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In The Trenches

Drug Truth 06/05/08

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network: (To downlad these 29:00 files, click on links below. To simply listen, go to www.drugtruth.net and select the arrow below the shows description.) Cultural Baggage for 06/04/08 Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, chairman of senate panel's massive report on illegal drugs, discusses Canada's pell-mell rush towards all out drug war (or legalization.) MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1915/FDBCB_060408.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (To be posted by Friday) Century of Lies for 06/03/08 Gary Blankenship, president of Houston Police Officers Union + Drug War Facts with Doug McVay MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1914/COL_060308.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (Tramscript on Saturday) Chief Clarence Bradford: "We can't possibly hire enough officers to effectively deal with the drug problem in Houston, Harris County...". - Cultural Baggage 050708 PLEASE NOTE: We now have transcripts, potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed, listen online at www.kpft.org: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Ray Hill to discuss the war on queers + war on drugs - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Medical Marijuana patients describe MJ's "high" Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and at www.radio4all.net. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US and Canada. Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 55 Drug Policy Videos online) Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net
In The Trenches

The Sentencing Project -- Disenfranchisement: News/Updates 6/5/08

Puerto Rico: Incarcerated and Politically Active Prior to casting their votes in the Democratic primary politically involved inmates in Puerto Rico were interviewed by the Associated Press at the Correctional Institute 501 in San Juan. "Health plans, education, jobs - these are things I'm counting on when I get out," said 29-year-old Omar Gonzalez. In Puerto Rico the law affords people in prison the right to vote. Yesenia Lociel, a corrections department spokeswoman, said 130 of the 448 medium and maximum-security inmates at the prison asked to vote - a turnout comparable to local primary elections. Though U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans have no voting representation in Congress and cannot vote for president in the general election. Some of the prisoners, however, said they hope the population at large can have a larger say over national affairs in the future as the U.S. economy affects their progress upon release. Ghana: Ensuring Inmates are Able to Exercise Existing Voting Rights The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has asked the Electoral Commission (EC) to facilitate general election voting by inmates within the Ghana Prisons Service. Article 42 of the Constitution states that "every citizen of Ghana of 18 years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda," and does not disenfranchise incarcerated citizens. Inmates, however, have reportedly not exercised their right to vote. The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Afari-Gyan, said although it was not the commission's intention to disenfranchise anyone, it did not, by convention, set up polling stations in certain places like prisons. "If the EC takes these steps, then it will demonstrate its commitment to ensuring that Ghanaians who are entitled and eligible to vote exercise their franchise," said CHRI Africa Co-coordinator, Nana Oye Lithur. Mississippi: Individual Re-enfranchisement Bills Must be Sought for Each Citizen "I committed a crime, and I paid my debt to society for that crime by serving time in prison," said Mississippi resident Steven Hubbard. "But when I was released, my punishment didn't end. Being stripped of the right to vote is not fair to convicted felons who pay their debt to society and serve the time given to them by the courts. It's almost like I was exiled from the country. If I can't vote, then I can't be an American, right?" Hubbard is one of Mississippi's 150,000 people who are disenfranchised due to a felony conviction. In Mississippi, after a sentence has been completed, anyone seeking restoration of voting rights must go to their legislator to persuade them to author an individual re-enfranchising bill. Both houses of the Legislature must then pass the bill, and the governor must sign it, according to the Mississippi Daily Journal. Ten to 12 citizens are re-enfranchised in Mississippi each year. Click here to read the article. An opinion editorial commenting on the recent disenfranchisement media coverage called Danza Johnson's Daily Journal report "the most thorough and flushed-out article." Published by the Daily Mississippian, the student newspaper of the University of Mississippi, the op-ed written by Camron Johnson stated that the Daily Journal piece featured proponents, including The Sentencing Project; opponents, including Roger Clegg; and pertinent bureaucrats and statistics from The Sentencing Project. "We have a mushrooming stigmatized class of people, untouchables, who after serving their time and enduring their punishment are never really allowed to return to society at all," Johnson writes. "Proponents of ex-felon voting bans rely on pigeonholing all former felons as uniformly dangerous and humorously intent on somehow using their votes to change the laws they'd break. Some proponents craft a straw man argument - break the law, then suffer the punishment - as if opponents of the bans are suggesting no punishment at all, instead of what they're actually advocating: amending the nature of the punishment." National: National Black Police Association Supports Automatic Vote Restoration with Resolution The National Black Police Association recently voted to approve a resolution in support of the restoration of voting rights. The NBPA is a nationwide organization of African American Police Associations dedicated to the promotion of justice, fairness, and effectiveness in law enforcement. The resolution reads: "Whereas, the NBPA recognizes that denying the franchise to people who are living in the community serves no law enforcement purpose and violates core principles of democracy and equality ... the NBPA believes that barring people from the political process hinders effective policing by undermining the ability for police to build strong community partnerships." Further, the resolution supports automatic restoration upon prison release. West Virginia: Why Not? In the Charleston Gazette's Reader's Voice, a section giving voice to West Virginia residents on various issues, one reader's comment stated: "I can't understand why a person would say a felon shouldn't vote. It is mean and vindictive to hold people's pasts against them. It is not the Christian way. After all, we are all old sinners saved by grace." Disenfranchisement laws in West Virginia ban those from voting until completion of a prison sentence and parole. - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information -- e-mail: [email protected], web: http://www.sentencingproject.org
In The Trenches

AMMA calls for a new initiative for Mendocino

[Courtesy of The American Medical Marijuana Association] Wednesday, June 4, 2008 AMMA calls for a new initiative for Mendocino by Steve Kubby, AMMA Director MENDOCINO, CA -- The passage of Measure B has generated widespread news coverage across the US. A lot of people are looking to the what happens in this haven for cannabis cultivation, as some sort of a national response to the increasing public acceptance of medical marijuana. With this in mind, the American Medical Marijuana Association is calling for a new initiative for the local Mendocino November Ballot to provide urgently needed protection for the rights of patients, caregivers and cooperatives to use and cultivation cannabis for medical purposes. In particular, the new initiative needs to have a civilian review board to oversee the operations of what appears to be rogue officers and officials in Mendocino, who hate medical marijuana and those who use it. Furthermore, to protect sick, disabled and dying patients, we believe it is absolutely necessary to legalize personal use and cultivation as well, since police, prosecutors and judges seem hopelessly unable to distinguish between medical and non-medical situations. Meanwhile, Mendocino law enforcement can now be expected to engage in a frenzy of raids and arrests, while the District Attorney's office will be just as enthusiastic about prosecuting felonies against any patient with 7 plants or more. We predict this will be a wake up call for the voters and they will be ready to support a return to the Measure G protection of their rights. The key to understanding why a new initiative is necessary and desirable is because Measure B passed with a mere 8,493 votes, while Measure G passed in 2000 with approximately 20,000 votes. That's because half as many people voted in this June election as in the November 2000 election. Since Mendocino is a traditionally Democratic stronghold, it seems reasonable to conclude that the November 2008 election will again see twice as many voters. We believe that those voters, after being harassed by law enforcement this summer, will be far more like to approve a new initiative to overturn Measure B and reinstate a modified Measure G type initiative. MEASURE B-Vote Analysis Total Votes for June 3, 2008 Election: 16,285 YES on B 8493 52.15% NO on B 7792 47.85% Difference between Yes and No vote 701 votes. =========== Total Votes for November 7, 2000 Election: 34,953 YES on G 58% NO on G 42% ###
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George Bush and Cocaine: How the President Might Save His Approval Rating

[Editor's Note: Jimi Devine is an intern at StoptheDrugWar.org. His bio is in our "staff" section.]

As the eyes of the political spectrum make their way through Scott McClellan's expose on his Bush administration experiences, which includes information involving GW’s cocaine use, the president will continue to deny his actions. But Bush shouldn’t be so quick to repeat that he was too wasted to remember whether he powdered his nose -- look at this honest group of politicians who have come out on the record about their past drug use and the lack of negative effects on their political careers.

Obviously the current flagship of an open door policy to past drug use has to be Barrack Obama. In 1995's "Dreams From My Father" the Democratic frontrunner acknowledged his drug use before even becoming a member of the Illinois state legislature. Over primary season this did open Obama up to attack, most famously Mitt Romney noting: "I think that was a huge error by Barack Obama… it is just the wrong way for people who want to be the leader of the free world."

As we look at Obama and a few of the politicians who admit to being in the "once or twice" club, the underlying similarity between many is their political prominence. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg famously responded to the marijuana question with, "You bet I did, and I enjoyed it." Nevertheless, a dash of irony is added by New York being the marijuana arrest capital of the world.

While Bloomberg's approach wasn't for everyone, others did come out of the smokey closet. Past presidential contenders John Edwards, John Kerry, and Howard Dean admitted together at 2003 presidential debate they had all tried the drug in the past. Few went into detail like Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer who cooked up his marijuana in some baked beans with a friend while at Columbia University.

Finally we come to Al Gore. As a senator in the 1980s he took part in the hearings to approve Supreme Court nominees. When Douglas H. Ginsburg came under fire for his past marijuana use, Gore stepped up and admitted he had also tried the drug in the past. Of course, it was later found at that “tried” meant a lot more than occasional consumption.

So here now we sit with allegations from a former press secretary that the President of the United States can't remember if he ever tried cocaine. I think it's pretty obvious how the president needs to use this as a boost to his credibility. Look at Dean and Gore, one is the Chairman of the DNC and the other convinced us that the ice caps are melting. If Bush decides to come out from his closet or from under his marble desk, at the very least he would be saying something the American people could believe.

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New York Times Calls For Massive U.S. Investment in Mexico's Drug War

Just last week, the NY Times delivered a dismal assessment of drug war progress in Mexico. Now its editorial board proposes that we spend billions in U.S. tax dollars funding the proven failure that is Mexico's war on drugs:

The timid assistance package proposed by the Bush administration and pared down by Congress suggests that Washington doesn’t grasp either the scale of the danger or its own responsibilities.
…

The Bush administration is right to acknowledge the shared threat and the common responsibility. But the three-year, $1.4 billion aid package it proposed doesn’t do the job. It is too small, notably so when compared with the billions the cartels earn in the United States.

The whole editorial all but refutes itself, observing that nothing is working, then calling for substantial investments in the same tactics that have produced only dramatic violence.

It really is amazing to think that the editors of one of our top newspapers have no concept of the social, economic, and historical dimensions of the war on drugs. What examples could they possibly be relying upon to conclude that larger investments are the key to drug war victory?

If the NYT thinks $1.4 billion isn't enough, then they should tell us how much they'd like to spend. Seriously. How much will it cost to win? How would you define success? If we buy a whole entire drug war for the Mexican government, will it be modeled after ours? If so, are you insane?

I'm so damned tired of being told that the drug war would work if we spent more and fought harder. How much are we really willing to sacrifice in order to prove how false that is?
In The Trenches

Press Release -- CDC Survey: As Many Teens Smoke Marijuana as Cigarettes, Cigarette Use Dropping Faster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 4, 2008

CDC Survey: As Many Teens Smoke Marijuana as Cigarettes, Cigarette Use Dropping Faster
Crackdown on Tobacco Sales to Kids Continues to Reduce Teen Access to Cigarettes

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-668-6403 or 202-215-4205

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two just-released federal reports indicate that regulation of tobacco continues to produce a steady drop in teen cigarette use and teen access to tobacco, with current cigarette use by high school students dropping markedly faster than use of marijuana.

The just-released 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports rates of current cigarette use and current marijuana use among teens in grades nine through 12 in a statistical tie at 20 percent and 19.7 percent, respectively. The cigarette use figure represents a sharp drop from the 2005 survey, when it was 23 percent. Marijuana use, at 20.2 percent in 2005, showed a much smaller decline.

Another report released this week, the Fiscal Year 2007 Annual Synar Report on tobacco sales to youth, showed the 10th straight annual decline in the rate of illegal tobacco sales to minors. In 1997, 40.1 percent of retailers violated laws against tobacco sales to minors. In 2007 the rate had dropped to just 10.5 percent, the lowest ever.

"Efforts to curb cigarette sales to teens have been wildly successful, and it's past time we applied those lessons to marijuana," said Aaron Houston, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "Tobacco retailers can be fined or put out of business if they sell to kids, but prohibition guarantees that we have zero control over marijuana dealers. Foolish policies have guaranteed that the marijuana industry is completely unregulated.

"This isn't about whether you think marijuana is good or bad, it's about common sense," Houston, a father of three children, continued. "If you think marijuana is bad, why would you want it controlled by unregulated criminals, which guarantees that kids have greater access to it?"

The full CDC report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/pdf/yrbss07_mmwr.pdf. The 2007 Annual Synar report is at http://prevention.samhsa.gov/tobacco/synarreportfy2007.pdf.

With more than 23,000 members and 180,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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