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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2008 CONTACT: Margaret Dooley-Sammuli at (213) 291-4190 or Tommy McDonald at (510) 229-5215 Prop 5 TV Ad Focuses on $2.5 Billion "Bottom Line" Only Measure to Cut State Costs, says LAO LOS ANGELES - Amid the state budget crisis and financial market meltdown, voters are anxious about ballot measures that will cost the state money. There's only one measure on the November ballot that will actually cut state costs, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO). That's Proposition 5, the Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act (NORA), which would increase treatment access for youth and nonviolent offenders, and reduce prison overcrowding. Cost-cutting is the theme of "Bottom Line", a new TV spot released today and airing statewide. The ad highlights the ballot language prepared by the LAO: that Prop. 5 will result in "capital outlay savings potentially exceeding $2.5 billion." The LAO's analysis has impressed other groups concerned with the state's fiscal health: Adrian Moore, of the Reason Foundation, said "Proposition 5 is taxpayers' only hope of getting prison spending under control, and the only choice on the ballot for voters concerned with our state's fiscal solvency." Richard Holober, of the Consumer Federation of California, said, "Prop. 5 is a good deal for California taxpayers. It's the only measure on the ballot that will reduce state spending. In these economic times, California can't afford not to pass Prop. 5." According to the LAO, Prop. 5 will reduce the state prison population by at least 18,000 and the number of people on parole by 22,000. Overall, the LAO calculates that Prop. 5 will generate "savings potentially exceeding $1 billion annually on corrections operations." Annual costs for Prop. 5 rehabilitation programs could eventually grow to $1 billion, says the LAO - making Prop. 5 cost-neutral on an annual basis. By reducing the number of nonviolent offenders behind bars and on parole, Prop. 5 will slow California's skyrocketing prison growth - which is currently increasing at three times the rate of the general adult population. According to the LAO, this would reduce future spending on prison construction by at least $2.5 billion. Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, deputy campaign manager with Yes on 5, said "Prop. 5 is a smarter way to spend existing resources so that we put the brakes on out-of-control prison growth while investing in proven, effective recidivism-reduction programs." UCLA researchers have found that treatment diversion saves $2.50 for every $1 invested, and yields $4 for every $1 among those who complete treatment. So, advocates believe, long-term savings from Prop. 5 could well exceed the $2.5 billion projected by the LAO, as more individuals achieve long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol and become productive members of the community. The TV spot is online here: http://www.prop5yes.com/campaign-ads-videos The New York Times Editorial is online here: http://www.prop5yes.com/the-california-prison-disaster DPA Fact Sheet: CALIFORNIA'S BLOATED PRISON GROWTH * Since 2000, prison costs have grown 50% to over $10 billion - about 10% of the state budget. It now costs $46,000 to incarcerate one person for one year in CA. * Since the late 1980s, the prison population increased by 75% to over 170,000 - nearly three times faster than the general adult population. Meanwhile, the number of incarcerated nonviolent offenders skyrocketed from 20,000 to 70,000. * In the 1990s, California built 21 new prisons and just one university. The state now spends about the same amount annually on prisons and higher education. * From 1980 to 2000, the number of drug offenders behind bars jumped from 1,778 to 45,455. Since 2000, the number of people incarcerated for drug possession has fallen by over 6,000 - thanks to Proposition 36 treatment-not-incarceration. * About 20% of prisoners are incarcerated for a drug offense, but over 80% of inmates have a substance abuse problem. The prison system has capacity to provide treatment to only about 5%. * Every month 10,000 inmates are released; most have not received treatment or rehabilitation behind bars. California's recidivism rate is twice the national average at 70%. Each month 7,000 parolees are returned to prison. * Since 1980, membership in the prison guard union increased 500% from 5,000 to 31,000 - and average annual earnings grew from $14,400 in 1980 to nearly $90,000 in 2008 ($73,720 in base pay plus $16,000 in overtime). IF PROP. 5 DOESN'T PASS. * The response to California's prison crisis will be determined by a federal court. On November 17, 2008, a three-judge panel will consider putting the entire prison system under federal receivership. (The Legislative Analyst's Office calculates that Prop. 5 would reduce the prison population and parole populations by at least 40,000 in just a few years.) * California prison spending is projected to reach $15 billion by 2011. (The legislative analyst calculates that Prop. 5 would reduce prison spending by $1 billion per year and cut prison construction costs by at least $2.5 billion.) * Spending on drug and alcohol treatment in the community will continue to shrink; spending was cut by 10% in the 2009-10 state budget. (Prop. 5 would allocate increased and reliable spending on community-based alcohol and drug treatment programs proven to cut incarceration costs.)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2008 CONTACT: Jennifer Kern, Drug Policy Alliance, (415) 373-7694 White House Pushes Controversial Student Drug Testing Agenda at Summit in Albany on October 29 Largest Study, Leading Health Groups Call Random, Suspicionless Drug Testing Harmful and Ineffective ALBANY - The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is conducting a series of regional summits designed to convince local educators to begin drug testing students - randomly and without cause. This policy is unsupported by the available science and opposed by leading experts in adolescent health. The latest summit will be held in Albany on Wednesday, October 29 at the Crown Plaza Albany, State & Lodge Streets from 8:30 am -1:00pm. Studies have found that suspicionless drug testing is ineffective in deterring student drug use. The first large-scale national study on student drug testing, which was published by researchers at the University of Michigan in 2003, found no difference in rates of student drug use between schools that have drug testing programs and those that do not. A two-year randomized experimental trial published last November in the Journal of Adolescent Health concluded random drug testing targeting student athletes did not reliably reduce past month drug use and, in fact, produced attitudinal changes among students that indicate new risk factors for future substance use. "Drug testing breaks down relationships of trust," said Jennifer Kern, Youth Policy Manager for the Drug Policy Alliance. "All credible research on substance abuse prevention points to eliminating, rather than creating, sources of alienation and conflict between young people, their parents and schools." Random student drug testing is opposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association, the Association of Addiction Professionals, and the National Association of Social Workers, among others. These organizations believe random testing programs erect counter-productive obstacles to student participation in extracurricular activities, marginalize at-risk students and make open communication more difficult. "Our schools should stay focused on education, prevention and health, not invasive drug testing programs that have never been proven safe or effective," said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. "New York students deserve comprehensive, interactive and honest drug education with assistance and support for students whose lives have been disrupted by substance use." A December 2007 policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Substance Abuse and Council of School Health reaffirmed their opposition to student drug testing, holding: "Physicians should not support drug testing in schools ... [because] it has not yet been established that drug testing does not cause harm." Making Sense of Student Drug Testing: Why Educators are Saying No, published by the Drug Policy Alliance and the American Civil Liberties Union, can be found online at www.safety1st.org.

Drug Truth Network Update: 4:20 Drug War NEWS from 90.1 FM in Houston and dozens of radio affiliates in the US, Canada and Australis & on the web at www.kpft.org. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia. 4:20 Drug War NEWS 10/27/08 to 11/02/08 now online (3:00 ea:) Select online at www.drugtruth.net Sun - Mikki Norris of Cannabis Consumers talks about rights and freedom for cannabis users Sat - Jeff Jones speaks re medical marijuana safety and control & for Oaksterdam University Fri - Drug War & Halloween go together like peanut butter and jelly Thu - Dale Gieringer, director of California NORML Wed - Keith Stroup, former director of National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws Tue - Terry Nelson reports for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Mon - Glenn Greenway and the Poppygate Report Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed (Now With Transcripts): - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Amanda Fielding, Lady Neipath, Dir Beckley Found. - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT, 9:30 AM PT: San Francisco Atty. Tony Serra 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