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Changing Minds 2009
Changing Minds 2010
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Coalition for Medical Marijuana -- New Jersey, Inc.: March Minutes and Press Release

Monthly Public Meeting Minutes

Lawrence Township Library

Tuesday, March 10, 2009; 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

7:20 PM:  Meeting called to order.  February 2009 minutes approved.  Discussion:

Ø  CMMNJ supporters are urged to contact your assembly representative now to show your support for A804, “The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.”  The final steps to passing this bill into law will be the votes the New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee and in the full assembly.  When will the NJ Assembly act on this Senate-approved bill that Gov. Corzine said he will sign into law when it gets to his desk?  There are no more assembly health committee hearings scheduled until May and June 2009.   The legislature then breaks for the summer and returns in the fall.  Let’s stop arresting patients and stop needless suffering as soon as possible.     

Ø  Chris Goldstein and CMMNJ gave a medical marijuana seminar at Rutgers University/Camden Law School on 2/18/09.  (CMMNJ plans to return to R.U./Camden for Law Day on 4/4/09 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.)  Other medical marijuana seminars are planned for Collingswood Public Library on 3/21/09 from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM, and the PhillyNORML meeting on 3/19/09 at 7:30 PM.  Follow Goldstein’s blogs about medical marijuana in New Jersey at salon.com.  Jim Miller appeared on My9New York’s TV show, “New Jersey Now” on 3/8/09 at 12 noon.  You may listen to the live senate debate from 2/23/09 and hear CMMNJ’s comments on MyFoxPhillyChannel 29.  CMMNJ appeared on WIFI 1460 AM Talk Radio in Burlington County, NJ on 2/12/09 and plans to appear again on 3/12/09 at 4:00 PM.  CMMNJ has possible appearances scheduled for 4/18, 4/20, and 5/2/09.  Letters requesting support were sent to the national and NJ Elks (BPOE) and Communications Workers of America (CWA).      

Ø  The Drug Policy Alliance, Patients Out of Time  & NORML NJ  are actively supporting A804.  CMMNJ has new photos, etc. on Facebook and Facebook Friends of CMMNJ.

Ø  Treasury report: Checking account - $2,039.45; PayPal account - $640.15.  Help us raise funds by buying Wristbands/$2, T-shirts/$15, Lapel Pins and DVDs/$10 each. Also, consider a tax-deductible donation to CMMNJ, an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization.  Donations may be made securely through Paypal or checks made out to “CMMNJ” and sent to corporate headquarters at the address below.  At the March 10, 2009 meeting, CMMNJ received $136 in donations.  Thank you.   

9:00 PM Adjourn meeting.

Upcoming CMMNJ meetings are: April 14, 2009, May 12, 2009, & June 9, 2009.  CMMNJ meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., NJ (Tel. #609.882.9246).  All are welcome.  Snacks are served.  (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]

Sobin "Behind the Wall" 13

Dear Friends, The Prison Art Gallery is expanding in a way that will benefit up to ten nonprofits organizations across America. The success of the Prison Art Gallery in Washington D.C. has been overwhelming. We've sold an enormous amount of art over the last few years and our good reputation means that we have received even more art recently; hundreds of excellent pieces from the growing pool of imprisoned artists who have heard about our gallery and advocacy work. Rather than seek larger gallery space, we have decided to place this new art with up to ten established nonprofit organizations (at no cost to them) across the country. If your organization has office space and an active membership, you will qualify. The only expense incurred by these "satellite galleries" will be the packaging and shipping of the art pieces. There are no other expenses or obligations. When this gorgeous and unique art gets to you - complete with artist biography and prison location - you will display it in the reception areas of your offices and offer it to your membership, customer base or the general public. Each price has a suggested donation but you can negotiate any price you wish. Of the amount you receive, your organization will keep 40% while the remainder will be forwarded to us on a quarterly basis to be shared with the artists who created the art! We will send replacement art for the pieces you sell so you will always have a full and fresh display. Periodically their will be rotation of this art to make your collection new and interesting. More than an opportunity to earn excellent revenue at no expense or risk, you can expect good publicity as you will be tied into our national network of galleries. The Prison Art Gallery and the Prisons Foundation always generate interest from newspapers and journalists. We will also share with you press releases we have developed and grant proposals that have won us sizable grants from our city's grants agency (funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, now with a bigger than ever budget). All regions of the country have such agencies ready to give funds to nonprofits for unique, socially meaningful art. To be considered for this no-cost opportunity to have a branch of the Prison Art Gallery at your location under your organizations sponsorship, kindly provide the following information: 1. Name of your organization 2. Website 3. Location/Mailing address 4. Telephone number 5. Date founded 6. Square footage of your office 7. Hours and days your office is open 8. Mission Statement 9. Contact person/email/phone Please email this information to [email protected] or mail to: Prison Art Gallery, 1600 K Street NW, Suite 501, Washington, D.C. 20006. Yours for justice, Dennis Sobin #206757 C.T.F. D-3B #10 1901 E Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003

Last chance for discounted tickets to MPP's party at the Playboy Mansion

Dear Friends:

If you've ever wanted to go to the Playboy Mansion, here's what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

MPP will be holding a star-studded party at the Playboy Mansion in L.A. on June 4 — and we're offering you a final chance to buy discounted tickets at an early-bird rate of $700. That rate is only good for a few more ticket purchases — because once we've sold 100 tickets, the price for the next 100 tickets will increase to $800, and all tickets remaining after that will cost $900. So reserve now to lock in the lowest rate.

As a guest at the party, you'll be able to explore the Playboy Mansion's famous grounds. Playmates will give personal tours as you mingle with VIPs and enjoy fire performers by the pool area, waterfalls, and the legendary grotto.

You can see photos and video from last year's party here and here.

Be a part of MPP's biggest charity event and help us raise much-needed funds for our work: Please reserve your tickets today.

Thank you,
Kampia signature (e-mail sized)

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

MPP on MSNBC this Sunday

Dear Friends:

MPP's communications staffers have been busier than ever in the last few months, as media interest in marijuana policy continues to rise, and I want to tell you about a few upcoming and recent TV appearances that might interest you.

  • On Sunday night, I'll be appearing on an Al Roker special on marijuana, airing on MSNBC at 10 p.m. EST.
  • Medical marijuana will be part of the focus of John Stossel's ABC special that airs tonight. He'll be examining the case of Charles Lynch, the former operator of a medical marijuana dispensary — operating legally under California state law — who was raided by federal law enforcement officials and convicted on federal drug charges. A respected member of the community who operated with the support of local officials and the chamber of commerce, Lynch was known to refuse payment from patients who could not afford it. MPP provided research assistance for the show, which airs tonight on ABC at 10 p.m. EST.
  • On Wednesday night, MPP's Bruce Mirken appeared on "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC. You can watch his interview here.
  • And last, Bruce will also appearing later this month on D.L. Hughley's show on CNN (tentatively scheduled for March 28).

Meanwhile, thanks to the generous support of our 26,000 dues-paying members, MPP is moving a slate of bills forward in states across the country:

  • Minnesota's medical marijuana bill has a strong chance of passing into law this year. The Senate bill has already passed three committees, and the House bill now heads to what is expected to be its most difficult committee. We're in the final push now and hope to have exciting news to report from Minnesota within weeks.
  • In Illinois last week, for the first time ever, a House committee approved an effective medical marijuana bill, and the bill is now on the House floor, where the next step is a vote by the full chamber.
  • In Iowa, more than a dozen seriously ill patients and advocates and a doctor testified at a subcommittee hearing in favor of a medical marijuana bill, generating extensive news coverage. Although it is too late for the bill to receive a full committee vote, we'll continue to build support and momentum for next year.
  • In New Hampshire on Monday, a neurosurgeon, seven patients, MPP's grassroots organizer, and MPP's lobbyist testified in favor of a medical marijuana bill. The House health committee is scheduled to vote on the bill next Wednesday.
  • Rhode Island legislators, who in 2006 enacted MPP's model medical marijuana bill over the governor's veto, seem poised to improve access to medical marijuana. On March 4, doctors, patients, and representatives from the state medical society and nurses association testified in favor of allowing organized distribution through compassion centers. Not a single witness opposed the bills. Last year, the Senate passed a similar bill 30-6, and this year, 50 of the 75 House members are co-sponsoring the bill.
  • MPP has been featured in local, statewide, national, and even international news discussing the bill to tax and regulate marijuana in California. Whatever the bill's fate is this year, it has started a long overdue conversation about the wisdom of marijuana prohibition.

If you support what we're doing and want to see more of it, please help fund our efforts by making a donation to our work today.
 
Thank you,
Kampia signature (e-mail sized)

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.

Press Release: NYCLU Announces Findings about Statewide Impact of Rockefeller Drug Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2009 CONTACT: Jennifer Carnig at 212.607.3363 or [email protected] NYCLU Announces Findings about Statewide Impact of Rockefeller Drug Laws March 11, 2009 – The New York Civil Liberties today released a detailed report illustrating the disastrous effects the Rockefeller Drug Laws have inflicted on New York State. The report analyzes the drug laws’ economic and social impact on the entire state, and its largest cities: Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester and Syracuse. The report – The Rockefeller Drug Laws: Unjust, Irrational, Ineffective – presents overwhelming evidence that New York’s mandatory minimum drug-sentencing scheme has failed to improve public safety or deter drug use. It documents the grave harm the drug laws cause to low-income communities of color, and it calls on lawmakers to adopt a public health approach to addressing substance abuse. “The Rockefeller Drug Laws have failed by every measure. They tear apart families, waste tax dollars and create shocking racial disparities,” said Donna Lieberman, NYCLU executive director. “Yet, after 36 years of failure, our state continues locking up the wrong people for the wrong reasons. Justice and common sense require comprehensive reform.” Enacted in 1973, the Rockefeller Drug Laws mandate extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Though intended to target drug kingpins, most of the people incarcerated are convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses. Many of the thousands of New Yorkers in prison under these laws suffer from substance abuse problems; many others struggle with issues related to homelessness, mental illness or unemployment. The mass incarceration of drug offenders rips parents away from children. As of 2002, an estimated 11,000 people incarcerated for drug offenses, including 1,000 women, were parents of young children. Close to 25,000 children in New York State had parents in prison convicted of nonviolent drug charges. Some 50 percent of mothers and fathers in prison for drug convictions did not receive visits from their children. Despite modest reforms in 2004 and 2005, the state’s drug sentencing scheme remains intact. These laws deny judges the authority to place people suffering from addiction, mental health issues and homelessness into treatment programs. For decades, the NYCLU, criminal justice advocates and medical experts have fought to untie the hands of judges and allow addiction to be treated as a public health matter. As noted in the New York State Sentencing Commission’s recent report, sentencing non-violent drug offenders to prison is ineffective and counterproductive, and has resulted in unconscionable racial disparities: Blacks and Latinos comprise more than 90 percent of those currently incarcerated for drug felonies, though government research shows that most people using illegal drugs are white. “New York’s drug sentencing laws are the Jim Crow laws of the 21st Century,” said Robert Perry, NYCLU legislative director and the report’s lead author. “Prosecution of drug offenses has sent hundreds of thousands to prison, most of whom were charged with low-level, non-violent offenses. The Rockefeller Drug Laws have been a driving force in incarcerating a prison population that is almost exclusively black and brown.” The report features demographic maps created by the Justice Mapping Center that analyze who is sent to prison for drug offenses from the state’s five largest cities: Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester and Syracuse. The maps depict the racial and ethnic bias inherent in the state’s drug policy and illustrate the exorbitant cost of locking up drug offenders. For example, 25 percent of adults in New York City sent to prison in 2006 came from neighborhoods with just 4 percent of the city’s adult population. More than half were admitted for drug offenses, and 97 percent were black or Latino. In Buffalo, 25 percent of adults sent to prison come from areas with just 6 percent of the city’s adult population. One in four is admitted for drug offenses and 91 percent are black or Latino. The maps also show the enormous cost of combating drug-related crime through massive incarceration. For example, taxpayers spent more than $27.5 million to imprison Rochester residents convicted of drug offenses in 2006, and another $21 million to imprison Albany residents convicted of drug offenses that year. More than $440 million was spent to incarcerate New York City residents sent to prison in 2006 for drug offenses. Based on estimates calculated by the state Commission on Sentencing Reform, taxpayers will pay about $600 million to incarcerate drug offenders in 2009 alone. “Faced with a major recession and a multi-billion dollar budget deficit, New York cannot afford to waste hundreds of millions of dollars locking up nonviolent drug offenders,” Lieberman said. “Money saved through reforming the drug-sentencing laws could be spent helping struggling New Yorkers get back on their feet.” The report makes several recommendations for reform, including: • Reduce sentences for those convicted of drug-related crimes. • Restore judicial discretion and end mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. • Develop and invest in a statewide alternative to incarceration model to provide supervised treatment, education and employment training for those who would be better served by diversion than by prison. • Provide retroactive sentencing relief for those already incarcerated under the Rockefeller Drug Laws. “Imprisonment for drug-related crimes should be the last resort, reserved for truly violent offenders,” Perry said. “Adopting a public health model to address the problems related to substance abuse will not only save taxpayers money, it will move the state toward a more fair and effective strategies for promoting justice and public safety.” To read or download a copy of the report – including the maps – visit www.nyclu.org/rockefeller-report. -xxx-

Press Advisory: NYCLU to Announce New Findings about Statewide Impact of Rockefeller Drug Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2009 – Tomorrow, the New York Civil Liberties Union will release a detailed report analyzing the effects of the Rockefeller Drug Laws on New York State. The report studies incarceration patterns in terms of their economic and social impact on the entire state, as well as on its biggest cities: Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester and Syracuse.

The report – The Rockefeller Drug Laws: Unjust, Irrational, Ineffective – presents overwhelming evidence that New York’s mandatory minimum drug sentencing scheme has failed on all fronts. The laws have not made New York State safer, nor have they reduced the availability of drugs or deterred their use.

It also presents provocative new maps created by the Justice Mapping Center that analyze every major urban center in the state, illustrating who goes to prison for drug offenses, where they lived before imprisonment and what it costs to lock them up.

The NYCLU will hold a media briefing in Albany to walk journalists through the report’s findings and recommendations for reform. Reporters statewide are invited to call a toll-free number to listen and ask questions.

What:

Media briefing about new report, The Rockefeller Drug Laws: Unjust, Irrational, Ineffective

When:

11 a.m. Wednesday, March 11

Where:

Marsh, Wassermann & McHugh, 677 Broadway, Albany. Free garage parking.

OR 1-800-351-6809, passcode 63087

Who:

  • Robert Perry, NYCLU legislative director and author of the report
  • Jeff Aubry, Assembly Member, chair of Committee on Correction and lead sponsor of just passed Rockefeller reform legislation
  • John Dunne, Republican New York State senator from 1966 to 1989 and original sponsor of the Rockefeller Drug Laws
  • Eric Cadora, director of the Justice Mapping Center and creator of drug incarceration maps of Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and New York State
  • Marsha Weissman, executive director of the Center for Community Alternatives
  • Todd Clear, professor of criminal justice at John Jay College
  • Dr. Ruth Finkelstein, vice president of health policy for the New York Academy of Medicine

- xxx -

Press Release: 10 Years After Institute of Medicine Recognized Medical Marijuana, Policy Catches Up With Science

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

MARCH 9, 2009   

10 Years After Institute of Medicine Recognized Medical Marijuana, Policy Catches Up With Science
Big Progress on State, Federal Levels; MPP's Rob Kampia to Debate at Cato Institute Forum March 17

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the 10th anniversary of the Institute of Medicine's historic report recognizing marijuana's value as a medicine approaches, medical marijuana patients and advocates are celebrating remarkable progress that has accelerated rapidly in recent months. A decade after the report's release on March 17, 1999, medical marijuana supporters see policy finally beginning to match scientific reality.

     In late February, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed that President Obama's campaign promise to end Drug Enforcement Administration attacks on state medical marijuana laws "is now American policy." In November, Michigan voters passed a medical marijuana law by the largest margin ever racked up by such an initiative, and medical marijuana bills are moving steadily forward in legislatures across the country, including Minnesota, Illinois and New Jersey.

     After California voters passed the nation's first effective medical marijuana law in November, 1996, the Clinton administration asked the Institute of Medicine to review existing research and report on potential medical uses of marijuana. The report, "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," while cautiously and carefully written, clearly acknowledged marijuana's therapeutic value for some seriously ill patients, stating, "Nausea, appetite loss, pain, and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting and all can be mitigated by marijuana."

     The report acknowledged the drawbacks of smoking and urged creation of a "rapid-onset, nonsmoked cannabinoid delivery system," but added, "In the meantime, there are patients with debilitating symptoms for whom smoked marijuana might provide relief." Studies published since 1999 have verified that marijuana vaporizers provide just the sort of rapid, nonsmoked delivery the IOM suggested.

     Until recently, federal officials ignored the findings, prompting co-author Dr. John Benson to tell the New York Times in 2006 that the government "loves to ignore our report. ... They would rather it never happened."

     "For 10 long years the federal government waged a war against science, and against the sick and suffering, but the Obama administration has clearly signaled that this insane war on patients is going to end," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "With medical marijuana bills advancing nationwide, it's clear a new day has dawned."

     Kampia will join University of California researcher Dr. Donald Abrams, whose studies have further documented marijuana's medical value, and opponent Robert Dupont for what should be a lively discussion of the report's 10th anniversary hosted by the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C., on March 17 at noon. For reservations for this free event, call 202-789-5229. The Cato Institute is located at 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

     Studies published since the IOM report was released have confirmed that medical marijuana can safely relieve neuropathic pain, a particularly hard to treat type of pain that afflicts millions with HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and other illnesses. Other studies have shown that use of medical marijuana to relieve nausea and other drug side effects is associated with better adherence to life-saving treatment regimens for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C.

     With more than 26,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

####

Reform drug policy full-time. Job openings at SSDP!

Friends,

The movement to end the War on Drugs is gaining momentum like never before. Every week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy's staff is contacted by dozens of students who are interested in starting chapters on their campuses. Oftentimes, it feels like there are more fish jumping into our boat than we have nets to catch!

But thanks to the generosity of our supporters like you, we're hiring two new staff members to meet the needs of our rapidly expanding chapter network!

Outreach Director - SSDP currently employs two outreach directors, and we are hiring a third. Each outreach director is assigned to a region of the U.S. and is responsible for growing our chapter network and providing assistance to chapters in that area.
http://www.ssdp.org/jobs/outreachdirector

Alumni Director - This is a brand new position with SSDP. The Alumni Director builds and coordinates our alumni network. Only applicants who are current or former members of SSDP's chapters, board, or staff will be considered for this position.
http://www.ssdp.org/jobs/alumnidirector

We also have several internships available all year round. Internships are unpaid, but may be applied toward class credit. http://www.ssdp.org/jobs/intern

I can't tell you how inspired I am that our supporters have enabled us to expand our staff, especially as many nonprofits are struggling because of the economic recession. If you've helped make this unprecedented growth possible, then you've invested in this movement at just the right time. Thank you.

And if you haven't yet made a gift to SSDP this year, but would like to ensure that the growing momentum for drug policy reform is sustained, I invite you to help us create a better future by contributing today. http://www.ssdp.org/donate

Sincerely,
Kris Krane, Executive Director
Students for Sensible Drug Policy

P.S. Please forward this announcement to anybody who might be interested in these positions.

Job Opportunity: Outreach Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, San Francisco, CA or Washington, DC

Outreach Director: Based in San Francisco, CA or Washington, DC Application deadline: Friday, April 3 Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a grassroots political advocacy organization with a member network of thousands and a national staff of six, is seeking a highly motivated, well-organized individual to help promote alternatives to the failed War on Drugs. This is a full- time, entry-level position that is ideal for a person with prior student organizing experience. SSDP currently employs two outreach directors. Due to the growing demand for our advocacy, we are hiring a third outreach director, who will be based in San Francisco, CA or Washington, DC. Interested individuals may apply for the position in either location. Although our intention is to fill the position starting in April, graduating seniors will be considered. If you cannot start full-time before May or June, we will consider starting the position on a part- time basis prior to graduation. Duties of the outreach director include: 1) Assisting students who wish to start SSDP chapters: The outreach director receives several chapter startup inquiries each day. He/she promptly responds to each inquiry and guides the student through the process of establishing a chapter on campus. The outreach director is also responsible for the development of trainings and materials that will benefit students working to start new chapters. Information on new chapter progress is tracked using database software. 2) Proactive recruitment: The outreach director proactively recruits new students to start chapters by tabling at schools, concerts, conferences and other events. He/she is sometimes asked to travel for a week or more to a specific state or region with the goal of identifying students interested in drug policy reform. 3) Providing campaign support to established chapters: The outreach director works with the associate director on developing materials and the execution of grassroots campaigns. The associate director takes the lead on creating resources for campaigns, while the outreach director works with new and inexperienced chapters on implementation. 4) Event planning: The outreach director coordinates events that require many different components (e.g. outreach, logistics, materials, etc). These events include international and regional conferences, small fundraising events, campaign rallies, and demonstrations. The outreach director is trained and supervised by the associate director, and reports directly to the executive director. Qualifications include a passion for getting young people involved in the political process; exceptional interpersonal skills, particularly when meeting new people; the ability to communicate orally with comfort and conviction, particularly over the phone; succinct, persuasive, inspiring writing, plus a close attention to detail; comfort with working nontraditional hours (occasional nights and weekends), as this is when students are most available; a desire to travel, and the ability to work well away from the office; experience working with and managing volunteers; and a firm belief that students will play a key role in ending the War on Drugs. Qualities/abilities that are valuable, but not necessary, include a demonstrated dedication to drug policy reform; experience with student organizing & activism; and a working knowledge of Apple products, Microsoft Excel, and Facebook. To apply, interested applicants should e-mail a one-page cover letter and one- or two-page resume to Executive Director Kris Krane at [email protected]. In your cover letter, please indicate (1) how you learned about SSDP’s job opening, (2) why you are interested in working with SSDP, (3) why you think this particular position is a good fit for you, (4) what experience you have in student organizing or drug policy reform work and (5) which of our offices you are interested in working from (San Francisco, CA or Washington, DC) and if your desired location is flexible. Feel free to include any additional information you deem relevant, not to exceed one page. Salary is $28,000 - $32,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health care and the satisfaction that comes along with changing the world for the better. Students for Sensible Drug Policy is an equal opportunity employer. SSDP has a strong commitment to diversity and, as such, women, people of color, LGBT individuals, and individuals who have been directly affected by the Drug War are encouraged to apply. If you submit a cover letter and resume, SSDP will respond to you within two weeks with either a request for additional documentation, or notification that your application is being considered. Please visit http://www.SchoolsNotPrisons.com for more information about our mission and campaigns.

Marijuana Momentum

  You Can Make a Difference


 

Dear Friends,

Thanks to you, we are gaining ground in the struggle against marijuana prohibition.  

President Obama's attorney general indicated last week that the U.S. Justice Department is going to stop wasting federal resources arresting medical marijuana patients and providers. No doubt all your phone calls and emails to the White House had a huge impact!

You can help keep up the momentum by paving the way for medical marijuana to be sold in your local pharmacy like any other medicine.

On their way out, Bush officials blocked an effort to get FDA-approved marijuana research underway. The Obama administration can overturn this decision and make it possible for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to grow marijuana for medical research. But they must act soon.

You have a chance to make it happen today!

Your hard work is definitely making a difference, and the tide is turning in our favor: the Kellogg's brand is in decline, after they fired Michael Phelps; California is considering a bill to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana; and the New Jersey Senate recently voted to legalize marijuana for medical use (thanks again to everyone who donated to support our New Jersey efforts)!

Thank you for all your work,



Bill Piper
Director, Office of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance Network

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