Student Members of AMA Endorse Access to Medical Marijuana

Resolution Goes to Full American Medical Association for November Vote

The prestigious American Medical Association (AMA) will consider endorsing therapeutic use of cannabis at its next interim meeting in November.

In June, the Medical Student Section (MSS) of the AMA, led by an ASA medical advisor, approved a resolution urging the physicians group to support the reclassification of marijuana for medical use. The MSS will send the resolution to the AMA House of Delegates for a final vote in November.

"While it is an historic occasion for any section of the AMA to endorse medical marijuana, the MSS is merely affirming existing science and urging the adoption of a sensible medical marijuana policy," said AMA-MSS member Sunil Aggarwal, who serves on ASA's Medical and Scientific Advisory Board and is pushing the effort to gain AMA endorsement. "As a future medical doctor, I look forward to exploring and utilizing the many medical benefits of cannabinoid medicines in patient care."

With nearly 50,000 members, the MSS is the largest and most influential organization of medical students in the United States.

"This is a positive and necessary step in the right direction," said Dr. David Ostrow, a member of the AMA and Chair of ASA's Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. "We are hopeful that the full house of delegates will follow the example set by the American College of Physicians and place the needs and safety of our patients above politics."

In February, the American College of Physicians (ACP) adopted a resolution that called for rescheduling marijuana to make it available by prescription and expanding research into its medical efficacy. With 124,000 members, the ACP is the country's second largest physician group and the largest organization of doctors of internal medicine.

Since 1996, twelve U.S. states have adopted medical marijuana laws. Public opinion polls consistently show that as many as 4 out of 5 Americans support access to medical marijuana.

The AMA-MSS resolution is online here.

ASA Fights Counties' Challenge to Calif. Medical Cannabis Law

Joins ACLU and State AG in Arguing Appeal of ID Card Ruling

Two California counties faced off against ASA, the ACLU and the state attorney general in appeals court last month, arguing whether the state's medical cannabis law should be enforced. San Diego and San Bernardino counties do not want to implement California's patient ID program and are appealing a superior court ruling that said they must.

ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford

In an unusual move by the justices, an overflow room was set up with television coverage from the courtroom to accommodate the extraordinary turnout in court to hear oral arguments from ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford, Adam Wolfe of the American Civil Liberties Union and Deputy Attorney General Peter Krause.

The counties are contending that federal law preempts California's medical marijuana laws. San Bernardino also argues that when the legislature added the card program they unconstitutionally amend the 1996 initiative enacted by voters.

Attorneys for patients told the justices that they should affirm the lower court ruling that California's decision not to arrest or prosecute medical marijuana patients is valid, even if the federal government prohibits all marijuana use.

"States have traditionally been entrusted with caring for the health and welfare of their citizens," said ASA's Elford. "Proper implementation of California's medical marijuana laws benefits patients, law enforcement, and the entire state."

The case is the result of the November 2005 vote by San Diego County Board of Supervisors to challenge the legislature's patient ID card program, a move that was joined by two others, San Bernardino and Merced. Merced agreed to implement the program after it lost the case in November 2006.

"San Diego and San Bernardino Counties remain intent on defying the will of California's voters and the well-being of thousands of sick and dying patients at tremendous taxpayer expense," said Adam Wolf, the ACLU attorney. "The counties' legally dubious lawsuit is a slap in the face to medical marijuana patients and the voters of California."
A ruling in the case from the California 4th District Court of Appeal is expected later this summer.

Additional information on the case is available online here.

ASA Chapter Focus: Western North Carolina

Among the affiliates of Americans for Safe Access enjoying recent success in defending patient rights is the Western North Carolina chapter, ASAWNC. Chapter members testified last month before the state legislature in support of making medical use legal in North Carolina, and the director's caregiver prevailed in an important court case.

On June 25, ASAWNC members traveled across the state to the capitol in Raleigh for the North Carolina House Science & Technology committee hearing regarding NC H.R. 2405, which is a bill to study the public benefits of allowing medical marijuana in the state. Joining ASAWNC director Jean Marlowe in testifying before the committee in support of the bill was former Surgeon-General Dr. Jocelyn Elders, as well as Dr. Laura Hanson of Chapel Hill and patient Dixie Deerman, who is a Registered Nurse in Asheville.

That testimony came just two days after Steve Marlowe, Jean's caregiver, won an important ruling in state court, where he was facing state marijuana charges. The judge threw out all evidence obtained with the search warrant, ruling that the informant used by the Polk County Sheriff's Department was "not a credible witness" and that they had acted with "willful intent, or with reckless disregard for the law" in using this informant as a basis for their search warrant. As a result, all charges were dismissed later that day.

By the end of the week, the District Attorney had ordered the sheriff to return all property taken from the Marlowes, except for the marijuana. This was the third time law enforcement has been ordered to return equipment to the Marlowe home. ASAWNC made sure news media was on hand to cover the return of property.

For more about ASAWNC, see their videos on YouTube at
www.youtube.com/asawnc and www.youtube.com/marloweism.

RESEARCH UPDATES

Cannabinoids Fight Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Tumor Growth

Swedish researchers report success using the endocannabinoid system to fight non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Cancer, show that a cannabinoid agonist halts the spread and growth of cancerous tumors in animals with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Investigators report that mice treated with the cannabinoid agonist experienced a 40 percent reduction in tumor weight.

The researchers conclude that ability of cannabinoids to both restrict the proliferation of cancer cells and reprogram the cells to die off makes "the endocannabinoid system a potential new therapeutic target for individualized therapy in lymphomas."

These findings are consistent with earlier studies that have shown cannabinoids can halt the spread of many types of cancers, including brain, breast, lung, prostate and pancreatic cancers.

New Anti-inflammatory Compound Found in Cannabis

A new anti-inflammatory compound that is not psychoactive has been found in large concentrations in the cannabis plant. The compound, which can ease swelling, pain and inflammation, may lead to the development of new treatments for such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease.

The chemical, called beta-caryophyllene, helps combat inflammation without affecting the brain. Researchers demonstrated in an animal study that beta-caryophyllene attaches to CB-2 cannabinoid receptors, producing the anti-inflammatory effect, but not to the CB-1 receptors, which are associated with the psychoactive effects of THC and other cannabinoids.

Analysis of cannabis has found it to contain as much as 35% beta-caryophyllene. Other common plants that contain the oil include black pepper, oregano, basil, lime, cinnamon, carrots, and celery.

Clinical Neuropathy Trial Shows Cannabis Effective

Even low doses of smoked cannabis can be effective in managing hard-to-treat neuropathic pain, according to California researchers. Investigators found that low- and high-dose cannabis produced similar levels of pain relief, reducing both the intensity and unpleasantness of the often unbearable nerve pain.

The researchers note that cannabis not only fights pain itself but also interacts with opiod painkillers to increase their effectiveness, particularly in neuropathic pain. They also note that using isolated synthetic cannabinoids such as THC (dronabinol) does not provide the same degree of efficacy as a whole-plant preparation of cannabis.

In conclusion, investigators observe that "cannabis does not rely on a relaxing or tranquillizing effect but rather reduces both the core component of nociception [the nerve transmission of pain] and the emotional aspect of the pain experience to an equal degree."

Case Studies Show THC Can Relieve Depression

While many patients report cannabis use has a positive impact on mental health issues ranging from anxiety to depression, such use is controversial and rarely studied. A recent pair of case studies from Austria, published last month in the journal of the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine, describe oral administration of synthetic THC (dronabinol) helping two women with chronic depression. The author reports that 8 out of 10 depressive patients he has treated with synthetic THC exhibited "swift improvement." He concludes that clinical studies of the "effectiveness of cannabinoids for the treatment of depression … are desirable and promising."

NATIONAL ACTION ALERT
Defend Patients and Caregivers, Tell Congress to Stop Funding Medical Marijuana Raids Today!

It's time to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on raiding state-licensed patients and providers. Congress can do it. The Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment to the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill instructs the Department of Justice to use its money wisely and specifically prohibits the Department from using appropriated funds to conduct raids or otherwise prevent the various states from implementing laws that authorize the therapeutic use of cannabis.

Tell your U.S. Representative that, if adopted, this amendment will do two things:

(1) Conserve taxpayers' money by eliminating funding for DEA raids aimed at state-certified medical cannabis patients and caregivers.

(2) Protect legal medical cannabis patients from having their homes and workspaces raided by the DEA.
For phone numbers of your representatives go to: www.house.gov or call the congressional switchboard at: (202) 224-3121.

Or contact George@AmericansforSafeAccess for additional info.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
JULY 3, 2008

Fresno Supervisors to Hold Hearing on Medical Marijuana ID Card Program July 8Patients, Advocates to Highlight Program's Importance at July 7 Medical Marijuana Documentary Screening

CONTACT: Aaron Smith, MPP California organizer, 707-575-9870

FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno County Board of Supervisors will conduct a public hearing on the local implementation of the statewide Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program, 9 a.m., July 8, in the County Board Chambers in the Hall of Records at 2281 Tulare St.

    Although 40 California counties have implemented the program – including Merced, Tulare, Inyo and San Benito as well as Los Angeles, Orange and Kern – Fresno has yet to act.

    Patients and advocates from across the county, including Diana Kirby, 66, will attend the hearing. Kirby uses physician-approved medical marijuana, under state law, to treat severe pain from an auto accident that resulted in having her leg amputated.

    "Patients like me shouldn't have to worry about being falsely arrested because our county isn't offering the ID cards," Kirby said. "Let's hope our elected officials do the right thing for patients and taxpayers by implementing this program."

    Aaron Smith, California organizer for the Marijuana Policy Project, noted that the program – mandated by a state law that went into effect in 2004 – benefits law enforcement by removing the burden of verifying patient documentation from officers on the street. The ID card provides a means for local peace officers to easily identify bona fide medical marijuana patients during enforcement stops.

    "We are merely calling on the Board of Supervisors to follow existing state law so that suffering patients like Diana do not have to live in fear of false arrest at the expense of local taxpayers," Smith said. "It is the duty of the county's leaders to protect their most vulnerable citizens and to make the jobs of local law enforcement easier by providing them with all the tools available. This program is a major step in the right direction."

    To help educate the community about this and other medical marijuana issues facing Fresno, MPP will host a free screening of the award-winning medical marijuana documentary "Waiting to Inhale," followed by a panel discussion, July 7, at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2672 E. Alluvial Ave., in Clovis.

    With more than 25,000 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 www.MarijuanaPolicy.org.

####

This issue…

Make the LEAP
Volunteer of the Month
Did you Know?
LEAP on Capitol Hill
State by State
Campus Communities/ What People are Saying About LEAP
Making Media
International Overtures

Make the LEAP

Following the announcement that Damage Done: The Drug War Odyssey had become available on DVD in the LEAP Store, many of our members rushed to order their copies. The DVDs are on their way… and a great, simple way to take action is to recommend the film to others. If you haven’t yet ordered a DVD and would like to, you can do so by visiting the LEAP Store.

Volunteer of the Month

Don’t Mess with Texas – Jim Kilpatrick has made a decision to bring change to his state. He began booking speaker Russ Jones around Austin, Texas and didn’t stop there. Jim managed to book gigs for Mike Gilbert and Dean Becker as well. This month he isn’t thinking only of Texas; he is also working to book Mike Gilbert in Alaska. Since coming on board as a LEAP volunteer, Jim has put speakers in front of an average of five audiences a month.

Did you know?

June 17, 2008 marked the 37th anniversary of the day former President Richard Nixon declared illegal drugs “public enemy number one” and announced his “War on Drugs”. Today, the War on Drugs metaphor continues to haunt us. As Laura Carlsen writes in her article “Militarizing Mexico: The New War on Drugs”, published July 12, 2007 in Foreign Policy in Focus, “with the metaphor of “war”, the president transferred responsibility from state and local governments, where the emphasis was on treatment of illegal drug use within the framework of a community or health problem, to federal coordination that addressed treatment but also established special enforcement agencies directly under the presidential mandate. The U.S. model not only served to bolster the presidency, it has also proven useful as a tool for geopolitical control abroad. By elevating drug trafficking to a matter of national security, the war on drugs model has led to U.S. intervention in the politics of both drug-producing and transit nations. It has been used to justify the militarization of whole regions of foreign nations (Colombia), invasions to oust inconvenient foreign leaders (Panama), and now the extension of the U.S. security agenda into a neighboring country (Mexico).

LEAP on Capitol Hill
Contributed by DC Education Specialist, Howard Wooldridge

Washington, DC hosts many national and international conferences. Recently I attended three: GOAL (Gay Officers Action League), Break the Chains and the ACLU membership conference. Six years after LEAP’s foundation, I was gratified to see how many people already knew of our organization and its mission to end the Modern Prohibition.

At the GOAL conference I was struck by the stories of gays who ‘came out’ and the similarities that LEAP members have ‘coming out’ against the War on Drugs. LEAP, of course, still allows for ‘stealth’ membership, since being openly against prohibition could hurt or perhaps even destroy a law enforcement career. As the French say, “Plus ca change, plus reste la même chose” (the more that changes, the more that stays the same). Perhaps a slight majority who heard my presentation agreed with the LEAP mission, many did not. Privacy issues are important to all adults, but many, too many, still cling to allowing the government to enter our homes and arrest us for putting something in our mouth the government does not approve of.

Break the Chains conference featured two of our speakers, Matthew Fogg and Judge Billy Murphy. They spoke simply and forcefully for legalization. Few openly agreed with them, but all attendees agreed that the War on Drugs causes many problems. The pastor of a large Baltimore church and I had a long discussion. After 30 minutes of talking, he is not sure if he supports the War on Drugs anymore. One at a time.

I proudly wore my LEAP t-shirt at the ACLU Conference which resulted in dozens of little chats of why and how to end modern prohibition. Naturally, the listeners agreed and enthusiastically supported the LEAP message. Wearing the shirt and cowboy hat helped me stick out like a sore thumb which meant the vast majority of the two thousand attendees at least read the message.

Although our issue has not yet caught fire at the national level, we are all laying the foundation to turn it into a bonfire when it does.

State by State

When the director of the Hammer Museum, located in Los Angeles on the UCLA campus and founded by the famous Armand Hammer family, called to ask for speakers for a forum on the lost war on drugs, LEAP jumped at the chance to send two of its best, California Judge Jim Gray, author of “Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It: A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs” and retired Seattle Chief of Police Norm Stamper, author of “Breaking Rank: A Top Cop’s Expose of the Dark Side of American Policing”. The addition of Marc Mauer of the “The Sentencing Project” morphed the forum into a discussion of America’s Prison State and its roots in Prohibition. While in California, Norm made a number of appearances including an interview with the Reason Foundation TV outlet.

Even if the presidential candidates aren’t talking about the War on Drugs, the people who comprise political parties have made it a priority. Terry Nelson spoke to a partisan group in Ft Worth, Texas about the tactics we are using to end prohibition; while Jack Cole spoke to a partisan group in Boston, Massachusetts and Tony Ryan addressed a local club in Sioux Falls, North Dakota. LEAP staff member Barb Humphrey was honored as Party Member of the Year for her home community of Syracuse, New York; she used the opportunity to introduce influential community members to LEAP.

Mike Gilbert is making the rounds in the San Antonio, Texas area as he prepares for his big trip to Alaska in July. The Alaskan Drug Policy Forum is hosting a two week tour of the state that will include time in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Watch the LEAP events page online for details on all the LEAP events.

Michigan: Officials' Misunderstanding Leads to Misinformed, Nonvoting Citizens'

Formerly incarcerated citizens often return to their communities "with the intention of addressing a system that unjustly led to their incarceration," according to a Detroit advocacy group, Helping Our Prisoners Elevate (H.O.P.E.). "Most people that go to prison gain a greater awareness," H.O.P.E.'s Kwasi Akwamu was quoted as saying in a recent Michigan Citizen article. "We encourage ex-prisoners to vote - to become part of that process and change those harsh policies."

Although individuals who have served prison time regain their rights upon release, many are unaware of reenfranchisement laws in Michigan, and nationwide. In the article, The Sentencing Project's Executive Director Marc Mauer cites a 10-state survey in which 31% of local election officials misunderstood voting laws, thus misinforming formerly incarcerated individuals. "It's the lack of information," stated Mauer. "There's no systematic means by which they are informed of their right to vote."

Tennessee: Lawsuit Aims to Strike Down "Poll Tax," Restore Rights

A lawsuit brought by the Atlanta-based ACLU Voting Rights Project challenges the constitutionality of the state's law, which does not automatically restore rights after individuals complete their sentence. Furthermore, citizens charged with felony offenses are banned from voting if they owe child support or court-ordered restitution. Preliminary motions will be heard in Nashville later this month.

One of the 90,000 citizens barred from voting in Tennessee is 20-year-old Louis Horton, who received three months in prison and two years of probation for burglary. After serving his time, Horton attempted to have his rights restored, but was denied because he owed about $4,000 in court-ordered restitution. "I been saying every vote counts," said Horton. "Now, I don't know that I would vote for Obama strictly because he's a black man. I like what he has to say. The only thing I can say for sure is this is a year where it would be nice to stick my vote in there, too." According to the Tennessean, Horton, who is one of three men named in the suit, is one of thousands of African Americans who are disproportionately arrested, charged and convicted of crimes, which are pushing to regain the right to vote. Between January 1 and June 24 of this year, 469 former felons requested and received a restoration of their voting rights.

Others affected by the law include Alex Friedmann, who wasn't immediately interested in his voting rights after completing his sentence, but believed his vote should be counted. "When you get out, your priorities are to find a place to live, earn an income, and if you are like most people, get your personal life in order ... repair relationships with your family," said Friedmann, who is associate editor of Prison Legal News. "Voting rights generally don't figure in until you have reached a certain point of stability." For more coverage, read a blog post from Knoxville's WBIR.com.

National: "Illogical System" in Florida in Need of "Complete Overhaul"

A New York Times editorial advocating for automatic restoration in Florida, states that "the United States is uniquely unforgiving" in its disenfranchisement laws. Despite the state's disenfranchisement reform last year, the New York Times argues that restoring rights only to citizens convicted of nonviolent offenses is "short of what's needed," and suggests a "complete overhaul of a wildly illogical system." It also states that the extensive background checks are unnecessary and time consuming for a short-staffed Parole Commission.

The editorial further states: "Quite apart from the fact that it is undemocratic to bar people from the voting booth because they owe money, the system is transparently counterproductive since it prevents people from landing the jobs they will need to make restitution. Denying ex-offenders a chance to make an honest living is a sure way to drive them back to jail."

- - - - - -

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

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

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network:

ABC's John Stossel joins us on next weeks Century of Lies !!!

(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 07/02/08 Professor Arnold Trebach, author of Fatal Distraction + LEAP report from Terry Nelson, Glenn Greenway with Poppygate report, OP-ED from Bruce Mirken of Marijuana Policy Project & Amsterdam prohibits tobacco not pot.
MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1952/FDBCB_070208.mp3
TRANSCRIPT: (To be posted by Friday)

Century of Lies for 07/01/08 Cliff Thornton of Efficacy discusses the political implications of the drug war + Russ Bellville of NORML's audio stash opinion piece & Loretta Nall discusses Alabama's justice system. MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1951/COL_070108.mp3
TRANSCRIPT: (Tramscript on Saturday)

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: Ryan King of Sentencing Project
- Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: John Stossel of ABC

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, Canada and Now Australia!!!

Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org

Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 55 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

Hello all,

First, please save the dates of October 17-19, 2008 and make plans to join us for NORML's 37th annual national conference in Berkeley, California.

This year's theme is "It's Not Your Parents' Prohibition!"

Below is the basic information to make your discounted room reservation.

Second, please forward any speaker or panel topic suggestions for this year's conference to 'media@norml.org'. The NORML conference planning committee is seeking activists' and stakeholders' input on potential speakers and topics to help round out the current schedule.

This year's conference program is shaping up similar to last year's format in Los Angeles: Ten or so plenary sessions, two or three featured speakers, three breakout sessions and an entire day focusing on medical marijuana and ever-evolving medical marijuana industry (Sunday, October 19).

Please make your room reservations and travel arrangements ASAP to assure that you're in attendance at America's most popular pro-cannabis reform conference.

Conference registration information and a listing of social events will be posted shortly.

Thanks for your attention, help and support,

-Allen St. Pierre

Executive Director
NORML/NORML Foundation
Member, Board of Directors
NORML/NORML Foundation
1600 K St., NW
Suite 501
Washington, D.C. 20006

*****

Who: National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)

What: NORML's 37th National Conference

Conference Theme: "It's Not Your Parents' Prohibition!"

When: October 17-19, 2008

Where: Doubletree Berkeley Marina, Berkeley, CA

Discounted room rates available ($159/night), call now as NORML's rooms always sell out!

How: Reservation Line is 510-548-7920, use the code 'NOR' for the discount.

Reserve online at: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/JBKCADT-NOR-20081... (use the code 'NOR' for the discount)

[Courtesy of IDPC]

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.

IDPC ADVOCACY NOTES ON THE UNGASS REVIEW

As the process of reviewing the 10-year achievements of the global drug control system continues, the IDPC has been synthesising the wide range of publications and analysis from its members into brief advocacy notes that summarise our positions on the key issues in this review. Currently, four of these notes have been produced - three of them correspond directly to the work of three of the UNGASS Working Groups, and the fourth covers more general principles that are not the responsibility of any particular working group.

SUPPLY REDUCTION WORKING GROUP

ENGLISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_AdvocacyNote_SupplyReduc_EN....

SPANISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_AdvocacyNote_SupplyReduc_ES....

DEMAND REDUCTION WORKING GROUP

ENGLISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_AdvocacyNote_DRWG_EN.pdf

SPANISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_AdvocacyNote_DRWG_ES.pdf

CROP ERADICATION AND ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP

ENGLISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_Advo_CEADWG_June08_EN.pdf

SPANISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_Advo_CEADWG_June08_ES.pdf

ISSUES NOT SPECIFICALLY COVERED BY WORKING GROUPS

ENGLISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_Advo_Other_Issues_June08_EN....

SPANISH http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_Advo_Other_Issues_June08_ES....

UNGASS NEWS’ FIRST EDITION

To provide our network and partners with concise information on the background to the UNGASS 10-year review, the IDPC has produced an Advocacy Guide that explains the structures, processes and issues involved. This guide can be downloaded from the IDPC website http://www.idpc.info/ or http://www.es.idpc.info/. As the process accelerates, we are supplementing this guide with a monthly update on the latest news and debates relevant to the review. The first of these updates is now available on the IDPC website, and another one will be distributed at the end of July. http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_UngassNews_June08_EN.pdf

IDPC BRIEFING MEETING AND RECEPTION - 7th JULY.

The latest in this series of briefing meetings will be held in the margins of the "Beyond 2008" Global NGO Forum in Vienna. This meeting will update participants on the IDPC contribution to the UNGASS review process, and consider the next steps. Informal presentations will be followed by a drinks reception to allow the maximum opportunity for networking. The global forum runs from 7th to 9th July, and the IDPC briefing and reception will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 7th July at the NH Danube City Hotel, Wagramer Strasse 21, A-1220 Vienna. This hotel is located adjacent to the UN building in Vienna, so delegates to the forum can gain easy access to the IDPC event. If you are a delegate to the NGO Forum , and wish to attend the IDPC briefing, please contact Geni Horwood at gh@internationaldrugpolicy.net.

GLOBAL SIGN-ON LETTER TO BAN KI MOON

Following the call at the AIDS High Level Meeting in New York for more effective HIV prevention amongst injecting drug users, a group of NGOs initiated a sign on letter to senior UN officials pointing out the contradictions between the drive to tackle this problem, and the stigmatisation and marginalisation of drug users that is often part of UN-supported drug control activities. The letter, that is released to coincide with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, calls for greater cohesion between these two areas of UN activity.

http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/GlobalSignonLetterBanKiMoon_June0...

WOLA TESTIMONY TO US CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE

On June 19, 2008, WOLA Senior Associate John Walsh testified before Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress (chaired by Senator Jim Webb, Democrat of Virginia) on U.S. drug policy. Walsh stated that decades of forced eradication of coca crops in Latin America has had little impact on cocaine production and trafficking, while leaving “a trail of social conflict, political unrest, violence and human rights violations across the region.

In his prepared statement, Walsh said that U.S. drug policies should focus more on harm reduction, which refers not just to reducing the harm caused by drugs to users and their families and communities, but also reduction of the damage caused by misguided, counterproductive policies meant to control drug production and transit. The complete congressional testimony can be found at:

http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/WOLA_JohnWalsh_TestimonyJEC_08_EN...

Please feel free to pass this alert on to any contacts who may be interested in drug policy issues. If you have received this alert in error, or do not wish to continue receiving our alerts, you can unsubscribe yourself by emailing to gh@internationaldrugpolicy.net

[Courtesy of Vote Hemp]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2008
CONTACT: Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671 or adam@votehemp.com, or Tom Murphy at 207-542-4998 or tom@votehemp.com

Vermont Hemp Farming Bill Becomes Law
Controversy Resolved by Opinion of Attorney General’s Office

MONTPELIER, Vermont – Vote Hemp, a grassroots advocacy organization working to give farmers the right to grow non-drug industrial hemp, is extremely pleased that the Vermont Secretary of State‘s office accepted Formal Opinion #2008-1 from the Office of the Attorney General and gave H.267, the Hemp for Vermont bill, the designation of Act No. 212 last Friday. There had been a constitutional controversy as Governor Jim Douglas forwarded H.267 to the Secretary of State intending it to become law without his signature. The bill had overwhelmingly passed both the House (127 to 9) and the Senate (25 to 1). The new law sets up a state-regulated program for farmers to grow non-drug industrial hemp which is used in a wide variety of products, including nutritious foods, cosmetics, body care, clothing, tree-free paper, auto parts, building materials and much more. Learn more about industrial hemp at: www.VoteHemp.com.

Smart and effective grassroots organizing by Vote Hemp and the Vermont-based advocacy group Rural Vermont (www.RuralVermont.org) mobilized farmers and local businesses, many of which pledged to buy their hemp raw materials in-state if they have the opportunity. Rural Vermont’s Director Amy Shollenberger says that “the Hemp for Vermont bill is another step toward legalizing this important crop for farmers. The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't allow this crop to be grown. Looking at the Canadian experience, hemp provides a good return for the farmer. It's a high-yield crop and a great crop to mix in with corn.”

Vermont grows an average of 90,000 acres of corn per year, a small amount compared to Midwest states; however, the need for a good rotation crop exists nationwide. From candle makers to dairymen to retailers, Vermont voters strongly support hemp farming. Admittedly a niche market now, hemp is becoming more common in stores and products across the country every day. Over the past ten years, farmers in Canada have grown an average of 16,500 acres of hemp per year, primarily for use in food products. In Vermont, the interest in hemp includes for use in food products, as well as in quality and affordable animal bedding for the state’s estimated 140,000 cows.

“Vermont’s federal delegation can now take this law to the U.S. Congress and call for a fix to this problem of farmers missing out on a very useful and profitable crop,” comments Eric Steenstra, President of Vote Hemp. “North Dakota farmers who want to grow hemp per state law are currently appealing their lawsuit in the federal courts. The real question is whether these hemp-friendly state congressional delegations feel compelled to act,” adds Steenstra.

Rural Vermont’s Shollenberger states that “the Vermont law is significant for two reasons. First, no other state until now has followed North Dakota’s lead by creating real-world regulations for farmers to grow industrial hemp. Second, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, as well as a member of the Committee on Agriculture – both relevant committees that could consider legislation. We also have a friend at the USDA in new Secretary Ed Schaffer who signed North Dakota’s hemp bill as Governor. I plan to visit Washington, DC and try to figure out what Congress and the Administration intend to do.”

# # #

Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and a free market for low-THC industrial hemp and to changes in current law to allow U.S. farmers to once again grow this agricultural crop. More information about hemp legislation and the crop's many uses may be found at www.VoteHemp.com and www.HempIndustries.org. BETA SP and DVD Video News Releases featuring footage of hemp farming in other countries are available upon request by contacting Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.

[Courtesy of Drug Policy Alliance]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2008
CONTACT: Reena Szczepanski at (505) 699-0798 or Julie Roberts at (505) 983-3277

Advocates Hail Today’s One-Year Anniversary of the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act

Patients’ Right to Medical Marijuana Protected for One Year in New Mexico

Drug Policy Alliance: Program Has Made Progress but Still Has Further to Go

NEW MEXICO—Today marks the one-year anniversary of the start date of New Mexico’s landmark medical cannabis law, the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act. The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has certified 160 patients with identification cards, affording them the right to protection under state law from prosecution for possessing small amounts of medical cannabis.

“The New Mexico Department of Health has done a wonderful job of issuing ID cards to patients who meet the program criteria,” said Reena Szczepanski, director of Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico, “They’ve been very careful to ensure that all of the applications are verified and correct, and they’ve been a real resource for patients and physicians with questions.”

The program has further to go, however. According to the state law, the Department of Health should have issued rules and regulations by October 1, 2007 to govern some aspects of the program, including the medical advisory board, the identification card system, and the production and distribution of medical cannabis. On April 15 the regulations governing the medical advisory board were published. The medical advisory board has not yet met, though the law requires the board to meet at least twice per year to consider petitions for new medical conditions. The remaining two sets of regulations have not been finalized. NMDOH convened two public hearings concerning the regulations on October 1, 2007 and January 14, 2008.

Patients and advocates anxiously await these final two sets of regulations, partly to improve patient access to medical cannabis. Because these regulations are not finalized, no caregivers have been certified to assist patients in maintaining a supply of medicine, and the state licensed production and distribution system has not been implemented to ensure a safe and secure supply for patients. New Mexico’s law is the first in the nation to require the state to create a production and distribution system.

“We recognize that the production and distribution system is very complex and should be carefully designed. That system will allow New Mexico to do what no other state has done - ensure a safe and secure supply of medical cannabis for patients,” said Szczepanski, “But it’s time to publish the identification card regulations and start certifying caregivers, who can help their patients until the distribution system is up and running. It’s been nearly six months since the last public hearing on these regulations.”

Qualified patients whose doctors believe they would benefit from the medicinal use of cannabis will finally be protected as the New Mexico Department of Health issues the first patient identification cards next week. Applications for identification cards for both patients and their primary caregivers are available at the Department of Health’s website, http://www.health.state.nm.us/marijuana.html .

Following a seven-year fight to pass legislation, New Mexico’s landmark medical cannabis law passed in the 2007 legislative session. During the legislative debate on the issue, advocates had predicted that the program would grow over five years to 250-500 patients. New Mexico was the twelfth state to endorse the use of medical cannabis and only the fourth state legislature to enact such a measure.

The law protects qualified patients suffering from certain debilitating medical conditions, HIV/AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, epilepsy, spinal cord injury with intractable spasticity, or admittance into hospice care, to use medical cannabis for relief of their symptoms. For questions regarding qualification for the program or the application process, please contact Melissa Milam with the Department of Health at (505) 827-2321.

###

[Courtesy of Transnational Institute]

TNI Press Release
June 26, 2008

Download PDF: http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/pr260608.pdf

UNODC rewrites history in new World Drug Report to hide failure

The new UN World Drug Report is an elaborate exercise of obscuring the failure of ten years of international drug control policy, according to the Transnational Institute (TNI). TNI is one of the leading non-governmental research institutes on drugs policy.

In spite of claims made in the report released today, the world is not any closer to achieving the 10-year targets set by the 1998 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs. These goals were "eliminating or significantly reducing the illicit cultivation of coca bush, the cannabis plant and the opium poppy by the year 2008."

Instead global production of opium and cocaine has significantly increased over the last ten years. According to UNODCs own figures global illicit opium production doubled in the last ten years and cocaine production increased by 20%.

"There is overwhelming evidence that the current approach to drug control has failed", says Martin Jelsma, coordinator of the TNI Drugs & Democracy Programme. "Instead of setting unrealistic targets, we need to introduce a more rational, pragmatic and humane approach to the drugs phenomenon."

In an attempt to draw attention away from this clear failure, the report reviews 100 years of history, claiming success in comparison with Chinese opium production and use in the early 20th century. "The UNODC is trying to hide failures behind a bad history lesson", says Jelsma. "The report not only tries to rewrite history, it is also out of touch with today's dramatic consequences of drug policies."

TNI's research shows that the World Drug Report:

- Deliberately overestimates opium abuse in China in the early 20th century. Opium use in China was mostly moderate and relatively non-problematic, often for medicinal use.

- Wrongly attributes reductions in global opium production to the international drug control system.

- Mentions unintended consequences that have resulted from international drug control policies, but ignores the fact that to improve access to medicines, respect human rights, avoid militarisation and reduce current rates of imprisonment, fundamental changes in the treaty system are necessary.

On the positive side, the report concludes that the international control system needs to be refined and made 'fit for purpose,' focusing on crime prevention, harm reduction, and human rights. "The report contains many useful data and ends with meaningful proposals," says Jelsma.

"Drug control policies should be based on evidence, fully respect human rights and take a harm reduction approach," says Jelsma. "Otherwise we will see another ten years of failure."

TNI also released the Drug Policy Briefing, Rewriting history http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/brief26.pdf, as a response to the 2008 World Drug Report.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please contact: Drugs & Democracy Programme (TNI) Tel: +31-20-6626608 | Martin Jelsma at +31-6-55715893 (mjelsma@tni.org) or Tom Blickman at +31-6-21535809 (tblick@tni.org)

See also TNI's website www.ungassondrugs.org.

http://www.ungassondrugs.org launched to coincide with the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)'s meeting in Vienna to review UN General Assembly Special Session on drugs for more background.

--
Drugs & Democracy
Transnational Institute (TNI)
De Wittenstraat 25 | 1052 AK Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Tel +31-20-6626608 | Fax 6757176
drugs@tni.org
http://www.tni.org/drugs/

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 06/30/08 to 07/06/08 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net

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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: Prof. Arnold Trebach

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Chapare coca growers cut ties with USAID after years of poorly-framed, ineffectual initiatives.

Prepared by the Andean Information Network, June 27, 2008

On June 24, 2008 Chapare coca grower unions announced that they will no longer sign new aid agreements with USAID.[i] This announcement comes after two decades of poorly-focused policies, which did little to improve the lives of the majority of Chapare residents, especially during forced eradication. These development programs also provoked division and friction within the region by dividing communities and linking aid to controversial coca reduction. As a result, it is not surprising that Chapare coca growers made this decision; it is only surprising that they waited so long. Furthermore, the announcement is largely a symbolic gesture; USAID plans to shift the bulk of its already restricted Chapare activities to the La Paz Yungas in the coming year, and Chapare municipalities have found other funding partners. According to the 2008 INSCR, “Relatively more resources will be devoted to the Yungas, an under-developed coca growing region ….Assistance to the Chapare will continue to decline….” As a result, the number and scope of projects affected is minimal.

It is interesting to note that there has been no rejection of cooperation with the U.S. Narcotics Affairs Section or the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the Chapare. Coca grower representatives affirm the need for their presence, “because their policy is to fight drug trafficking, like ours, but now it’s on our terms.”[ii] Coordination on cooperative coca reduction and interdiction remain unaltered.

It is crucial to look beyond the initial perception of an anti-American political stance to address the genuine popular discontent generated by these programs in order to properly re-evaluate the structure and impact of USAID initiatives. In an environment where the weight of US funding has diminished greatly, it makes sense to accept the Chapare farmers’ “no thank you,” and allow the region’s residents to determine who they would like to work with to improve the lives of their families.

The long term frustration with USAID in the Chapare is real, but the threat of violence is highly unlikely. There is no apparent backlash against USAID workers. According to MAS congressman Asterio Romero, “We cordially request that they (USAID) leave; we won’t use force or take over their facilities, but we want them to go quickly.”[iii] While some cocaleros may have said some provocative things such as calling the Chapare a “USAID-free territory,”[iv] USAID has not been entirely expelled from the Chapare – the few ongoing projects will most likely continue until their designated end dates. Coca growers are simply moving toward other sources of aid and away from the conditions and failures of USAID projects. The cocaleros made their decision to reject USAID at the same time that several large projects have ended and new projects through the European Union funded Social Control and Integrated Development initiatives – which focus on working with local communities and do not impose coca eradication – were launched.

A history of failure and friction

During the past ten years, AIN, WOLA and other investigators have repeatedly highlighted the inherent flaws of USAID alternative development initiatives in the Chapare, especially during forced eradication. Key areas of concern included:

- Externally-designed and imposed initiatives developed without significant consultation with Chapare farmers.

- The great majority of funds dedicated to overhead, salaries of foreign consultants and other costs. “Eighty percent of these resources went to pay the salaries of the Alternative Development personnel; twenty percent went to production, and only six percent for the producers. We only got crumbs, and we are still poor.”[v]

- From 1998-2003, farmers could only have access to USAID assistance after the complete eradication of their coca crop. As a result, families with no alternative income went hungry before agricultural initiatives kicked in, forcing them to replant coca.

- USAID projects refused to work directly with coca growers unions, although these strong organizations could have helped facilitate the implementation of projects. Instead, they formed parallel ‘associations” and demanded that farmers leave unions to receive assistance. This practice generated divisions and conflict within Chapare communities.

- Community promoters were asked to inform USAID contractors about their neighbors who continued to plant coca or spoke out against alternative development, further heightening tensions in the region.

- Poorly-designed agricultural initiatives lack affordable transportation mechanisms and markets. Many farmers found that it was cheaper to let their products rot in the field than it was to take them to market.

- The majority of these projects failed due to impracticality of transporting heavy produce without proper roads, the low-market price offered locally for fruit, and the inability for small-scale Bolivian producers to compete on international markets.

- A USAID contracted lawyer filed narcoterrorism charges against over one hundred coca growers, the bulk of the Six Federations leadership, for attacks on alternative development installations.

- USAID took over the bulk of the funding of FAO projects, like the Jatun Sacha forestry initiative, forcing the project to incorporate US conditioning on coca eradication.

- Unlike the more cost effective European Union initiative, Praedac, the US refused until 2003 to work with coca grower municipalities in the Chapare.

- USAID placed increasing emphasis on work with private enterprise in the Chapare, which failed to pass profits on to or fairly compensate their employees.

A short-lived policy shift

In late 2003, after the resignation of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, USAID decided to begin to work collaboratively with coca grower municipalities in the Chapare, in an effort to alleviate the high tensions around US programs in the region. Coca growers welcomed the change and actively participated – a significant shift in acceptance of USAID initiatives in the region.

- Unfortunately, with the election of Evo Morales, USAID froze these joint initiatives for a year, wreaking havoc with municipal planning. In the interim, Chapare mayors sought out and obtained significant alternative funding from the EU, European governments and Venezuela, without any of the political strings and conditioning attached to US efforts.

- Even though they had frozen funding, the US claimed that the lack of violence in the region was due to “a new, integrated alternative development approach in the Chapare [which] provides for participation by municipalities in GOB decisions on development, implementation and monitoring of programs. This has helped reduce coca-related conflict and strengthen local commitment to licit development.”[vi] Coca growers were understandably angered by this misleading statement.

- When USAID initiatives resumed in the region, they were increasingly irrelevant. New requirements, such as renewed conditioning on coca reduction, although now on a global and not family level, and the obligation to sign an agreement certifying that recipient communities were “terrorist-free zones” exacerbated this situation.

In addition, after the election of Morales, USAID began to block meetings of NGOs, such as AIN and WOLA, with its Chapare contractors. When asked, one high-ranking USAID official in Bolivia explained that, “It would be problematic to allow contractors to speak in the name of the US government,” and said that AIN could tour alternative development facilities escorted by USAID personnel. This lack of transparency is quite surprising, considering that in prior years, both organizations had always had free access to all USAID projects, even during the peak of violent conflicts. AIN attempted to find contact information for over twenty USAID contractors within Bolivian, could only identify nine, and when contacted, only one organization accepted a meeting. This lack of transparency around USAID initiatives is problematic and inexplicable, when nongovernmental investigation in the past had led to significant improvement in programs.

With the history of failed alternative development, lack of transparency, and conditionality of coca eradication, it is hardly surprising that Chapare growers have rejected further ties to USAID funding. In a region where local unions and grassroots organizations were already highly politically mobilized, these programs served to undermine the history of community organizing. After living through the tensions and failures associated with USAID, Morales’ and his administration’s mistrust of USAID initiatives is hardly inexplicable. In light of repeated Morales administration accusations of USAID funding of the opposition’s political agendas, the proposed doubling of US assistance in the FY2009 Budget Request from economic development to “rule of law, good governance, electoral processes, consensus building, civil society and education,” has intensified these underlying tensions.

Chapare growers are moving toward different funding sources such as the European Union and Venezuela, which come with far less strings attached and do not condition assistance on reducing the coca crop. The MAS administration, while critical of many US policies and frustrated with conditional aid, continues to work with and receive funding from the US, especially anti-narcotics programs. Voices from the Chapare tell the real story. The mayor of Villa Tunari said, “We don’t want USAID anymore, if they are going to cooperate, it would have to be without conditions like the European Union.”[vii]

Time to re-evaluate US development initiatives

Although it may be tempting to characterize Chapare coca growers as ungrateful “beneficiaries,” blindly tied to their leader’s anti-US political agenda, their rejection of USAID projects is an important example of negative impact of development policy tied to political agendas. It is important to note that more pragmatic, grounded U.S.-funded development efforts in Bolivia, such as the Interamerican Foundation projects, continue to be well-received in all departments, and by MAS and prefectural officials. Especially on the eve of a national election, the predictable rejection of USAID assistance by coca growers should serve as a wake-up call to US planners and policymakers. It is crucial to reassess the design, orientation and objectives of US-funded development effects to meaningfully involve the participants and eliminate political conditioning.

Background reading on USAID Alternative Development in Bolivia

Failures of alternative development: Linda Farthing’s “Rethinking Alternative Development”

Political conditioning of USAID: Linda Farthing and Benjamin Kohl’s: “Conflicting Agenda’s: The Politics of Development Aid in Drug-Producing Areas”

Linda Farthing and Kathryn Ledebur’s: “The Beat goes On: The US War on Coca”

2006 USAID funding freeze and its impact: Coletta Youngers and Kathryn Ledebur: “Update on Drug Policy Issues in Bolivia”

Failures of USAID and potential benefits of EU projects: Kathryn Ledebur and Coletta A. Younger’s “Balancing Act: Bolivia’s Drug Control Advances and Challenges”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] “Usaid deja el trópico y EEUU teme por la seguridad de su personal.” Los Tiempos, 26 June, 2008.

[ii] Cocaleros piden la salida de otras agencias cooperantes.” La Razón 27 June 2008.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] “Funcionarios de Usaid salen del Chapare,” La Rázon, 26 June 2008.

[v] “Cocaleros piden la salida de otras agencias cooperantes.” La Razón 27 June 2008.

[vi] The 2007 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report is available at http://www.sta

te.gov/p/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2007/vol1/html/80855.htm

[vii] “Funcionarios de Usaid salen del Chapare.”

As always, we ask that you help PRN fight to protect the rights of patients and the doctors who treat them. Please click the link below.

Link

Pain Treatment Advocacy Group Sues State of WA

Jun 25, 2008

By: Donna Gordon Blankinship

The Associated Press SEATTLE - A pain treatment advocacy group filed suit Wednesday in federal court to challenge the restrictions Washington state officials have put on prescription pain medication.

The nonprofit Pain Relief Network says the guidelines for prescribing narcotics, written by the Washington state Department of Health and published in March 2007, have influenced pain treatment across the country and have made doctors afraid to give opiate prescriptions[...]

Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief, Damages a class action lawsuit by Laura Cooper (lead attorney) et al., Filed: 2008-06-24

Exhibit 1: The WA state Opioid Dosing "Guidelines" by Agency Medical Directors Group (AMDG); Mar. 2007; Filed 2008-06-24

Exhibit 2: Findings of Fact Laura Cooper, Esq.; Filed 2008-06-24 www.painreliefnetwork.org

Virginia: Governor Receptive to Disenfranchisement Reform for those Charged with Non-violent Offenses

The Washington Post editorialized in support of Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine's effort to re- enfranchise citizens who have completed their felony sentences. "We have no reason to believe Mr. Kaine is acting on political motives, but even if he were, his actions affirm a truth that all but a few states have accepted: Felons who pay their debt to society should not be denied the right to vote," the editorial states. Virginia is overly restrictive in its disenfranchisement policies and should not permanently exclude individuals with felony records from the voting process, the Post contends.

Appearing on WTOP's "Ask the Governor" program earlier this week broadcast in the Washington, D.C. area, Gov. Kaine expressed his willingness to support changes in the Commonwealth's laws - but only to those convicted of non-violent offenses. "When somebody wants to participate, I think we ought to have procedures that enable them to once they've shown that [they] can do fine in civil society," he said. "It would have to be a constitutional amendment that would give the legislature the power to set up that kind of format and I think it should be in most instances, more automatic."

In response to a Daily Press column , Janice Puffenberger commented on the issue of offering formerly incarcerated individuals a second chance in society. "The fact that we refuse to let felons return to full membership in society after paying their dues, by refusing them the right to vote, leads to recidivism," she writes. We don't give a break to those who make mistakes, so technically their problem is really our problem."

Florida: To the Governor, Congrats … and Continue On

"Gov. Charlie Crist is to be congratulated" for his part in helping to restore the rights of 115,000 citizens with felony offenses, a St. Petersburg Times editorial states. As more await voting rights eligibility notices, Crist has the option of streamlining the entire civil rights restoration process, which would include allowing those with felony offenses to apply for professional licenses. According to the Times, if Crist moves in this direction, the state could return to the Executive Clemency rules of 1975 under Gov. Reuben Askew, when restoration of rights was automatic after completion of parole or probation. The move could further eliminate the current backlog that the Parole Commission is experiencing as it continues to go through a backlog of 60,000 restoration cases. An additional 4,000 applications are submitted each month for review by the Commission.

Massachusetts: Voting Not a "Privilege for the Virtuous"

"Voting is a fundamental right, not a privilege for the virtuous," contends a Boston Globe editorial. Commenting on the Brennan Center for Justice's recent study on the various laws and impacts of disenfranchisement, the editorial further states that the fact that voting rights vary state by state is "bizarre." As recently as eight years ago, Massachusetts allowed those incarcerated to vote. Now, however, voting rights are restored upon release from prison.

- - - - - -

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

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

1st global conference on methamphetamine

conference newsletter
issue no. 1

Prague. Czech Republic.
15th - 16th Sept. 2008

Prague New City Hall
www.globalmethconference.com

The Czech Republic, City of Prague, the Centre for Addictology at Charles University, Network Environmental Systems, Podane Ruce, Cranstoun Drug Services, the Harm Reduction Coalition and The Thorne Group, are honored to cosponsor the 1st Global Conference on Methamphetamine: Science, Strategy and Response. The event is scheduled to take place this September 15 - 16, 2008 at Prague's new City Hall.

   The first event of its kind, experts from the fields of science, public health, criminal justice, government, and civil society, will come together in the historic city of Prague to discuss a wide range of topics centering around methamphetamine. While local and national communities are under siege by a perceived methamphetamine epidemic rush to pursue solutions, many facets of the problem remain to be discovered, examined, debated, illuminated and verified.
   It is in this spirit of discovery, discussion, and cooperation that we are convening this summit. As the first event to gather global experts from varied fields, with diverse and even sometimes divergent perspectives, the conference is assured to be an unparalleled event.
   The First Global Conference On Methamphetamine will take place in Prague's City Hall, with speakers and delegates attending from more than 20 nations. Delegates will have access to over fifty panel, breakout, and plenary sessions and the unique opportunity to interact with local, national, and international organizations, providers, scientists, and professionals. Visit the conference website to get more information and register.

Opium in essence is about poverty, where as Yaa Baa is about greed.  ~ Jean-Luc Lemahiey (UNDOC)

Major & Concurrent Sessions

Abuse and Dependence and the Onset of Schizophrenia - Super Labs and Cartels - Spreading Like Wildfire: 'Tik' Use in the Western Cape of South Africa - Social Marketing - Trade Awareness of Illicit Sourceing of Chemicals Required for Production - Law Enforcement: Through the Barriers - Use Among Opiate Abusers in Iran - Personal Values and Meaning in Use Among HIV Positive MSM - Voter Approved Treatment Through the Criminal Justice System - Methamphetamine Use in China - Biopyschosocial Aspects of Use Meth Lab - Contamination Assessment - The Future of Global Drug Policy - Novel Interventions for Reducing Risk - Meth Lab Eradication Through Effective Control of Pseudo/ephedrine - Use and Property Offending and Drug Dealing in New Zealand - High Risk Behavior and Avoidance Based Coping Among HIV+ MSM Sexuality and Mental Health Concerns - The Matrix Model for the Treatment of Dependence - Use Among Black MSM - Marketing Education to the Club World - Quite a Lot of Smoke But Very Limited Fire - The Use of Methamphetamine in the European Union - History of Methamphetamine in the US - Hypogonadism and Use Among HIV Positive Men - Therapeutic Communities in Czech Republic - Use In Central & Eastern Europe: How Recent Social History Shaped Current Drug Consumption Patterns - Youth and Ya Ba Use in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand - Use Among Youth in Inner City Winnipeg - Methamphetamine,Meth Labs, and Drug Endangered Children - Use Among Queer Street Involved Youth In Vancouver - Use During Pregnancy: Where Did the Current Surge in Treatment Admissions Come From? - Working with Users in an Urban Setting - Unveiling the Needs of Women Who Use In Indonesia - Providing Integrative Services to Users: The Ukrainian Experience - Use Among Patients of Buprenorphine Maintenance Programs - Injection and HIV Risk in Ukraine - Amphetamines in "Free" Serbia - Pharmacological Treatment of Meth Addiction -  Exploring the Efficacy of Matrix in Tehran - The Czech Republic: EU Pervitin Deviance or Laboratory of EU Drug Future? - Safety First: Prevention Education - Use and Networks of Drug Injectors in St. Petersburg - Drug Choice and HIV Risk Among IDUs in St. Petersburg - Brief Motivational Interventions - Exploring Intimacy, Sexuality, and Identity -  "Aquí Empieza la Patria" ("Here the Homeland Begins") - Patterns of Use - Relationship Between Use, Other Drugs, and Sexual Effects - Dependence and HIV Risk -  Behavior Hepatitis A, B, and C Virus Infection  Among Users in Treatment - Use Among Treatment Seeking Youth: An Emerging Problem? - Russian Narcologoical Treatment Crisis - Meth Free Alliance's Neighborhood Intervention Project - Social Cognition, Executive Function & Use - Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About - Ibogaine -  Regional Updates- The Relationship Between Use & Violence - Consumption & Expenditure: A Cultural Analysis - Dramatic Increase in Treatment Admissions in Cape Town, South Africa - Methamphetamine, Justice and Public Health - Crime and Punishiment

(More to be announced)

A knowedge of the formulas and chemicals used to produce methamphetamine is essential to the effort to minimize harm.

Featured Speakers

                                                                          
   Keynote Speaker: Louisa Degenhardt, PhD
   National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of  
   NSW, Sydney
   "The Global Methamphetamine Picture"

   Special Guest Speaker: Ivan Langer
   Minister of The Interior, Czech Republic
   "Welcome"
                           
   Speical Sessions: Jeremy Douglas
   Manager, Global SMART Program
   Matthew Nice, Research Expert
   United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna
   "The Global ATS Situation Assessment 2008"

This Week's Highlighted Speakers

Richard Rawson, PhD
UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Los Angeles
"On the Treatment of Methamphetamine"

Prof. Lin Lu, MD, PhD
Director, National Institute of Drugs and Development, Beijing
"Methamphetamine Abuse in China"

Apinun Aramrattana, MD, PhD
Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai
"The New Methamphetamine Epidemic in Thailand"

Danica Klempova, MA
Drug Situation Analyst, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon
"Quite a Lot of Smoke But Very Limited Fire - The Use of Methamphetamine in the E.U."

Kat Coric
Artist, President, Arts & Ideas, Montreal
"Crystal  - See Through it - Marketing Crystal Meth Education to the Club World"

Stephanie Lovett   
Compliance Director, Chemical Compliance International, Birmingham
"Trade Awareness of Illicit Sourcing of Chemicals Required for Methamphetamine Production"

Marsha Rosenbaum, PhD
Director Emerita, Safety First Program, Drug Policy Alliance, San Francisco
"Safety First: Prevention Education For Methamphetamine and Other Drugs"

Michael Siever, PhD
Director, The Stonewall Project, San Francisco
"The Evolution of Party and Play: Counseling Gay Men in San Francisco Who Do Methamphetamine"

Michael D. Siever, PhD., is a licensed psychologist whose specialty is addictive behaviors. He is the founder and Director of the Stonewall Project, which provides services to gay and bisexual men who use methamphetamine.

The Stonewall Project has two components: 1) a harm reduction treatment program providing integrated substance use, mental health, and HIV counseling and education; and 2) a harm reduction outreach and education program best known by its web site, www.tweaker.org (opens in a new window)">www.tweaker.org that also includes real time outreach and education in the community. He also was one of the founders of Magnet, a community space and sexual health center for gay men. Both Stonewall and Magnet are programs of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

Dr. Siever was a founding member of and, for three years, the Community Co-Chair of the Substance Abuse Treatment on Demand Planning Council for the City and County of San Francisco and has been active in several other advisory groups and task forces for the San Francisco Department of Public Health. He was a member of the Continuum of Services System Re-engineering Task Force for the California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.

Dr. Siever received his B.A. in Social Relations from Harvard University and both his M.Ed. in Special Education and his PhD. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Washington in Seattle. He was a NIAAA-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington under G. Alan Marlatt, PhD., and Research and Clinical Associate in the AIDS Risk Reduction Project in the School of Social Work at the University of Washington. Dr. Siever also has a long history of community activism dating back several decades.

He was a member of Survive AIDS (formerly known as ACT-UP Golden Gate). In addition to his activism as a gay man living with HIV, he is an advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities and other marginalized and oppressed communities particularly with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. He was a founding member of Queer Nation/Seattle and served on the Steering Committees of Seattle Committee Against Thirteen, the Washington Coalition for Sexual Minority Rights, and the Union of Sexual Minorities. His activism started in the civil rights and anti-war struggles in the 1960's and 1970's.

Wendee Wechsberg, PhD
Director, Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Intervention, RTI International
"Spreading Like Wildfire: 'Tik' Use in the Western Cape of South Africa"

Tomas Zabransky, MD, PhD,
Research and Development Manager, Centre for Addictology at Charles University, Prague
"Meth in the Czech Republic: EU Pervitin Deviance or Laboratory of EU Drug Future?"

An estimated 25 million individuals used amphetamine-type stimulants in 2006. - United Nations World Drug Report

Conference Programme

Sunday Evening, September 14, 2008
7:30 -10: 00 p.m. Welcoming Reception
Zlatá Praha Restaurant ~ The Rooftop Terrace
of the InterContinental Hotel Praha
(Main Conference Hotel)

Monday, September 15, 2008
9:00-10:30 a.m. Opening Ceremony
11:00-12:30 p.m. Opening Plenary
12:30-13:30 p.m. Lunch (provided)
13:30-15:00 p.m. Major & Concurrent Sessions
15:30-17:00 p.m. Major & Concurrent Sessions
17:00-18:30 p.m. Major Session

7:30-10:00 p.m. Mayor's Gala Event
Lord Mayor Residence
Hosted by Pavel Bém, Lord Mayor of Prague

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
8:30-10:00 a.m. Major Session
10:30-12:00 p.m. Major & Concurrent Sessions
12:00-13:00 p.m. Lunch (provided)
13:00-14:30 p.m. Major & Concurrent Sessions
15:00-16:30 p.m. Major & Concurrent Sessions
16:45-17:30 p.m. Closing Ceremony

Conference Objectives

  As the use of methamphetamine and other amphetamine-type stimulants proliferates across the globe, there is an emerging consensus among experts that stimulant use is a unique and complex problem that presents a significant challenge to existing philosophies and strategies. The 2008 Global Conference on Methamphetamine will provide an arena for the world's foremost scientists, leaders and professionals working on issues of drug use to come together to discuss a wide variety of topics centering around methamphetamine.
   Established trends show methamphetamine use to be widespread in North American, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand; while India, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe represent emerging markets or areas of perceived risk. According to estimates by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organization more individuals worldwide now use stimulants than opiates and cocaine combined. Yet the development of appropriate and effective responses to stimulants lags. In most cases, treatment and prevention are inappropriately modeled on opiate and alcohol treatment, ignoring both the physical properties of the drug itself, and the fact that methamphetamine use patterns vary widely, and effective responses must be tailored to the unique needs of regions, cultures, and individual users. A lack of infrastructure, of funding, and of experts trained specifically in methamphetamine response compounds the problem.
   As nations struggle to develop appropriate responses to methamphetamine, it is crucial that the most current scientific research, information, and best practices be available to those seeking to implement solutions. The primary goal of the First Global Conference on Methamphetamine is to provide a context for this important work to take place.

For details on registration, hotel accommodations and the wonderful City of Prague, please visit the conference website  or contact the conference organizer directly at wt@theproductionagency.com

Media and program inquires should be directed to Luciano Colonna, EPC chair, at luciano.colonna@globalmeth.com

2008 Global Conference On Methamphetamine
The White House
Sevenoaks, TN13 2QP Great Britain
www.globalmethconference.com

Dear David Guard:

Is there an event coming up in your community where you'd like to distribute literature about the need to reform our nation's disastrous marijuana laws?

MPP's "Marijuana Policy Monitor" makes for a great giveaway at conferences, concerts, festivals, and other events.

This four-page newspaper, printed on newsprint, contains a comprehensive overview of marijuana prohibition — and why it should be brought to an end. It includes information on the victims of the government's war on marijuana users, taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol, and safe access to medical marijuana for patients. You can find more information and view a copy here.

To place an order, contact MPP's Membership Department at membership@mpp.org or (202) 462-5747, ext. 2015. Payment by credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa) is preferred, but we can also accept checks or money orders through the mail. Copies are 3 cents each, and a minimum order of 1,000 copies (or $30) is required. The price includes shipping and handling.

Orders are shipped one a week from our fulfillment center in Maryland, so please allow time for delivery.

I hope you'll consider distributing MPP's newspaper at your next event and spread the word about the urgent need to reform our nation's marijuana laws.

Thank you, as always, for your support ...

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 $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network:

(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 06/25/08 Nurse Mary Lynn Mathre of Patients Out of Time discusses medical cannabis + Terry Nelson for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Drug War Facts with Doug McVay & Glenn Greenway with the Poppygate report.
MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1942/FDBCB_062508.mp3
TRANSCRIPT: (To be posted by Friday)

Century of Lies for 06/24/08 Richard Watkins a former Texas warden and current member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition + Eugene Fields, reporter with Orange County Register. MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1943/COL_062408.mp3
TRANSCRIPT: (Tramscript on Saturday)

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: TBD

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, Canada and Now Australia!!!

Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org

Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 55 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

In a recent syndicated column ("More Prisons, Less Crime), commentator George Will argues that the world record incarceration rate in the United States has produced safer streets and has been beneficial in particular to African Americans, who are disproportionately victims of crime. Will's selective use of data and limited vision provide an inaccurate portrayal of current criminal justice policy and its effects.

In a briefing paper, The Sentencing Project refutes Will's argument on prison racial disparities, federal crack cocaine sentencing and the impact of incarceration on crime.

Do Prisons Equal Less Crime? provides an assessment of some of the key arguments raised in the Will column. We hope you find this analysis useful in your work.

-The Sentencing Project

Dear friends,

Good news from Antwerp:

Today, Thursday June 26th, 2008, the Belgian Cannabis Social Club Trekt Uw Plant and 5 of its members have been acquitted for the establishment of a cannabis plantation.

On July 27th 2006 in the Botanic Gardens of Antwerp, with the permission of the local authorities and the police, we planted a cannabis seed that would become the first mother plant of our club. On December 12th 2006, again in the Botanic Gardens and again with the permission of the local authorities and the police, 6 members of Trekt Uw Plant each cut a clone of this motherplant. The 6 plants formed the first collective cannabis plantation of the association, on the basis of the principle 1 plant for each adult member.

The aim of Trekt Uw Plant was to make concrete use of the possibility created by the Belgian legislation to grow cannabis for personal use. In January 2005 a ministerial guideline has been established according to which the possession of max. 3 grammes and 1 cannabisplant is no longer prosecuted.

In the establishment of the plantation, Trekt Uw Plant has strictly implemented the rules of the ministerial guideline. In spite of that, the legal authorities decided to prosecute.

In the end of October 2006, a member of Trekt Uw Plant was approached by a representative of the Antwerp District Attorney, who warned him for the fact that the planned activities of Trekt Uw Plant could lead to a prison term of max. 5 years.

During the courtcase for the local court of Antwerp, on 27 March 2008, District Attorney Lins demanded max. 80 hours of community work for the members of Trekt Uw Plant, as well as the dissolution of the club, which he considered to be a criminal organisation.

The Antwerp court finally judged that Trekt Uw Plant is not a criminal organisation, and condemned the members for nothing else than the possession of cannabis.

On June 12th 2008, during the courtcase for the court of appeal, the District Attorney announced, in an unexpected move that surprised everyone who followed the case, that he would drop the charges against Trekt Uw Plant because the possession of cannabis is not a crime but an an offense, and too much time has passed since the offense was committed.

This sentence has been provoked by the District Attorney himself, when during the first session of the court of appeal on January 24th 2008, when there was still time to condemn the offense, he asked for a delay of 5 months to deal with the case. It has been a trick of the District Attorney in order to cover up his defeat in this case. The charges have been dropped but a debate on the core question - can cultivating cannabis for personal use be prosecuted or not - has been avoided.

This sentence implies an acquittance. The District Attorney stops the persecution it has started against us. This is a political message that the ministerial cannabis guideline of 2005, according to which the possession of max. 3 grammes and 1 cannabis plant for personal use is not persecuted, is still valed and can be applied. From this sentence, we conclude that the actions of Trekt Uw Plant fit completely within the ministerial guideline and these actions can be permitted in the future.

We now consider the next steps that Trekt Uw Plant will take. New actions will follow in the autumn.

Joep Oomen / Philippe De Craene

TREKT UW PLANT (vzw )
Lange Lozanastraat 14
2018 Antwerpen
Tel. +32 3 293 0886
GSM: +32 495-122644 / +32 494 - 807350
E-mail:info@encod.org
Website: www.trektuwplant.be

MEDIA ADVISORY   
JUNE 25, 2008

Medical Marijuana Documentary "Waiting to Inhale" Screening in Clovis July 7

CONTACT: Aaron Smith, MPP California organizer, 707-575-9870

FRESNO, Calif. — A free screening of the award-winning medical marijuana documentary, "Waiting to Inhale," takes place July 7, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno in Clovis, followed by a panel discussion with local medical marijuana patients, advocates and medical experts.

    The film is a gripping examination of all angles of the medical marijuana controversy, including interviews with leading researchers, patients, advocates and government officials. This summer, the U.S. Congress is expected to vote for the sixth time on an amendment that would forbid the Department of Justice – including the Drug Enforcement Administration – from using its resources to attack patients and providers who are obeying state medical marijuana laws. Last year, the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment was defeated, 165-262, but drew more "yes" votes than ever.

    Additionally, the Fresno Board of Supervisors is expected to hold hearings soon about implementing a state-mandated medical marijuana identification card program.

    Winner of several awards, including the Worldfest Houston 2005 Goldfest Special Jury Award, Best Documentary 2005 New Jersey International Film Festival and winner of the Eureka! International Film Festival, "Waiting to Inhale" examines the debate over marijuana's use as medicine in the United States.

        -    WHAT: Free screening of the medical marijuana documentary "Waiting to Inhale," presented by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno, followed by panel discussion

        -    WHO: Scheduled panelists include:
                        o    Dr. Terrill E. Brown, a Fresno emergency medicine specialist

                        o    Diana Kirby, a Fresno medical marijuana patient with severe back pain and neuropathy after an automobile accident that resulted in having a leg amputated

                        o    Aaron Smith, California organizer for the Marijuana Policy Project

        -    WHEN: Monday, July 7, 7 p.m.

        -    WHERE: The Unitarian Church of Fresno, 2672 E. Alluvial Ave., Clovis, CA 93611

    With more than 23,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the larges