing
marijuana "in the sense that it ought to be sold
in shops, as alcohol is dispensed now." He did
however stress to the General Laws subcommittee
several points he feels are important.

He testified that "possession of all drugs
with the possible exception of narcotics should
be a misdemeanor and not a felony. Judges."
said Dr. Buckman, "should have more discretionary
power to dismiss the case or recommend
compulsory treatment or probation.

"Probationary periods should not be made
too long," the statement continued. "To expect
a young person to be of 'good behavior' for
longer than a year is setting for him standards
that even adults could not fulfill. Heavy
penalties should remain for the sale of heroin.
LSD, mescaline and all other hallucinogens."

Pushers Problem

Among Dr. Buckman's main concerns is to
separate users from pushers. Also, he would like
to see a clearer separation of heroin and other
narcotics from all other drugs. Two years ago
he urged a House committee to defeat a bill
which would have classified LSD as a narcotic.

Indicating that heroin use has often been
linked to family problems. Dr. Buckman
expressed alarm at the growing availability of
hard narcotics. This trend, he stated, has not
been offset by improved methods of rehabilitation
for heroin addicts.

Voices Needed

Dr. Buckman said he wrote the letter
because he believes that "people who feel like
me should not remain silent." He continued,
saying that two years ago "in my conversations
with various legislators I found that most of
them felt laws for possession were out of date
and not based on facts."

Emphasizing the "sensitivity of legislators to
the opinions of their constituencies," Dr.
Buckman's letter expressed the hope that
"there is a good chance more realistic and
intelligent laws relating to drug abuse may
come out of this (Assembly) session.

Not Realistic

"Although House Bill No. 271 is not as
realistic as many of use would like it to be," the
letter concludes, "it has some provisions for
lessening the penalties for simple possession."

At present, the conviction for possession of
more than 25 grains of marijuana (5 cigarettes)
carries in Virginia a mandatory jail sentence of
20 years.

Dr. Buckman urges those who agree with
him "that this is unreasonable" to write to their
representatives or to a member of the House
General Laws subcommittee in an effort to
change the law.

Dark Ages

Dr. Buckman described the present penalties
as belonging "in the dark ages" and stressed the
importance of making the appropriate changes
this year.

Failure of the General Assembly to act on
such changes in the short time left prior to
adjournment would leave the old laws on the
books for at least two more years.