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The Sentencing Project and coalition partners, the American Civil Liberties Union, Open Society Institute and Drug Policy Alliance, have launched It's Not Fair. It's Not Working, a national campaign to educate the public about the crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity. The goal is to encourage the American public to make their voices heard in order to reform the mandatory penalties for crack and powder cocaine offenses to make them more equitable and fair. An important element of the initiative will be to engage the public through events such as town hall meetings, national conferences, hearings and other opportunities. All activities will be designed to educate and raise awareness. The It's Not Fair. It's Not Working campaign will also feature three advertisements: It's Not Fair (http://sentencingproject.org/tmp/File/Crack/Garrison_Ad%20(2c).pdf) features Karen Garrison, mother of twin sons who received long sentences for non-violent crack cocaine offenses just months after they graduated from college. Something's Wrong with the Math (http://sentencingproject.org/tmp/File/Crack/c_Chalkboard_Ad.pdf) points out that an individual only needs to possess 5 grams of crack cocaine to receive the same 5 year mandatory sentence as someone who sells 500 grams of powder cocaine. There's a Crack in the System (http://sentencingproject.org/tmp/File/Crack/c_SystemAd.pdf) supports the American ideal of a fair and appropriate sentencing system while at the same time informing the public that possessing a small amount of crack cocaine can carry an excessive penalty. Today a new consciousness about the unfairness and ineffectiveness of harsh crack cocaine mandatory sentences has emerged among advocates, policymakers, judges and the United States Sentencing Commission. At a time of bipartisan interest in this issue, Congress may be on the verge of mending the crack injustice. Since May, three bills have been introduced in the Senate that would reduce sentences for low-level crack cocaine offenses: · Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) for the first time introduced a bill to equalize penalties for crack and powder cocaine offenses. · Senator Orrin Hatch's (R-UT) new proposal would reduce the sentencing disparity between crack and powder by raising the trigger weight for a five-year mandatory crack sentence from five grams to 25 grams. · Senator Jeff Sessions' (R-AL) bill would reduce the sentencing disparity also but expand mandatory sentencing for powder cocaine offenses. The Sentencing Project is actively working to advance crack cocaine sentencing reform in Congress this year. The support of national, state and local organizations is critical to our efforts. We urge organizations to endorse a sign-on letter to U.S. House and Senate Judiciary members calling for legislation eliminating mandatory minimum sentences for low-level crack cocaine offenses. You can submit your organization's endorsement of the crack cocaine sentencing reform letter at: http://www.sentencingproject.org/Contact.aspx. Please include your organization's name, the name and title of signer, and the signer's e-mail address and phone number. For more information about It's Not Fair. It's Not Working, and The Sentencing Project's work to end the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, go to www.sentencingproject.org/crackreform.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 6, 2007 Contact: Clifford Schaffer, tel: 661-268-0442, e-mail: [email protected] Marijuana Dealers Offer Schwarzenegger One Billion Dollars August 6 -- A coalition of California marijuana growers and dealers has offered Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger one billion dollars to solve the current state budget crisis. The group, calling itself Let Us Pay Taxes makes the offer through its web site LetUsPayTaxes.com. The offer comes at a time when the California legislature is deadlocked on a new budget and California has stopped issuing checks for vitally needed social services. Legislators are currently arguing over which programs will be cut in order to balance the budget. “It is ridiculous that California can’t pay its bills,” said spokesman Clifford Schaffer. “It is a tragedy that they will cut badly needed services and programs such as medical care for the elderly and prison drug treatment when the money to fund all these programs and more is there and available. Everyone who is currently waiting for a check from the state should be enraged at this foolishness.” Regulation and taxation of marijuana could produce six billion dollars in additional tax revenue, according to economic studies linked from their web site LetUsPayTaxes.com. In addition, it could save up to ten billion dollars in enforcement costs. “That is a conservative estimate,” said Schaffer. “By other estimates, the revenues could be five times that. The economists are with us all the way on this one. Marijuana prohibition is an economic disaster.” “Let’s face reality,” Schaffer says. “Marijuana legalization is inevitable. The situation is already beyond control in California. The state and local authorities have offered safe harbor for medical marijuana use and the Federal Government simply doesn’t have the resources for effective control.” More importantly, says Schaffer, the operators of the medical marijuana clubs are no longer afraid of the Federal Government. “If you talk to them, you will find that they know they are going to win this battle. They know that the DEA is vastly outnumbered and can’t begin to prosecute all of them. The few that are prosecuted are accepting their fate as martyrs because they know that what they are doing is right. They are willing to sacrifice themselves to make the point that the Federal Government has just gone too far in interfering with very personal and private decisions. There is no way the DEA is going to win this battle. At this point, it is all over but the counting of the money – and the victims of the DEA.” Schaffer went on to say that the national market for marijuana has been estimated from a low of ten billion dollars per year to more than fifty billion dollars per year. “The first states to regulate and tax marijuana will receive an economic bonanza bigger than the original California Gold Rush,” says Schaffer. “Some states will get rich like the Saudis.” Schaffer predicts that it will not take long for some local areas to wake up to the economic possibilities. “We are talking potentially big bucks here,” he said. “The Canadians are already starting to take note of a cannabis-fueled economic boom in some areas. Politicians can’t resist fresh cash, especially when it is coming to their local community. There will be big winners and losers here. The winners will be the ones who recognize the foregone conclusion first.” The group also cites foreign terrorism as a reason to regulate and tax marijuana. “Drug Czar John Walters is being dishonest when he says that marijuana money goes to criminals and terrorists. The only reason any of that money goes to criminals or terrorists is because of the prohibition that Walters supports,” said Schaffer. “Marijuana prohibition makes criminals rich just like alcohol prohibition did. The criminals are now so rich and powerful that they can challenge the legitimate governments of their own countries. There is no reason to send billions of dollars per year to foreign criminal gangs when patriotic Americans make the best products in the world. There is no reason to suffer such a huge foreign trade deficit when that money could be providing jobs and funding badly needed services right here in the USA.” Let Us Pay Taxes calls upon all US citizens to sign their petition at their web site http://LetUsPayTaxes.com and press the issue with their lawmakers. “Take the money, please,” said Schaffer. “These people want to contribute. Now it is up to our politicians to tell us why they want to send those billions to foreign criminal gangs rather than to their own voters.”

1. Statement On The Arrest Of Dr Kian Tajbakhsh 2. Iran Uses Activists For Propaganda 3. Media Marijuana Mania Part Duh 4. Why Africa Fears Western Medicine 5. The Taliban's Opium War 6. Hillary Clinton On Needle Exchange 7. Coverage of Susan Kingston's Crystal Meth Uncensored: What the DEA and Gay Media Won't Tell You A. To Our Contributors B. Upcoming Conferences C. A Listing Of Blogs & Sites We've Been Visiting Lately D. Quotes E. Ask An Associate If She Or He Would Like To Receive This Newsletter How To Help ~ About HRP ~ Subscription Information -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Statement On The Arrest Of Dr Kian Tajbakhsh Payvand's Iran News ~ 7/17/07 Imperial College London Statement Respected academic Dr Kian Tajbakhsh, an Imperial College alumnus, was arrested in Iran in May 2007 and has been held without charge ever since. Imperial joins the international community in calling on the Iranian government to allow Dr Tajbakhsh legal representation and to provide evidence of the accusations against him. Dr Kian Tajbakhsh Dr Tajbakhsh graduated with a BSc (Eng) in civil engineering from Imperial in 1983, and went on to complete an MSc in urban planning at University College London. He has built a reputation as a leading expert in local government reform, urban planning and social policy, consulting for Iranian government organizations and international non-governmental organizations such as the World Bank and the Netherlands Association of Municipalities. He holds dual citizenship of the United States and Iran, and has taught at universities in both countries. Information on the campaign to raise awareness of Dr Tajbakhsh's plight is at www.freekian.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drug Truth Network Update: Cultural Baggage + Century of Lies + 4:20 Drug War NEWS Half Hour Programs, Live Fridays... at 90.1 FM in Houston & on the web at www.kpft.org. 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 and Canada., Cultural Baggage for 08/03/07 Valerie Corral, dir of Women's Alliance for Medical Marijuana & Bruce Mirken of Marijuana Policy Project MP3 MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/FDBCB_080307.mp3 Century of Lies for 08/03/07 Judge James P. Gray author of "Why our Drug Laws have Failed and What We Can Do About It - A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs" MP3 MP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/007DTNaudio/COL_080307.mp3 4:20 Drug War NEWS 08/06/07 to 08/12/07 now online (3:00 ea.): Monday 08/06/07 Corrupt Cop Story with Phil Smith of Stop The Drug War Tuesday 08/07/07 Doug McVay with Drug War Facts + YouTube Video for Republican Debate Wednesday 08/08/07 Valerie Corral of WAMM + Austin Freedom Fest Thursday 08/09/07 Bruce Mirken of Marijuana Policy Project Friday 08/10/07 Paul Armentano of NORML re Freedom Fest Saturday 08/11/07 Nurse Mary Lynn Mathre: Patients out of Time Sunday 08/12/07 Superior Court Judge James P Gray NEXT Friday: ) - Cultural Baggage 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT. Nurse Mary Lynn Mathre - Century of Lies 2 PM ET, 1 PM CT, Noon MT & 11 AM PT. Expose' of Afghan Opium Scam Check out our latest videos on YouTube from US Social Forum via www.drugtruth.net/dtnvideo.htm Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Once we remove these charlatans from positions of power, other social changes will become much easier." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net