Dear friends, This is a very exciting time for drug law reform across the country, as state legislatures are taking significant action and promising ballot initiatives are coming up this fall in many states. As a state legislator myself, I've seen how the current economic and budget crises have made drug law reform more likely. As we struggle with a historic budget shortfall, my colleagues in the Washington State Legislature are more receptive than ever to drug policy reform, acknowledging the extravagant waste of our current policies. We've made great progress this year, especially on marijuana policy. And Washington State is not alone -- state legislatures around the country are figuring out how to deal with their own budget crises. This fiscal bad news is good news for drug policy reform as policy makers are forced to examine more cost-effective measures than interdiction, incarceration and the other expensive tools of our prohibition-based approach. WE NEED YOUR HELP.  The Voluntary Committee of Lawyers is aggressively organizing the legal and professional communities in key states around the country to promote drug law reforms and to educate local opinion leaders, legislators and other policy makers. At this critical time we need your help to keep our momentum with numerous state and local projects: - The VCL is working intensively with bar associations in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Rhode Island, Montana and other states to publish further reports and to sponsor public forums in the fall of 2010, raising awareness among public officials and the public at large on the wisdom and practicality of drug law reforms.
-  In Washington State, the presidents of the King County Bar Association and Washington State Bar Association testified before the legislature in support of the decriminalization of marijuana. This support came after years of work by the VCL's flagship project, the KCBA Drug Policy Project, to pass resolutions by both bars in support of marijuana reform.
- In Colorado, the legislature is poised to reduce drug sentences and increase rehabilitation due to the work of the Colorado Commission on Criminal & Juvenile Justice, the result of years of effort by the Colorado Bar Association’s Criminal Sentencing Project, an initiative formed with the close guidance of the VCL. The VCL continues to consult very closely with leading legislators in Colorado to bring about further reforms.
- The American Bar Association is holding a presidential showcase at its Annual Meeting in San Francisco in August on "Marijuana Regulation and Federalism: A Clash of State and Federal Policy."Â This forum is a part of the continued efforts by the Washington State Bar Association, the KCBA Drug Policy Project and the VCL to bring a significant resolution on marijuana reform before the ABA.
Like the states, the VCL's budget is also in trouble right now. To continue our important work, we need support from people like you who understand the power of organizing attorneys, doctors and other professionals to educate public officials and endorse needed reforms to drug policies. Be a part of the solution and please contribute at the $50, $75 or $100 membership levels, or set up convenient monthly payments. Join our call for change by signing on to our Open Letter. If you are ready to start a committee in your local or state bar association to study the drug problem and your community's approach, this is the perfect time to get our expert advice. We appreciate whatever level of support works for you! Sincerely, 
Roger Goodman Executive Director |
