ASA Fresno Chapter Patients and Caregivers Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, November 10th at 6:00 pm

Dear friends:

It's not too late to join MPP staff at the 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Albuquerque on November 12-14. The conference — hosted by the Drug Policy Alliance and co-sponsored by MPP and other organizations — will bring together leading drug policy experts to weigh in on issues such as medical marijuana legislative efforts, marijuana arrests, and quite a few other drug policy reform topics.

MPP staffers will be on hand to discuss topics like messaging, effective activism, and medical marijuana patients' rights.

Here are a few examples of sessions featuring MPP staff:

* Aaron Houston, MPP's director of government relations, will talk about Congress, President Obama, and the drug czar.

* Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies, will talk about medical marijuana patients' rights and safe access to medical marijuana. 

* I'll speak on a panel about how to leverage this crucial moment in the fight to end marijuana prohibition.

This conference happens only once every two years, so if you miss this one, you'll have to wait two years for the next one. You can find more information and register by visiting http://www.reformconference.org today.

Will you join MPP at the one of the most important drug policy events of 2009?  We hope to see you there.

Sincerely,

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.

Dear friends,

I hope you’re packed and ready to go, because the drug policy reform movement is headed to Albuquerque. 

Next week, more than a thousand people from across the country and around the world will arrive in New Mexico for the 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference from November 12-14.  If you haven’t done so yet, you still have a chance to register and join this amazing group.  And you should.

Because you made this conference happen. 

You forwarded our messages to your friends.  You nominated award winners and provided ideas for conference panels and speakers.  And, now, your participation is going to take this meeting to a whole new level.

Just take a look at a few of the things we’ve got going on:

• 60 compelling breakout sessions 
• 200+ speakers, including former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, Former Foreign Minister of Mexico Jorge Castañeda, and many, many more
• The movement’s premier Awards Dinner, celebrating our 2009 winners such as Donald MacPherson and Montel Williams
• An informal Meet-and-Greet for all attendees, two receptions highlighting the psychedelics community, a 2-night Film Festival and a candlelight vigil on Civic Plaza to honor those currently or formerly incarcerated

And that’s just a small taste of the action.  At the Reform Conference, you’re going to get to know the people who will help you win the drug policy reforms you’ve been working on, and who will set before you new challenges.  So come with an open mind and all the energy and enthusiasm you can muster.  Together, we will push this movement forward.  And we’ll start in Albuquerque.

I’ll see you there.

Sincerely,

Ethan Nadelmann
Executive Director
Drug Policy Alliance

P.S. For details – and last-minute registrations – please visit the conference website.

      and

     Reform Conference Co-Hosts

Students for Sensible Drug Policy UK cordially invites you to attend our launch conference at Leeds University Union From Friday, 27 November 2009 - 18:00 To Sunday, 29 November 2009 - 17:00

The University of Missouri's chapter of NORML will be hosting the Fall 2009 Missouri NORML Conference in Ellis Auditorium on the Mizzou Campus. Guest speakers include Paul Armentano (deputy director of national NORML, co-author of the book "Marijuana is Safer"), Ray Hartmann (founder of the Riverfront Times in St. Louis), defense attorney Travis Noble, and multiple other patients and advocates.

The (tentative) schedule is as follows:

9:00 a.m. Registration, Meet & Greet, Coffee, Tea and Bagels
Location: Ellis Auditorium Lobby

An opportunity to grab a light breakfast and network with other Missouri marijuana law reform advocates.

9:45 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks: Sean Randall (Columbia, Missouri NORML)

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Marijuana Law in Missouri: Dan Viets (Missouri NORML)

Civil liberties attorney and longtime marijuana law reform activist Dan Viets presents the current state of marijuana law in Missouri as well as upcoming plans for marijuana policy reform during the 2009 Missouri legislative session.

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Community Organizing and Media Outreach: Kelly Maddy (Joplin, Missouri NORML)

Learn how to build and establish a reform-based coalition in your community and how to work with the local media to spread your message.

12:15 – 1:00 p.m. Effective Lobbying Techniques: John Coffman, J.D. (Missouri ACLU)

Listen to a professional lobbyist explain the best, most effective ways to communicate and build relationships with your elected officials in order to influence their opinion on a law reform issue.

1:00 – 2:15 p.m. Lunch: On Your Own
Location: Downtown Columbia or MU Campus

Experience downtown Columbia's The District and have a bite to eat at any one of its numerous restaurants offering several different dining options.

2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Medical Marijuana Patient Forum: Christy Welliver (Columbia), Linda Yelvington (Joplin), Mark Pedersen (St. Louis)

Listen to the personal stories and testimonials of medical marijuana patients from around the state. Learn how medical cannabis is used to treat a variety of ailments.

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Travis Noble

Criminal defense attorney Travis Noble delivers his thoughts on drug law reform from a unique perspective as a former police officer and supervisor of a narcotics enforcement unit.

4:45 – 5:45 p.m. Ray Hartmann

Founder and former publisher of The Riverfront Times, former editor of The Maneater, panelist on the PBS television program Donnybrook and St. Louis celebrity Ray Hartmann delivers his insightful and entertaining views on drug prohibition.

6:00 – 7:15 p.m. Palliative and Curative Relief Through a Safe and Effective Herbal Medicine Paul Armentano (NORML)

NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano presents an authoritative review of the safety and efficacy of cannabis to treat symptoms and underlying diseases. Mr. Armentano is the author of the books Emerging Clinical Indications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids (NORML Foundation, 2007), and Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? (Chelsea Green, 2009).

7:45 p.m. NORML Benefit Dinner and Auction

Location: Grand Cru Restaurant (2600 S. Providence Rd.)
Admission: $10 (plus whatever dinner you choose to order from the menu)
Join NORML supporters for a dinner and auction to support marijuana law reform in Missouri at one of Columbia's finest and most supportive restaurants.

For more info, see: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=166376910979

San Diego's ASA chapter protested outside the California Narcotics Officers Association awards ceremony this week. As well they should -- CNOA is a statewide drug police union that has a nasty habit of publishing some of the most warped propaganda about the drug war I've seen.

Larger copies of the protest photos, and more of them, online here.

In a meeting in Bangkok last weekend, more than two dozen drug users from nine different countries came together to put the finishing touches on the creation of a new drug user advocacy organizatio

Dear Reformer:

In a meeting in Bangkok last weekend, more than two dozen drug users from nine different countries came together to put the finishing touches on the creation of a new drug user advocacy organization, the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD). The Bangkok meeting was the culmination of a two-year process began at a meeting of the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2007, and resulted in creating a constitution and selecting a steering committee for the new group.

ANPUD adopts the principles of MIPUD (Meaningful Involvement of People who Use Drugs), and in doing so, aligns itself with other drug user advocacy groups, including the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD), of which ANPUD is an independent affiliate, the Australian Injection and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL),the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, and the Nothing About Us Without Us movement.

ANPUD currently has more than 150 members and sees its mission to advocate for the rights of drug users and communities before national governments and the international community. There is plenty to do. Asia has the largest number of drug users in the world, but is, for the most part, woefully retrograde on drug policy issues. Not only do drug users face harsh criminal sanctions—up to and including the death penalty—but Asian has the lowest coverage of harm reduction services in the world. Access to harm reduction programs, such as needle exchanges and opioid maintenance therapy, is extremely limited.

"People who use drugs are stigmatized, criminalized and abused in every country in Asia," said Jimmy Dorabjee, a key figure in the formation of ANPUD. "Our human rights are violated and we have little in the way of health services to stay alive. If governments do not see people who use drugs, hear us and talk to us, they will continue to ignore us."

The Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team, Dr. Prasada Rao, spoke of the urgent need to engage with drug user networks and offered his support to ANPUD, saying that "For UNAIDS, HIV prevention among drug users is a key priority at the global level," said Dr. Prasada Rao, director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team. "I am very pleased today to be here to see ANPUD being shaped into an organization that will play a key role in Asia's HIV response. It is critical that we are able to more effectively involve the voices of Asian people who use drugs in the scaling up of HIV prevention services across Asia."

"When I go back home, I am now responsible for sharing the experiences with the 250 or so drug users who are actively advocating for better services at the national level," said Nepalese drug user and newly elected steering committee member Ekta Thapa Mahat. "It will be a great way for us to work together and help build the capacity of people who use drugs in Asia."

"The results of the meeting exceeded my expectations," said Ele Morrison, program manager for AVIL's Regional Partnership Project. "The participants set ambitious goals for themselves and they have achieved a lot in just two days to set up this new organization. The building blocks for genuine ownership by people who use drugs is definitely there."

While the meetings leading to the formation were organized and managed by drug users, the process received financial support from the World Health Organization, the UNAIDS Regional Task Force, and AIVL.

Monthly Public Meeting Minutes

Lawrence Township Library

Tuesday, October 13, 2009; 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

7:15 PM:  Meeting called to order.  September 2009 minutes approved.  Discussion:

Ø  Assemblyman and doctors support medical marijuana in New Jersey.  All three gubernatorial candidates said they support medical marijuana during their recent debate.  Libertarian candidate for governor also supports the bill.  See the excellent article in Inside New Jersey, “Medical marijuana bill gains momentum in New Jersey.” 

Ø  The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which was approved by the state Senate in February, is due for a vote by the Assembly this fall.  Tell your legislators that you want the Senate version of the bill to pass into law.  This version does not contain the very restrictive changes to the bill that was released by the Assembly Health Committee.  See CMMNJ’s recent blog for talking points—but tell your story in your own words.  Don’t let a possibly unworkable bill pass into law.  CMMNJ working on postcard project.

Ø  Support multiple sclerosis (MS) patient John Wilson, who faces 20 years in prison for growing marijuana to treat his MS.  Wilson was forbidden by the judge to even mention his medical condition during the upcoming trial.  Wilson’s next pre-trial hearing will be on 10/30 at 9AM.  Also, a Warren County NJ mother, day care operator, and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) president faces many years in prison after her September arrest for medical marijuana that she used to treat severe anxiety.

Ø  CMMNJ is scheduled to appear at the following upcoming events (volunteers needed):

·         10/17 & 11/21, 11:30 AM, Medical Marijuana Info Seminar, Collingswood, NJ Public Library (free);

·         10/19, 6:00 PM, Ocean Co. Community College Medical Marijuana Debate, SGA Room 100;

·         Tues., 10/20, 7 PM, NORML NJ Open Mtng., Dog House Saloon, 270 Pascack Rd., Wash. Twp, NJ 07676;

·         11/17 – 19, League of Municipalities Conference at Atlantic City Convention Center (set-up is 11/16).

Ø  CMMNJ representatives recently appeared at the following events: 9/13, Hamilton Septemberfest, Hamilton Twp., NJ; 9/19, Boston Freedom Rally, Boston, Mass.; 9/24-26, NORML Conference, San Francisco, CA.; 10/4 Lawrence Community Day, Lawrence Twp., NJ.; NY State Harvest Festival; 10/10,  Ewing Community Fest, TCNJ, Ewing Twp., NJ.; Wisconsin

Ø  CMMNJ raised $178 as a cause on Facebook!  See Ken’s Facebook page & Facebook Friends of CMMNJ!

Ø  Treasury report: Current balances: Checking: $4974.21; PayPal: $436.19.  Please consider a tax-deductible donation to CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) organization, to fund public education about medical marijuana.  Donations may be made securely through Paypal or checks made out to “CMMNJ” and sent to the address below.  Get a free t-shirt for a donation above $15—specify size.  Thank you for your support.

Scheduled meetings are Nov. 10, & Dec. 8, 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

ohamkrw@aol.com

You Can Make a Difference

Dear friends,

Today we have something huge to celebrate.

All your calls and letters to the White House this year have paid off: The Obama administration just announced that it's directing federal drug agents not to arrest or harass medical marijuana patients who comply with state laws.

Your determination to hold the administration accountable turned campaign promises into official policy. Congratulations! Donate now to turn this momentum into more medical marijuana victories.

The next step is to protect patients by making sure that states with medical marijuana laws also provide safe and legal ways for people to obtain their medicine.

We have a perfect chance to do that in Maine on Election Day. An initiative on the state's November ballot would create a legal, regulated distribution system for medical marijuana. 

We can reach 35,000 Mainers who support the initiative to make sure they cast their vote, but we need your help to do it. Will you make a donation to help us call Maine voters?

Raising $10,000 in the next week will allow us to conduct the outreach that could make the difference on Election Day. 

A victory will not only protect patients in Maine, but build momentum for medical marijuana efforts around the country. Please donate now and help us reach our $10,000 goal.

Sincerely,

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

Friends,

In the spring of 1932, Al Capone sat in his cell at Alcatraz, gazing across the San Francisco bay at a city filled with illegal speakeasies. One year later, alcohol prohibition would be repealed, leaving Capone's criminal empire in ruins. Violence and corruption decreased... until the U.S. declared a "War on Drugs."

In the spring of 2010, hundreds of members, alumni, and supporters of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) will convene at San Francisco's beautiful Fort Mason Center to discuss modern day prohibition -- drug prohibition -- and its disastrous effects on our society. During the weekend of March 12-14, we will plot a course toward reform, make connections with fellow advocates, and experience a vibrant city on the forefront of sensible drug policy.

Will you join us?

To RSVP for SSDP's International Conference, please visit http://www.ssdp.org/conference/rsvp

While we haven't launched our official registration page yet, RSVPing will ensure that you are at the front of the line for our reduced-price tickets once they are available. We will also be offering travel/lodging scholarships to those who RSVP early. And by RSVPing, you can help us select our conference theme!

With the public and the media embracing reform like never before, this is an exciting time to be involved in changing drug laws. We hope you'll join us in San Francisco for a weekend of education, skills training, and fun!

http://www.ssdp.org/conference/rsvp

Stay Sensible!
Amber, Jon, Micah, Stacia, and Tyler
Students for Sensible Drug Policy

P.S. If you'd like to help us make this the biggest, best SSDP conference yet, please make a donation today.

Stay in touch with SSDP on...

Dear friends,

The contrast is unbelievable.

On one hand, we are accelerating our impact: We are close to receiving endorsements from police unions at home and in Europe, I am testifying before the Danish Parliament and the Brazilian Commission on Drugs and Democracy, we enjoyed recent coverage on CNN… And in a New York Times.com article, Misha Glenny acknowledged that LEAP is the "most effective" drug reform organization in America.

We are gaining strength, making a difference and will not be denied.

On the other hand, our growing success has come at a time when many major donors have been forced to cut back. We face a short term financial crisis. We are in the final stages of hiring a development director, but can't wait until s/he is on board to raise the funds that sustain LEAP's day-to-day operation. We need your help right now so we can continue playing the role in drug reform that only we can play.

I am making a one-time appeal for your help to bridge a gap that threatens our continuing success in overthrowing the prohibition.

You know how powerful our impact is. When we talk about not tinkering at the edges of reform but making meaningful changes in national policy, we can't be dismissed or marginalized.

Please, make a generous, one-time donation to LEAP as soon as you can. You can use any credit card through our website, www.leap.cc or write us a check to the address below/above.

I spent a quarter of a century as a warrior in this destructive war, and now, along with my fellow officers, we can bring an end to the madness of drug prohibition.

But the LEAP support system is dangerously low on funds, and that is where you take the lead.

You have the power to keep LEAP speakers in front of influential audiences, in person, through the media and on our website which had over a million visitors last year. Without your immediate help, our influence will diminish and the forces of prohibition will be strengthened.

Please don't let that happen.

Your tax-deductible contribution is your weapon. Please use it with conviction.

And thank you so much for your past and present support.

Jack A. Cole
Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 13, 2009
CONTACT: Tony Newman at (646) 335-5384 or Tommy McDonald at (646) 335-2242

Drug Policy Alliance Co-Hosts Landmark 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Albuquerque, November 12-14

Unprecedented International Delegation, Two New Mexico Governors, Former Foreign Minister of Mexico Join Key Activists, Law Enforcement and Top Researchers at Leading World Forum to Chart Pivotal Shifts in Drug Policy and Sharpen Strategies for Cutting-Edge Reforms

ALBUQUERQUE-- Why are elected officials from across the political spectrum starting to talk openly about ending marijuana prohibition in the United States? Can cash-starved state and local governments conserve funds by cutting ineffective drug war programs and emphasizing treatment over incarceration? What drove three former Latin American presidents this year to release an influential report that called for "breaking the taboo" on open and honest discussion of alternatives to prohibition, decriminalizing marijuana and treating drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal justice matter?

Learn the answers to these questions, pose your own and participate in the cutting edge of drug policy at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Albuquerque, November 12-14. The conference, organized by the Drug Policy Alliance and dozens of other organizations (see list of groups below) will play host to nearly 1,000 leaders in international drug policy - including elected officials, law enforcement, health care and drug treatment professionals, researchers, religious leaders, formerly incarcerated Americans and reform advocates from around the world. The Drug Policy Alliance is the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights.

In the past decade, U.S. voters and legislators have enacted more than 150 drug policy reforms on issues ranging from medical marijuana to overdose prevention to bans on racial profiling. Building on the momentum from these victories, conference participants will survey the current drug policy landscape and strategize the next steps. Topics to be discussed include:

• Taxing and Regulating Marijuana - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger caused a stir this year when he said it's "time for a debate" on whether to tax and regulate marijuana. Now advocates for ending marijuana prohibition are gathering signatures to place a tax-and-regulate measure on the 2010 ballot in California, and in the state legislature, CA Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has introduced his own tax-and-regulate bill. Ammiano and the ballot measure backers will be at the conference in Albuquerque.

• International Drug Policy Reform - Argentina and Mexico took major steps this summer to decriminalize personal drug use, on the heels of a groundbreaking report by three former Latin American presidents calling for a "paradigm shift" in international drug policy. The report calls for "breaking the taboo" on open and honest discussion of alternatives to prohibition, decriminalizing marijuana and treating drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal justice matter. Former Mexico Foreign Minister Jorge Castaneda highlights a panel examining the impact of these moves on the drug war violence in Mexico, as well as the intersection of U.S. drug policy and immigration laws.

• Veterans and the War at Home - Returning veterans, facing high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health challenges, also suffer from high rates of drug addiction. At the conference, leading experts on treatment and harm reduction will take the first in-depth look at a new report detailing treatment options for veterans and recommendations for optimal care.

• Pushing the Envelope: The Next Stage in Harm Reduction - Harm reduction has come a long way since syringe exchange was first introduced to stem the transmission of disease among people who use IV drugs. Now advocates and treatment professionals are building support for additional life-saving measures, such as prescription heroin for people suffering from addiction and supervised injection facilities to reduce the risk of disease and overdose.

• New Mexico: Leading the Way - New Mexico stands at the forefront of U.S. drug policy reform, buoyed by the support of current Gov. Bill Richardson and former Governor Gary Johnson—both of whom are scheduled to attend this year's conference. We'll examine New Mexico's unique state-run system for medical marijuana distribution and the state's pioneering Good Samaritan 911 law that protects individuals from drug possession charges when they seek medical help for an overdose victim.

The Drug Policy Alliance is co-hosting the 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference with the ACLU, the Harm Reduction Coalition, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Marijuana Policy Project, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, the Open Society Institute and Students for Sensible Policy. For a full list of partners and more information on the conference: Visit http://www.reformconference.org/

Substance use and thus drug related harm occur within the context of people's lives including their experiences of trauma.

This half-day training is for anyone working with opiate users who may be at risk for overdose.

Wisconsin: Disenfranchising Legislation Afoot, as is Prosecution for Voting

Nearly 200 Wisconsin citizens may have illegally voted in the November 2008 presidential election and could face prosecution, a state official said. Of the nearly 3 million votes cast in the election, 195 names matched those of individuals with felony convictions, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The election audit comes as the Wisconsin Democracy Restoration Act is advancing in the Democratic-controlled Legislature. The legislation, SB 240, would give residents the right to vote once they are released from prison or jail. The change would immediately re-enfranchise more than 41,000 felons on probation and parole. The Sentencing Project submitted testimony to the Wisconsin Legislature in support of the bill which would move Wisconsin in line with the neighboring states of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio which all have less restrictive disenfranchisement policies.

Maine: NAACP Promotes Civic Activism in Prisons

The NAACP in Maine has registered more than 200 inmates at five of the state's seven adult correctional centers in an effort to promote civic activism in one of only two states that allow individuals to vote while incarcerated, the Associated Press reported.

"Having that access to the vote makes a difference. It makes me feel I'm continuing in the loop of the community and society. You feel like you count," said Maine inmate Randal Horr, who registered to vote with the help of NAACP volunteers. For additional coverage, read the Kennebec Journal Morning Sentinel and Colorlines.

National: Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 is Necessary Legislation

"People on parole are forced to get a job. It's part of your conditions. If you're paying taxes, you should be allowed to vote," said Kenneth Harrigan of The Fortune Society, an organization that works with the formerly incarcerated.

An article published on The Grio highlights the importance of the Democracy Restoration Act legislation which would allow individuals with felony offenses to vote in all federal elections. The article states that the current laws have an overwhelming racial impact on elections.

Florida: Cutbacks, Confusion Result in Possibility of Rescinded Voting Rights

Two years after Gov. Charlie Crist removed vote restoration barriers for some, an audit has revealed 13 people had their rights restored despite being ineligible. The Clemency Board, made up of Crist and three Cabinet members, will review the cases in December. Some members are proposing the idea to not rescind voting rights for individuals that committed crimes decades ago unless there were aggravating circumstances.
- - - - - -

Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today.

Contact Information -- e-mail: zhughes@sentencingproject.org, web: http://www.sentencingproject.org

You Can Make a Difference

Dear friends,

Keep people talking about making marijuana legal with a FREE sticker.

Order a FREE sticker

People all over the country are ready to talk about making marijuana legal.  Help spark the conversation by displaying one of our free stickers.

Millions of Today Show viewers tuned in last week to watch a segment on “stiletto stoners”: professional women who prefer relaxing with marijuana rather than a glass of wine.  The underlying message?  Their behavior is completely normal. 

The days when marijuana smoking was demonized as a dangerous counterculture activity are over.  However you feel about marijuana use, we all agree that making it legal is better than keeping it criminal. 

Display a free “Make Marijuana Legal” sticker and keep the dialogue going.  We’re gaining momentum quickly.  Now let’s turn up the heat.

Sincerely,

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

Please join us at this meeting -- all are welcome. Snacks are served. Meeting at the library does not imply their endorsement of our issue.

Dear friends,

It’s almost here!  The Reform Conference is just over a month away, and there’s an incredible amount of energy in the air for drug policy reform.  Register to attend before the discounted Early Bird registration ends on October 9th.  

This year’s Reform Conference is going to update you on fresh policy strategies and research, advance your thinking on the issues, and bring you into contact with people from across the country and around the world who can help you become a better advocate.  Our program will span a broader range of topics than any other drug policy conference, and is approved for CEUs for drug and alcohol counselors.  You can see session descriptions on the website, with more added every day as we confirm our final speakers. 

The learning doesn’t stop with the program itself – you or your group will also have opportunities to host a meeting there, or to join one.  You can help us honor top achievers in various fields of drug policy reform, and join the most active, inspired, and motivated group of reformers working today.  You’ll be a member of the group leading the way for positive change.

Your voice is needed.  Take advantage of the discount we offer to early registrants and sign up to attend by October 9th.

I’ll see you in Albuquerque.

Sincerely,

Ethan Nadelmann
Executive Director
Drug Policy Alliance

      and

     Reform Conference Co-Hosts