http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/051707feldmar.cfm



DPA Objects to Travel Law Punishing Past Drug Use

Thursday, May 17, 2007



DPA's core principle that people should not be punished for what they
put into their own bodies absent harm to others has inspired us to
get involved in the case of Andrew Feldmar, a Canadian psychologist.

Feldmar has been coming to the U.S. from Vancouver for years to visit
his children, both of whom live in American cities. But the last time
he tried to cross the border, a guard pulled him aside and searched
for his name on the internet. This turned up a journal article
Feldmar wrote about his use of LSD in Canada and the U.K. almost 40
years ago.

U.S. government officials have said that because Feldmar admitted
drug use, he will never be allowed in the U.S. again unless he
obtains an expensive special waiver in which he certifies that he has
been rehabilitated.

Speaking to The New York Times, Feldmar asked, "Rehabilitated from
what?"

A government spokesperson has pointed to increased security in a post-
9/11 world as a reason for using internet searches to unearth
information on would-be travelers. The government has not, however,
established any link between admitted past drug use and terrorism.

Current federal law allows immigration and customs officials to bar
entry to anyone who has ever used an illegal drug. If fully
enforced, the law would bar millions of people around the world from
visiting the U.S., including David Cameron (head of the British Tory
party), former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, the current
Premieres of Quebec and Ontario, actors Colin Farrell and Pierce
Brosnan, British billionaire Richard Branson (Virgin Air) and, of
course, numerous musicians like Paul McCartney, Keith Richards and
George Michael.

DPA has been alerting the media to Dr. Feldmar's story, with pieces
being published in AlterNet and The New York Times. DPA has also
begun lobbying Congressional offices to raise awareness of the case
in the hopes that this federal policy will be changed.

"100 million Americans have used an illegal drug at some point in
their lives, and it's hard to find a Presidential candidate who
hasn't smoked pot; yet we're prohibiting people from other countries
who have used drugs from visiting our country. It just doesn't make
sense." said Bill Piper, DPA's director of national affairs. "Imagine
if other countries adopted similar policies. Bill Clinton, Newt
Gingrich, Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates, Brad Pitt, Sam Donaldson and
millions of other Americans wouldn't be able to travel."