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Mexican journalists seek more protection

Thousands of Mexican journalists demonstrated during the weekend as part of protests across Mexico asking authorities to do more to safeguard members of the news media from drug prohibition-fueled violence. Aggression against journalists has increased from both law enforcement agents and drug trafficking organizations.

A Conversation About Drug Policy with Judge James P. Gray

Opposition to the war on drugs spans the political spectrum and often produces strange bedfellows. Join IPS Drug Policy Project Director Sanho Tree as he interviews Judge James P. Gray (Retired Orange County Superior Court Judge).

Before becoming a judge in 1983, Gray served as a Volunteer in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, a staff judge advocate and criminal defense attorney in the Navy JAG Corps, a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, and a civil litigation attorney in a private law firm. In addition to being a Republican candidate for US Congress in 1998, he was also a Libertarian candidate for US Senate in 2004. He has also authored the book Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It. When conservatives and progressives agree, change can't be far away.

Please RSVP for this event by emailing [email protected]

Sophisticated Schemes Used to Smuggle Drugs Into L.A. County Jails

Drug prohibition breeds innovation in smuggling techniques -- this is why such a small percentage of drugs is ever seized by authorities. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department struggles daily to keep drugs out of the nation's largest county jail system. Read about the elaborate schemes used to breach jailhouse security for major profit.

ACTION ALERT: Denver to BAN Caregivers (in most areas)

Sensible Colorado - working for an effective drug policy

Poor patients need caregivers; Don't let Denver destroy them!

ACT NOW:

Stop Denver from limiting safe access!

On Monday August 9th, the Denver City Council will hear a first reading of an ordinance to BAN caregivers from growing medical marijuana for any patient in any residential zone district. The ordinance will make it a zoning violation for anyone to grow more than 12 plants in any residential zone district. In addition, the 12 plants can only be grown for patients who live at that address. This ordinance will effectively ban the caregiver model of safe access in Denver!

It gets worse.....

Ordinance C10-0607 is being introduced by Councilmember Jeanne Robb, who admits that she did notconsult a single patient during the drafting process!

The ordinance will be heard for a first reading on Monday night at 5:30p. If it passes first reading, a public hearing will be scheduled for sometime in September, along with a final vote.

Please call you city council representative TODAY and tell them to vote NO on Ordinance C10-0607. The city council should send the ordinance back to the drawing board and draft an ordinance that regulates - not bans - small time caregivers in Denver.

Important Targets:

Councilwoman Jeanne Robb: 303 377 1807

Councilman Chris Nevitt: 720 865 8900

Councilwoman Carla Madison: 303 298 7641

Message: Please vote NO on C10-0607. This change will hurt medical marijuana patients who rely on small caregivers to provide them with low cost medicine. Please don't act to limit patient access to medicine in Denver!

**Support Sensible Colorado's efforts to help patients and caregivers by clicking here.

Sensible Colorado | PO Box 18768 | Denver CO 80218

Ex-Mexico President Calls for Legalizing Drugs

It looks like the Mexicans are finally understanding the folly of drug prohibition. Last week, Mexico's President Felipe Calderon agreed to open the door to discussions about the legalization of drugs. Now, Mexico's former president, Vicente Fox, is joining with those urging Calderon to legalize drugs in Mexico, saying that legalization could break the economic power of the country's brutal drug trafficking organizations.

Florida smoke shops sue state over new law restricting pipe sales

Smoke shops throughout Florida are hoping a new law that regulates what they can sell will be repealed. The law makes it a misdemeanor for a smoke shop to generate more than 25 percent of its sales from pipes or smoking devices. Thirty businesses have sued to block enforcement of the rules, which took effect in July.

What if California makes marijuana legal?

California's Proposition 19 on whether to legalize marijuana has fueled a debate among bloggers and pundits over this question: Because Canada exports a large percentage of its marijuana to the United States, could legalization in the U.S. cripple the Canadian economy?

A Unique Chance to Rethink Drugs Policy (Editorial)

The Guardian (UK) editorializes that this is a moment in which a political leader could steer the drug debate out of its current dead-end track and towards something more meaningful and more likely to deliver what the public ultimately wants: safer, healthier, happier communities.

Drug Truth Network: Quigley, Cannabis Cooking, Confusion on Colombia, Pledge

PLEDGE DRIVE (1 Wk) FOR Drug Truth Network, Sun Aug 8, 6:30-7:30 PM... please email pledge or call 1-877-9-420-420, incentives include Oaksterdam's Marijuana Growers Guide, Oaksterdam T's, Sweats

Cultural Baggage * Century of Lies * 4:20 Drug War NEWS * Time 4 Hemp

Note: We now produce a segment each Friday at 11:45 PM Central for Time 4 Hemp on American Freedom Radio (dot com)

Cultural Baggage for 08/08/10 29:00 Sanho Tree of Institute for Policy Studies regarding travel to Bolivia and Colombia + MJ Borden of Drug War Facts & Fox reporter for ending drug war?

LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3019

TRANSCRIPT: Tue

Century of Lies for 08/08/10 29:00 Bill Quigley, legal director of Center for Constitutional Rights on racial aspects of drug war + powerful Cannabis-Lasagna recipe from Sandy Moriarty, instructor at Oaksterdam University

LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3020

TRANSCRIPT: Monday

4:20 Drug War NEWS, 08/09 to 08/15/10 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin -

Sun - Fox debates cannabis use for autism Sat - Michael Krawitz, a US veteran on Fox regarding VA rule to allow use of cannabis Fri - Bill Quigley, legal director of Center for Constitutional Rights on America's caste system utilized in the drug war Thu - Sanho Tree of Institute for Policy Studies on ultra violence in cocaine trade Wed - Mary Jane Borden of Drug War Facts: "Does decrim work?"

Tue - Sandy Moriarty cannabis-lasagna recipe 2/2 Mon - Sandy Moriarty, cannabis chef at Oaksterdam University gives recipe for some powerful lasagna 1/2

Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org

- Cultural Baggage Sun, 7:30 PM ET, 6:30 PM CT, 5:30 PM MT, 4:30 PM PT

- Century of Lies, SUN, 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT

Who's Next?": TBD

Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and now at James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. http://www.bakerinstitute.org/dtn

We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates. You can tune into both our 1/2 hour programs, live, at 6:30 central time on Pacifica's KPFT at http://www.kpft.org and call in your questions and concerns toll free at 1-877-9-420 420.

The two, 29:00 shows appear along with the seven, daily, 3:00 "4:20 Drug War NEWS" reports each Monday morning at http://www.drugtruth.net . We currently have 91 affiliated, yet independent broadcast stations. With a simple email request to [email protected] , your station can join the Drug Truth Network, free of charge.

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, DTN Producer, 713-462-7981, www.drugtruth.net

Tell Your Congressperson to Oppose S.258

Dear friends,

The US Senate passed S.258, the "Saving Kids from Dangerous Drugs Act of 2010." We are concerned that without amendments, this act goes too far and infringes on the rights of medical marijuana patients by doubling federal penalties. Now is the time to act -- Tell your Representative that medical marijuana patients deserve protection!

Many patients, particularly the elderly and those with compromised lung function, prefer to use medical cannabis in edible forms as opposed to smoking or inhaling their medicine. S. 258 unfairly puts these patients and their providers at a heightened risk of arrest and prosecution.

The House has an opportunity to make important changes to the legislation before they vote on the bill. Patients and advocates are leading the call for sensible and responsible amendments to the legislation, and they need your help. Take Action Now! Phone and email your Representative today! Please forward this action request to your friends, family and networks across the Country.

Sincerely

Steph Sherer
Executive Director

ASA needs your support!

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