Yashington 15, BD. Cc. November 17,1958 1210 Eutaw Place Baltimore 17, Md. I am pleased that you have taken some action about our deplorable narcotic enforcement terror. The policy we pursue is a disgrace to our civilization that for correction needs concerted persistent action on the part of physicians and others interested in health and public welfare. Several years ago the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association set up a joint committee on Nar- cotic Drugs. The committee recently made an interim report and sent Mr. Analinger a copy. I have not seen the report, but I know most of the committee members. They are able men who are looking for the facts hence their conflict with Anslinger. Apparently it was in response to the report of the Joint Com~ mittee that Anslinger recently organized the Advisory Committee to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, but two other happenings probably influenced him. One was the report of the Council on Mental Health of the American Medical Association and the other was a Symposium on Addiction given by the Public Health Service at the Clinical Center, Bethesda, March 27+28, 1958. I think that Anslingers Advisory Committee was organized not with the idea of finding facts but of refuting the findings of the three groups above mentioned. It is of interest that Anslinger declined an invitation to give a paper at the Public Health Service, Bethesda, Sym- posium, giving as a reason that a certain person to whom he had objections was to speak. This person is the chairman of the A.M.A.-A.B.A. Joint Committee on Narcotics. He has written some things about the legal phases of addiction that Anslinger doesn't like. “It is also revealing that a few days after the Bethesda Symposium, Congressman, Boggs of Texas wrote wery critical letters to the Secretary of Health Education and Welfare-and to the Attorney General, severely criticizing the Symposium, calling attention to the fact that Anslinger refused to participate (he had observers there) and complaining that a certain Public Health Service Officer had taken an attitude on addiction, contrary to the policy laid down by the President's Committee on Addiction, etc. The letter to the Attorney General was doubtless promoted by the fact that ~2~ James V. Bennett, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prison read @ paper at the Symposium that showed he disagreed with Anslinger. I feel that Mr. Boggs' letter was prompted by a desire to prevent the publication of the Symposium papers, but so far as I know the papers will be published. Gdngresmen Boggs is chairman of Anslinger's Ad~ visory Committee. He is the author of one of the de- plorable Federal Narcotics Acts. Former Senator Price Daniel who was chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate that got out a remarkably absurd report on addiction that resulted in a still more drastic law, and the attorney of the committee are also members of the Advisory Committee. Other members with similar views, including a few physicians but oe names I cannot recall made up the rest of the comm ttee, The report of this Advisory Committee. is not the result of a study, but a rehash of things favorable to Anslinger's point of view that have been published over a period of years, including some materials from the Danieds. Committee, This information comes from two members of the A.M.A.-A.B.A. Committee who have seen this report. To come finally to yaur=apecific question the interim report of the American Medical Association, American Bar _ Association Committee is not yet available for free dis- ' tribution. It has been published however by the Grosby Press, and a copy may be secured for two dollars from Judge Morris Ploscowe, 61 Broadway, New York. If you are interested in having a report of the Bethesda Symposium when published, I think one may be secured by asking: Dr. Robert L. Livingston Blidg 10, Room 3N242 Clinical Center National Institute of Health Bethesda 14, Maryland to put you on the mailing list to receive one. With kindest regards. Sincerely yours, LAWRENCE KOLB, M. D.