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The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is a global network of NGOs and professional networks that specialise in issues related to illegal drug production and use. The Consortium aims to promote objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction and content of drug policies at national and international level, and supports evidence-based policies that are effective in reducing drug-related harm. It disseminates the reports of its member organisations about particular drug-related matters, and offers expert consultancy services to policymakers and officials around the world. JOB OPPORTUNITY - IDPC COORDINATOR REQUIRED GLOBAL DRUG POLICY ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) (www.idpc.info) is a global network of NGOs and professional networks that specialise in issues related to illegal drug use. It aims to promote objective and open debate on the effectiveness, direction and content of drug policies at national and international level, and supports evidence-based policies that are effective in reducing drug-related harm. In the two years of its existence, the IDPC has established itself as a credible and respected source of policy analysis and advice for many policy makers in national governments and international agencies. We are now looking to build on this foundation to broaden our analytical and advocacy activities. Release (http://www.release.org.uk/) manages the work of the IDPC and is looking to appoint a committed and highly professional individual to coordinate its activities. The successful candidate will combine a sound administrative and organisational sense, with good advocacy skills, and an ability to operate at a high level of international affairs. This position is London based, however, exceptional candidates based elsewhere will be considered. The salary range is £30-40k. If you are interested in applying for this post, please email Geni Horwood at [email protected] for: 1. Information letter 2. Person Specification 3. Job Description 4. IDPC work plan and membership list Completed applications should be submitted by 5th September 2008. Interviews will be held in London on 25th and 26th September. "UNGASS NEWS" UNGASS NEWS - AUGUST 2008. http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_UngassNews_August08_EN.pdf IDPC has produced an advocacy guide http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/IDPC_AdvocacyGuide_June08_EN.pdf to describe the UNGASS 10-year review and the key issues within it. As a way of keeping our network informed, we are producing regular "UNGASS News" updates as the process unfolds. This second edition reports on the outcome of the first three intergovernmental working groups, and the "Beyond 2008" Global NGO Forum. INDONESIAN JANGKAR REPORT This is the report of Jangkar (the National Action Network for Drug Harm Reduction in Indonesia) and the Open Society Institute. The report is one of the first attempts to assess and depict violation of drug users’ human rights in Indonesia. Since the document is the pdf version of a printed bilingual publication in Indonesian and English, the English version should be read from back to front. http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/Jangkar_2008_IDUandHumanRightsinIndonesia_IND_EN.pdf TRANS NATIONAL INSTITUTE PUBLICATIONS 10 YEARS OF TNI DRUGS AND DEMOCRACY PROGRAMME 1998 - 2008 TNI has been involved in international drugs policy work since the 1998 UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS). This report summarises the lessons of 10 years of work in this field, emphasising drug controls that respect human rights: the rights of farmers caught in the illicit economy to a life in dignity; decriminalisation of drug use; and the promotion of harm reduction approaches where they are proven to save lives. English: http://www.tni.org/reports/drugs/10years.pdf Spanish: http://www.tni.org/reports/drugs/10anos.pdf REWRITING HISTORY: A RESPONSE TO THE 2008 WORLD DRUG REPORT In the new 2008 World Drug Report the UNODC is trying to hide failures behind a bad history lesson. Instead of a clear acknowledgement that the 10-year UNGASS targets have not been met, the WDR decided to go back 100 years into history claiming success in comparison with Chinese opium production and use in the early 20th century. English: http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/brief26.pdf Spanish: http://www.ungassondrugs.org/images/stories/brief26s.pdf PRIORITIES OF THE FRENCH PRESIDENCY ON DRUGS AND DRUG ADDICTION The priorities of the French Presidency of the EU have been published and the fight against drugs and drug addiction has been expressly included as a constant objective essential to the protection of citizens. The French presidency will facilitate the negotiation of the new EU action plan against drugs for 2009 - 2012 and prepare EU positions and strategy for the CND. There are hopes to coordinate national positions so that Europe can speak with one voice on the international stage and co-operate more effectively with the third world. The profound objective is to be more effective, that is to obtain a real and measurable impact on the drugs situation in member states and to communicate strategies better so that citizens know and understand them. A busy calendar of events has been prepared by the French Presidency to this end. http://www.drogues.gouv.fr/IMG/doc/PFUE_les_priorites_drogues.doc http://www.drogues.gouv.fr/IMG/doc/PFUECalendrier.doc An unofficial translation of the above documents has been prepared by IDPC: http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/PFUE_July08_EN.pdf BEYOND 2008 In partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and led by the Vienna Non Governmental Organisations Committee on Narcotic Drugs 300 NGO delegates, from all regions of the world, met to debate and construct a consensus on policy recommendations and on mechanisms for NGOs and the government to work together. This consensus, in the form of a Declaration and Resolutions, will be tabled at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the UNODC as they prepare for the 1998 - 2008 UNGASS review. The Declaration and Resolutions can be found through this link: http://www.vngoc.org/images/uploads/file/BEYOND%202008%20DECLARATION%20AND%20RESOLUTIONS%20FINAL(1).pdf RELEASE CONFERENCE "Drugs, Race and Discrimination" is the theme of the upcoming 2008 Release Conference to be held in London on 18th September 2008. This unique event will focus on discrimination faced by drug users around the world. By highlighting the issues confronting people from an already marginalised background whose drug use leaves them open to further prejudice, this conference will tackle some of the most complex and interesting issues in drug policy today. International speakers presenting original material will include: Deborah Small (Break the Chains); Damon Barret (IHRA); Chris Huhne MP and King Downing (ACLU). Tickets are available on a first come first service basis by following the booking link on the conference programme available here: http://releaseorgu.eweb101.discountasp.net/latest_conference.html PETITION TO FREE IRANIAN HARM REDUCTION DOCTORS Paola Barahona, MPH, a Global Health Policy Associate with Physicians for Human Rights, Washington, is reaching out to friends, family, and colleagues and asking them to consider signing the attached petition to the Government of Iran on behalf of Drs. Kamiar Alaei and Arash Alaei, physician brothers who have been working on HIV and drug use in Iran for many years. They have been detained without any charges by Iranian security forces since late June. There is concern that their detainment may be related to their harm reduction work and leadership. The petition calls on the government of Iran to either charge or immediately release them. Please consider signing the petition online at http://actnow-phr.org/campaign/iran_free_the_docs and let Paula know if you would like her to keep you informed of progress in the case by emailing: [email protected] Please feel free to pass this alert on to any contacts who may be interested in drug policy issues. If you have received this alert in error, or do not wish to continue receiving our alerts, you can unsubscribe yourself by emailing to [email protected]

I would like 3-5 minutes of your time: The past 5 months I have been making my second round of meetings with House staffers. Usually we met for the first time 1-2 years ago. Since they do not need a whole presentation, I just ask for a few minutes to give them some updates and renew our relationship. Many dozens of times they have engaged me in conversation and the ‘3-5 minute’ meetings turn into 20-25 minutes. As much as the ‘universe’ conspired to help Misty and me cross North America, now it seems the universe is conspiring to help me succeed in Washington. Even as ‘everyone’ tells me I have lifetime employment on this issue, I am thoroughly encouraged by the significant, positive attitude of staffers. If, IF this damn prohibition lasts another ten years, these staffers often go home to become a state rep or state senator. The LEAP message has become and will remain a part of their overall understanding of drug control strategy. Here is a note from just such a staffer: Mornin Officer Wooldridge, It was great meeting you as well. After we met I went to dinner with a guy who is a City of Chicago police officer, and I raised some of the issues that we talked about. Anyways I was surprised to find out that he shared your feelings. Unfortunately, I’m not the one with the vote, but we can take baby steps and steer our nation’s drug policy in the right direction. Indeed ‘small steps’ are taken everyday, often unseen/unknown by me. Help Send Howard back to Texas: As you know, I am working hard to eliminate the need for LEAP. To that end I would like your help. Via Jerry Epstein in Texas idea, I want to begin dropping off to Member of Congress offices articles that appear in local papers that touch the issue. Please send me either electronically or cut out the article and send to me (I will play mailman). Articles should include anything that shows the financial or emotional burdens, police misconduct (drug raid on wrong house, corruption, etc) or really anything which shows that modern prohibition is the most dysfunctional, immoral policy since slavery. When in doubt, send it please. The concept is simple. Make sure the politicians know what their constituents are reading. It is also a great excuse to drop by the office. Staffers (even those I never met) remember the hat, my business card is attached to the article and so on and so on. PS. For you bean counters I have made about 700 presentations since the fall of 2005.

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network: (To downlad these 29:00 files, click on links below. To simply listen, go to www.drugtruth.net and select the arrow below the shows description.) Cultural Baggage for 08/13/08 Philippe Lucas of the Vancouver Island Compassion Society discusses drug war tactics of US, Canada and the UN + Terry Nelson of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/2006/FDBCB_081308.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (To be posted by Friday) Century of Lies for 08/12/08 American Bar Association panel on drugs featuring Judge Arthur Burnett of NAADPC, Jay Rorty of ACLU and Judge Lynn Sharard MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/2005/COL_081208.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (Posted on Fri) PLEASE NOTE: We now have transcripts, potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed, listen online at www.kpft.org: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD 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, Canada and Now Australia!!! Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 55 Drug Policy Videos online) 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

National: "New Constituency" Targeted as Election Day Approaches Florida civil rights lawyer Reggie Mitchell, Alabama activist Rev. Kenneth Glasgow and various grass-roots groups around the nation are trying to register tens of thousands of newly eligible citizens with felony convictions for the upcoming election. "They have taken up the cause on their own, motivated by the belief that former offenders have been unfairly disenfranchised for decades," the Washington Post reports. Mitchell said the state's former disenfranchisement policy that banned all citizens with felony convictions from voting offended his notion of justice. "You can serve your time and still have your rights taken away," he stated of the former policy which was changed last year to allow those with non-violent offenses and paid restitution to vote. "I studied the history of black disenfranchisement in the state. We had the grandfather laws and the tissue-paper ballots. When a black man came to vote, they gave him a tissue-paper ballot that was later thrown out. There were lynchings and riots. We've got a long history of depriving people of the right to vote in Florida." Commenting on the Post's coverage, the American Prospect posted a blog entry that begged for a logical response to continuing antiquated disenfranchisement laws. "Such laws are Constitutionally suspect. If someone has fulfilled their legal obligations in prison, why are they still being punished after release? Why do former felons lose the right to act politically in their own self-interest once they are supposedly free? What, exactly, is Constitutional about depriving American citizens of one of their most basic civil rights? How does disenfranchising the formerly incarcerated encourage them to be productive members of society? Most ridiculous is the presumption that such laws are 'tough on crime.' How does preventing ex-felons from voting prevent crimes from being committed?" For additional coverage, read the Daily News Record. In the summer edition of the National Urban League's Opportunity Journal, Kara Gotsch, The Sentencing Project's Director of Advocacy, wrote: "[E]xcluding David Waller from the voting booth [because of his felony conviction] did not just punish him and his family, but everyone who believes in an inclusive democratic society." She tells the story of Waller from Baltimore, Maryland, who registered to vote last year when Governor Martin O'Malley signed a law automatically restoring voting rights upon completion of sentence. Entitled, "Voting Rights Movement Continues for Citizens with Felony Convictions," the piece also highlights the devastating impact of state felony disenfranchisement laws and the momentum to change them. Florida: Automatic Restoration is in the Governor's Hands Mark Schlakman offers several suggestions and steps that Florida can take to ensure that citizens with felony convictions can regain their voting rights upon completion of sentence. In a St. Petersburg Times commentary. Schlakman recommends that Gov. Charlie Crist, who has already helped restore rights to nonviolent offenders who have paid restitution - sign an executive order that would implement provisions of a comprehensive re-entry bill that passed the Senate this year but died in the House. "The three tiers of review that were established by the April 2007 rule changes, which can be cumbersome and costly, could be collapsed into one resembling the approach taken under former Gov. Reubin Askew, simply to verify completion of sentence," Schlakman stated. He further suggested that the government do the following: --The governor and Cabinet should revisit the long-standing clemency rule that requires ex-offenders to pay restitution obligations in full as a precondition for rights restoration. --The governor and Cabinet should readopt a 1975 Rule of Executive Clemency that provided for essentially automatic restoration of rights upon completion of sentence. --The governor and Cabinet should require that civil rights restoration review be initiated before offenders complete their sentences rather than afterward. --The governor should direct the state Division of Elections to provide local elections supervisors with contact information for ex-offenders who have regained their rights to vote to help reach this newly eligible population. Nevada: More Difficulty Ahead A recent policy change in Nevada has made it more difficult for individuals with out-of-state felony convictions to regain the right to vote. Voting rights will be restored by the Nevada Secretary of State only if voting rights were restored in the state where the conviction and release occurred. The Secretary of State now requires individuals to get documented proof that their rights were restored, which can be a difficult task in the state they came from -- and that makes it virtually impossible because "there is just no system in place to get it to them," a K-LAS Eyewitness News editorial stated. "The registrar's letters even re-accuse ex-felons of committing another felony by trying to register to vote." - - - - - - 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.