Announcement

Come hear Jim Gray, former Superior Court Judge of Orange County, CA, talk about why the "war on drugs" has failed, and what you can do about it.

James P. Gray was a trial judge in Orange County, California beginning in 1983. Before becoming a judge, he served as a Volunteer in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, a staff judge advocate and criminal defense attorney in the Navy JAG Corps, a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, and a civil litigation attorney in a private law firm, in addition to being a Republican candidate for US Congress in 1998, and a Libertarian candidate for US Senate in 2004. Judge Gray has discussed issues of drug policy on more than two hundred television and radio shows and public forums all across the country. Using his experience on the bench and elsewhere, he has also authored a book on the failed War on Drugs, another Wearing The Robe, about practical and ethical issues in being a judge.

For more information, see http://www.judgejimgray.com/

Republican Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico has recently spoken out about his belief that the war on drugs has been a failure, and he has proposed the legalization of marijuana. His willingness to challenge the establishment, especially the leadership of his own political party, has stimulated a growing national debate on marijuana policy that was long overdue, and broken the myth of consensus -- that all responsible elected officials support marijuana prohibition.

Interestingly, when Governor Johnson was first a candidate for governor, he publicly acknowledged that he had smoked marijuana, and that he had also experimented with cocaine. The voters of New Mexico apparently felt his prior drug use was unimportant, as they elected him to two successive terms as their governor. Governor Johnson is currently a tri-athlete who runs several miles each day, and avoids all drug use.

National Call-in Day to Support Senate Passage of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act

BACKGROUND INFO:
In 2009, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and 15 bipartisan cosponsors introduced the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, legislation that would create a bipartisan Commission to review and identify effective criminal justice policies and make recommendations for reform. The House of Representatives reviewed and favorably passed the bill, and now the bill awaits passage by the United States Senate. We need your help urging the Senate to prioritize and pass this important legislation!

ACTION NEEDED:
On Wednesday, September 15th, individuals nationwide will urge passage of this legislation by calling their Senators to ask them to prioritize and support Senate passage of the house-passed version of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, H.R. 5143/S. 714.

We hope that you will join us in making these critical calls! To contact your Senators, call the U.S. Capitol Switch Board at 202-224-3121.

MESSAGE TO SENATORS:
•    Prompt consideration of the House-passed National Criminal Justice Commission Act is critical as the Senate winds down its legislative calendar.  I urge you to endorse this legislation and prioritize its passage.
•    Having a transparent and bipartisan Commission review and identify effective criminal justice policies would increase public safety.
•    The increase in incarceration over the past twenty years has stretched the system beyond its limits.  These high costs to taxpayers are unsustainable, especially during these tough economic times.
•    The proposed independent commission would conduct a comprehensive national review of effective criminal justice policies and would issue recommendations for consideration at the state, local and federal level.

If you have any questions about the Wednesday, September 15th National Call-In Day,
please contact Kara Gotsch at [email protected].

The Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey (CMMNJ) is proud to announce a Medical Marijuana Stakeholders Meeting held in conjunction with the national patient advocacy organization, Americans for Safe Access (ASA).  Medical marijuana patients, their families, advocates, potential Alternative Treatment Center owners, and health care professionals should attend the meeting.

There will be a benefit dinner at the Hyatt Regency Princeton on Friday night, 8/20/10 at 7:00 PM.  CMMNJ’s volunteers, Board members and ASA’s Steph Sherer will will attend the dinner and the public is invited.  The Hyatt is located at 102 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ 08540.  The dinner includes appetizers, salad, a choice of four entrees, dessert and beverages.

The cost to attend the all-day meeting on Saturday is $20, and includes lunch.  The cost for the Friday night benefit dinner is $100.  There is limited seating.  To secure a place at this important meeting, and/or the benefit dinner, send a check made out to "CMMNJ" to 219 Woodside Ave, Trenton, NJ 08618. Or, pay through PayPal at www.cmmnj.org make sure to put “Stakeholders Meeting” in the note.

“CMMNJ is thrilled to bring to Trenton these national leaders in the medical marijuana movement,” said Ken Wolski, a registered nurse and executive director of CMMNJ.

Steph Sherer, Executive Director of ASA, will be the featured presenter at the Stakeholders Meeting.  Steph is an international leader and expert in medical cannabis advocacy who aids in drafting legislation and advises governments around the globe. She has been a guest lecturer at University of California, Berkeley and George Washington University, DC.  Jahan Marcu, a cannabinoid researcher from Temple University School of Medicine, and a member of the ASA Medical Advisory Board, will discuss his work on cannabinoids eliminating cancer tumors.  Caren Woodson, ASA’s Director of Government Affairs, will also give a presentation.  Caren played an integral role in the drafting of San Francisco’s ordinance that permits and regulates medical cannabis distribution centers.  Also presenting Saturday on the status and details of New Jersey’s medical marijuana law will be CMMNJ’s Ken Wolski RN and Chris Goldstein.

CMMNJ has worked with ASA as a resource throughout the medical marijuana legislative effort in New Jersey.  Now that the Garden State has passed a compassionate use law it is vital for local advocates to learn from seasoned experts how to proceed forward. New Jersey’s medical cannabis patients and volunteers can also be an important part of the national discussion about safe access.

ASA has ambitious national, regional and local Goals and Objectives for providing medical marijuana to patients. The Stakeholders Meeting will look at the following topics:

1. Creating the political playing field necessary to pass federal, state, and local legislation.
2. Implementing medical cannabis laws with methods that meet the needs of patients.
3. Passing meaningful legislation that creates safe and legal access in additional states.

Media passes are available. A brief press conference will be held.

Stichting OPEN is proud to organize the first academic conference on psychedelic research. We offer you two full days of 21st century, cutting edge research into psychedelics and the psychedelic experience. Our conference is organized for all those with a serious interest in psychedelic research. We also invite therapists, researchers, addiction experts and academics, as well as students to become acquainted with a field of research that regular university curricula barely touch upon.

From addiction treatment to psychotherapy with the aid of psychedelics; from the neurobiology of ayahuasca to the social, ritual and legal implications of its use, and from human psycho-pharmacology and research into extraordinary experiences to new views on the legalisation of psychedelic substances, this conference is dedicated to the exploration of psychedelics research from a broad scientific perspective.

The conference lasts two full days; the conference will start at 9 am each day and end around 6 pm. In between lectures attendees will have ample time to discuss with speakers, to buy books, to acquire more information on psychedelic research, associated organisations and more.

SPEAKERS

Some of our confirmed speakers are the following:

• Torsten Passie MD (DE)
• R. Andrew Sewell MD (US)
• Peter Oehen MD (CH)
• Amanda Feilding (UK)
• Dr. Anwar Jeewa (SA)
• Bia Labate PhD (BR)
• Jordi Riba MD (ES)
• Jose Carlos Bouso MD (ES)
• Adèle van der Plas (NL)
• Stephen Snelders PhD (NL)
• David Luke PhD (UK)
• Katharina Kirchner (CH)

TOPICS

Some confirmed subjects that will be addressed at our conference are posted below. Please keep an eye on our website: as soon as we receive more information, we will update our site immediately. An accurate timetable will also be posted here as soon as all presentations are confirmed.

SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER

9:00 - 18:00

• Torsten Passie - "Astonishing Similarities of Physiological and Psychoactive Drug Induced States"
• Jose Carlos Bouso - "Healing Mechanisms of MDMA"
• R. Andrew Sewell - "Human Psycho-pharmacology Research at Yale University"

SUNDAY 24 OCTOBER

9:00 - 18:00

• Peter Oehen - "MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy - Method and Current Research"
• Bia Labate - "The Expansion of the Uses of Ayahuasca around the Globe"
• Anwar Jeewa - "An Exploratory Study of the Short-term Effects of Ibogaine Treatment on Drug Addicts"
• David Luke - "Exploring Exceptional Human Experience on Psychedelics: Ayahuasca, Telepathine and Parapsychology"

TICKETS / MORE INFO

Early registration is now OPEN! Go to our website - www.mindalteringscience.com - for further information, or head directly for our ONLINE TICKETSHOP. Reduced rates available to students and early birds! For questions and/or remarks: send us an email.

For more information about Stichting OPEN, visit our website at www.stichtingopen.nl. Unfortunately, due to site maintenance our website is temporarily only available in Dutch.

We hope to see you all at Mind Altering Science!

Join Students for Sensible Drug Policy at Missouri Southern State University and Joplin NORML as we welcome former New Mexico Governor Johnson and NORML Deputy Director, Paul Armentano for an evening of captivating discussion about why marijuana prohibition has failed and what you can do to help legalize and regulate marijuana.

Bring your friends, family, and your questions! This event is for both the supporters and opponents of marijuana law reform.

There will be a Q&A session after the speakers.

GARY JOHNSON - FORMER 2 TERM NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR ('94-'02)

See him on The Colbert Report from May 2010 here: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/309253/may-10-2010/gary-johnson

Gary Johnson is a Republican and serves as the Honorary Chairman of the Our America Initiative. He has been an outspoken advocate for efficient government, lower taxes, winning the war on drug abuse, protection of civil liberties, revitalization of the economy and promoting entrepreneurship and privatization.

He was born January 1, 1953 and attended the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque from 1971 to 1975, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While in college, Gary Johnson earned money as a door-to-door handyman. His successes in this area led to his own construction business, Big J Enterprises, which was founded in 1976. Johnson grew the company into a multi-million dollar corporation that employed over 1000 people in 1994. When he sold Big J in 1999, no employee lost his job and the company remains very successful to this day.

In 1994, Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico despite having little political experience. He defeated the incumbent Democratic Governor Bruce King in the general election by 50% to 40% as well as a former Republican Governor in the Republican primary election In 1998, Johnson was re-elected as governor, defeating Democratic Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez by a 55% to 45% margin.

Gov. Johnson advocates a “Don’t do Drugs” policy. Drugs can be harmful, addictive and destructive to our lives and society. The current war on drugs, however, has not been successful. Crime, economic problems and abuse related to drug usage are still very present. He believes there needs to be a new direction in fighting these problems. Gov. Johnson believes that one of the best solutions to help with the many problems caused by drugs is to legalize marijuana. He does not advocate the legalization of any other drugs and believes that harm reduction measures should be implemented.

Marijuana should be regulated and taxed by the federal government (just like tobacco and alcohol are currently), which would lead to a lower price for the product and eliminate the criminal element from its distribution, much like the repeal of the prohibition of Alcohol many decades back.

PAUL ARMENTANO - DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL NORML

Paul on FOX New's "Freedom Watch": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR0M3rVZQC8

Paul Armentano is the Deputy Director of NORML and the NORML Foundation in Washington, DC. Mr. Armentano is an expert in the field of marijuana policy, health, and pharmacology, and has served as a consultant for Health Canada, the Canadian Public Health Association, and The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Armentano has spoken at numerous national conferences and legal seminars, testified before state legislatures and federal agencies, and assisted dozens of criminal defense attorneys in cases pertaining to the use of medicinal cannabis, drug testing, and drugged driving. He is a frequent guest on radio, and appears regularly on the nationally syndicated Dr. Drew Pinsky show.

Mr. Armentano is a prolific writer on the subject of marijuana and marijuana policy. His work has appeared in over 500 publications, including more than a dozen textbooks and anthologies, and he is a frequent contributor to Alternet.org, High Times, The Huffington Post, and the Washington, DC newspaper The Hill. Mr. Armentano is a 2008 recipient of the 'Project Censored Real News Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism,' and was selected as one of America's 'Top 20 Young Visionaries' by Who Cares Magazine -- a national quarterly journal devoted to community service and social activism. His book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People To Drink? was published in 2009 by Chelsea Green.