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1210 EuTAW PLACE 3
Dr. JOHN T. KING. BALTIMORE 17, Mb. ah x DR. JOSEPH D. B. KING
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TELEPHONE: LAFAYETTE 3-5751 \ \k
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November 13, 1958 v

Dr. Laurence Kolb
6645 Thirty-second Street N.W.
Washington 15, D. C.

Dear Dr. Kolb:

I have recently erupted with a letter to the Baltimore Evening
Sun deploring the jailing of narcotic addicts. I was pleased to find
my letter was followed by an editorial in the Morning Sun and the
writer told me that their policy has been to try to have this matter
kept in medical channels.

I promptly had a note from Mr. Anslinger, enclosing the series
of Comments from an Advisory Committee to the Federal Bureau of
Narcotics. This Committee has apparently taken it upon itself to
denounce a joint recommendation of the American Bar and American
Medical Associations.

I have read the report of the Council on Mental Health to the
American Medical Association, that came out in three sections in the
spring of 1957. Also, I was aware that this Committee had appeared
before some Senate committee, but I did not know that the American
Bar Association had joined the A.M.A. in this point of view. Can
you enlighten me as to where, if anywhere, this testimony was
published. Mr. Anslinger sent me only the one side of the question,
and I have written to him that there is a great deal more to the
problem than how to enforce gurrent laws, which seems to be his chief
predisposition.

My interest is due to the fact that I am on the Board of Correction
of Maryland and find that there are approximately two hundred miserable
wretcheg@ in our penal institutions for one form or other of narcotic
violetidh, including possession of a few marijuana cigarettes. At
least we are no longer chaining the lunatics, but that is about all
one can say.

I hope you are very well. I still recall with pleasure your visit
to speak to the Baltimore Medical Society.

With kindest regards.
Yours truly,

John T. King, M.D.
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