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[Courtesy of Sensible Colorado] Please join Sensible Colorado staff and allies at these upcoming marijuana reform events! Statewide: The Great Marijuana Book Bomb The highly acclaimed book co-authored by SAFER's Mason Tvert, Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?, is now available. A book about marijuana has never hit #1 on Amazon.com, but with your help that could change. Please join hundreds of other marijuana reform supporters in purchasing the book on Amazon TOMORROW, Thursday, August 20. Amazon re-ranks book sales on an hourly basis, so Marijuana is Safer doesn't need to be the bestselling book for the past month; it just needs to generate a lot of sales on the day of the Book Bomb. If everyone acts tomorrow, it will reach the top. For more information visit http://www.MarijuanaBookBomb.com Denver: SAFER Book Launch in Denver This Sunday, August 23, from 2-5 p.m., SAFER is hosting a party at 8 Rivers LoDo in Denver (1550 Blake St.) to celebrate the launch of Marijuana Is Safer. The event will include appetizers and an auction, and all proceeds from book sales will benefit SAFER. Copies of the book will be available for just $20 -- or for $30, get a copy and have one sent to a Colorado legislator! -- and SAFER's Mason Tvert will be on hand to discuss the book and sign copies. Grand Junction: On Sunday, August 30, Sensible Colorado will present a free seminar on Colorado's medical marijuana law. This 90 minute training will cover all aspects of Amendment 20 and will include a "Know Your Rights" portion-- teaching patients and others their rights when dealing with police. Event starts at 2pm at 571 32 rd., Units D and E, Clifton, CO 81520. Breckenridge: Sensible Breckenridge, an off-shoot of Sensible Colorado, has successfully qualified a marijuana reform measure for the November 2009 ballot. To get active in this campaign please contact [email protected].

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2009 CONTACT: Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671 or [email protected], Tom Murphy at 207-542-4998 or [email protected] Living Harvest and Nutiva Named to Inc. 500|5000 List HIA Member Companies Rank Well in Food & Beverage Category WASHINGTON, DC – The Hemp Industries Association (HIA), a trade association made up of hundreds of hemp businesses, is pleased that Living Harvest Foods and Nutiva, both companies are full business members of the HIA, have been named to Inc. Magazine’s 500|5000 List. Living Harvest Foods of Portland, OR was ranked No. 961 on the over all list with 318.2% growth and 2008 revenue of $4.4 million and was ranked No. 20 in the Food & Beverage category. Santa Paula, CA based Nutiva was ranked No. 2,174 on the over all list with 145.2% growth and 2008 revenue of $6.5 million and was ranked No. 52 in the Food & Beverage category. Founded in 2002, Living Harvest became industry pioneers with the launch of the world’s first protein powder and stayed ahead of the curve with the subsequent launches of the first whole food blends in 2005 and the world’s first Hempmilk in 2007. In 2009, Living Harvest added Tempt, the first line of non-dairy frozen desserts made with Hempmilk in the United States, to their growing repertoire of hemp foods. “Pioneering a variety of hemp foods over the years and launching innovative new products such as our Tempt Hempmilk and frozen dessert line is the key to our exceptional growth,” said Hans Fastre, CEO of Living Harvest Foods. “Our placement on the list of fastest growing companies in the U.S., as well our placement as the number 20 food and beverage company, is a testimony to the future of hemp foods.” Founded in 1999 by John W. Roulac, Nutiva is America’s number one brand of nutritious organic hemp foods and extra-virgin coconut oil. Nutiva is dedicated to a healthy and sustainable world, demonstrating its mission to nourish people and planet by using nourishing organic ingredients, enriching the soil, and supporting worthy causes. “Nutiva’s vision is to replace our country’s overreliance on corn, soy, and dairy products with healthier hemp and coconut superfoods,” explains Roulac. “Nutiva is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month and we are proud to be named one of the fastest growing companies in America by Inc. Magazine.” Earlier this year the HIA released final estimates of the size of the U.S. retail market for hemp food and body care products in 2008. Data supporting the estimates show that retail sales of hemp food and body care products in the U.S. have continued to set records in 2008. Strong sales of popular hemp items like non-dairy milk, shelled hemp seed, soaps and lotions have occurred against the backdrop of state-licensed hemp farmers in North Dakota fighting a high stakes legal battle against the DEA to grow hemp for U.S. manufacturers. “The HIA is confident that the total North American hemp food and body care market over the last year accounted for $100-120 million in retail sales,” comments Eric Steenstra, HIA Executive Director. “We expect double-digit growth of the hemp food sector to continue in 2009, as consumer interest about green healthy products grows,” says Steenstra. # # # The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) represents the interests of the hemp industry and encourages the research and development of new hemp products. More information about hemp’s many uses and hemp advocacy may be found at www.HempIndustries.org and www.VoteHemp.com. DVD Video News Release featuring footage of hemp farming in other countries is available upon request by contacting Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.

The Unvarnished Truth From the Drug Truth Network *** Note: Schedule & NEW 800 # 1-877-9-420-420 *** This coming Sunday, August 23 at 6:30 PM central time I will interview Fred Gardner, editor of O'Shaughnessy's medical marijuana journal. Here's where you come in, following at 7PM central, Century of Lies will feature a new segment: "Face the Inquisition" where you get the chance to question him regarding the data on medical marijana. You can tune into both programs, live, at 6:30 central time on Pacifica's KPFT at http://www.kpft.org and call in your questions and concerns toll free at 1-877-9-420 420. The two, 29:00 shows appear along with the seven, daily, 3:00 "4:20 Drug War NEWS" reports each Monday morning at http://www.drugtruth.net . We currently have 69 affiliated, yet independent broadcast stations. With a simple email request to [email protected] , your station can join the Drug Truth Network, free of charge. Cultural Baggage for 08/16/09, 29:00 Loretta Nall, Alabama drug reformer + Fred Gardner editor of O'Shaughnessy's medical marijuana journal + Zapata County, Texas, Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez Jr. LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2537 TRANSCRIPT: This Evening Century of Lies for 08/16/09, 29:00 Omar Figuero of California Cannabis Initiative, Ethan Nadelmann of Drug Policy Alliance, Neal Peirce of Washington Post, Phil Smith of Drug War Chronicle, Chris Hermes of Americans for Safe Access & Jacob Sullum of Reason Magazine LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2538 TRANSCRIPT: This Evening 4:20 Drug War NEWS, 8/17 to 8/23/09 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin - Sun - Fred Gardner, editor of O'Shaughnessy's medical marijuana journal Sat - Jacob Sullum, columnist for Reason Fri - Chris Hermes for Americans for Safe Access Thu - NEWSWEEK focus on Ethan Nadelmann, Dir of Drug Policy Alliance Wed - Omar Figueroa, counsel for California Cannabis Initiative, 2/2 Tue - Omar Figueroa, counsel for California Cannabis Initiative, 1/2 Mon - Zapata County Texas Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzales Jr. Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org - Cultural Baggage Sun, 7:30 PM ET, 6:30 PM CT, 5:30 PM MT, 4:30 PM PT (Followed Immediately By Century of Lies) - Century of Lies, SUN, 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT Who's Next to "Face The Inquisition?": Fred Gardner, editor of O'Shaughnessy's medical marijuana journal Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia! Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker 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, DTN Producer, 713-849-6869, www.drugtruth.net.

National: Media Spotlight on the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 A Project Vote blog posting notes the media attention and editorial support for the Democracy Restoration Act of 2009. Highlighting passages from national media outlets including The New York Times, the Patriot News in Pennsylvania, and the Detroit Free Press, the blog stated, "whether the message will affect the change needed to enfranchise the millions of Americans who currently cannot represent their communities in the democratic process, it is encouraging to find more citizens recognize the value in voting rights restoration and its impact on rehabilitation." Responding to a New York Times editorial calling felon disenfranchisement "bad prison policy," Adam Fogel, Right to Vote Director of FairVote, stated in a letter to the editor that the "lack of uniformity in election administration cannot help but lead to fundamental inequalities in our democracy." The Times' editorial noted that California, New York and, most recently, Massachusetts have upheld voting rights bans for individuals with felony convictions. Fogel further suggested that Congress set national standards for all elections. The Democracy Restoration Act of 2009 would grant individuals with felony convictions voting rights in federal elections only. Massachusetts: Court Denies Voting Rights Act Challenge to Felony Disenfranchisement In Simmons v. Galvin, a First Circuit panel ruled the persons currently incarcerated in Massachusetts' prisons cannot challenge the loss of their voting rights under section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and the Ex Post Facto clause. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act states, "no voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State ... in a manner which results in a denial or abridgment of the right ... to vote on account of race or color." According to Ballot Access, plaintiffs wanted to present evidence that Massachusetts' felon disenfranchisement law has a disproportionally adverse effect on African Americans and Hispanic Americans, who are overrepresented in the prison population. The two-judge majority rejected the arguments and determined that Congress never intended for Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to be used for this purpose. The dissenting judge, Juan Torruella, said the section's language is clear and unambiguous, and therefore speculation about what Congress intended is irrelevant. Advocates say his dissent was similar to Judge Sonia Sotomayor's opinion in Hayden v. Pataki. Some believe that the case might end up before the Supreme Court, presenting Justice Sotomayor another opportunity to consider an issue with which she is familiar. Click here to read the decision. - - - - - - Help The Sentencing Project continue to bring you news and updates on disenfranchisement! Make a contribution today. Contact Information -- e-mail: [email protected], web: http://www.sentencingproject.org.