Announcement

[Courtesy of Marijuana Policy Project] 

Today, a bill to eliminate all federal penalties for marijuana possession was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Would you please take one minute to ask your U.S. representative to support this bill? MPP’s easy online action system makes it simple — just enter your name and contact info and we'll do the rest.

"The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008," introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.), would eliminate the threat of arrest and prison for the possession of up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana and/or the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce of marijuana. It would not affect federal laws prohibiting selling marijuana for profit, importing and exporting marijuana, or cultivating marijuana.  It also would not affect any state or local laws and regulations.

Because almost all marijuana arrests are made by local and state police, the primary impact of this federal bill is twofold:  First, it would offer protection to people who are apprehended with marijuana in federal buildings or on federal land (such as national parks); and, second, the bill sends a message to state governments that the federal government is now open to the notion of states reducing their marijuana penalties, too.

This historic legislation comes 36 years after the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse made a similar recommendation to President Richard Nixon, suggesting that he decriminalize small amounts of marijuana.

MPP has worked closely with Congressman Frank’s staff over the last year, helping to craft the legislation and build political support for the proposal on Capitol Hill.

Now that the bill has been introduced, members of Congress need to hear from their constituents who want to see it passed. It takes only a minute or two to use MPP’s online action system to send a quick note to your member of the House.

Thanks so much for your help.

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

2008 global conference on methamphetamine: science, strategy, and response        prague, september 15 – 16

<http://www.globalmethconference.com>

 

Abstract Submission Deadline ENDS April 22nd, 2008

 

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Topics and areas to be discussed include
 
Regional Updates  / Pharmacology / Enforcement Programs  / Clandestine Drug Cleanup / The Matrix Model of Treatment / Women and Methamphetamine / Latest Research /Health Consequences /  Policy  / Prosecution Issues / Trafficking / Toxicology / Innovative Interventions / Replacement Therapies / Prevention and Education / Hepatitis A, B, & C Virus / HIV Risk Behavior / Methamphetamine and Reproductive Health / Treatment / Youth and Use / Patterns of Use / Harm Reduction / innovative Interventions / Use Among MSM / Trafficking  / Community-based Coalitions / Injection Drug Use / Epidemiology

1) Individual proposals for presentations are welcome.
 
2) Presentation formats may include
 
Individual papers
    Reports on research-in-progress

    Round-table discussions

    Topic-centred workshops

    Or a format more appropriate to your own work.

- Please indicate your presentation format in your proposal.
- Please make sure that your proposal identifies the language you wish to present in.
 
3) Please send a 250-word proposal - along with a short bio - to the email address below.
 
- Your abstract should not contain more than 250 words
- No abstract will be accepted without a short bio.
 
Please send your abstract to [email protected]

The Deadline for abstract submissions is April 22, 2008
Speakers will be notified by May 2nd, 2008
 
Do you have a question or concern?

 Please feel free to contact me at [email protected]
--

Luciano Colonna
Chair
Executive Program Committee

2008 Global Conference on Methamphetamine
September 15 –16, 2008 - Prague, Czech Republic
www.globalmethconference.com

[email protected]
+00 (1) 801 635 7736 (USA mobile)
+44 (0) 208 987 6021 (London tell)
+44 (0) 208 994 1533 (London fax)
lucianocolonna (skype)

[Courtesy of Americans for Safe Access]

Dear ASA Supporter,

Dr. Abrams has conducted numerous groundbreaking medical marijuana studies and you could be involved in his next historic project! Time is of the essence, be one of two dozen people to impact medical marijuana research for the future.

In order to ensure that this necessary research continues and is a success, Dr. Abrams is seeking out individuals who meet the following qualifications:

To qualify, you must:

Be taking either OxyContin or MS Contin (or Kadian) twice daily;

Have smoked marijuana at least 6 times in the past;

Be willing NOT to smoke marijuana for a month prior to screening for the study;

Be willing not to smoke cigarettes at least 2 weeks prior to screening and through the study;

Be 18 years or older;

Meet some additional criteria;

And you cannot:

Be pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding;

Be on chemo, radiation, or other cancer therapy;

Be currently using alcohol or recreational drugs;

Have kidney or liver failure, severe heart problems, high blood pressure, lung disease or a severe psychiatric disorder.

The study takes place at San Francisco General Hospital, in the clinical research center, and is a 5-day inpatient stay. Participants may be eligible to receive up to $520.00 for travel reimbursements. You can read more about the study here: www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/AbramsPainStudy

How to Get Involved:
If you meet the qualifications above and are interested in participating in this historical research please contact Paul Couey at: 415-476-9554 ext 315 or e-mail at: [email protected]. Let Paul know you found out about this study from ASA.

If you do not meet the criteria above, there is still an important role for you to play! Please forward this message on to any lists you belong to, any community members you know might be interested, and your family and friends!

Sincerely,

Sonnet Seeborg Gabbard
Field Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access

[Courtesy of Marijuana Policy Project] 

This week, the Marijuana Policy Project begins blanketing Minnesota airwaves with this TV ad, which urges Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) not to veto the medical marijuana bill that the Minnesota House will soon be voting on and — hopefully — passing.

The ad features Lynn Rubenstein Nicholson of Minneapolis, who suffers from disabling pain after enduring 10 surgeries for a serious back injury. She gives an emotional plea for lawmakers to pass the bill into law, explaining, “I’m in more and more pain all the time ... I’m tired of being a criminal.”

The ad is generating enormous press coverage, and we urgently need to keep it on the air as we make the final push to pass the medical marijuana bill into law. Would you please help by making a donation of $50 or more today?

We’re very close to making Minnesota the 13th medical marijuana state — and the first such state in the Midwest — but danger lurks ahead: Although the bill passed its final Minnesota House committee last week and already passed the Senate last year — and although it is supported by hundreds of doctors, thousands of nurses, and a multitude of medical associations — the governor has threatened to veto it. We have overcome vetoes and veto threats before in other states, and we can do the same in Minnesota, but we’re going to need to ramp up the pressure to succeed.

We're spending tens of thousands of dollars to keep this ad running, so we’re counting on your support to keep the pressure on. A one-time donation of $50 or more would go a long way toward pushing this bill through into law.  For example, a $100 donation would ensure that approximately 2,000 Minnesotans will see the ad.

In sum, your donation will help ensure that medical marijuana patients like Lynn and so many others will no longer have to face arrest and jail simply for using medical marijuana on their doctors’ advice.  Thank you in advance for anything you can give.

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your donation today will be doubled.