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."