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The Sentencing Project -- Disenfranchisement News: Media Spotlight on the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009

National: Media Spotlight on the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 A Project Vote blog posting notes the media attention and editorial support for the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009. Highlighting passages from national media outlets including The New York Times, the Patriot News in Pennsylvania, and the Detroit Free Press, the blog stated, "whether the message will affect the change needed to enfranchise the millions of Americans who currently cannot represent their communities in the democratic process, it is encouraging to find more citizens recognize the value in voting rights restoration and its impact on rehabilitation." Responding to a New York Times editorial calling felon disenfranchisement "bad prison policy," Adam Fogel, Right to Vote Director of FairVote, stated in a letter to the editor that the "lack of uniformity in election administration cannot help but lead to fundamental inequalities in our democracy." The Times' editorial noted that California, New York and, most recently, Massachusetts have upheld voting rights bans for individuals with felony convictions. Fogel further suggested that Congress set national standards for all elections. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 would grant individuals with felony convictions voting rights in federal elections only. Massachusetts: Court Denies Voting Rights Act Challenge to Felony Disenfranchisement In Simmons v. Galvin, a First Circuit panel ruled the persons currently incarcerated in Massachusetts' prisons cannot challenge the loss of their voting rights under section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Ex Post Facto clause. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act states, "no voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State ... in a manner which results in a denial or abridgment of the right ... to vote on account of race or color." According to Ballot Access, plaintiffs wanted to present evidence that Massachusetts' felon disenfranchisement law has a disproportionally adverse effect on African Americans and Hispanic Americans, who are overrepresented in the prison population. The two-judge majority rejected the arguments and determined that Congress never intended for Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to be used for this purpose. The dissenting judge, Juan Torruella, said the section's language is clear and unambiguous, and therefore speculation about what Congress intended is irrelevant. Advocates say his dissent was similar to Judge Sonia Sotomayor's opinion in Hayden v. Pataki. Some believe that the case might end up before the Supreme Court, presenting Justice Sotomayor another opportunity to consider an issue with which she is familiar. Click here to read the decision. - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information -- e-mail: [email protected], web: http://www.sentencingproject.org.

LEAP's Dispatches from the Front Line... August 2009

Dear friends: LEAP's speakers deliver our message to audiences all over the world through a variety of avenues, and one of the most gratifying is attending conferences. In July, LEAP Executive Director Jack Cole and retired Chief of Police Tim Datig attended the National Conference of State Legislators in Philadelphia. The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves all United States legislators and their staffs, and holds an annual summit which about twenty percent of the nation's state legislators attend. Speakers at the 2009 conference included Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, economist David Wyss, and our own Jack Cole, who spoke on the panel "Drug Demand and Diversion," where he emphasized the need to end prohibition. The LEAP booth, staffed by Jack, Tim, new LEAP Speakers Bureau Director Shaleen Aghi Title, and volunteer Project Coordinator Ethel Rowland, was one of the busiest, talking to dozens of legislators each day and signing up over one hundred new members. And, as usual, well over seventy percent of those who talked to the booth staffers stated that they agreed with LEAP's mission. A few days before the NCSL, LEAP attended DemocracyFest in Burlington, Vermont, where Department of Corrections Superintendent Richard Van Wickler and retired Deputy Chief of Police Joseph Brooks staffed the LEAP booth. Rick also gave a presentation, which was chosen as one of the sessions to be taped by CCTV Channel 17. Speaking of conferences, LEAP is co-sponsoring the 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference November 12-14… so save the date! Here are just a few of the issues our speakers addressed in July. We hope you'll share "Dispatches from the Front Line…" with a friend. -LEAP Staff ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walter Cronkite Recognized the Drug War Failure and the Ending Prohibition Solution Walter Cronkite, America's trusted broadcaster and father figure to a nation for decades, died in New York at the age of 92 on July 17. To the last, Cronkite was perceptive and engaged in the well-being of his country and the world. In the final four years of his life, he publicly recognized what is perhaps America's greatest and most perverse, if as yet unclaimed, nemesis - the failed war on drugs. Cronkite on LEAP's End Prohibition Now DVD: "Anyone concerned about the failure of our $69 billion-a-year War on Drugs should watch this 12-minute program. You will meet front line, ranking police officers who give us a devastating report on why it cannot work. It is a must-see for any journalist or public official dealing with this issue." For more on Walter Cronkite, please view the complete article by James Gierach, and Jim Doherty's letter to the Seattle Times. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Tobacco Precedent Any law disobeyed by more than 100 million Americans, the number who've tried marijuana at least once, is bad public policy. As a 34-year police veteran, I've seen how marijuana prohibition breeds disrespect for the law, and contempt for those who enforce it. Let's examine arguments against legalizing marijuana: use and abuse would skyrocket; the increased potency of today's marijuana would exacerbate social and medical problems; and legalization would send the wrong message to our children. It's reasonable to expect a certain percentage of adults, respectful or fearful of the current prohibition, would give pot a first try if it were made legal. But, given that the U.S. is already the world's leading per capita marijuana consumer (despite our relatively harsh penalties), it's hard to imagine a large and lasting surge in consumption. Further, under a system of regulated legalization and taxation, the government would be in a position to offer both prevention programs and medical treatment and counseling for those currently abusing the drug. It's even possible we'd see an actual reduction in use and abuse, just as we've halved tobacco consumption through public education - without a single arrest… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LEAP Speakers in the News Our speakers were especially busy with radio, television and print interviews in July, helping to shape the emerging national debate about drug policy. Neill Franklin was on the air in Utah, Judge Jim Gray on NBC4 in Los Angeles, Mike Gilbert spoke on the radio in El Paso, Texas and Ann Arbor, Michigan, James Anthony in Santa Cruz, California, Tony Ryan (pictured) and LEAP were the main focus of a TV story in Missouri, Peter Christ was all over the radio in Houston, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas, and Jack Cole and Jerry Paradis also contributed some radio in Houston. LEAP is certainly gaining interest among talk radio hosts, due in large part to great work by Whitney Garlinghouse, a volunteer of the highest regard who pursues the producers of these shows and doggedly gets LEAP speakers on the air. With Norm Stamper now a guest columnist on "The Huffington Post", which is read by media around the world, we're getting numerous Stamper interview requests - at least 8 interviews in July alone! Norm also appeared in The Economist, the Washington Post, NYTimes.com, and CBSNews.com (with fellow LEAP speaker Carol Ruth Silver, former director of prison legal services for the San Francisco Sheriff's Department). This month we made presentations in fourteen states, two countries and were featured in at least four national stories including the Associated Press. Want to make a difference? Help book these presentations or support, financially, our efforts to do this. Contact Shaleen Title, speakers bureau director, to participate in this vital effort to book presentations. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harm Reduction and the War on Drugs A report released on September 15, 2008 by U.N. special envoy on extra-judicial killings, Philip Alston, shows that Brazilian police carried out a significant proportion of the 48,000 murders that swept Brazil in 2007. According to the report, police murder three people a day on average in Rio de Janeiro, making them responsible for one in five killings in the city, which is plagued by drug-gang violence and roving militias of off-duty police. I live in Rio de Janeiro, and I worked here as a judge for almost twenty years. I can say that unfortunately these tragic data are not something exceptional that happened only in 2007. In fact, at least in the last ten years, 20% of all murders in Rio de Janeiro have been summary executions that happen during police operations against drug dealers in the "favelas". This is Brazil's own war on drugs… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Police Officer Supports Drug Legalization Darcey McLaughlin made a strong argument in favour of legalizing marijuana in his July 1 column, but he didn't go far enough. I'm a Canadian police officer who supports gradually legalizing and regulating all drugs. This includes marijuana as well as ecstasy, heroin and other substances. The argument in favour of legalizing these drugs is not that they are beneficial or fun, but rather that drugs are so dangerous they need to be regulated and controlled by the government. Under prohibition the government has no control. It is the drug dealer who chooses price, purity, cutting agents as well as business location and operating hours. And these dealers certainly are not asking minors for ID, nor are they encouraging their customers to get addiction treatment. As a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, I recognize that Canadian drug laws consume enormous police resources while paying few, if any, dividends… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A special thanks to LEAP volunteer Bill Dake, organizer of the annual Freedom Road 5k and Jefferson Mile to benefit Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Held on July 4 in San Francisco, 2009 marked the race's third year, and it was so well-organized and well-attended that it brought in $850 for LEAP. Bill is an excellent example of how valuable the contributions of our volunteers are. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All of this work happens because of generous donations from our supporters. Your gift to LEAP is tax-deductible. Donate now to show your commitment to ending the war on drugs. 121 Mystic Ave. Suites 8&9 Medford, MA 01255 (781) 393-6985 [email protected] Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is an ever-expanding group of criminal justice professionals and civilian supporters calling for an end to the war on drugs. Trained criminal justice professionals are available to speak to your club or association about their experiences in the drug war and the need to create drug policies that stand the test of reason. Invite a speaker to your town today.

Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. August Agenda and Rally Info

Monthly Public Meeting Agenda Held at the Lawrence Township Library Tuesday, August 11, 2009; 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM 7:00 PM: Call meeting to order. Approve minutes. Discuss: ? Multiple sclerosis (MS) patient John Wilson, who faces 20 years in prison for growing marijuana to treat his disease, was forbidden by the judge to even mention his medical condition during the upcoming trial. Attend a rally to support John Wilson at the court house in Somerville on Fri., 8/21 from 11AM to 2PM. ? CMMNJ will appear at the following upcoming events: • Wed., 8/19 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM; Northeast Regional Library, 2228 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA; • Fri., 8/21, 11 AM to 2 PM; Somerset Co. Court House rally for John Wilson, 20 N. Bridge Street, Somerville, NJ; • Wed., 8/26, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, Levittown Regional Library, 7311 New Falls Road, Levittown, PA; • “Vasagrass” Music Festival; 8/29, 1:00 to 9:30 PM in Hackettstown, NJ; http://tickets.createavibe.com/; • Boston Freedom Rally, Sept. 19, 2009 & NORML Conference, San Francisco, Sept. 24-26, 2009. ? The NJ Assembly Health Committee passed along the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act to the full Assembly for a vote this fall. The committee inserted last minute "substitutions" making significant changes to the bill, such as eliminating home cultivation, restricting physicians who can recommend marijuana, and nearly eliminating Chronic Pain as a qualifying condition. Tell your legislators that you want the Senate version of the bill that does not contain these restrictions, to pass into law. See CMMNJ’s recent Op Ed for talking points—but tell your story in your own words. Speak out now! Don’t let an overly restrictive and possibly unworkable bill pass into law. ? CMMNJ has new photos, etc. on Facebook and Facebook Friends of CMMNJ. ? Treasury report: Current account balances: Checking: $4129.89; PayPal: $133.23. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) organization. All funds received go towards public education about medical marijuana. Donations may be made securely through Paypal or checks made out to “CMMNJ” and sent to corporate headquarters at the address below. Get a free t-shirt for a donation above $15—specify size. Thank you for your support. 9:00 PM Adjourn meeting. Scheduled meetings are August 11, Sept. 8, & Oct. 13, 2009. CMMNJ meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at the Lawrence Twp. Library from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM. All are welcome. Snacks are served. The library is at 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., Tel. #609.882.9246. (Meeting at the library does not imply their endorsement of our issue.) For more info, contact: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. www.cmmnj.org 844 Spruce St., Trenton, NJ 08648 (609) 394-2137 [email protected]

Americans for Safe Access: August 2009 Activist Newsletter

Americans for Safe Access
Monthly Activist Newsletter

August 2009

Volume 4, Issue 8

Calif. Senate Committee Urges New Federal Policy on Medical Marijuana

Resolution calls for comprehensive federal approach

Some California state senators are pushing for comprehensive changes in federal policy on medical cannabis.

After hearing testimony from Americans for Safe Access and other patient advocates, the California Senate Health Committee last month passed a resolution urging an end to federal interference in state medical marijuana programs, as well as a new national approach that supports research and makes the drug available in all states.

Introduced in June by State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by ASA, the resolution is now before the Senate Judiciary Committee. If passed there, it will go before the full Senate.

"Patients and providers in California remain at risk of arrest and prosecution by federal law enforcement, and legally established medical marijuana cooperatives continue to be the subjects of federal raids," said Sen. Leno in a statement.

Senate Joint Resolution 14 asks the federal government to both curtail raids in the state and "create a comprehensive federal medical marijuana policy that ensures safe and legal access to any patient that would benefit from it."

The resolution also urges President Obama and Congress to establish "an affirmative defense to medical marijuana charges in federal court and establish federal legal protection for individuals authorized by state and local law."

Don Duncan, ASA's California Director, and Lanette Davies, a Sacramento patient and activist were among those who explained to the senators why this is so important.

"With more than two dozen medical marijuana defendants currently being prosecuted by the Justice Department, each of them facing many years in prison, such a policy change would be timely, relevant and critically important," said Duncan. "The entire country needs a sensible, comprehensive medical marijuana policy."

While the Obama Administration has stated that it has a new policy on medical cannabis, federal raids on patients and providers have continued.
Currently, medical marijuana patients and providers charged under federal law cannot introduce evidence about their medical condition, their doctor's advice, or state medical marijuana laws.

The California Senate resolution also seeks expanded research into the medical benefits of marijuana. More research was a recommendation of the 1999 Institute of Medicine report on medical marijuana, a report commissioned by the White House but never acted on.

An administrative law judge ruled two years ago that the federal monopoly on the cultivation of marijuana for research purposes has unnecessarily limited FDA-approved scientific studies, but the Drug Enforcement Administration rejected the judge's recommendations.

Further information:
Senate Joint Resolution on medical marijuana
ASA fact sheet on SJR 14

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ASA Wins Landmark Calif. Ruling on Cultivation of Medical Marijuana

Appellate court protects patient collectives and affirms civil rights

A case Americans for Safe Access has been fighting for three years resulted last month in an appellate court ruling that protects California patients who grow marijuana collectively.

The California Third District Court of Appeal issued a 2-1 decision affirming a superior court ruling that state and local law enforcement must respect the right of medical marijuana patients to cultivate their medicine collectively.

The court also found that law enforcement must obtain a warrant to search a patient's property and seize any marijuana found there. The judges wrote that to rule otherwise would "surely shock the sensibilities of the voters" who approved the state's medical marijuana initiative in 1996.

"In addition to protecting patients' right to collectively cultivate, the Court has reaffirmed that medical marijuana patients enjoy the same constitutional rights as everyone else, including the ability to file civil rights actions when those rights are violated," said Joe Elford, ASA Chief Counsel and the attorney who litigated the case.

ASA took the case in 2006 after receiving repeated reports that Butte County law enforcement and other police agencies throughout the state were refusing to recognize the legitimacy of patient collectives.
The landmark appellate decision in County of Butte v. Superior Court concerns the 2005 warrant-less search of a patient's home in Paradise, California.

During the search, the Butte County Sheriff ordered the homeowner, David Williams, 56, to uproot more than two-dozen plants being grown for a small collective of seven medical marijuana patients. Though state law allows for collective cultivation, the sheriff told Williams it is not lawful to grow marijuana for multiple patients.

A superior court judge in Butte County ruled otherwise in 2007, saying medical marijuana patients "should not be required to risk criminal penalties and the stress and expense of a criminal trial in order to assert their rights."

The appeals court last month agreed, finding that patients have "the same constitutional guarantee of due process available to all individuals, no matter what their status, under the state Constitution." The appeals panel noted that "[t]he fact that this case involves medical marijuana and a qualified medical marijuana patient does not change these fundamental constitutional rights or an individual's right to assert them."

"This ruling by the California courts sends yet another strong message to state law enforcement that they must abide by the medical marijuana laws of the state and not the competing federal laws," said ASA's Elford.

Even the dissenting opinion in the case contained a plea for new federal law on medical marijuana. Court of Appeal Judge James Morrison wrote that, "[t]he United States Congress should reconsider its refusal to amend the federal drug laws to make reasonable accommodation for the 13 states that have enacted some form of compassionate use exception to their penal codes."

Further information:
The ruling by the California Third District Court of Appeal
Information on ASA's work on the Butte Case

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Colorado Rejects Restrictions on Medical Cannabis Distribution

Grassroots Organizing Floods Hearing with Advocates

On July 20, patients and advocates convinced the Colorado Board of Health to reject a proposal that would have sharply restricted the ability of the state's citizens to access medical marijuana.

Nearly 1,000 medical cannabis patients and supporters -- including lawyers, doctors, care providers, veterans, and numerous health-care and religious organizations -- attended the 12-hour hearing, and nearly 200 supporters of safe access testified, thanks to months of coordinated efforts by Sensible Colorado, an ASA affiliate.

As a result, the Board of Health voted 5-4 to table a proposal that would have limited caregivers to assisting no more than five patients. The proposal would have also restricted who can qualify as a caregiver under Colorado law, requiring medical marijuana providers to assist patients in ways that would be impractical for many -- including providing patients with food, transportation, and housekeeping services.

When these changes were first proposed in January, Sensible Colorado mounted a grassroots campaign that delayed the hearing until July so patient advocates could organize a response. The successful outreach efforts among patients that ensured the large turnout at the hearing were just part of Sensible Colorado's campaign.

Director Brian Vicente also convinced such prominent state organizations as the Northern Colorado AIDS Project, the ACLU of Colorado and the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar to publicly oppose the changes, and he persuaded one of the state's Congressional delegation, Rep. Jared Polis, to write a personal letter of opposition to the board.

The success of Sensible Colorado's organizing paves the way for increased access to medical marijuana through safe and affordable distribution, an issue that many of the 13 states with medical cannabis laws are confronting.

With only one exception, state medical marijuana laws failed to address how qualified patients are to obtain their medicine. The legislatures of several states have now amended their laws to establish rules for centralized distribution of marijuana to patients.

In the past few years, California, Washington and Oregon have created provisions for regulating distribution. This year, both Maine and Rhode Island have taken up the issue, with Rhode Island changing its law in June to license three "Compassion Centers" to provide medical marijuana to patients. Voters in Maine will also have the chance to approve a ballot initiative in November that would implement a distribution mechanism for patients.

One state that has tried to deal with this issue from the beginning is New Mexico. When the legislature adopted a medical marijuana law in 2007, lawmakers not only established protections for patients who use medical marijuana, but directed state officials to find ways of distributing it. In March, the New Mexico Department of Health issued its first license for non-profit medical marijuana production.

Distribution questions are also shaping new medical marijuana laws coming before state legislatures. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Iowa have been debating measures that incorporate plans for distributing medical marijuana to patients, not just protect them from prosecution once they have it.

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Drug Truth 08/03/09

The Unvarnished Truth From the Drug Truth Network *** Note: Schedulte & Format Changes & NEW 800 # 1-877-9-420-420 *** This coming Sunday, August 2nd at 6:30 PM central time I will interview our guest on the Cultural Baggage program, syndicated columnist Froma Harrop. Here's where you come in, following at 7PM central, Century of Lies will feature a new segment: "Face the Inquisition" where you get the chance to question her regarding America's 100 year old folly of drug war. You can tune into both programs, live, at 6:30 central time on Pacifica's KPFT at http://www.kpft.org and call in your questions toll free at 1-877-9-420 420. More details available in the 4:20 report for Monday July 20th. The two, 29:00 shows will appear along with the seven, daily, 3:00 "4:20 Drug War NEWS" reports each Monday morning at http://www.drugtruth.net . (We currently have 69 affiliated, yet independent broadcast stations. With a simple email request to [email protected] , your station can join the Drug Truth Network, free of charge.) Cultural Baggage for 08/0209, 29:00 Professor Arthur Benavie, author of Drugs - America's Holy War + DTN Editorial, Paul Armentano of NORML, Cookville cops plant drugs + Gary Storck "wheres my medicine" LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2526 TRANSCRIPT: This Evening Century of Lies for 08/02/09, 29:00 Professor Arthur Benavie, author of "Drugs - America's Holy War" takes listener questions, live LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2527 TRANSCRIPT: 08/03/09 PM 4:20 Drug War NEWS, 8/03 to 8/09/09 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin - Sun - Rusty White, former prison guard and dog handler speaks for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Sat - Eric Sterling, president of Criminal Justice Policy Foundation sees "opportunity for change" Fri - Professor Arthur Benavie, author of Drugs-America's Holy War Thu - Vivian McPeak, Exec Dir of Seattle Hempfest outlines the forthcoming event Wed - Cookville Tenn cops plant drugs and laugh and laugh Tue - Gary Storck of Wisconsin wonders when you will help legalize his glaucoma medicine, with Blues song outro Mon - Abolitionist's Moment with violin solo by Prof Arthur Benavie Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org - Cultural Baggage Sun, 7:30 PM ET, 6:30 PM CT, 5:30 PM MT, 4:30 PM PT (Followed Immediately By Century of Lies) - Century of Lies, SUN, 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT Who's Next to "Face The Inquisition?": Syndicated Columnist Froma Harrop of the Creators Group Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia! We now feature TRANSCRIPTS of most of our programs again! Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, DTN Producer, 713-849-6869, www.drugtruth.net

Disenfranchisement News: Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 Introduced

National: Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 Introduced The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 was introduced last week, a measure that would restore voting rights to millions of Americans with felony convictions. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Chairman Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced the bills in both chambers of Congress. An estimated 5.3 million citizens cannot vote as a result of felony convictions, and nearly 4 million of those individuals are living and working in their communities. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 would establish a uniform standard restoring voting rights in federal elections to anyone who is not incarcerated. Rhode Island: Rhode Island Study Shows Probation/Parolee Electoral Participation A new analysis released by the Family Life Center of Rhode Island demonstrates a high level of interest in the electoral process by persons on probation or parole. Following a 2006 ballot change in the state law, 6,330 probationers and parolees - representing more than a third of the 17,600 state total - registered to vote during the 2008 election cycle. Of these, 3,001 voted during that time. The Family Life Center has since initiated a broad outreach campaign to inform the community of the reform and to register people with felony convictions. In addition, the Department of Corrections now acts as a voter registration agency and offers all inmates the opportunity to register following their discharge. The results of the outreach campaign in Rhode Island demonstrate that substantial numbers of people who have come through the criminal justice system have an interest in becoming involved in the electoral process. Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project, spoke on the Family Life Center's efforts at the organization's annual meeting. "What the Family Life Center has done is an inspiration to all of us on the national stage," Mauer was quoted a saying in the Providence Journal. "We haven't had the numbers before to make the case," he said. "It sends a message. This is a real accomplishment; something we can all learn from." The Family Life Center this week has changed its name to OPENDOORS, but will still continue its mission to aid formerly incarcerated people in their transition to the community. Washington State: "Modern-day Poll Tax" No Longer Keeps Residents from the Poll The state of Washington recently eliminated the ban on voting for individuals with felony convictions who had not paid all financial obligations associated with their sentence. The ACLU of Washington will now launch "Promote the Vote" in Seattle and Tacoma to celebrate the new law and educate newly enfranchised Washingtonians about their rights. Pennsylvania: ACLU Wins Lawsuit Over Bus Ads The ACLU of Pennsylvania is "thrilled" that a federal judge ruled in its favor in a lawsuit that claimed the removal of voting rights ads created for public buses was discriminatory, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. The ACLU said the Port Authority unlawfully refused to accept its advertisements designed to inform the public that residents with felony convictions have the right to vote. "The testimony and evidence presented at trial clearly demonstrated that the defendants accepted numerous advertisements for display on Port Authority vehicles which had content similar to plaintiffs' proposed advertisement and which were not truly commercial in nature," Judge Terrence McVerry wrote. An op-ed column published in the Patriot-News supported a bill that would require prisons to provide voter registration forms to inmates prior to release. Kathryn Boockvar, senior attorney with the Advancement Project, stated that the bill instills "knowledge about and encouragement of voting." community and become productive members of society. "I also believe that assisting the formerly incarcerated with voting is the right thing to do from an ethical perspective," she wrote. "This is a nation that believes in redemption. If you commit a crime, pay your penance, and do your time, ours is a society that generally says: your past wrongs will be forgiven. This bill builds on this notion, by giving individuals some tools and incentives to take a path of rehabilitation, rather than the path of recidivism." The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee passed HB 1072 out of committee by a 20-3 vote, clearing the way for the bill to go to the House floor for a vote. Wisconsin: Proposed Legislation Gains Conservative Support Well-known Wisconsin conservative, James Wigderson, has publicly taken a stance in support of vote restoration in an editorial published in the Waukesha Freeman. Noting that disenfranchisement affects about 42,000 state residents - Black and white - Wigderson suggests that restoring rights upon leaving prison benefits the state budget, and the individuals hoping to reintegrate into society. "By releasing them from prison our society is already making the statement that these felons should be re-integrated into society, and that there is some social good in doing so," he writes. "That re-integration process should include voting. Again, according to the ACLU, felons who vote are half as likely to re-offend as felons who do not vote. We may argue which is the cause and which is the effect, but the relationship is there, and it's not hard to understand why." Florida: ACLU Workshop Helps Residents Restore Civil Rights The Florida ACLU hosted a civil rights restoration workshop in an effort to reintegrate residents with felony offenses back into their communities. Since Governor Charlie Crist streamlined the process for individuals to regain their civil rights, more than 145,000 people are now able to vote, WESH2 reported. One workshop attendee, Sean Johnson, left the gathering with his civil rights restored. "The process is very tedious," he said. "I have applied, but until today, I haven't had any luck." There remain, however, 60,000 applications that are still pending due to Florida Parole Commission budget cuts that have reduced its staff from 13 to five, the Orlando Sentinel reported. - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information -- e-mail: [email protected], web: http://www.sentencingproject.org

ENCOD Bulletin on Drug Policies in Europe -- August 2009

ENCOD BULLETIN ON DRUG POLICIES IN EUROPE -- NR. 54 AUGUST 2009 THE TRUTH OF DECRIMINALISATION Portugal simply became a more human and fair country. The situation in Portugal has developed very positively since 2000, when Law 30 was approved, decriminalising the use of drugs. Of course, as a comprehensive settlement of the whole drug issue, decriminalisation is far from being acceptable, since drugs continue to be distributed by traffickers who inflate the price, impose criminal marketing methods and have minimal concern for product quality or the safety of consumers. Now the State does not consider drug use as a crime, but as a simple violation that is countered with an administrative sanction. People who get caught with a quantity of a certain drug that meets their personal needs are either considered as a sporadic consumer and sanctioned with a fine of several hundred euros. Or they are consided a regular consumer and directed to Commission for the Discouragement of Drug Use, formed by a judge, a psychologist and a social worker. Under these proceedings, drug users are saved from police brutality and omnipotence, and are instead put under the responsibility of social specialists who direct them to specialized health services called CAT (Addiction Treatment Centers). Instead of being considered a criminal this person is seen as a patient. The truth is that this practice leads the problem drug consumer to approach health and social services. Once feeling that someone cares and supports and is willing to help reconstructing life, the consumers will start responding. Initially they will care most for their own health and after realizing that they are part of the "social whole", they will realise that in this way, society is no longer the enemy but something of which they are a part of and in which they may be able to win if they follow certain rules. Obviously the Portuguese Government installed mechanisms that are meant to supplement the law, which on its own would not have had great results. Therefore in all regions, provinces and cities with administrative competences, a CAT (Addiction Treatment Center) has been set up, staffed by physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses and social workers. The staff of these services are psychologically and socially trained to deal with all cases, especially the most difficult. They have learned that treating the drug user as a human being who deserves respect produces almost immediate and amazing results. Someone who has been damaged, connected to a life of violence and crime, yet suddenly becomes a respected and respectful person, polite, and even civilized afterwards! This is one very important way to limit the escalation of violence and start socialization instead. Someone who has nothing and only sees the contempt of society and therefore transforms frustration and pain into social revenge, is given the opportunity to realize the importance of getting social respect and will not afford to loose it again. Under the prohibitionist regime, the system chooses to discredit, stigmatize and criminalize people who use drugs that are considered illicit (the only accepted drug, alcohol, is produced in Europe, North America etc). But human beings have always used drugs. Recent scientific evidence demonstrates the use of drugs in the Ice Age. While life becomes simpler for people, drug consumption will probably continue to rise. Among people using drugs are some of the biggest human talents in art and humanity. Prohibition has never prevented and will never prevent that. In stead it has created martyrs on a par with many other historical persecutions. Ruin the lives of drug users, arrest them, torture them, infect them with all kinds of diseases, kill them all and the State will wash its hands saying: they have only themselves to blame! However as the relationship between supply and demand has been carefully studied by traffickers and economic vultures, everyone can figure out that only under prohibition can drugs be a lucrative business. So while it is being kept forbidden, what we lack now is to find out why people in the XXI century are so naive to believe that drugs are criminalised because of a health issue? The worst of dictatorships is the one in which we are not aware that we are being manipulated. Are Mr. Costa, the United Nations and all the governments and officials who support prohibition the Hitler and Stalin and Caligula of our days? Are they simply suffering from some unknown intellectual deficiency? We do not know the answer, but the result is the same: millions of human lives continue to be sentenced to death and suffering because of them! The Truth is already clear: the example of Portugal shows that it is a Lie to Criminalize! The question now is to whom prohibition matters? Who has the power to kill millions around the world? The State assumes that drugs are bad and therefore should be avoided, but people still want the alterations of consciousness that drugs offer and will not stop consuming. The issue is that no one wishes to give up a life and the responsibility in work and family matters just to enjoy a feeling. It is here that the state fails because it transforms a responsible consumption into a disastrous situation of crime, disease, imprisonment, suffering and death. But the lie begins to die, whereas finally all lies turn out to be deceits. Society is beginning to react, and starting to consider and require measures that are opposed to the current ones. These measures are seeking the most minimal of changes, always within the same boundaries. States are opting for modest, but definitive changes, like the case of Portugal and its decriminalisation of drug consumption. But also in Switzerland, Germany and elsewhere, the controlled distribution of heroin is helping the recovery of many people who are living in the worst conditions surviving only through petty criminality. Now, having their drugs made available by the state, they recover their health, their family life, they start working and paying taxes, and have become useful citizens in what we call society! Due to the success of the decriminalisation of drug use, which was implemented without causing social alarm (read the report of the Cato Institute), Portugal is now preparing to move again. The Parliament is considering a bill for the legalization of cannabis, following an initiative of a small party called "Left Block" (Bloco de Esquerda), which recently has been on the rise and (according to the latest polls) may become a significant political force in the future. The drafting of the law on cannabis occurred with the collaboration of Encod, thanks to regular contacts with the Block until today. The text of the bill can always be improved, but in my personal opinion it has been very well prepared and even provides ways to prevent abuse and contribute to the overall functioning of the state. As last-minute news indicates, the Socialist Party (currently in government) will not obtain an absolute majority after parliamentary elections next September, so it will invite the Left Block to participate in the government! This would become the best opportunity we have had so far for the complete legalization of cannabis, including production, distribution and consumption. The truth is that when news of the decriminalization of drug use in Portugal came out, the mainly North American prophets of doom announced chaos, predicting that the Portuguese beaches would be filled with misery and drug dealers . But nothing of the kind happened, the state of law is strongly in place, the beaches are clean and beautiful. Portugal simply became a more human and fair country. All diseases related to drug consumption were sharply reduced. If this is the real and final proof that legalization of drugs does work, then who is behind criminalization? By: Jorge Roque, with the help of Peter Webster --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 E-mail: [email protected]

Marijuana in the mainstream? Read all about it in MPP's latest newsletter...

Dear friends:

I hope you've had a chance to review MPP's most recent newsletter that I sent you last week. (If you didn't receive it, donate $25 now to get MPP's newsletter and other information about MPP's campaigns sent to your mailbox.)

You can also find it online here:

MPR #2

The theme of this issue is “marijuana in the mainstream.” Inside you'll read all about how marijuana policy reform is advancing more rapidly than ever — from Rhode Island's new medical marijuana law to a U.S. Supreme Court victory to MPP's unprecedented recent successes in the media, as well as new data on marijuana and cancer, and much more.

If you haven't already donated to MPP in 2009, I hope you'll update your membership now, by giving $25 or more. (You can see your giving history in the sidebar to the right.)

Thank you so much — we couldn't do what we do without your help.

Sincerely,
Rob's signature
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 $2.35 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

Coming soon to a country near you...

The following ACTION has been approved for ALL AUDIENCES by Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER).

At a press conference in California last week, President Obama's new drug czar claimed, "Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit."  Meanwhile, President Obama was at the White House, trying to defuse the situation surrounding the controversial and highly publicized arrest of his friend, Harvard Professor Henry Lewis Gates, by inviting him and the arresting officer to the White House for a beer.

Yes, that's right. Just after President Obama's top drug policy official declared marijuana "dangerous," the President himself was touting the calming and beneficial effect of consuming alcohol, a substance that is far more dangerous than marijuana that -- unlike marijuana -- actually contributes to violent and aggressive behavior. 

CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION and send a quick message to President Obama, letting him know you are appalled by the anti-marijuana, pro-alcohol message his administration is sending to Americans of all ages, and urging him to offer Professor Gates and the arresting officer a safer alternative to alcohol at their White House meeting. Then forward this alert to anyone you know who might be interested in doing so, as well. (This action is also available at http://tinyurl.com/mjvtma)

The following BOOK has been rated "IMPORTANT" by several prominent individuals and organizations:

As a SAFER supporter, you probably detect the absurdity and irony of the situation with Obama mentioned above. Yet much of the media has failed to pick up on it, and many Americans are still oblivious to the fact that marijuana is far safer than alcohol both for the user and for society. Our efforts to change all that and spread the truth about marijuana are about to get a major boost.

Next week, SAFER will launch Marijuana Is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?, the highly acclaimed new book that promises to change the way people think -- and talk -- about marijuana. The book is co-authored by leaders of three of the most effective organizations working to reform marijuana laws -- SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert, MPP Director of State Initiatives (and SAFER Co-founder) Steve Fox, and NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano -- and it features a foreword by former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper. It has received advance praise from a variety of prominent individuals, and it is already beginning to cause a stir in the media -- check out the recent Reuters newswire column, "Driven to drink by marijuana laws?"

Marijuana Is Safer is already shooting up the Amazon.com rankings, and SAFER will be doing a whole lot to promote it over the next couple months. We hope you will help us spread the word and make this important book -- and the truth it contains -- a wildly popular best-seller read by millions across the nation. You can do so now by forwarding this e-mail to anyone you think might be interested -- or by simply posting the book's URL (www.MarijuanaIsSafer.com) to your Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace page -- otherwise we will be in touch again soon to let you know of other ways you can help.

Get an advanced copy and help us celebrate!

Marijuana Is Safer will premiere next week on Tuesday, August 4, at the Oaksterdam University Student Union in Oakland, California. Along with OU, the event is being co-hosted by SAFER, NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and co-authors Mason Tvert and Paul Armentano will be at the event to discuss the book and sign the first copies to be made available to the public. The book will then be made available to the crowd of 200,000+ at the world's largest pro-marijuana rally and festival, Seattle Hempfest, from August 15-16. Rounding out August will be SAFER's Launch Party on Sunday, August 23rd, in Denver, Colorado -- ground zero of the "Marijuana Is Safer" movement.

Check out our initial tour schedule below and be sure to check back to http://www.MarijuanaIsSafer.com for more event dates and information.

 



Drug Truth Network Updates 07/27/09

The Unvarnished Truth From the Drug Truth Network *** Note: Schedulte & Format Changes & NEW 800 # 1-877-9-420-420 *** This coming Sunday, August 2nd at 6:30 PM central time I will interview our guest on the Cultural Baggage program, Professor Arthur Benavie author of "Drugs - America's Holy War". Here's where you come in, following at 7PM central, Century of Lies will feature a new segment: "Face the Inquisition" where you get the chance to question the professor regarding America's 100 year old folly of drug war. You can tune into both programs, live, at 6:30 central time on Pacifica's KPFT at http://www.kpft.org and call in your questions toll free at 1-877-9-420 420. More details available in the 4:20 report for Monday July 20th. The two, 29:00 shows will appear along with the seven, daily, 3:00 "4:20 Drug War NEWS" reports each Monday morning at http://www.drugtruth.net . (We currently have 64 affiliated, yet independent broadcast stations. With a simple email request to [email protected] , your station can join the Drug Truth Network, free of charge.) Cultural Baggage for 07/26/09, 29:00 Paul Armentano of NORML & co-author "Marijuana is Safer, So Whey are We Driving People to Drink" + Eric Sterling, president of Criminal Justice Policy Foundation LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2518 TRANSCRIPT: This Evening Century of Lies for 07/26/09, 29:00 Paul Armentano of NORML takes listener calls in the first 1 hour Drug Truth Network call in show in more than 6 years. Paul is co-author of a new book: "Marijuana is Safer, So Why are We Driving People to Drink?" LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2510 TRANSCRIPT: 072709 PM 4:20 Drug War NEWS, 7/27 to 8/02/09 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin - Sun - Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance 2/2 Sat - Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance on US Congress' progress towards drug laws 1/2 Fri - Paul Armentano of NORML takes YOUR CALLS on Century of Lies 2/2 Thu - Paul Armentano of NORML takes YOUR CALLS on Century of Lies 1 Wed - Obama speaks to racial disparity, US marines try to blow up tons of Afghan drugs Tue - Shane Warner regarding is recent editorial in the Fort Worth Star Telegram: "AMERICANS FLEECED LONG ENOUGH IN A FUTILE AND FAILED WAR ON DRUGS" Mon - Richard Lee, founder of Oaksterdam University regarding progress in California cannabis laws Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org - Cultural Baggage Sun, 7:30 PM ET, 6:30 PM CT, 5:30 PM MT, 4:30 PM PT (Followed Immediately By Century of Lies) - Century of Lies, SUN, 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT Who's Next to "Face The Inquisition?": Professor Arthur Benavie, author of "Drugs - America's Holy War". Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia! We now feature TRANSCRIPTS of most of our programs again! Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, DTN Producer, 713-849-6869, www.drugtruth.net
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