Announcement

Colorado: Governor, Secretary of State Oppose Parolee Voting Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat and former prosecutor, said he will veto the state's election law bill, SB 83, if supporters insist on putting parolee voting back in it. In late April, the House of Representatives rejected a provision that would have given individuals on parole the right to vote. Secretary of State Mike Coffman said the provision violated the state's constitution, according to the Denver Post. Texas: 'A Step in the Right Direction' The Daily Texan, a University of Texas at Austin student publication, published an opinion editorial in favor of restoring the voting rights of individuals charged with a non-violent offense. Texas restores voting rights after completion of sentence and parole or probation. The piece comes on the heels of proposed legislation, HB 770, to notify formerly incarcerated individuals of their voting status. The editorial stated that petty acts should be treated as such, and individuals would benefit more from treatment, and should not lose their voting rights as a result. "Thousands of acts carry felony charges, including stealing cable service and electrocuting fish," the editorial stated. "In Texas, there are 550,000 felons in prison and nearly 440,000 on probation. For many of them, the power of a ballot in their hand could far outweigh the seriousness of their crime."

[Courtesy of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice, Inc. and Tony Papa] Today, May 8, marks the 34 year anniversary of the signing of New York's infamous Rockefeller Drug Laws. In December of 2004 the laws were mildly modified but continue unabated to wreak untold havoc on poor communities of color across the Empire State. Below is a link to a powerful and edifying video/song written and performed by Hip-Hop megastar Jim Jones calling on Governor Spitzer to reform the cruel and unusual, and racially applied Rockefeller Drug Laws (now the Elliot Spitzer drug laws). The video serves as trailer for the newly released documentary Lockdown USA. Moreover, we have included a compelling editorial that appeared this week in the Huffington Post. The editorial was written by artist/activist and Rockefeller Drug Law survivor Anthony Papa. In the editorial, Mr. Papa urges not only the Governor Spitzer but also Lt. Governor David Patterson in particular NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to use their offices to follow through on their past commitment to push for the REPEAL of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Mr. Cuomo is one of the four major figures featured in the Lockdown USA documentary. All three public officials have been silent on the issue since their respective inaugurations. Mr. Papa, formerly of Mothers of the NY Disappeared, is now a media specialist for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). DPA has worked closely with the NY Mothers and the Kunstler Fund for the past 9 years in the popular movement to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws.(www.drugpolicy.org). Jim Jones Lockdown, USA Song http://www.drugpolicy.org/statebystate/newyork/lockdownusa/

ASA ACTION: Science Supports DQA Lawsuit ASA IN THE NEWS: Defending Election Fairness DISPENSARIES: Regulations Working in Many Cities RHODE ISLAND: Veto-Proof Margin for Medical Marijuana Bill MINNESOTA: Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill VERMONT: Medical Marijuana Law May Broaden ILLINOIS: Political Pressure for Medical Marijuana Bill NEW HAMPSHIRE: Locals Push for Legal Access TEXAS: Medical Marijuana Bill Considered CONNECTICUT: Massive Support May Spur Bill WASHINGTON: Medical Marijuana Law’s Limit Tested FEDERAL: California Dispensary Raid OREGON: Doctor Explains Medical Benefits CANADA: Activists Working Toward Better Policies _________________________________ ASA ACTION: Science Supports DQA Lawsuit The editorial in this week's edition of Science, the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, supports ASA’s lawsuit asking for a correction of the misinformation about medical marijuana being spread by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Such mention in one of the world’s most prestigious scientific magazines would be noteworthy on its own, but it’s even more so when the author is also the former FDA Commissioner. EDITORIAL: Turning the Tables with Mary Jane by Don Kennedy, Editor, Science ASA finally brought its case to federal court, asking it to substitute for the agency's false statement one that says, "Adequate and well-recognized studies show the efficacy of marijuana in the treatment of nausea, loss of appetite, pain and spasticity." Will the judge make HHS change, giving ASA the injunctive relief it seeks? We'll have to wait to see whether this case turns the tables on DQA, but it's already clear that HHS has violated its own DQA guidelines--going, you might say, one toke over the line. _________________________________ ASA IN THE NEWS: Defending Election Fairness ASA’s litigation over a narrowly lost local medical marijuana initiative may result in fairer and more accountable election results. The ability to re-count ballots cast on electronic voting machines is at issue, and a judge is siding with ASA. Many election observers have questioned the reliability of such voting machines; a positive ruling helps protect basic democratic principles. Judge scolds county for loss of files by Ian Hoffman, ANG Newspapers A state judge chided Alameda County officials Friday for giving away the only internal electronic records of a contested election to Diebold Election Systems Inc., after an appeals court ordered the county to preserve the records. The judge's scolding came as a medical marijuana group, Americans for Safe Access, sought penalties against the county for getting rid of its touch-screen voting machines last summer without first downloading the electronic ballots and internal logs related to contested Measure R, a marijuana dispensary initiative Berkeley voters rejected in 2004.

Through its annual Promoting Policy Change grant cycle, the Drug Policy Alliance seeks to broaden public support for drug policy reform. Policy Change grants fund strategic and innovative approaches to increase such support, including public education campaigns and organizing efforts. If this sounds like your organization, make sure to apply after you've read the guidelines at: http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/050307grants.cfm. The program provides both general operating support and project specific grants. Virtually all grant making is directed toward organizations working within the United States, with particular emphasis on state-based activity. Strategic, geographic or thematic collaborations are strongly encouraged. Generally, the cap on grants awarded during the Promoting Policy Change cycle is $50,000 although most awards are closer to $20-25,000. As well, applicants should be aware that the process is very competitive. DPA receives somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5 million dollars in worthy requests but the fund has only 1.2 million to allocate. As a result, DPA will show some preference toward those groups with whom they have a pre-existing relationship and groups who demonstrate a clear understanding and application of broader drug policy reform. Grant applications are available now on the website and due by 8 PM EDT, Monday, June 18, 2007. Only proposals submitted by email will be considered. If you have any questions, please contact asha bandele at [email protected] .

[Courtesy of HEMP Embassy] Nimbin Cannabis Law Reform Rally one of the best despite... The police this year led the media to believe greater numbers of police would be present, but told us that there would be less. That made us distrustful, but at the event there were significantly less police. I estimate half the strength of last year. For reasons of their own, they wanted the public to think otherwise. The saliva testing Winnebago barely appeared, while we had a drug-wipe saliva testing kit make a false amphetamine positive as the ABC was recording the demonstration. We hope they use the recording. We believe the Winnebago may prove to be a white elephant, or a millstone, or both. We feel that this was one of the best organised MardiGrass weekends we have presented. We concentrated on running a full program in Peace Park, without gaps in activities so that people would be less prone to wandering away leaving a less attractive half filled venue. This year the nights were not as cold, and that helped make the night time program more enjoyable and better attended. The weather was good, and everything ran smoothly. In events using volunteers conflicts between members can emerge or some members may attempt to dominate, creating frictions that undermine morale and impede progress. We had an exceptionally trouble free MardiGrass Organising Body this year, and were blessed with exceptional MardiGrass volunteers from all over the world. I cannot praise their group spirit and dedication enough. They did everything asked, and came back for more. While last year's excessive police presence may have deterred some people, the people who came together for the 2007 MardiGrass were more determined than ever to show that we are no danger to anything, and that we are not criminals. The police have not deterred us, but united us. In 1937 there was a reefer madness campaign, which convinced millions of otherwise sensible people that cannabis caused instant insanity lust and murder. A new reefer madness campaign began in 2004, which left out the lust and murder, and reduced the number of instantly insane. The original reefer madness campaign created a prejudice, and the new reefer madness campaign seeks to sustain that prejudice through selective quotation, exaggeration and distortion of research. The truth will out eventually. The Nimbin Hemp Embassy and Nimbin MardiGrass will continue to oppose these unjust laws. The HEMP Olympix filled Peace Park this year as its reputation grows. Bob the Builder and Smurf set a new joint world record in the Speed Roll (3 papers plus filter) of 15 seconds in a tie for the Green Medal. In the roll off, Bob won in 17 seconds after Smurf stumbled. Bob also won the Green Medal again in the Artistic Roll this year, with a ‘rainbow coloured roses’ joint. The Growers’ Ironperson Event Green Medal was won by local lad Ruben in 71 seconds. The Womens’ won by Lily from France in 101 seconds. The Bong Throw and yell won by Gary the plumber for the second time with a throw of 39.1 metres, Sarah from England won the Womens’ with 27.8 metres. Nimbin HEMP Embassy Phone 66891842 – a/h 66897525

News & Opinion This Week 1. A Letter on Rape in Prisons 2. Why Can't Gay Dwarves Get Married In Middle-Earth? 3. A Woman's Brain Hit Harder by Alcohol Abuse 4. Sacrificial Wolfie B Upcoming Conferences and Events C Quote D How To Help E About HRP F Subscription Information ----- I. A Letter on Rape in Prisons By David Kaiser, Reply by Jason DeParle In response to The American Prison Nightmare (April 12, 2007) New York Review Of Books The following letter was received in response to Jason DeParle's "The American Prison Nightmare" in the April 12 issue of The New York Review. To the Editors: Jason DeParle's thoughtful and wide-ranging overview of American incarceration policy and its consequences hardly mentions rape in detention. Yet this is not a rare or trivial part of life behind bars. Neither is it, as some believe, an inevitable one. Prisoner rape has been largely ignored: by journalists, advocates, policymakers, and researchers. The available data therefore, especially on its frequency, are not very good. Still, it is possible to have some notion of the problem's magnitude. Recent studies of prisons in four midwestern states suggest that approximately 20 percent of male inmates are pressured or coerced into unwanted sexual contact; approximately 10 percent are raped.[1] Rates of sexual abuse in women's facilities, where the perpetrators are most likely to be male staff, seem to vary more by institution but are as high as 27 percent of inmates.[2] Since the US now incarcerates more people than any other country, both relative to population and in absolute terms, these percentages translate into horrifying real numbers. The congressional authors of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), which DeParle does mention (and which is the only piece of federal legislation ever to address the issue), estimate in the bill's "Findings" section that in the twenty years preceding its passage over one million inmates were victims of sexual abuse in American facilities. That number should be recognized as something of a guess; but in the absence of more authoritative studies, it does not seem unreasonable. Prisoner rape is arguably this country's most serious human rights problem.

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. + FOUR New Videos Posted! 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 05/04/07 FIVE Houston City Council candidates discuss the drug laws MP3 MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/FDBCB_050407.mp3 Century of Lies for 05/04/07 Marc Emery, publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine discusses potential life sentence in US prison for selling pot seeds, Black Perspective & Drug War Facts MP3 MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/COL_050407.mp3 4:20 Drug War NEWS 05/07/07 to 05/13/07 now online (3:00 ea.): Monday 05/07/07 LA Times: US Allies Seen as Losing Drug War, I of 2 Tuesday 05/08/07 LA Times II of II Wednesday 05/09/07 DTN Editorial, per R Givens I of II Thursday 05/10/07 DTN Editorial II of II Friday 05/11/07 Terry Nelson Reports for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Saturday 05/12/07 Poppygate Sunday 05/13/07 Drug War Facts & Black Perspective on Drug War NEXT Friday: - Cultural Baggage 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT. TBD - Century of Lies 2 PM ET, 1 PM CT, Noon MT & 11 AM PT. TBD NEW VIDEO ONLINE! This week we uploaded 4 new videos to YouTube: 1. Report on National African American Drug Policy Coalition with Judge Arthur Burnett and Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKADap4bgYg 9:25 2. Lynn Paltrow, director of Advocates for Pregnant Women, dispels myths at National Methamphetamine Conference in Salt Lake City. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-9amUyx0YI 9:49 3. Dr. Robert Melamede: "Marijuana and the Free Radicals". Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf9MwJZXod8 6:16 4. Sanho Tree of Institute for Policy Studies on Plan Colombia. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9kpC1XneKA 9.59 Please let us know what you think of this series of videos. Radio stations are invited to use the audio as they see fit. 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 Dean Becker 713-848-6869

ASA ACTION: Challenging Butte County Ban FEDERAL: Public Health Official Fighting Forfeiture AUSTRALIA: Lawmaker to Introduce Medical Measure RHODE ISLAND: Legislature to Vote Soon MAINE: State Law May be Expanded

[Courtesy of David Steele] Subject: To Bernie's friends and family -- an update on his situation To everyone -- Bernie has asked me to communicate with all of you since he cannot do so himself. Last Tuesday, Bernie met with the staff of the halfway house to request permission to attend the "Save Bernie's Farm" benefit, being held to raise money to offer the government a settlement to drop their effort to confiscate his farm. Instead of receiving permission to attend, Bernie has been detained at the halfway house ever since. He has not been allowed to work and it looks like he will not be allowed to return to work (costing him $1,000 in salary). He will also not be allowed to attend his weekly support group and his monthly pass to visit his farm has been denied. He has been put on double work details at the "house", and his only opportunity to leave the "house" will be to attend church services at St. Ann's Episcopal Church (419 Woodland Street; he attends the 10:30 am service).

In this update: 1. IDPI helps attain a sentencing reform victory in Maryland 2. IDPI mobilizes 50 clergy to support a medical marijuana bill in Illinois and generates substantial media coverage 3. Troy Dayton moves on, Tyler Smith is promoted to associate director