***************************************************************
   ** PLEASE DISTRIBUTE BY EMAIL AND FAX **
***************************************************************

       The 1998 Global Days against the Drug War!

                 June 5-10, events in:

          Alsfeld, Amsterdam, Auckland, Berlin, Bonn, 
   Brussels,  Christchurch, Colville, Dallas, Dunedin, Eugene, 
  Fort Lauderdale, Hamburg, Houston, Ilmenau, Jena, London, 
Los Angeles, Madrid, Marbella, Melbourne, Munich, New Orleans,
  New York, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Salt Lake City, San Francisco,
    Schengen, Seattle, Sydney, Stockholm, Tallinn, Tel Aviv, 
        Trier, Tucson, Washington, Wellington, Winnipeg, ... 

                  Join the Coalition!

As you probably know, the United Nations will hold the first-ever
Special Session of the General Assembly on Drugs, from June 8th
to June 10th 1998 in New York.

This session was originally conceived as a critical examination
of worldwide anti-drug policy. The focus of this session has
now been narrowed. According to the new guidelines, only the
expansion of existing policies will be open for discussion. The
United Nations aims to escalate current drug repression tactics
in a catastrophic quest towards a 'drug free' society. In terms
of crime, economic and financial damage, and social and personal
harm, this policy is turning into a worldwide crisis!

It is of great importance that alternative proposals are heard
at the onset of this UN session. A clear statement must be made
that what is needed is not escalated repression, but reform
policies aimed at reducing the damage currently done.

To this aim, more than 80 reform organisations have recently 
united to form the "Global Coalition for Alternatives to the Drug 
War". They have written a declaration that will be published widely.
Organisations can join the coalition by co-signing the declaration; 
see the contact info below.

Members of this coalition are also invited to participate in
the the "1998 Global Days against the Drug War", which are 
held Friday June 5th through Wednesday June 10th in cities 
around the world. This international event will feature 
discussion forums, seminars, publications, press conferences, 
demonstrations, street parties, concerts, a congress, and other
types of events. The CORA congress will be held in Paris,
Friday 5th through Sunday 7th, and a great three-day event
is planned to take place in New York from Monday 8th through
Wednesday 10th. We have applied for a forum inside the UN on
Tuesday June 9th. At this moment (May 10th), events are being
planned in 40 cities!

You can help make the 1998 Global Days against the Drug War
a success! Make sure your city is part of this event. If you
are a member of a group or organisation that can help, contact
us. Otherwise, you can join one or more of the participating
groups and organisations, or set up your own group. See
the contact info below.

In the weeks before UNGASS we will issue press releases with
the names of all the groups and organisations that have joined 
the coalition. Groups and organisations are invited to plan 
their own version of the 1998 Global Days against the Drug War, 
under their own identity and name. Note however that participa-
tion in the coalition does not itself imply endorsement of the 
individual events taking place.

Organisations wishing to join the coalition can send mail to
[email protected]. Individual activists please visit the
web site at http://www.stopthedrugwar.org.

The Global Coalition for Alternatives to the Drug War currently 
consists of these and more than 60 other organisations:

The Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet), the National Organi-
sation for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Coordinamento Radicale
Antiprohibizionista (CORA), the November Coalition, the Campaign for
Equity-Restorative Justice (CERJ), the Transnational Radical Party
(TRP), Common Sense for Drug Policy, the Legalize! Initiative, the
Media Awareness Project (MAP), American Society for Action on Pain
(ASAP), Compassionate Care Alliance, the Campaign for the Restora-
tion and Regulation of Hemp (CRRH), HANF! Magazine, National Alliance 
of Methadone Advocates (NAMA), and other organisations.

  Participate in the 1998 Global Days against the Drug War !

                       June 5-10
             http://www.stopthedrugwar.org
           e-mail: [email protected]

***********************************************************
   ** PLEASE DISTRIBUTE BY EMAIL AND FAX **
***********************************************************