According to a press release, the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s softball team, the Czardinals, once again spurned the One Hitters, a softball team made up of Washington, D.C.-area drug policy reform group members. It seems these two teams had a grudge match scheduled for May 25th, but the Czardinals (the team name an apparent reference to the Office’s director, the Drug Czar) canceled last minute.
 
As many readers know, the HIGH TIMES Bonghitters are a formidable force in the New York Media Softball League – you can often see them in Central Park taking on the likes of Forbes and the Wall Street Journal.
 
Since the Czardinals are too afraid to take the field, the Bonghitters would like to take this opportunity to challenge the One Hitters to a friendly game in New York City. It won’t be as cathartic as battling drug warriors on the base paths, but it’s likely to be a much better time.
 
Here is the original press release in its entirety:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Once again, the softball team representing the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has backed out of playing a Congressional Softball League game against the One Hitters, a team consisting of members of several drug policy reform organizations and others who support ending the “war on drugs.” A game between the two teams had been scheduled for May 25, but the ONCDP Czardinals pulled out shortly after scheduling the game, with ONDCP public liaison coordinator Quinn Staudt citing an “accidental double-booking.”
 
This is not the first time the Czardinals have refused to play the One Hitters. In 6 years, the team found one reason or another to avoid taking the field against this team of individuals dedicated to reforming the out-of-date and ineffectual policies promoted by the ONDCP.
 
This behavior is being mimicked on the national stage by the ONDCP as well. While drug czar Gil Kerlikowske has stated that he will no longer use the rhetoric of a “war on drugs” and President Obama said that he wants to move to treat drug abuse as a health problem rather than a criminal justice problem, little has been seen in the way of action in that direction. The President has also said that he does not support the legalization of any drug, even marijuana, despite the inarguable damage marijuana prohibition does to society, individual users, medical patients that benefit from marijuana treatments, governmental budgets, and respect for the rule of law.
 
"It is really disappointing that the ONDCP not only refuses to have an honest debate with drug policy reformers about the absolute failure of drug prohibition, but also keeps ducking out of softball games with us,” said One Hitters team captain Jacob Berg. “We think it would be a great opportunity to advance the discussion between drug law reformers and the people ostensibly in charge of drug policy in this country. I wonder if they are afraid to have that conversation. The drug czar said ‘legalization’ isn't in his vocabulary, but it's just a friendly softball game!"
 
The One Hitters hope the Czardinals will put aside ideological differences and accept their invitation to play a softball game this summer on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
 
More @ [link|http://reason.com/blog/2011/05/25/the-drug-czars-office-backs-ou|reason.com]