Organizations
4-4-08 Just Say Know Weekly News
JUST SAY KNOW appreciates and commends the efforts of the drug policy reform organizations below and we thank them for their contributions to our drug policy reform work. Please visit their websites and support them to the best of your ability.
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Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States.
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NORML: Since its founding in 1970, NORML has provided a voice in the public policy debate for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition and favor an end to the practice of arresting marijuana smokers. Email: [email protected]
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Just Say Know
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Just Say Know works on your behalf toward drug policy reform, preserving and re-instating your legal rights. Since cannabis âoffencesâ account for approximately half of all drug arrests, we believe taking away the ability of criminals to profit from cannabis will be an important initial step in drug policy reform. How? Just like it was done with alcohol, remove the prohibition and regulate legal adult use, especially the legal ability to grow your own. As soon as alcohol prohibition ended, the crime and violence caused by alcohol prohibition ended. The year alcohol prohibition was repealed violent crime fell by sixty five percent. Drug policy and enforcement tactics are out of control and removing your Constitutional rights at an alarming rate.
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Your financial contributions are greatly appreciated. If you can afford it, please donate today. To make a donation reply to this message with âdonationâ in the subject line and an associate will contact you by return email. If you wish to remain anonymous you can. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your consideration. Donât hesitate to contact us by replying to this message, we appreciate your comments, questions and concerns. Together we will make a difference!
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The drug war is being used as an excuse to remove your Constitutional rights, steal your property, waste 69 billion tax dollars per year and a long list of other harms to citizens and society. Thereâs a mountain of evidence supporting the need for policy reform that will make citizens, their families, their livelihood and their property more secure. The right; to freedom of religion, free speech, a free press, to keep and bear arms, to be secure in your person, house, papers and effects against unreasonable search and seizure, to life, liberty and property, to be protected from having your property taken by the government without due process of law and without just compensation, to confront the witnesses against you, to be protected from excessive bail, excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment, to vote and other Constitutional rights have been denied to millions of Americans in the name of the drug war.
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The Sentencing Project -- Disenfranchisement: News/Updates 4/3/08
Adrianne Curry to host MPP's party at the Playboy Mansion
[Courtesy of MPP]Â
Iâm excited to announce that reality TV superstar and fashion model Adrianne Curry is slated to host MPPâs third annual party at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles on June 12. This yearâs party is quickly shaping up to be our best yet.

MPP VIP advisory board member Adrianne Curry
Please visit www.mpp.org/playboy to purchase your tickets today, since the price will soon increase. (The ticket price is $850 now but will jump to $1,000 on May 13.)
Adrianne attended our party at the Playboy Mansion last year and, shortly afterwards, joined our VIP advisory board. She has since been an outspoken advocate for marijuana policy reform. She is married to Christopher Knight (Peter Brady from âThe Brady Bunchâ), and together they star in the extremely popular VH1 reality television show âMy Fair Brady.â
I hope youâll join me, Adrianne, and other celebrities and supporters of marijuana policy reform at our party at the Playboy Mansion: Buy your tickets today.
Party-goers will get to explore the Playboy Mansion's grotto, grounds, and exotic zoo. Only a lucky few have seen the inside of the grotto, which includes three hot tubs and cushion love seats built into the stone walls.
Plus, an array of exclusive art, famous photographs, and celebrity memorabilia will be available for purchase at the event via live and silent auctions.
I look forward to seeing you at the Mansion on June 12!
Cheers,
Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your ticket purchase will be doubled.
P.P.S. You can opt out of receiving fundraising mentions in the e-mail alerts I send you in 2008 by visiting www.mpp.org/2008optoutpreference at your convenience.
Americans for Safe Access: April 2008 Activist Newsletter
California Cannabis Dispensaries Testify at Tax Hearing
Medical Cannabis Generates More than $100 Million in Sales Tax
On Tuesday, March 18, medical cannabis advocates and dispensary operators from around California went to the state capital to testify about the sales tax medical cannabis generates. The group urged the Board of Equalization (BOE) to help protect an important source of revenue for the stateâ$100 million in sales tax collected annually by medical marijuana dispensaries.
The patients, advocates, and operators who testified.
ASA's Chief of Staff Rebecca Saltzman testified first. She told the BOE that the tax revenue the state receives from licensed medical cannabis dispensaries is in danger, due to increased federal interference in the state medical marijuana program.
"The sales tax collected by medical marijuana dispensaries in one year could fund the construction of two large schools or 2,000 elementary and high school teachers," said ASA Chief of Staff Rebecca Saltzman. "By robbing California of this much needed revenue, the federal government is not only harming thousands of patients that rely on this medicine, it is also impeding the state's ability to fund critical aspects of its infrastructure."
Others who testified included Dale Geiringer, Ph.D., the head of California NORML, who outlined the millions of dollars of tax revenue dispensaries produce for the BOE, and several dispensary operators and former operators from Berkeley, Los Angeles, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Sacramento and Santa Cruz, who all testified to their problems with the DEA.
Among those dispensary operators was Lisa Sawoya, the tax-paying former director of Hollywood Compassionate Care in Los Angeles, who was forced to close her dispensary because the DEA intimidated her landlord by threatening to seize the property. Her collective still suffered a raid at the hands of the DEA, even though her landlord had notified the DEA that the dispensary was closing in a matter of days.
Bill Pearce, former director of River City Patients' Center in Sacramento, described the $700,000 he had paid to the BOE over the past three years, as well as a quarter of a million to the IRS and Franchise Tax Board. The DEA shut him down in September.
All those testifying urged the BOE to do everything possible to help protect safe access and state tax revenues. ASA's Rebecca Saltzman also pointed out that the DEA would soon face oversight hearings before Congress on their tactics, and State Senator Carole Migden is introducing a resolution calling for an end to federal interference and urging Congress and the President to establish policy consistent with the compassionate use laws of California.
In 2007 alone, the DEA raided more than 50 medical marijuana providers, and they embarked on a new strategy, sending more than 300 letters to landlords of dispensaries, threatening property owners with criminal prosecution and asset forfeiture.
Read more in Rebecca Saltzman's report on the hearing on ASA's blog. Also, see the ASA Fact Sheet on sales tax on the website here.
ASA Mounts Strong Response to Latest LA Raids
Patients, Activists and Victims of DEA Raids Rally, Speak to City Council
ASA organized a quick response to DEA raids on six locations of a medical cannabis collective in Los Angeles on March 20.
Activists were at the locations quickly to protest the raids, thanks to ASA's Raid Response Emergency Text Messaging system. One of the activists onsite even overheard a DEA agent tell the others that "the alert has gone out" and "they're on the way."
Within days, operators of several dispensaries that have been targeted testified before the Los Angeles City Council, then joined 60 medical cannabis patients and advocates for a protest in front of the DEA offices downtown.
"It's very difficult to comply with state law with the DEA continuing to raid legally-sanctioned dispensaries," said Virgil Grant, who had multiple dispensary locations raided. "It's time for the Los Angeles City Council and other local governments to end DEA interference."
The city council was asked to re-convene the city working group that is developing regulations for collectives, and Council Member Janice Hahn said she would.
Next Wednesday, April 2, the council will vote on a resolution endorsing state Senator Carole Migden's Senate Joint Resolution 20 calling on the President and US Congress to end the raids. See below in the City and County Hearings section for more details.
No arrests were made and the collectives, which took only minor losses due to careful precautions, are expected to reopen today.
Sign up for ASA's Emergency Response Text Messaging System to receive instant alerts about raids in your area. Visit ASA online at www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/RaidAlert.
ASA Fact Sheet on Senate Joint Resolution 20, calling for an end to DEA interference is at www.AmericansforSafeAccess.org/downloads/SJR_20_Fact_Sheet.pdf.
Maryland Patients Get ASA Rights Training
As part of a campaign to raise awareness about Maryland's medical cannabis law and improve it, patients throughout Maryland received trainings on their rights this month as part of in an education partnership between ASA and the Drug Policy Alliance.
ASA's first Medical Marijuana Teach-In and Know Your Rights Training in the state drew a diverse crowd to hear about the state's medical marijuana law. A few attendees were not even aware that Maryland has a medical marijuana law.
Unlike most states with medical cannabis laws, Maryland still considers patients criminals, even when they can prove that their marijuana use is a medical necessity. A successful medical defense will leave a patient with a misdemeanor criminal record that poses barriers to financial aid, housing, employment, and more.
Those attending the training all signed ASA's petition to protect Maryland medical marijuana patients, and many also signed up to participate in a field trip to meet with state legislators next month.
ASA conducted similar teach-ins throughout the month of March, including trainings in Salisbury, Maryland (Eastern Shore), Silver Spring, MD (Montgomery County) and Western Maryland. The campaign is designed to build grassroots support and identify potential leadership to support future legislative reform efforts.
For more information about how to help improve Maryland's medical marijuana law see ASAâs website at: AmericansForSafeAccess.org/maryland.
LEAP on the Hill: Stories from Week of March 21, 2008
Just Say Know Weekly News: 3/28/08
[Courtesy of Just Say Know]Â
Thank you if you were among the many compassionate people that contacted either the prison warden or the Governor of Nebraska on behalf of ten year old Jayci Yaeger. Last week we asked all our readers nationwide to contact the authorities on behalf of this most innocent victim of the drug war. It was Jayciâs dying request that her dad be allowed to be with her when she passed away. Jayci had terminal brain cancer and her dad is very close to being released from prison on drug charges. Weâre glad to report that her dad was allowed to spend some time with her Wednesday and we appreciate the compassion of the authorities for allowing the family this time. It was reported that public outcry was the determining factor in the decision. Weâre deeply saddened to have to tell you that Jayci passed away early this morning. Our prayers are with the family in this time of grief. You can read about her visit with her dad here: http://www.ketv.com/news/15721550/detail.html and you can read about Jayciâs passing here: http://www.kolnkgin.com/news/headlines/17080656.htmlÂ
JUST SAY KNOW appreciates and commends the efforts of the drug policy reform organizations below and we thank them for their contributions to our drug policy reform work. Please visit their websites and support them to the best of your ability.Â
Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. NORML: Since its founding in 1970, NORML has provided a voice in the public policy debate for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition and favor an end to the practice of arresting marijuana smokers. Email: [email protected] Drug Truth Network is a media production organization, based at KPFT Radio Houston, TX. Cultural Baggage, hosted by Dean Becker, is the only nationally distributed radio program focused on discussing the war on drugs. Dean produces 9 radio shows each week about the harms of the drug war. Their shows are broadcast on more than 50 affiliates in the US and Canada. Call your favorite radio station and ask them to include these innovative radio programs. SAFER (Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation): SAFER is working with students, organizations and other individuals around the country and abroad to spread the message that marijuana is safer than alcohol and should be treated as such.Â
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Draft Program International Drug User Activist Congress, May 11, Barcelona
[Courtesy of INPUDÂ & APDO]Â
Dear Friends &Â Activists,
INPUD and fellow activists from the local patient and drug user activist organization APDO are organizing for the 3th International Drug User Activists Congress. The INPUD congress is organized as a satellite to the International Harm Reduction Conference (May 11-15) and takes place on Sunday May 11, from 10am until 3.15pm in room 3 of the Conference venue La Fira .
The congress will address some practicalities related to the Harm Reduction Conference and many issues concerning INPUD and International Drug User Organizing:
What we did last year and what are our plans for the year coming, presentations on DU activism by Spanish, Ukrainian and US Activists, a session to prepare for the General Assembly taking place later that week with also a presentation/proposal on INPUD and regional departments to be decided on during the GA, etc.
I've copied here below the draft program proposal for the 3th International Drug User Activists Congress. There still is a lot to work out by me, members of the INPUD board and the other volunteer activists involved.
I'd like to have your input on the proposed congress program. I welcome your proposals to have the best possible content for the congress.
You can email me your feedback (mail too: [email protected] ) and you can also post it on the forum for group discussion. (Link to the forum)
I'll contact you back soon with other, more practical, issues concerning the congress.
Stijn Goossens
The International Network Of People Who Use Drugs
Draft Program
International Drug User Activists Congress, Barcelona, Spain, 2008 Sunday May 11
Opening: 10.00am, Lunch, Closing: 3.15pm
10am
Opening 10min.
Welcome by INPUD
Welcome by APDO representative, the Barcelonian DU/patient group, also introducing:
Welcome by Grup Igia/Catalan government/IHRA representative
The State of INPUD: 2007-2008 (by Anan, Luiz, etc.)
What we've done the year past and future plans: INPUD Asia, Beyond2008 UNGASS on Drugs, CND, EU Forum on Drugs, CSTF UNGASS on AIDS, etc
INPUD activism, presentations on DU Activism by INPUD Activists
Presentation on APDO and Spanish DU organizing
Konstantin Zverkov ('Era of Mercy', Odessa/Ukraine) about DU organizing in Ukraine
Jason Farrell (HRCS/INPUD) DU Organizations, Advisory Committees and NGO's: Who's Listening?
Lunch
The IHRA Conference and Barcelona
Available medical facilities, access, guidelines for DU, etc. (Howard Lotsof?)
Introduction on aspects from the Barcelona DU scene (APDO/Satxa?)
INPUD administration (by the INPUD board)
Explanations on the GA later that week
INPUD Statutes
Board Mandate
Nominations for Board Members
INPUD development: explanation and proposal on regional departments (Milena Naydenova)
regional departments, responsibilities, regional directors, INPUD structure
3pm Closing
Decision on date and time of INPUD General Assembly in the week coming
INPUD presents/highlights the DU Activists speaking in sessions at the IHRC
Closing remarks, end of the Congress, goodbye
The Sentencing Project -- Disenfranchisement: News/Updates 3/27/08
Harm Reduction 2008 - Only Six Weeks To Go!
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