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Oregon: State Diminishes 'More Liberal than Most' In March, a law was passed further disenfranchising Oregon residents. Thousands of individuals in Oregon's county jails are now ineligible to vote due to a new provision of House Bill 3638. Oregon law does not allow those incarcerated individuals to vote, but does restore voting rights to those on probation. "Previously, it was just individuals in the Department of Corrections" who couldn't vote, said Brenda Bayes, the deputy director of the state Elections Division in a Statesman Journal article. "This bill in the 2008 legislative session expanded that to also include felons in the custody of county jails. You can still register to vote, you just can't vote while you're incarcerated." According to the article, 35,000 formerly incarcerated individuals and probationers are allowed to vote, in addition to about 600 psychiatric and forensic patients at Oregon State Hospital who were charged with felony offenses. National: Thousands Forced to Leave Voting Rights by the Wayside PBS's News Hour dedicated a segment to disenfranchisement in its "Vote 2008: The Primaries" coverage. Interviews with disenfranchised citizens and individuals whose rights have recently been restored, delved into the emotional, political and legal issues surrounding felon voting rights. "People participate in the voting process when they feel like they are one of the stakeholders," said New Jersey resident Omar Shabazz who is on lifetime parole. Individuals on parole in New Jersey are banned from voting.. "Felon disfranchisement affects not only the individual whose vote has been taken away, it's not just what voting rights lawyers call a vote-denial claim. It's also a vote- dilution claim," said Juan Cartagena. "That relative political power is taken away from the neighbors of persons who come back home, from their family members. Their relative collective voting strength is wiped off the map almost." - - - - - - 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

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network: The UNVARNISHED TRUTH about the drug war.... (To downlad these 29:00 files, click on links below. To simply listen, go to www.drugtruth.net and select the arrow below the shows description.) Cultural Baggage for 04/16/08 Jack Cole, director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition + Poppygate report with Glenn Greenway & DTN editorial: "Drug War is Treason" MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1850/FDBCB_041608.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/1850#comments Century of Lies for 04/15/08 Jeff Blackburn, head of Texas Innocence Project, Tulia defense atty & Amarillo medical marijuana case victor + Drug War Facts with Doug McVay MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1851/COL_041508.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (Will be posted Thursday Late Night) "World War Infinity Squared" NEW DTN Tee Shirt Design at http://www.cultural-baggage.com/drugtruth/teeshirt.htm PLEASE NOTE: We now have transcripts, potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed, listen online at www.kpft.org: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Dr. David Duncan 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. Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 50 Drug Policy Videos online) 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, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net

Free Super Bowl Ticket: I was drinking my coffee and reading my daily dose of bad news (newspaper), when a Senate staffer greeted me and asked to join me to wolf down his breakfast. I described my education campaign on why spending ‘free’ fed money to arrest drug dealers was harming state budgets (after the arrest the states must spend hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to lock up the drug dealer for XX years). Bill (not his real name) offered a super bowl ticket analogy. …your best friend gives you a Super Bowl ticket worth 400 dollars & you jump for joy. Wow!! You love football & decide to go. You buy a plane ticket, book a hotel, add in misc. extra monies & suddenly the ‘free’ ticket will cost you 1200 dollars out of your pocket….. I used this pitch during 7 presentations & urged the staffer to have the boss (MOC) call their governor (as a courtesy) and ask privately if the State can afford to be given ‘free’ federal money. I was very pleased with the reaction (all non-verbal = seen on their faces). Thanks Bill. Let me tell you why it did not work: Riding the train home, a fellow traveler asked how my campaign was going. I talked about reading a report in the US Army War College that stated that 70% of al Qaeda’s operating budget came from drug trade sources. Suddenly, an Army major plopped down in the seat next to me. He had over heard our conversation and wanted to share his direct experience. In the next 10 minutes we listened intently as he described how he had in 2006 participated in an eradication (Ausrottung) effort in southern Afghanistan. A long story short…after they paid the tractor drivers to plow under the poppy plants, our troops would go out to the edge of the river flood plain to provide security…the Taliban would come in and pay the drivers more NOT to plow under the poppies. At the end of the 6 weeks campaign almost no poppies had been plowed under. We exchanged business cards before he hopped off the train. As a doctor, he had a professional curiosity to learn more of the Swiss Treatment Program which I sent him. His actions were symptomatic of how many citizens are with us on this. Almost every time someone engages me on the train or metro subway, a passenger nearby will, on their way out, say how they agree with me and wish me luck. After I missed the #$%!@ Party of the decade: Just before I was about to join the celebration of the first victory in years (2nd Chance Act) at the Capitol at 5 PM on Wednesday, Aaron Houston (MPP lobbyist) said don’t bother. The room was entirely too small, packed with people and hotter than hell. Chatting on the sidewalk, several other reformers stopped to chat. The chief lobbyist for the ONDCP (Drug Czar) strolled on by without stopping (LOL). I was disappointed not to attend but I took Aaron’s advice. I called Jodi James the new Big Boss of our Speaker’s Bureau and asked her to email me the details of another event that started in 30 minutes. (I now carry a Blackberry aka Crackberry+ by staffers. Every Staffer has one & several offices have signs above the exit door “Do you have your Blackberry?”) So yes, you may call me a High-Tech, Red-Neck++ cowboy. LOL Anyway, I attended a 100 person reception nearby & being bold, had 1 minute conversations with one US Senator & 3 Congressmen. Afterwards, I got all excited at such wonderful turn of events. +++ I called Jodi and thanked her profusely for her initiative and turning the evening into the best & in some ways most productive two hours I have spent in DC. WTG Jodi!! We do have a great team at LEAP. Apropos important persons…if you know of a VIP (elected state-wide or fed official) who has stated publicly that the WOD is a failure or ineffective, let me know please. If possible, provide the source of the quote. I am putting together a list.

Drug Truth Network Update: 4:20 Drug War NEWS from 90.1 FM in Houston and dozens of radio affiliates in the US and Canada & on the web at www.kpft.org. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US and Canada. 4:20 Drug War NEWS 04/14/08 to 04/20/08 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net Sun - From Conf on Cannabis, NIDA scientist: Dr. Donald Tashkin 2 of 2 Sat - From Conf on Cannabis, NIDA scientist: Dr. Donald Tashkin 1 of 2 Fri - Dr. Donald Abrams 3 of 3 Thu - Dr. Donald Abrams 2 of 3 Wed - Dr. Donald Abrams at the International Cannabis Therapeutics Convention 1 of 3 Tue - Poppygate Report with Glenn Greenway Mon - Corrupt Cop Stories with Phil Smith of Drug War Chronicle Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed (Now With Transcripts): PLEASE, Check Out the Transcript with Dr. Donald Tasking of National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/1842#comments - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Jack Cole Dir of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Jeff Blackburn of W. Tx Innocence Project Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and at www.radio4all.net. 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, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net

[Courtesy of The Sentencing Project] National: Proposal for Automatic Post Incarceration Voting Rights Restoration The Brennan Center for Justice has released "Restoring the Right to Vote," which presents a rationale for the automatic restoration of voting rights for all individuals upon release from prison. The Center recommends that the 35 states that disenfranchise persons who are not currently incarcerated adopt the following vote restoration policies: - Automatically restore voting rights upon release from prison; - Ensure that criminal defendants receive notice of their loss of voting rights prior to their court proceedings as well as at the time of release; - Assist eligible voters with registration; - Synchronize statewide voter registration databases; and - Educate eligible voters. Author Erika Wood, the Deputy Director of the Democracy Program, writes: "When we ask people leaving prison to accept responsibility for reintegrating themselves fully into society, we cannot simultaneously continue to treat them as second-class citizens. With the obligation to obey the law should come the opportunity to influence the political process." Wisconsin: Coalition Forms to Restore the Vote Last week, approximately 40,000 Wisconsin residents were kept from the polls because of a state law that disenfranchises individuals with felony offenses. In an effort to reform current law, ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation has spearheaded an effort to form a coalition that promotes voting upon release. Current Wisconsin law states that felons who have been released from prison and those whose crimes were not serious enough to even warrant prison must wait their entire term of probation or parole before their right to vote is restored, the Daily Cardinal reported. "People could be rebuilding their lives for 1, 5, 10, or even 30 years and not be able to for example choose the school board member who will make critical decisions about their child's education," said Renee Crawford, Associate Director of the ACLU of Wisconsin. In a recent poll, 70 percent of Milwaukee County's residents - which included Republicans and conservatives - supported the restoration of voting rights post incarceration. Andrea Kaminski, the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, said that a move to automatically restore voting rights would also ease the election administration process. "If you can walk in the door at the polling place, you are not disqualified because of a felony. This will clarify eligibility requirements for election officials, who have a lot of responsibility and pressure in a high-turnout election," she said. For more coverage, see WisPolitics.com. - - - - - - 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.

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network: We WELCOME KPFK (our Pacifica Sister Station) now offering Cultural Baggage to the Los Angeles audience. (Other stations at the Atlanta broadcasters conference indicated they will broadcast our programs as well... details to follow.) (To downlad these 29:00 files, click on links below. To simply listen, go to www.drugtruth.net and select the arrow below the shows description.) Cultural Baggage for 04/09/08 From the International Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics: Dr. Donald Tashkin & Dr. Donald Abrams + Poppygate Report with Glenn Greenway & Corrupt Cop Report with Phil Smith MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1842/FDBCB_040908.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (Will be posted late on 04/10/08 Great Quotes for LTE's & Op-Eds) Century of Lies for 04/08/08 Reporting from the International Cannabis Therapeutics Convention in Monterey California with Richard Lee, Dr. Steve Hosea, Professor Joe White, Don Duncan of ASA, Jeff Jones and Nurse Francis DeforestMP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1841/COL_040808.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/1841#comments "World War Infinity Squared" NEW DTN Tee Shirt Design at http://www.cultural-baggage.com/drugtruth/teeshirt.htm PLEASE NOTE: We now have transcripts, potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed, listen online at www.kpft.org: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Jack Cole, Dir Law Enforcement Against Prohibition - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Jeff Blackburn, Atty in Tulia Case & TX/FIJA/MJ Case 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. Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 50 Drug Policy Videos online) 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, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net

The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of NGOs and professional networks that specialise in issues related to illegal drug production and use. The Consortium aims to promote objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction and content of drug policies at national and international level, and supports evidence-based policies that are effective in reducing drug-related harm. It disseminates the reports of its member organisations about particular drug-related matters, and offers expert consultancy services to policymakers and officials around the world. COMMUNICATIONS UPDATED IDPC WEBSITE The website of IDPC plays a major role in the implementation of our mission. This gives our members, and anyone else interested in drug policy, easy access to a wide range of reports on issues related to national and international policies in this field. Through this platform are able to reach out to over 10,000 individuals and organisations around the world, and this number is continually increasing. We have recently redesigned the website, which you can visit at the same address as before: www.idpc.info. The aim has been to make the site more user-friendly, and to make our messages and publications more accessible. The Spanish and Italian language versions of the website are now live. Some documents are also available in French and Russian, and we will create versions of the website in these languages later in the year. TNI UNGASS WEBSITE The Transnational Institute has created a website that deals specifically with the UN 10 year review of drug policy. The website (www.ungassondrugs.org) contains key documents, analysis and announcements that are relevant to the review of the 1998 UNGASS. Please try to add a link from your website to this valuable source of information. DRUGLINK INTERNATIONAL Drugscope have received funding from OSI to produce two pilot editions of a magazine - Druglink International. The magazine will be produced in association with IDPC, and Harry Shapiro at Drugscope is hoping that IDPC members will all have ideas for content, and will be able to provide him with media contacts in their own regions to help promote the magazine. The first issue will be largely based on existing international content from Druglink magazine because it needs to be produced in time for the International Harm Reduction Conference in Barcelona in May. It will also be circulated at the International Aids Conference in Mexico. However, the second issue will have more flexibility, and we may be tying that in with events in early 2009. This is a very exciting project with much potential for the future for raising the issues which concern us all with a wider audience, and also for future networking around the world. PUBLICATIONS IDPC BRIEFING NUMBER 8 - REPORT ON PROCEEDINGS AT THE 2008 COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS (CND) The 51st meeting of the CND took place in Vienna from 10th to 14th March 2008. It was an eventful meeting, and this summary of proceedings covers the key aspects of the week, including NGO involvement, the Thematic Debate, progress of resolutions, human rights, coca leaf, harm reduction and the INCB. http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_BP_08_RptProcedings2008CND_EN.pdf NGO STATEMENTS TO THE CND THEMATIC DEBATE Unlike in previous years, NGOs were successful in being granted access to the plenary session to deliver statements to the assembled government representatives. The topic for the thematic debate was the review of progress in international drug control in the 10 years since the 1998 UNGASS, and the NGO contributions enlivened what was an otherwise bland debate. In total, 8 NGO statements were submitted, and the ones that are available in electronic form are posted on the IDPC website. You can download them through the links below: IDPC STATEMENT http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_CND_Statement_08_EN.pdf INPUD STATEMENT http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/INPUD_CND_Statement_08_EN.pdf IHRA STATEMENT http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IHRA_CND_Statement_08_EN.pdf EHRN STATEMENT http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/EHRN_CND_Statement_08_EN.pdf

[Courtesy of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition] You might find this helpful: I met with an aide I had not seen in two years whose boss is very conservative except for the prohibition question. Being a Libertarian, she completely supports LEAP’s mission statement. I gave her all the usual updates & was prepared to leave after about 10 minutes. She pro-offered an approach I might employ with other legislative aides. I tried her idea at the next three offices. It worked. Most of what she suggested I have now permanently adopted. As I make my second visit to the 540 offices, I am struck and gratified by the increasing numbers of aides who wish me well & offer information and suggestions. Cowboy Hat = cop who wants to legalize drugs: Two separate times this week a staffer with whom I was sharing an elevator said, ‘I remember the hat. How is the legalize campaign going?’ One I somewhat remembered and the other was a complete blank. I replied that Don Quixote now has 5 votes to legalize/regulate drugs. Just 213 votes to go. Know anyone?…they smiled and wished me well. Another aide who met me two years ago remarked that she has seen me many times in the cafeteria. As she spots the cowboy hat and me under it, she always thinks of legalizing drugs. Monthly bill to produce copies to distribute: 40 dollars; monthly cost to ride train to work - $112; Cost to ride the Metro inside DC - $60; having Congressional aides remember my message by simply seeing a cowboy hat – PRICELESS.

NOTE: Updates will be back on track on April 10th. Drug Truth Network Update: 4:20 Drug War NEWS from 90.1 FM in Houston and dozens of radio affiliates in the US and Canada & on the web at www.kpft.org. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US and Canada. 4:20 Drug War NEWS 04/07/08 to 04/13/08 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net Sun - Aaron Smith of Marijuana Policy Project at Cannabis Convention Sat - Dr. Michael Aldrich at Cannabis Therapeutics Convention 2/2 Fri - Dr. Michael Aldrich at Cannabis Therapeutics Convention Thu - Becky Decaraster - Berkeley Patients Group at Cannabis Conference Wed - Jeff Jones at International Cannabis Therapeutics Conference 2 of 2 Tue - Jeff Jones at International Cannabis Therapeutics Conference 1 of 2 Mon - Don Duncan of Americans for Safe Access Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed (Now With Transcripts): - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and at www.radio4all.net. 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, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net

[Courtesy of LEAP] My better half said: Yet another conversation in the hallway starting with my hat, ended in the elevator, crowded with mostly female staffers. Blah, blah, blah (spoken quietly), then raising my voice so all would hear, …."When it comes to drugs, as my wife and better half said; the state, thru its police department, can not stop personal stupidity." There was a murmur, light chuckle, and all smiles as the door opened. Karen is indeed the author of the phrase, BTW (Ubrigens) Ask the Governor what she thinks: In meeting with a hard-core drug warrior office from Michigan this week, I employed my new line, ‘can your state afford the free federal money to arrest dealers, when, back home, the state might have to spend 60 million to build a new 500 bed prison to keep them @ 30,000 per year times xx years?’ It was a ‘Kodak’ moment to get the aide to admit that the office had not considered the ‘downstream,’ state costs of the ‘free’ fed money. As I suggested he have the Congressman call Governor Granholm (D-MI) and ask if she had money in her budget to house the extra dealers, he did not dismiss my idea. His facial expressions and other non-verbal language told me that I had punched the idea into his brain. A little Crown that night to celebrate and another small step on this long journey. PS: I was on the Hill a lot these past two weeks & thus the Stories are late. Congress was in recess and that is the best time to receive extra time with staffers. Apologies.