Rising to the Challenge -- Seizing the Opportunity for Drug Policy Reform

Dear Drug War Chronicle Reader:

Drug policy reform faces challenges and opportunities.

• States continue to enact medical marijuana laws, most recently Delaware, the 16th medical marijuana state; Vermont, a new medical marijuana dispensary state; and Maryland, with a new necessity defense bill that will study medical marijuana dispensaries.
• Nationwide support for legalizing marijuana is nearing 50 percent, and Congress will take up a legalization bill this year.
• States including Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida, Kentucky, Delaware, Ohio and many others are reducing drug sentences or considering it.

But the forces of prohibition aren't sitting still.

• US Attorneys and Montana's legislature are pushing back against medical marijuana.
• A historic though partial reduction in crack cocaine sentences passed by Congress last year remains not retroactive, and draconian sentencing bills continue to pop up.
• Despite the horrific, continuing violence drug prohibition has inflicted on Mexico, leaders continue to duck the issue and suppress debate.

Please take a moment to support our organization with a generous donation. Your support will enable us to continue our publishing that informs, supports and builds the movement; to continue and expand our work with coalitions lobbying for drug policy reform, sentencing reform and ending collateral consequences of drug convictions; and to put plans in place supporting marijuana legalization initiatives coming up in as many as four states.

It is no exaggeration to say that the future depends on you. As Congressman Jared Polis told reformers at a recent gathering, this is an important battle to fight for the country, but victory is not a foregone conclusion: Which way things will go depends on the actions that you take today.

Thank you for supporting our organization and joining our call to end the failed and unjust drug war.

Sincerely,

David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org
P.O. Box 18402, Washington, DC 20036
http://stopthedrugwar.org

P.S. We continue to offer a range of books, videos and other gift items as our thanks for your donations. See our online donation form for a current listing.