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[Courtesy of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice, Inc. and Tony Papa] Today, May 8, marks the 34 year anniversary of the signing of New York's infamous Rockefeller Drug Laws. In December of 2004 the laws were mildly modified but continue unabated to wreak untold havoc on poor communities of color across the Empire State. Below is a link to a powerful and edifying video/song written and performed by Hip-Hop megastar Jim Jones calling on Governor Spitzer to reform the cruel and unusual, and racially applied Rockefeller Drug Laws (now the Elliot Spitzer drug laws). The video serves as trailer for the newly released documentary Lockdown USA. Moreover, we have included a compelling editorial that appeared this week in the Huffington Post. The editorial was written by artist/activist and Rockefeller Drug Law survivor Anthony Papa. In the editorial, Mr. Papa urges not only the Governor Spitzer but also Lt. Governor David Patterson in particular NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to use their offices to follow through on their past commitment to push for the REPEAL of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Mr. Cuomo is one of the four major figures featured in the Lockdown USA documentary. All three public officials have been silent on the issue since their respective inaugurations. Mr. Papa, formerly of Mothers of the NY Disappeared, is now a media specialist for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). DPA has worked closely with the NY Mothers and the Kunstler Fund for the past 9 years in the popular movement to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws.(www.drugpolicy.org). Jim Jones Lockdown, USA Song http://www.drugpolicy.org/statebystate/newyork/lockdownusa/

MARDIGRASS MEDIA Tuesday 8 May evening. POLICE MISS OPPORTUNITY TO ARREST THOUSANDS! MARDIGRASS AND POLICE PROPAGANDA! Reading the media it looks like MardiGrass was a massive police feast! The picture they paint is a very misleading image. In reality it was incredibly mellow with very few problems. We do admit the NSW Police media releases listing every detail of their weekend was all the press had to go on, because the organisers were still having too much fun to put out any news! Anyway, journalists had been ignoring MardiGrass mostly and we didn’t anticipate the police putting so much negative spin on such a successful weekend. One assault, ten thousand people, no wonder many police prefer the mellowing affect of cannabis at festivals. Some real stories are starting to emerge. The injuries sustained by police which sounded on the television news like they were sustained in battle, came from them recklessly chasing someone through a crowd, knocking over and injuring a bystander, and eventually hurting themselves by running headlong into a car. You can imagine how they sought revenge on the person they were chasing that had surrended with his hands up. The big crowd watching, including many children, was less than impressed. There are several accounts and complaints about the police horses knocking people about, and even over, as they chased people through market crowds. The horse’s manure has also raised several other concerns, often watery crap was splattered in front of Sibley Street food stalls attracting many complaints by festival goers and stallholders. Some angry stallholders are preparing formal complaints about the health concerns this type of police activity raises. The smell was disgusting bringing dozens of complaints from upset diners.

ASA ACTION: Science Supports DQA Lawsuit ASA IN THE NEWS: Defending Election Fairness DISPENSARIES: Regulations Working in Many Cities RHODE ISLAND: Veto-Proof Margin for Medical Marijuana Bill MINNESOTA: Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill VERMONT: Medical Marijuana Law May Broaden ILLINOIS: Political Pressure for Medical Marijuana Bill NEW HAMPSHIRE: Locals Push for Legal Access TEXAS: Medical Marijuana Bill Considered CONNECTICUT: Massive Support May Spur Bill WASHINGTON: Medical Marijuana Law’s Limit Tested FEDERAL: California Dispensary Raid OREGON: Doctor Explains Medical Benefits CANADA: Activists Working Toward Better Policies _________________________________ ASA ACTION: Science Supports DQA Lawsuit The editorial in this week's edition of Science, the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, supports ASA’s lawsuit asking for a correction of the misinformation about medical marijuana being spread by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Such mention in one of the world’s most prestigious scientific magazines would be noteworthy on its own, but it’s even more so when the author is also the former FDA Commissioner. EDITORIAL: Turning the Tables with Mary Jane by Don Kennedy, Editor, Science ASA finally brought its case to federal court, asking it to substitute for the agency's false statement one that says, "Adequate and well-recognized studies show the efficacy of marijuana in the treatment of nausea, loss of appetite, pain and spasticity." Will the judge make HHS change, giving ASA the injunctive relief it seeks? We'll have to wait to see whether this case turns the tables on DQA, but it's already clear that HHS has violated its own DQA guidelines--going, you might say, one toke over the line. _________________________________ ASA IN THE NEWS: Defending Election Fairness ASA’s litigation over a narrowly lost local medical marijuana initiative may result in fairer and more accountable election results. The ability to re-count ballots cast on electronic voting machines is at issue, and a judge is siding with ASA. Many election observers have questioned the reliability of such voting machines; a positive ruling helps protect basic democratic principles. Judge scolds county for loss of files by Ian Hoffman, ANG Newspapers A state judge chided Alameda County officials Friday for giving away the only internal electronic records of a contested election to Diebold Election Systems Inc., after an appeals court ordered the county to preserve the records. The judge's scolding came as a medical marijuana group, Americans for Safe Access, sought penalties against the county for getting rid of its touch-screen voting machines last summer without first downloading the electronic ballots and internal logs related to contested Measure R, a marijuana dispensary initiative Berkeley voters rejected in 2004.

Through its annual Promoting Policy Change grant cycle, the Drug Policy Alliance seeks to broaden public support for drug policy reform. Policy Change grants fund strategic and innovative approaches to increase such support, including public education campaigns and organizing efforts. If this sounds like your organization, make sure to apply after you've read the guidelines at: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/050307grants.cfm. The program provides both general operating support and project specific grants. Virtually all grant making is directed toward organizations working within the United States, with particular emphasis on state-based activity. Strategic, geographic or thematic collaborations are strongly encouraged. Generally, the cap on grants awarded during the Promoting Policy Change cycle is $50,000 although most awards are closer to $20-25,000. As well, applicants should be aware that the process is very competitive. DPA receives somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5 million dollars in worthy requests but the fund has only 1.2 million to allocate. As a result, DPA will show some preference toward those groups with whom they have a pre-existing relationship and groups who demonstrate a clear understanding and application of broader drug policy reform. Grant applications are available now on the website and due by 8 PM EDT, Monday, June 18, 2007. Only proposals submitted by email will be considered. If you have any questions, please contact asha bandele at [email protected] .