U.S. Treaties on Drugs

When I saw the column by Bill Buckley (Opinion, April 1) alleging I used “phony treaties” and “made up facts,” I said to myself, I “ ‘gotcha’ again, Bill Buckley.” I would have thought after Buckley demanded of me that I cite the treaty as I proceeded to do in the debate on decriminalizing drugs, that he would at least be professional enough to research whether the treaty ever existed before writing that it does not.

In fact, I stated on the program that there were several treaties the U.S. was a signatory to. But obviously, his pen is as fast as his lips and he has found it more convenient to attack me rather than research the facts. On Nov. 21, 1989, the United States ratified the 1988 United Nations Convention against illicit traffic in narcotic and psychotropic substances. It was signed by 68 nations. This treaty is commonly referred to as the Vienna Convention, and I attended the United Nations sessions that resulted in this treaty. Also attending was Ed Meese, who was then attorney general.

Other treaties include the single convention on narcotic drugs of 1961; the 1972 amendments by protocol to the single convention on narcotic drugs; and the 1971 convention on psychotropic substances. All these are important multinational treaties encouraging international cooperation in stopping drug trafficking and consumption.

It is too bad Buckley did not do his homework, either prior to our debate or before writing a column trying to question my facts and arguments. I hope that Buckley will see fit to correct the misimpression that he left in his column.

REP. CHARLES B. RANGEL

Chairman, House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control

D-N.Y.