Dear Candidate,

Recent reports about increasing experimentation with drug use by teenagers are a cause for serious concern to everyone who cares about our kids.

After 80 years of drug prohibition, and more than 24 years since President Nixon declared a War on Drugs, it is clear that the best way for the nation to address drug use and abuse has not yet been identified.  The abuse of illegal drugs, and the resultant crime, police corruption, growth of gangs and drug cartels, and costs of enforcement point out the need to find a better way.  The Drug Policy Forum of Iowa is part of the national discussion on this crucial issue.

The Drug Policy Forum of Iowa is open to everyone, regardless of their current views on drug policy.  Our common goal is a desire to openly investigate the options.  We support a federal blue-ribbon commission to study the drug problem, review the work of previous commissions, and report its findings to the American people.

Through private dialogue and public debate, we hope to focus attention on drug policy and facilitate the building of a new consensus.  As one step in this process, we are asking candidates for state and federal office to complete the enclosed survey.  We understand that multiple-choice answers may not reflect everyone's views, so please feel free to write your own response to any question.  The purposes of this survey are to ascertain the range of views on drug policy, and to build a network of people who are interested in participating in further discussion of this issue.

Thank you for helping.

Sincerely,
Carl E. Olsen