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In The Trenches

Press Advisory: NYCLU to Announce New Findings about Statewide Impact of Rockefeller Drug Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2009 – Tomorrow, the New York Civil Liberties Union will release a detailed report analyzing the effects of the Rockefeller Drug Laws on New York State. The report studies incarceration patterns in terms of their economic and social impact on the entire state, as well as on its biggest cities: Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester and Syracuse.

The report – The Rockefeller Drug Laws: Unjust, Irrational, Ineffective – presents overwhelming evidence that New York’s mandatory minimum drug sentencing scheme has failed on all fronts. The laws have not made New York State safer, nor have they reduced the availability of drugs or deterred their use.

It also presents provocative new maps created by the Justice Mapping Center that analyze every major urban center in the state, illustrating who goes to prison for drug offenses, where they lived before imprisonment and what it costs to lock them up.

The NYCLU will hold a media briefing in Albany to walk journalists through the report’s findings and recommendations for reform. Reporters statewide are invited to call a toll-free number to listen and ask questions.

What:

Media briefing about new report, The Rockefeller Drug Laws: Unjust, Irrational, Ineffective

When:

11 a.m. Wednesday, March 11

Where:

Marsh, Wassermann & McHugh, 677 Broadway, Albany. Free garage parking.

OR 1-800-351-6809, passcode 63087

Who:

  • Robert Perry, NYCLU legislative director and author of the report
  • Jeff Aubry, Assembly Member, chair of Committee on Correction and lead sponsor of just passed Rockefeller reform legislation
  • John Dunne, Republican New York State senator from 1966 to 1989 and original sponsor of the Rockefeller Drug Laws
  • Eric Cadora, director of the Justice Mapping Center and creator of drug incarceration maps of Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and New York State
  • Marsha Weissman, executive director of the Center for Community Alternatives
  • Todd Clear, professor of criminal justice at John Jay College
  • Dr. Ruth Finkelstein, vice president of health policy for the New York Academy of Medicine

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In The Trenches

ENCOD Appeal to the CND

Dear Friends, On http://www.encod.org/info/APPEAL-FOR-A-DRUG-POLICY.html or hereunder you can read the appeal for a moratorium on drug policy that the Encod delegation will present to the CND in Vienna the coming days. On Thursday 12 march we will organbise a FREEDOM TO FARM - Peace on Plants Picknick, open for all artists, performers, people and plants, in front of the UN Building in Vienna (see http://www.encod.org/info/ENCOD-DELEGATION-TO-UN-SUMMIT-IN.html). On Friday 13 March, we will host a press conference in cafe Landtmann in Vienna (see http://www.encod.org/info/CITIZENS-AFFECTED-BY-WORLD-DRUG.html). Best wishes, Joep ------------------------------- A Drug Policy Moratorium is needed, and a true Year of Reflection. Our call for a moratorium in UN drug policy is based on the following three reasons. 1. The Year of Reflection has not been used properly, and cannot be concluded in March 09. There has been no evaluation, nor reflection worthy of that name, at least not within UNODC, INCB, nor CND. As usual, CND only evaluates itself. And let us not forget that the Mexico’s call for an evaluation, shortly before UNGASS 1998, was refused by CND. In the past year, there has been no discussion on any independent evaluation within CND. The input from the global NGO-assembly “Beyond 2008” was all but ignored. The preparations for CND ‘09 concentrated on the Political Declaration that had to be produced in consensus for the “High Level segment” of CND, and are in an ideological stalemate on the subject of Harm Reduction. 2. The only independent evaluation that should have reached CND-members before and during their deliberations starting next week, was the one commissioned by the European Commission. This evaluation, by a commission chaired by Prof. Peter Reuter was ready in draft in December, but was held up for unclear reasons and will not be made public before the beginning of the CND. This means that there is no more chance of this evaluation to have any influence on the outcome of CND ‘09. However, on 4 March at a meeting in Brussels of the Civil Society Forum on drug policy of the European Union, a week before the start of CND, the core conclusion of the Reuter evaluation was disclosed: international drug policy has done more harm than good. 3. During the last weeks, it has become clear that the USA is on the verge of significant changes of position on drug policy. After the election of President Obama the American delegation continued for as long as possible to resist the acceptance of Harm Reduction and Human Rights principles, which are widely accepted throughout the United Nations. Only a few days ago the US representative at the CND announced a minor, but important shift in stance on Harm Reduction. It is clear that the Obama administration needs more time to devise its new policy. Of course, the UN cannot let its policies be determined by one country. On the other hand, the USA is the dominant global power, possibly even more in drug policy than in other areas. It makes little sense to adopt a global policy for a long period, knowing that the USA is in the process of changing its positions, which will probably influence a lot of other member states. Conclusion The need for a period of true reflection is greater than ever. Deciding on drug policy now, which means determining policy for many years, possibly again the next ten years, would be highly irresponsible. This year’s CND cannot be accepted to be the final chord of the “Year of Reflection”. The publication of the independent evaluation by the Reuter Commission can and should be the beginning of serious discussion and reflection. A Drug Policy Moratorium is needed, and a true Year of Reflection.
Event

Dying to Get High: Marijuana as Medicine

Find out how patients all over the country have defied the federal government in order to acquire their medicine and hear what is at stake in the battle to end marijuana prohibition.
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In The Trenches

420 Drug War News 03/09/09

Today Marks 36,546 Days of DRUG WAR! 4:20 Drug War NEWS from 90.1 FM in Houston 60+ radio affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia & at www.kpft.org. 4:20 Drug War NEWS 03/09/09 to 03/15/09 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net Sun - Russell Jones of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition 2/2 Sat - Judge Michael McSpadden 3/3 Fri - Russell Jones of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Thu - Judge Michael McSpadden 2/3 Wed - Judge Michael McSpadden, one of 16 Houston area judges calling for a new direction in the drug war 1/3 Tue - Terry Nelson headed to Vienna to speak to UN for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Mon - Doug McVay with Drug War Facts + Abolitionist Moment Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Charles Lynch, facing Federal prison for MMJ - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT, 9:30 AM PT: Bruce Mirken of Marijuana Policy Project NOTE: Starting March 15, Century of Lies will move to Sundays at 7 PM Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, and www.audioport.org 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, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net
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Resolving Marijuana Prohibition

Marc-Boris St-Maurice, Executive Director of NORML Canada (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), Director of the Montreal and Quebec City Compassion Centers is embarking on a nation
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Federal Prosecutors Seem Confused About Obama's Medical Marijuana Policy

I'm hearing a lot of discussion about this odd story from the LA Times:

The U.S. attorney in Los Angeles sent a confidential memo to prosecutors last week ordering them to stop filing charges against medical marijuana dispensaries, then abruptly lifted the ban on Friday, according to sources familiar with the developments.

So he initially orders everyone to completely back off of medical marijuana cases, then for unknown reasons, reverses course and tells prosecutors to proceed as they have in the past. It's creepy and plays right into the suspicions of those who thought the Feds wouldn’t back off without a fight.

Nonetheless, I'm leaning towards the assumption that the initial memo was just a little bit premature, but that we'll ultimately see a policy along those lines. I contacted Caren Woodson at Americans for Safe Access for a more informed analysis. Here's what she has to say:
I think it's confusion --- it's important to remember that we aren't even close to having the appropriate Obama officials seated at this point.  We expect, per the White House's comments, review of the policy as these people are formulating new policy. Keep in mind Deputy AG Ogden hasn't been sworn in yet.

At this point there has been no new movement; no new raids or new indictments. We are, however, still concerned about what becomes of the individuals still undergoing prosecution or waiting federal sentences... And I think that will require a deeper, more comprehensive discussion with the Obama Administration...once we have a better sense of who will be staying and who will not!

In other words, don’t freak out, at least not yet. The new administration has said the raids will end and that's what we're expecting.
Blog

Why Are Democrats Barking About Rush Limbaugh's Drug Use?

National Review Online has a good point here. Obama's past drug use was rightfully declared off-limits during the campaign. Everyone on the left seemed to agree that was appropriate, so bludgeoning Limbaugh over his own drug use is lame.

You could make a decent argument that Limbaugh's behavior was more shocking (in light of this wildly hypocritical statement, for example), but that's really beside the point. The fact that past drug use is no longer a landmine on the campaign trail is an encouraging signal that our political culture has matured beyond the finger-wagging of the past. If we want it to stay that way, then there must be a bi-partisan truce when it comes to trashing someone's character for using drugs.

If you're actually discussing drug policy, that might be different, but just blatantly citing past drug use as evidence that someone's an asshole is not cool. This isn't about Rush Limbaugh, it's about moving beyond the "I didn't inhale" era so that we can have public discussions of drugs and drug policy that aren’t politicized and perverted to the point of absurdity.
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In The Trenches

Press Release: 10 Years After Institute of Medicine Recognized Medical Marijuana, Policy Catches Up With Science

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

MARCH 9, 2009   

10 Years After Institute of Medicine Recognized Medical Marijuana, Policy Catches Up With Science
Big Progress on State, Federal Levels; MPP's Rob Kampia to Debate at Cato Institute Forum March 17

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the 10th anniversary of the Institute of Medicine's historic report recognizing marijuana's value as a medicine approaches, medical marijuana patients and advocates are celebrating remarkable progress that has accelerated rapidly in recent months. A decade after the report's release on March 17, 1999, medical marijuana supporters see policy finally beginning to match scientific reality.

     In late February, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed that President Obama's campaign promise to end Drug Enforcement Administration attacks on state medical marijuana laws "is now American policy." In November, Michigan voters passed a medical marijuana law by the largest margin ever racked up by such an initiative, and medical marijuana bills are moving steadily forward in legislatures across the country, including Minnesota, Illinois and New Jersey.

     After California voters passed the nation's first effective medical marijuana law in November, 1996, the Clinton administration asked the Institute of Medicine to review existing research and report on potential medical uses of marijuana. The report, "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," while cautiously and carefully written, clearly acknowledged marijuana's therapeutic value for some seriously ill patients, stating, "Nausea, appetite loss, pain, and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting and all can be mitigated by marijuana."

     The report acknowledged the drawbacks of smoking and urged creation of a "rapid-onset, nonsmoked cannabinoid delivery system," but added, "In the meantime, there are patients with debilitating symptoms for whom smoked marijuana might provide relief." Studies published since 1999 have verified that marijuana vaporizers provide just the sort of rapid, nonsmoked delivery the IOM suggested.

     Until recently, federal officials ignored the findings, prompting co-author Dr. John Benson to tell the New York Times in 2006 that the government "loves to ignore our report. ... They would rather it never happened."

     "For 10 long years the federal government waged a war against science, and against the sick and suffering, but the Obama administration has clearly signaled that this insane war on patients is going to end," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "With medical marijuana bills advancing nationwide, it's clear a new day has dawned."

     Kampia will join University of California researcher Dr. Donald Abrams, whose studies have further documented marijuana's medical value, and opponent Robert Dupont for what should be a lively discussion of the report's 10th anniversary hosted by the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C., on March 17 at noon. For reservations for this free event, call 202-789-5229. The Cato Institute is located at 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

     Studies published since the IOM report was released have confirmed that medical marijuana can safely relieve neuropathic pain, a particularly hard to treat type of pain that afflicts millions with HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and other illnesses. Other studies have shown that use of medical marijuana to relieve nausea and other drug side effects is associated with better adherence to life-saving treatment regimens for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C.

     With more than 26,000 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 http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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In The Trenches

Reform drug policy full-time. Job openings at SSDP!

Friends,

The movement to end the War on Drugs is gaining momentum like never before. Every week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy's staff is contacted by dozens of students who are interested in starting chapters on their campuses. Oftentimes, it feels like there are more fish jumping into our boat than we have nets to catch!

But thanks to the generosity of our supporters like you, we're hiring two new staff members to meet the needs of our rapidly expanding chapter network!

Outreach Director - SSDP currently employs two outreach directors, and we are hiring a third. Each outreach director is assigned to a region of the U.S. and is responsible for growing our chapter network and providing assistance to chapters in that area.
http://www.ssdp.org/jobs/outreachdirector

Alumni Director - This is a brand new position with SSDP. The Alumni Director builds and coordinates our alumni network. Only applicants who are current or former members of SSDP's chapters, board, or staff will be considered for this position.
http://www.ssdp.org/jobs/alumnidirector

We also have several internships available all year round. Internships are unpaid, but may be applied toward class credit. http://www.ssdp.org/jobs/intern

I can't tell you how inspired I am that our supporters have enabled us to expand our staff, especially as many nonprofits are struggling because of the economic recession. If you've helped make this unprecedented growth possible, then you've invested in this movement at just the right time. Thank you.

And if you haven't yet made a gift to SSDP this year, but would like to ensure that the growing momentum for drug policy reform is sustained, I invite you to help us create a better future by contributing today. http://www.ssdp.org/donate

Sincerely,
Kris Krane, Executive Director
Students for Sensible Drug Policy

P.S. Please forward this announcement to anybody who might be interested in these positions.