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Want to See Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) Ask President Obama a Question? (Action Alert)

Friends,

Go to http://www.youtube.com/askobama and use the search box on the right side to find the question below and then vote it up! Or choose "sorted by popularity," as we're currently at number one!

Q: "As a police officer, I saw how waging the war on drugs has cost a trillion dollars and thousands of lives but does nothing to reduce drug use. Should we discuss legalizing marijuana and other drugs, which would eliminate the violent criminal market?"

We'd really appreciate it if you could activate your Facebook, Twitter and e-mail followers behind this effort.  This is a huge opportunity to get our message in front of the nation, and we have until this Wednesday at midnight EST to get as many votes as it takes to stay on top.

Thanks!

Tom

--

Tom Angell, Media Relations Director

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Clinton to Focus on Drug Prohibition Violence in Mexico

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Mexico today for talks expected to focus on the country's accelerating drug prohibition violence. The Mexican government says the bloodshed is a sign the gangs are weakening. But business leaders and rights groups worry the strategy has backfired, sparking an endless stream of revenge killings that is spilling across the country.

Clinton to Discuss Mexico's Drug Prohibition War on Monday

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will make a one-day visit to Mexico next week to discuss bilateral issues including organized crime. The visit comes as drug prohibition violence continues to plague Mexico, including a string of attacks in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco and the northern business hub of Monterrey since the start of the year. Drug prohibition violence left 15,273 dead in Mexico in 2010, according to official figures, making it the deadliest year yet since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown on drug trafficking organizations four years ago, with tens of thousands of troops.
Bolivian coca leaf chewer (image courtesy of the author)
Bolivian coca leaf chewer (image courtesy of the author)

US Says No to Lifting UN Coca Leaf Ban

Bolivia wants to undo a treaty clause that has outlawed the traditional practice of coca chewing for the last 50 years, but the US and others stand ready to block that effort.

Tell Obama to End Federal Interference with State Medical Marijuana Laws (Action Alert)

 

Patients, Activists, and Concerned Citizens

The Federal Government has shown increased activity in medical marijuana communities across the country by raiding cultivators and dispensaries, subpoenaing patient medical records, and jeopardizing patient rights.  These actions are inconsistent with the spirit of Attorney General Holder's memo suggesting patients and other community members in compliance with state laws are safe from federal interference.  When will it end?

Tell the DEA to Step Away!  Call the White House today by calling 202-456-1414 and tell President Obama to end the hypocrisy by ending federal raids and interference today!

Script:

Violations of state and local laws are not in the purview of the federal government. The DEA and Federal Government need to let the state and local governments do their job!  Medical marijuana states are capable and equipped to enforce medical marijuana laws and address any violations.  The recent increase in federal raids and interference is not only aggressive and harmful towards our community; it also detracts from the state's ability to implement state law.  Please, tell the DEA to GO AWAY!

Thank you.


Please share your experience with us by posting to the  ASA Online Discussion Forums.

We look forward to hearing your response!

Sincerely,

Americans for Safe Access

Americans for Safe Access

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Did CVS Buy Its Way Out of a Meth Indictment? [FEATURE]

While small-time meth criminals face years in prison, a wealthy corporation complicit in the trade walks away with a fine. Is it a case of you can have all the justice you can buy? Or does the system just focus on the easiest victims?

Thursday Press Teleconference: Clinton Commutation Beneficiaries Call on President Obama to Expedite Clemency for Crack Cocaine Prisoners (Press Advisory)

For Immediate Release: December 15, 2010                      

Contact: Nkechi Taifa (202-641-6605) or Tony Newman (646-335-5384)

THURSDAY PRESS TELECONFERENCE: Clinton Commutation Beneficiaries Call on President Obama to Expedite Clemency for Crack Cocaine Prisoners

Recent federal legislation reducing the 100-to-1 cocaine sentencing disparity will not benefitthose in prison

Advocates will fast and pray for justice on December 22, 10-year anniversary of Clinton crack cocaine commutations

WASHINGTON, DC—Advocates for presidential clemency will join together for a press teleconference on Thursday, December 16 to urge President Obama to expedite clemency for people serving excessive terms under the now-reformed federal crack cocaine sentencing laws. Participants will be commemorating the 10-year anniversary of President Clinton’s commutation of Kemba Smith and Dorothy Gaines, two women sent to federal prison for 24 and 19 years, respectively, for playing peripheral roles in their boyfriends’ drug operations.  Joining the women on the press teleconference will be members of the Crack the Disparity Coalition, a broad coalition of civil rights, faith-based, drug policy, criminal justice reform advocacy groups, and formerly incarcerated people.

Recent changes under the Fair Sentencing Act, signed in August, reduce the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine from 100-to-1 to 18-to-1 but do not provide relief to thousands of individuals who are already serving time for crack cocaine offenses. Prior to the law’s passage, an individual in possession of 5 grams of crack cocaine (roughly the amount of sugar in a couple of sugar packets) would be sentenced to a federal 5-year mandatory minimum sentence. It took 500 grams of powder cocaine to receive the same 5-year sentence.

The campaign has set up a site (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pres_obama-useyourpowertocorrectinjustice/) and a Facebook page, “Holiday Fast and Prayer for Justice,”(http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=173873379301719) where others can commit to fasting and prayer and sign a petition to President Obama on behalf of those behind bars under the old crack cocaine sentencing structure.

                        WHAT:           Press Teleconference to urge President Obama to expedite clemency

WHEN:           Thursday, December 16, 1 p.m. ET

CALL IN #:    1-800-311-9402   Passcode: Fairness

WHO:

Kemba Smith Pradia was sentenced as a first time non-violent drug offender to 24.5 years in federal prison even though the prosecutor handling her case said she never handled, used or sold any of the drugs involved. Currently, she is a national public speaker, advocate and founder of the Kemba Smith Foundation.

Dorothy Gaines is a single mother of three who was convicted of minor involvement in her boyfriends’ small-scale crack distribution and served 6 years of a 19 ½ year sentence before she was granted commutation. She currently works with at-risk youth in Mobile, AL.

Hilary O. Shelton is the Director of the NAACP’s Washington Bureau and Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy. He played an integral role in the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and other policy measures affecting equality in our society. 

Margaret Love was the former U.S. Pardon attorney under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. She now represents people applying for executive clemency and advocates for sentencing and corrections reform.

Moderated by: Nkechi Taifa, the Senior Policy Analyst for the Open Society Foundations and Open Society Policy Center, focusing on issues of criminal justice and racial equality.  She also convenes the Crack the Disparity Working Group of the Justice Roundtable, and has worked for over 17 years to eliminate the crack/powder disparity.