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VERMONT: Expanded Medical Marijuana Law Enacted RHODE ISLAND: Bill Vetoed, Override Certain CONNECTICUT: Medical Marijuana Bill Goes to Governor MICHIGAN: Initiative Language Approved TEXAS: State Considers Medical Marijuana COLORADO: One Case Dismissed, Another Pending CALIFORNIA: Some Cities Regulating, Some Not FEDERAL: California Crackdown Continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VERMONT: Expanded Medical Marijuana Law Enacted The two-year-old medical marijuana law in Vermont has now been expanded to include more medical conditions. Instead of letting doctors make the determination as to appropriate patients and conditions for medical marijuana treatment, many state lawmakers are prescribing which patients should be protected from prosecution. Medical marijuana expansion becomes law by Associated Press, Rutland Herald (VT) Vermont's medical marijuana law — which lets people with life-threatening conditions use the illegal drug without fear of prosecution — now covers people with chronic, debilitating conditions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RHODE ISLAND: Bill Vetoed, Override Certain A veto by the governor was expected in Rhode Island, since he had attempted to block the bill the legislature passed a year ago. But the success of the state program was undeniable, and the margin of support was even more overwhelming this year. Part of the reason is the advocacy of lawmakers such as Tom Slater, who championed the cause of medical marijuana patients. Medical marijuana: His name’s on the law by M. Charles Bakst, Providence Journal (RI) Decades from now, folks may notice Tom Slater’s name on a Rhode Island law allowing use of marijuana to ease the pain of cancer and other serious diseases. And they’ll wonder, admiringly I think, “Who was this guy? What was he about?” Carcieri vetoes medical marijuana by Michael McKinney, Providence Journal (RI) As expected, Governor Carcieri yesterday vetoed medical marijuana legislation. And Democratic House leader Gordon Fox said he believes state lawmakers will override that veto. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONNECTICUT: Medical Marijuana Bill Goes to Governor With a University of Connecticut poll showing 83% of voters support a medical marijuana law, legislators there have passed one, after five years of consideration. Passage was helped by a lawmaker’s account of buying marijuana illegally for her cancer-stricken husband. Cannabis Measure Passes Senate by Colin Poitras, Hartford Courant (CT) After five years of on-again, off-again debate, Connecticut lawmakers Friday passed landmark legislation allowing seriously ill people to grow marijuana at home to ease their pain or reduce unpleasant side effects of treatment. Medical marijuana bill in Rell's hand by Keith M. Phaneuf, Journal Inquirer (CT) For the last five years, state Rep. Penny Bacchiochi, R-Somers, and legislative allies from both parties have fought to legalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Courtesy of the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies] The EU Civil Society Contact Group, representing eight large European networks of NGOs, criticises plans by the Council to prepare and agree a revised EU treaty through a closed Inter-Governmental Conference (IGC) with a restricted mandate. No retreat from the achievements of the convention. Throughout the convention on the Future of Europe and the Intergovernmental Conference, members of the Civil Society Contact Group campaigned for a text that reflects concerns of citizens. Following the current negotiations and debates we are deeply worried that important achievements of the convention and the draft constitution will be lost. A more coherent European project to respond to common challenges both within and outside of Europe is urgently needed. We urge the Council to take action to maintain the following points as part of a new EU treaty. We are convinced that they are crucial for the future of the EU: It is indispensable to include the Charter of Fundamental Rights in a new treaty. Only by doing so will the interests and concerns of many citizens be taken serious. Key components of part III of the draft Constitution including the reconfirmed policies on environment (III-233), the new energy chapter (III-256), the horizontal social clauses (article III 116,117,118,122) as well as the strengthening of Europe’s development policy (III 316,317,318,319) and its ability to play a responsible role in world (III-292) need to be retained in a new treaty. The principle of participatory democracy (I-47) underlies all our activities. It is important that this becomes a treaty provision. It would support the endeavours of a variety of actors who aim to strengthen democracy in the EU. The extension of qualified majority voting is essential for an EU of 27 to function. Civil society challenges Council to open up inter-governmental approach: Traditionally IGCs have been closed processes offering no possibilities for civil society to engage. A coherent and effective strategy of involving civil society is urgently needed to engage European citizens in the process and inform its outcomes. Such a strategy should include: *Regular meetings between civil society and the presidency of the Union, *A website where civil society positions on the treaty revision could be posted and accessed by all member states, *Discussions in the IGC should be public, and transmitted via the European broadcast system (Ebs) and a dedicated website. Citizens want and expect Europe to provide moral and accountable leadership. The treaty revision will be an important step in re-connecting Europeans to the EU if it takes their concerns seriously. The EU Civil Society Contact Group brings together the Platform of European Social NGOs (Social Platform), the European NGO confederation for relief and development (Concord), the Human Rights and Democracy Network, the Green 10 (environmental organisations), the European Women’s Lobby, the European Forum for the Arts and Heritage (EFAH), the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and the European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning (EUCIS-LLL). Encompassing hundreds of European NGOs and thousands of national affiliates, they work together to develop the dialogue between civil society organisations and the EU institutions as an essential part of strengthening participatory democracy. www.act4europe.org *Contact person: Regula Heggli, Coordinator Civil Society Contact Group, T: +32 2 511 17 11, F: +32 2 511 19 09, [email protected], www.act4europe.org Find the call also on _

Drug Truth Network Update: Cultural Baggage + Century of Lies + 4:20 Drug War NEWS Half Hour Programs, Live Fridays... at 90.1 FM in Houston & on the web at www.kpft.org. 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., Cultural Baggage for 06/08/07 Richard Traylor disproves faulty Tx correctional urine tests & Doug McVay with Drug War Facts & Phil Smith of Stop The Drug War MP3 MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/FDBCB_060807.mp3 Century of Lies for 06/08/07 Sanho Tree debunks O'Reilly Screed & Lynn Paltrow dispels meth baby myth MP3 MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/COL_060807.mp3 4:20 Drug War NEWS 06/11/07 to 06/17/07 now online (3:00 ea.): Monday 06/11/07 Black Perspective on Cocaine w/ Phil Jackson Tuesday 06/12/07 Poppygate, various Wednesday 06/13/07 Jerry Cameron of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Thursday 06/14/07 Doug McVay & Drug War Facts + DTN Editorial Friday 06/15/07 Phil Smith of Drug War Chronicle Saturday 06/16/07 Bill OReilly vs Sanho Tree of Institute for Policy Studies I Sunday 06/17/07 Bill OReilly vs Sanho Tree II NEXT Friday: - Cultural Baggage 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT. Authors Preston Peet & Wade Agnew - Century of Lies 2 PM ET, 1 PM CT, Noon MT & 11 AM PT. Aghan Fiasco Focus Check out our latest video with Terry Evans regarding methamphetamine use by black, gay population. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Avum59fTM Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Those who support drug prohibition, through complicity, ignorance or silence are the best friends the drug lords could ever hope for." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer

[Courtesy of the Prison Art Gallery] We are pleased to announce that the Prison Art Gallery, in conjunction with its parent organization the Prisons Foundation, will be presenting a two-hour show at the Kennedy Center this Labor Day weekend, September 2007. The show is entitled "How Music Helped Me Escape from Prison" and will consist of singers and musicians who put their interest in music to productive ends while behind bars. If you are an ex-prisoner musician or singer, or know of an ex-prisoner musician/singer, there is still time to be included in the show. Each performer will have a designated amount of time to perform songs of her or his choice with brief remarks about how these songs helped her/him rise above the prison experience. For further information, please call 202-393-1511.