Marijuana Policy

EMBARRASSMENT FOR UNITED NATIONS DRUG-CZAR COSTA Amsterdam – Antonio Maria Costa, the Italian Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, is seriously embarrassed because of a solo-action by Amsterdam psychiatrist Fredrick Polak. In an open letter published today, Polak demands an answer to a simple question. Despite earlier promises the global drug czar has been dodging the question for exactly one year. “How do you explain the low level of cannabis use in the Netherlands compared to surrounding countries, despite its free availability in coffeeshops?” On the internet two YouTube-videos show Costa avoiding the question time after time. To Polak the issue is of crucial importance as if falsifies the basic assumptions underlying drug prohibition. Therefore he continues to harass Costa with it. Polak, board-member of ENCOD (European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies): “The primary objective of drug prohibition is reduction of consumption and addiction. However, the Dutch experience with coffeeshops of over thirty years has proved convincingly that without enforcement of this prohibition levels of use won’t skyrocket – which is what the drug warriors want us to believe. No wonder Costa is at a loss how to respond to the question.” Reprimand One year ago Polak first posed the question on a drug policy conference in New Orleans. Costa ignored it, but used the occasion to scold the Dutch government for “poisoning Europe” with amphetamines. That remark got Costa a reprimand from the Dutch government, at which he had to bite the dust and offer a letter of apology. Nonetheless, at a second occasion in March 2008 in Vienna, Costa again avoided the question. This time he claimed that more than 2000 coffeeshops had already been closed, and that the city of Amsterdam had decided to move all coffeeshops “from the red light district to the borders with France, Belgium and Germany”. Polak: “Apparently Mr. Costa thought Holland (or Amsterdam) borders on France. And that figure was totally unfounded.” Waste Shortly thereafter, Costa checked in with the authorities in Amsterdam and The Hague for a “study mission” including a visit to coffeeshop De Dampkring (The Atmosphere). At the next conference in Barcelona Polak asked him about his findings. Polak: “This time Costa really went too far, claiming that Amsterdam has three times more cannabis addicts than anywhere else in Europe.” Costa promised a discussion paper with the scientific basis for this claim, to be published on his website “very soon”. Until today Costa hasn’t lived up to this promise nor has he answered Polak’s initial question. Reason for Polak to draw media attention to the affair. Holland consistently scores low to average in Europe in drug consumption surveys. To Polak this justifies a call for the abolition of drug prohibition: “That will save us a lot of misery, and a huge waste of taxpayers’ money. What is the use of all the effort to enforce prohibition, when clearly it doesn’t diminish consumption?” Polak concludes his open letter on a positive note, suggesting Costa (67) not to wait until after his retirement to acknowledge the failure of drug prohibition. “Doing so now would earn him eternal fame.” + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + NOTICE to the EDITORS Enclosed is the Open Letter of 8 December 2008 to Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna For more information you may contact the undersigned. The previous history to this open letter is shown in two short videos on the internet. Silenced NGO Partner: http:nl.youtube.comwatch?v=GjgzgRvHHwI Polaks’ Question Round 3 (with comments by dr. Alex Wodak, Sydney, Australia): http:nl.youtube.comwatch?v=xdOzi2ou2ZY Reactions from other NGOs: http:nl.youtube.comwatch?v=UaO7IvlUhro Yours sincerely, Fredrick Polak Stichting Drugsbeleid Netherlands Drug Policy Foundation /member of the board/ ENCOD (European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies) /member of steering committee/ Vossiusstraat 31 1071 AG Amsterdam The Netherlands T +31 (0)20 6624 024 M +31 (0)6 3018 2408 E [email protected] __ Joep Oomen EUROPEAN COALITION FOR JUST AND EFFECTIVE DRUG POLICIES Lange Lozanastraat 14 – 2018 Antwerpen - Belgium Tel. + 32 (0)3 293 0886 – Mob. + 32 (0)495 122644 [email protected] www.encod.org EUROPEAN COALITION FOR JUST AND EFFECTIVE DRUG POLICIES Lange Lozanastraat 14 – 2018 Antwerpen - Belgium Tel. + 32 (0)3 293 0886 / Mob. + 32 (0)495 122644 / +31 (0)6 30210357 E-mail: [email protected] / www.encod.org

[Courtesy of ENCOD] THE HAGUE, 3 December 2008 - Yesterday the Cannabis Tribunal in The Hague ended with the final conclusion that a ban on cannabis does indeed have more disadvantages than advantages. Representatives of the Christian Democrat Party (CDA) failed to convince an independent judge of the opposite. On behalf of the organisers, Joep Oomen, spokesperson, launched a call to the Members of the Dutch Parliament to request the Dutch government to abolish this ban as soon as possible. An amount of 200.000 euro had been offered to the political party that would be able to convince an independent court of the positive effects of a ban on cannabis. The organisers had difficulties in finding people in favour of the ban. Oomen: “There is no doctor in the Netherlands who is willing to maintain that cannabis is a major public health danger and a ban has any positive effect at all.” Of all political parties only the CDA was willing to accept the challenge. Both mayor Leonard Geluk of Rotterdam as well as Member of Parliament Cisca Joldersma have proposed to further limit the number of coffeeshops. Argumentation expert and law philosopher Hendrik Kaptein, chairman of the court that was created for this purpose, demolished the defense of the Christian Democrats. Before an audience of scientists, former policemen, coffeeshop owners and cannabis activists he called their arguments ‘fallacies’ and ‘absolutely worthless’. The court could not find any argument against the plea for legalisation of the cannabis market proposed by Hans van Duijn, former president of the Dutch Police Association and a member of LEAP. According to Van Duijn, the CDA ­ due to the continuation of the ban on cannabis - is responsible for 50% of the criminality in the Netherlands, and every year, one and a half billion euro of tax money is wasted on a useless war on drugs. No attempt to contradict either argument was made by Joldersma. Soon a DVD will be produced of the Tribunal’s proceedings that were broadcast live on the Internet. The final declaration that was offered to the Members of the Dutch Parliament can be read at www.cannabistribunaal.nl. The Cannabis Tribunal was organised by Cannabis College, the Stichting Drugsbeleid and Encod.

[Courtesy of MPP] The Communications Assistant works in MPP’s Communications Department, which is responsible for effectively communicating MPP’s message to the media and the public through written materials and media relations. The Communications Assistant reports to the Assistant Director of Communications, who in turn reports to the Director of Communications. Applicants should have excellent oral communications skills and strong writing and should be meticulous, organized, and detail-oriented. The Communications Assistant is not a spokesperson position; rather, he or she is responsible for maintaining MPP’s media database, including making corrections or additions to existing press lists and developing new lists as needed; monitoring all marijuana-related news and research, disseminating such information to relevant MPP staffers, and posting key news stories to MPP’s Web site; tracking MPP's news coverage, including locating and/or ordering certain print articles, radio interviews, and TV interviews; contacting media outlets to confirm contact information; locating and obtaining copies of reports or studies that are of interest; preparing press kits; tackling small research projects aimed at identifying potential media opportunities or obtaining useful data; organizing and filing press clips and other documents; and accomplishing other tasks as assigned. Proofreading ability would be a plus, but is not required. The salary for the position is $30,000, plus full health insurance and a retirement plan. To apply, please see MPP's application guidelines at http://www.mpp.org/jobs/process.html and follow the instructions there. Interviews are being conducted on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. ABOUT MPP With 40 employees, 26,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, MPP is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana - both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit its use - and believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment.

Dutch MP Boris van der Ham buys a bag of weed of the "regulated market" A glance of the future after the ban on cannabis has been abolished On Thursday 27 November, at 09.15 hs, Dutch Member of Parliament of left liberal party D66 will buy a bag of cannabis at coffeeshop "Cremers ", Prinsestraat 84 in The Hague. The owner of this coffeeshop, Gerard Smit, will provide him with this bag and inform him extensively on the origin of this cannabis, the methods of cultivation, the effects of it and the way in which the price has been determined. In this way it becomes clear how the cannabis market could be regulated in the future, when the ban on cannabis cultivation has been abolished. Coffeeshops could then get their cannabis in a legal way from growers who would spend attention to quality and public health aspects. Before buying his product, the customer can be fully informed on the exact and expected effects of the substance. The visit of Boris van der Ham to coffeeshop Cremers takes place in the framework of the Cannabis Tribunal , that takes place on Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 December in Nieuwspoort, The Hague. This tribunal deals with the question what should be the direction of Dutch lenient cannabis policy, that allows sale of personal quantities to adult persons in coffeeshops, but bans the cultivation of cannabis, for example to provide these shops. The press is very welcome to attend this visit. For more details, please contact the organisers. The press release is sent by: Encod: Joep Oomen, email: [email protected]. Stichting Drugsbeleid: Freek Polak, email: [email protected] Cannabis College: Job Joris Arnold, email: [email protected]

[Courtesy of Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) and Sensible Colorado] For Immediate Release: November 13, 2008 More Than 250 Citizens From Across Colorado to Attend "Marijuana Boot Camp" at Regis University in Denver This Saturday (11/15) Current and future activists from every region -- Durango to Greeley, Gunnison to Aurora -- expected to converge on "Ground Zero for Marijuana Policy Reform" for massive grassroots training Denver groups coordinating the event to offer panels featuring elected officials, policy wonks, journalists, and professional advocates DENVER -- This Saturday, November 15, hundreds of current and future marijuana activists from across Colorado will gather in the Main Dining Hall of the Regis University Student Center for a first-of-its-kind "Marijuana Boot Camp." The free daylong training event is open to the public and will serve as a launching pad for citizen activism and reform efforts throughout the state in 2009. Denver-based groups Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) and Sensible Colorado are co-hosting the event -- officially titled the "2008 Colorado Marijuana Reform Seminar & Activist Boot Camp" -- and will provide attendees with grassroots training and materials they can take home and implement in their communities. Sessions and panels will focus on strategy, communications, citizen lobbying, grassroots outreach, the media, and the nature of state and local marijuana laws. Panelists from around Colorado will include state and local elected officials, policy analysts from "left-" and "right-wing" organizations, print and on-line journalists, advocacy and communications professionals, and a biology professor/researcher. "The 2008 campaign season only just ended for most people," said SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert. "But for the growing number of Coloradans committed to reforming state and local marijuana laws, the 2009 campaign season has already begun. Our first goal -- to disprove the myth that marijuana makes people less motivated -- has clearly already been accomplished." The event will build on the 630,000-plus Colorado voters who supported a 2006 initiative to remove all state penalties for private adult marijuana possession, as well as the growing majorities that approved two similar initiatives in the state's capitol. Several Colorado organizations have also become more vocal in their support for reform, and some -- such as the ACLU of Colorado -- are participating in Saturday's Marijuana Boot Camp. "A coalition of Colorado citizens, organizations, businesses, and elected officials has begun to emerge," Tvert said, "and an army of supporters is forming around the state. Its mission: educate Colorado communities about the fact that marijuana is safer than alcohol, and build support for laws that reflect that fact." "Colorado is already far ahead of the national curve when it comes to our citizens' attitudes and efforts surrounding marijuana law reform," Tvert said. "This event will expand on those positive attitudes, fuel even more efforts across the state, and quicken the pace toward safer, more sensible marijuana laws in Colorado and beyond." WHAT: 2008 Colorado Marijuana Reform Seminar & Activist Boot Camp WHEN: This Saturday, November 15, official welcome at 9:45 a.m., culmination at 5 p.m. WHERE: The Main Dining Hall in the Student Center, Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd., Denver (Student Center is on west edge of campus -- See Building "N" at: http://www.regis.edu/regis.asp?sctn=loc&p1=lc&p2=parking ) WHO: More than 250 current and future activists from across Colorado have registered to attend