• Focus Alerts

    #237 Let The Voters Decide

    Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002
    Subject: # 237 Let The Voters Decide

    *****************************************************************

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #237 Mar 14, 2002

    LET THE VOTERS DECIDE

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #237 Mar 14 2002

    As many readers already know, the triumvirate of Peter Lewis, George
    Soros and John Sperling have extended their plans for helping Right To
    Treatment ballot initiatives. They are targeting Nov 2002 for voters
    in Ohio, Michigan and Florida to vote on their proposal, a similar
    version of which has already passed in California and Arizona.

    As the petition signature drive heats up with less than eight months
    remaining before Election Day, the opponents of the trio’s proposal
    are speaking up, and their make-up is predictable.

    Police officers, district attorneys and governor appointed Drug Czars
    are all bemoaning that allowing the initiatives to pass will ‘de-facto
    legalize all drug use’. Further they suggest that it tantamount to a
    ‘free pass’ through the justice system while ignoring the fact that
    the accused will be required to complete a court supervised treatment
    program with the threat of jail constantly in play.

    The Columbus Dispatch had a lengthy piece this past Sunday that
    featured quotes from both sides with a clear lean to opponent’s
    quotes. Further they ignored the already proven revelations from last
    fall that demonstrate direct and illegal tactics being taken by Gov
    Taft in Ohio, such as using government offices and resources to
    directly oppose a constitutional amendment proposal.

    Thanks for your effort and support.

    WRITE A LETTER TODAY

    It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

    ***************************************************************************

    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
    Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
    and/or http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.
    ************************************************************************

    CONTACT INFO
    Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH)
    Copyright: 2002 The Columbus Dispatch
    Contact: [email protected]
    Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/93

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE
    US OH: Supporters Ready To Press Plan For Drug Offenders
    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n444/a11.html
    Newshawk: Mary Jane Borden
    Pubdate: Sun, 10 Mar 2002
    Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH)
    Copyright: 2002 The Columbus Dispatch
    Contact: [email protected]
    Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/93
    Author: Alan Johnson
    Cited: Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicyalliance.org/
    Ohio Campaign for New Drug Policies http://www.drugreform.org/ohio
    Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association http://www.iwaynet.net/~opaa/

    SUPPORTERS READY TO PRESS PLAN FOR DRUG OFFENDERS

    They Are Rich Beyond Imagination, Mega-Philanthropists With A Bagful Of
    Eccentricities.

    Although Peter B. Lewis, George Soros and John G. Sperling don’t share
    political or personal philosophies, they are united on one front: They
    passionately oppose the war on drugs — “a grave injustice in American
    society.”

    Since 1996, the well-heeled trio have used their deep pockets to fund
    a national crusade to reform drug laws. Using 19 ballot issues in 11
    states from California to Maine, the three have fought drug laws —
    and won 17 times.

    Now their campaign — this time in the form of a proposal to
    substitute treatment for jail time for nonviolent, first- and
    second-time drug offenders — has come to the heartland. The issue,
    which would appropriate $38 million in state money annually for drug
    treatment, is likely to be on the Nov. 5 ballot as a proposed
    amendment to the Ohio Constitution.

    The campaign is expected to gain visibility this week as supporters
    seek backing from minority lawmakers and leaders.

    Advocates of the proposal contend that Ohio taxpayers would save $85
    million annually by diverting more than 4,600 people to treatment
    programs instead of jail.

    Voters in Florida, Michigan and Washington, D.C., might see similar
    ballot issues this fall.

    The Ohio proposal could turn into a donnybrook because Gov. Bob Taft,
    most of Ohio’s political establishment and the law-enforcement
    community vigorously oppose it.

    “It’s just not necessary,” said Taft, labeling the proposal “de-facto
    legalization, not just of marijuana but a whole range of other drugs
    — crack and cocaine and LSD.”

    (SNIP) The remainder of this article can be viewed by clicking the
    URL above.

    —————————————————————————-

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    Writer’s Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

    *****************************************************************

    SAMPLE LETTER (SENT)

    NOTE: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at
    least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of
    the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for
    his/her work.

    To the editors of Columbus Dispatch:

    Here in Florida we watch with interest the attempt by Ohio citizens to
    change current drug policy to one that favors health care alternatives
    over strict criminal sanctions. This over the overt and also covert
    opposition of Governor Taft.

    In our own state, Governor Jeb Bush raises similar complaints though
    refusing to speak publicly on the matter since his daughter’s arrest
    in January on felony drug charges and her subsequent direct routing
    into drug treatment rather than jail. As in Ohio, Bush and Florida
    Drug Czar Jim McDonough make the astounding suggestion that this is
    simply a ‘ploy’ which will lead ‘to the full legalization of ALL drugs”

    Hyperbole at best, deliberate falsehoods at worst. Statements like
    these are patently absurd since they imply there are a majority of
    citizens and/or legislators who favor full legalization. If this is so
    then current legislators are even more out of the loop regarding
    public sentiment than initially suggested.

    Quite simply what Peter Lewis and his associates are doing is forcing
    the legislatures of both states to hear exactly what the voting public
    thinks. And those who might complain about the out-of-state funding
    can take solace in knowing that the White House Drug Czar’s office has
    an annual advertising budget that is literally 60 times the size of
    the initiative’s backers,, and it’s theme is to keep laws just the way
    they are now.

    It’s time to let the voters examine both sides and make their own
    choice.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Stephen Heath Drug Policy Forum of Florida Clearwater FL
    http://www.drugsense.org/dpffl/

    ****************************************************************************

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    Please utilize the following URLs

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    We wish to thank all our contributors, editors, Newshawks and letter
    writing activists.

    NOTICE:

    In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
    distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior
    interest in receiving the included information for research and
    educational purposes.

    REMINDER:

    Please help MAP find news articles. Details at http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm

    =
    NOW YOU CAN DONATE TO DRUGSENSE ONLINE AND IT’S TAX DEDUCTIBLE

    DrugSense provides many services to at no charge BUT THEY ARE NOT FREE
    TO PRODUCE.

    We incur many costs in creating our many and varied services. If you
    are able to help by contributing to the DrugSense effort visit our
    convenient donation web site at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

    -OR-

    Mail in your contribution. Make checks payable to MAP Inc. send your
    contribution to:

    The Media Awareness Project (MAP) Inc. d/b/a DrugSense PO Box 651
    Porterville, CA 93258 (800) 266 5759 [email protected]
    http://www.mapinc.org/ http://www.drugsense.org/

    ********************* Just DO It!! **********************************

    Prepared by Stephen Heath DrugSense FOCUS Alert Specialist

  • Focus Alerts

    #236 Clueless In Afghanistan

    Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2002
    Subject: #236 Clueless In Afghanistan

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #236 Feb 25, 2002

    CLUELESS IN AFGHANISTAN

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #236 Feb 25, 2002

    Much has been made of the link between terror and drugs by both drug
    warriors and drug policy reform advocates. There is a crucial
    difference between the interpretations: Drug warriors ignore
    prohibition’s role in the link, while reformers understand prohibition
    offers the central relationship between drugs and terror.

    The drug warriors have spread their perspective with the assistance of
    the mainstream press. A good example is this month’s Vanity Fair,
    which contains an article by Maureen Orth about drug corruption in
    Afghanistan. The word prohibition isn’t raised once in the article.
    Instead, Orth follows the party line that the drug war should be
    fought with even more resources. Please write a letter Vanity Fair to
    remind Orth and editors that this simply isn’t logical. When the drug
    war is causing corruption, an enhanced drug war can only lead to more
    corruption.

    Thanks for your effort and support.

    WRITE A LETTER TODAY

    It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

    ***************************************************************************

    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
    Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
    and/or http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.
    ************************************************************************

    CONTACT INFO

    You can contact Vanity Fair at [email protected]

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE Afghanistan’s Deadly Habit URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n259/a04.html

    AFGHANISTAN’S DEADLY HABIT

    No Matter Who Controls Afghanistan, Its Opium Crop-More Than 70% Of The
    World’s Supply-Is Creating Narco-Societies Throughout Central Asia, From
    Russia To Pakistan. In Tajikistan, The Author Discovers The Extent Of The
    Region’s Drug Corruption, Which May Prove More Destructive Than Any
    Terrorist Threat.

    The ex-K.G.B. colonel and I are bumping along on the ancient Silk Road
    in Tajikistan, heading southeast from the capital city of Dushanbe
    toward the Panj River, which separates Tajikistan from Afghanistan.
    Arid mountains loom on either side, and random boulders are spewed on
    the poorly paved road, which we share with a few peasant boys and
    donkeys bearing bundles of kindling wood. Like most Americans, I had
    barely heard of this country before September 11, but soon I began to
    realize its crucial importance to a dangerous war that is sure to last
    much longer than the one going on in Afghanistan. The enemy is heroin,
    the most valuable export of Central Asia, and I have come 7,000 miles
    to understand the symbiotic connection between drugs and terrorism.

    Now I am about to visit the nexus of the world’s largest heroin supply
    and the beginning of its extravagantly profitable transit between the
    porous border between these two impoverished countries.

    In the villages on both sides of the river, virtually the entire
    population is engaged in smuggling the only cash crop that Afghanistan
    grows, the opium poppy.

    You have to smuggle or you die of starvation-it is the only means to
    live, a Tajik Drug Control Agency commander told me. My guide, Colonel
    Salomatsho Kbushvakhtov, once the K.G.B. agent in charge of the border
    for the Soviets and now an officer of the elite new Tajik drug agency,
    concurs, explaining that the war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda will
    not stop heroin from flowing across the border.

    In July 2000 the Taliban, to gain international recognition and
    deplete their stockpiles, imposed a strict ban on poppy growing, which
    was 91 percent effective by 2001. Nevertheless, Khushvakhtov assures
    me, the warlords who still roam Central Asia need the money heroin
    brings.

    It is their main source of income, and they have to feed and pay
    soldiers.

    (SNIP) TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK THE URL ABOVE

    —————————————————————————-

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm

    Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm

    *****************************************************************

    To the Editor:

    One has to question Maureen Orth’s capacity for rational thought. A
    former Peace Corps volunteer who witnessed, first hand, the
    destruction of the Colombian economy by a burgeoning criminal market
    for cocaine a decade or so ago, Orth, as journalist, reported very
    competently on the injury done by the criminal market for heroin, not
    only to Afghanistan, but to all of Central Asia. She then ended with
    one of the most puzzling conclusions in the annals of modern
    journalism: “Rarely has there been a more auspicious moment to help
    eliminate a worldwide scourge and bring corrupt officials to heel.”

    Come again? The current “victor” in Afghanistan, the United States,
    remains firmly committed to drug prohibition. As Orth stated in her
    opening line, it doesn’t matter who controls Afghanistan; opium will
    dominate its economy. It is impossible to see how removal of the
    Taliban will change that fact, especially since the only rule now
    possible is at the hands of the same opium growing warlords we once
    recruited to eject the Russians.

    One point Orth does make clearly: when a criminal enterprise becomes
    the economic life-blood of an entire region, bad things happen. That
    was the exact situation in Central Asia when we lost interest in it in
    1992. The result was September 11th. How Orth– or the US State
    Department and CIA– could possibly think our recent bombing of
    Afghanistan has changed things for the better is a critical question.
    It’s now clear they simply have no rational answer because the US
    under Bush remains as deeply committed to drug prohibition as ever.

    So long as heroin remains illegal, the conditions Orth described in
    Central Asia will remain beyond any government’s capacity to change.

    Tom O’Connell, MD

    NOTE: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at
    least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of
    the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for
    his/her work.

    ****************************************************************************

    TO SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS:

    Please utilize the following URLs

    http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm

    http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm

    We wish to thank all our contributors, editors, Newshawks and letter
    writing activists.

    NOTICE:

    In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
    distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior
    interest in receiving the included information for research and
    educational purposes.

    REMINDER:

    Please help MAP find news articles. Details at http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm

    =
    NOW YOU CAN DONATE TO DRUGSENSE ONLINE AND IT’S TAX DEDUCTIBLE

    DrugSense provides many services to at no charge BUT THEY ARE NOT FREE
    TO PRODUCE.

    We incur many costs in creating our many and varied services. If you
    are able to help by contributing to the DrugSense effort visit our
    convenient donation web site at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

    -OR-

    Mail in your contribution. Make checks payable to MAP Inc. send your
    contribution to:

    The Media Awareness Project (MAP) Inc. d/b/a DrugSense PO Box 651
    Porterville, CA 93258 (800) 266 5759 [email protected]
    http://www.mapinc.org/ http://www.drugsense.org/

    ********************* Just DO It!! **********************************

    Prepared by Stephen Young ([email protected]) and Stephen Heath
    ([email protected]) DrugSense FOCUS Alert Specialists

  • Focus Alerts

    #235 Remove The Cannabis Patients From The Battlefield

    Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2002
    Subject: #235 Remove The Cannabis Patients From The Battlefield

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #235 Feb 16, 2002

    Please Help Remove the Cannabis Patients from the Battlefield

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    Deroy Murdock, a columnist with the Scripps Howard News Service wrote
    this in his syndicated column:

    The Bay Area clampdown recalls the DEA’s Oct. 25 closure of the Los
    Angeles Cannabis Resource Center. It operated with the blessing of
    West Hollywood officials and the L.A. County sheriff, all elected
    authorities. That was not enough to keep 30 DEA agents from spending
    six hours yanking 400 marijuana plants from its premises along with
    computers, documents and the medical records of its 960 patients.

    Until the Feds intervened, these outfits operated legally. Fifty-six
    percent of California voters approved Proposition 215, a medical
    marijuana measure, in 1996. Initiatives also have legalized medipot in
    Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Oregon, Nevada and Washington. While
    the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last May that therapeutic grass
    suppliers cannot assert marijuana’s “medical necessity” to avoid
    federal drug laws, it did not address the validity of state statutes
    permitting clinical cannabis. Federal heavy-handedness has made drug
    decriminalizers rail against DEA chief and former GOP congressman Asa
    Hutchinson. As the Drug Policy Alliance’s Glenn Backes says: “You have
    an appointed official, a career politician from Arkansas, who sits in
    Washington, D.C. and tells the voters of California and the other
    seven states that have supported medical marijuana: “It doesn’t matter
    what you vote for. I have your tax dollars and I’m going to spend them
    going after sick people.”

    You can read the rest of the column at this link http://www.mapinc.org/author/Deroy+Murdock

    We know that you, readers of our DrugSense Focus Alerts, are already
    doing your part sending letters to the editor.

    Because we also know, as a result of the votes above and respected
    national polls, that taking the patients off the battlefields of the
    War on Drugs has a solid majority of public support we are asking you
    today to help insure that our elected officials to understand this
    simple fact. With sustained pressure – both thru educating the media
    and the politicians – we can carry the day on this issue.

    So we are providing three alerts below — from the Drug Policy
    Alliance, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws,
    and the Marijuana Policy Project — in the hope that you will use them
    to take further action.

    ****************************************************************************

    From the Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicyalliance.org/

    URGENT: STOP THE DEA! Protect Patients and Democracy!!!

    Your help is urgently needed! The DEA made numerous medical marijuana
    raids across the state of California yesterday ( February 12th ),
    closing down non-profit medical co-operatives and victimizing AIDS and
    Cancer patients. This comes on the very day that the U.S. Justice
    Department urged all law-enforcement agencies “to be on the highest
    alert” for impending terrorist attacks. Members of Congress need to
    know that these actions are unacceptable.

    How You Can Help Stop the DEA:

    CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!! TELL THEM:

    1) “I’m outraged that the DEA made medical marijuana raids in
    California on a day that law-enforcement agencies were supposed to be
    on high alert protecting citizens from terrorist attacks.”

    2) “The DEA should stop wasting millions of dollars attacking
    patients.”

    3) “Congress should cut the DEA’s budget by the amount spent on these
    raids.”

    4) “Members of Congress should issue press releases and go on record
    opposing these raids.”

    To Call:

    Find out who your Representative and two Senators are by calling the
    U.S. Capitol Switchboard at ( 202 ) 224-3121.

    You can also find out who your Senators are by going
    to

    http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index_by_state.cfm

    You can find out who your Representative is by going
    to

    http://www.house.gov/house/memberwww.html

    AFTER YOU MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS, go to

    http://www.drugpolicy.org/action/frame_mdmj.html

    and fax your Senators and Representative. It is VERY IMPORTANT to
    follow up your phone calls with faxes.

    For more information on medical marijuana and the DEA raids,
    see

    http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/pr-february12b-02x.html

    ****************************************************************************

    From the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
    http://www.norml.org/

    Tell Your Congressmen to Oppose DEA Raids of California Medical
    Cannabis Co-operatives Send a message that this time the DEA has gone
    too far!

    On the morning of February 12, DEA agents carried out a massive series
    of raids on California’s medical cannabis co-operatives and providers.
    The ultimate result of these raids is that hundreds of seriously ill
    patients who rely on these support groups must now turn to the streets
    and black market in order to obtain their medicine.

    Disturbingly, these raids took place on the same day that our nation’s
    federal law enforcement agencies were to be on their highest alert
    protecting Americans from a possible terrorist attack. At a time when
    federal law enforcement resources are desperately needed to combat the
    real threat of terrorism in America, it is absurd that the DEA would
    spend time and money coordinating and implementing an assault on
    California’s medical marijuana patients and providers. Even more
    appalling is that this action took place despite the fact that these
    clubs enjoy the support of California voters, local law enforcement,
    the San Francisco District Attorney’s office, and the San Francisco
    Board of Supervisors.

    Please take five minutes to write to your Congressmen and Senators,
    urging them to go on record opposing these DEA raids as a waste of
    time and money and as a violation of the will of the people of
    California. We also recommend that you request your elected official
    to introduce legislation in Congress to cut the DEA’s budget by the
    amount of money spent planning and carrying out these misguided raids.

    Thank you for your help in this important matter.

    ****************************************************************************

    From the Marijuana Policy Project http://www.mpp.org/

    Dear Friend,

    At a time when our nation is concerned about the war on terrorism, the
    DEA is waging an all-out war on medical marijuana patients.

    The Bush administration warned that there was a high likelihood of a
    terrorist attack on Tuesday. They were right: That day, DEA thugs
    raided a medical marijuana clinic in San Francisco, charging four
    activists in the Bay Area with the “crime” of providing medical
    marijuana to patients who are legally authorized to use it under state
    law. Each of the four defendants now faces between five years and
    life in prison.

    Significantly, the clinic was authorized by the local prosecutor’s
    office, who expressed his outrage that the DEA is trampling the will
    of California voters in its sick crusade against sick people.

    Please visit http://www.mpp.org/USA today to fax a pre-written letter
    of outrage to your U.S. representative and two U.S. senators. The
    whole process takes less than two minutes.

    ( You might have previously used this Web page to fax a pre-written
    letter to your U.S. representative. If so, thank you. But please
    visit the page again, because we did not have the Web page set up at
    the time for faxing your two U.S. senators. )

    In an incredible show of arrogance, DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson
    scheduled a speech in San Francisco for that night. He tried to claim
    that the DEA is merely enforcing federal drug laws — and that medical
    marijuana isn’t really a priority. But the crowd didn’t buy it,
    catcalling him and shouting “Liar!” when he said science has shown
    that smoking marijuana has no medical benefit. ( News articles are
    available at http://www.mpp.org/USA )

    He got a taste of the ridicule he deserves. And MPP wants to add to
    his disgrace by overwhelming congressional offices with letters of
    protest. Please visit http://www.mpp.org/USA right now to ask your
    three members of Congress to ( 1 ) rein in the DEA, and ( 2 ) pass
    H.R. 2592, which would allow states to determine their own medical
    marijuana policies without federal interference — or raids.

    As you may know, the Bush administration ran two TV ads during the
    Super Bowl and newspaper ads in the week that followed, claiming that
    people who buy drugs are really funding terrorism. If that were true,
    why would the Bush administration’s DEA shut down a medical marijuana
    clinic, thereby forcing hundreds of patients to buy marijuana from
    illegal dealers on the streets instead of a locally sanctioned clinic?

    And this isn’t the first time. Let’s not forget that in October, the
    DEA pushed 1,000 patients into the streets of Los Angeles after
    shutting down a clinic in West Hollywood.

    The Bush administration is pursuing a harm-maximization, hate-filled,
    destructive policy. It’s time to “just say no” to the DEA. Please
    visit http://www.mpp.org/USA to tell the DEA’s funders — the United
    States Congress — to come down hard on the DEA. The DEA doesn’t
    answer to you — or the voters of California, apparently — but it
    must answer to Congress. Please act now.

    Sincerely,

    Rob Kampia, Executive Director, Marijuana Policy Project

    P.S. Please ask your family and friends to visit http://www.mpp.org/USA
    so they can send their own letters of protest, too. MPP is trying to
    generate enough pressure to force Congress to hold hearings on the
    DEA’s abuses.

    ***************************************************************************

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    Writer’s Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

    ***************************************************************************

    TO SUBSCRIBE, DONATE, VOLUNTEER TO HELP, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL SEE
    http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm

    TO UNSUBSCRIBE SEE http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm

    ***************************************************************************

    Prepared by Richard Lake, Focus Alert Specialist

  • Focus Alerts

    #227 The DEA And Hemp Hysteria

    Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002
    Subject: #227 The DEA And Hemp Hysteria

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #227 Feb 12, 2002

    The DEA and Hemp Hysteria

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #227 Feb 12, 2002

    Well the day finally arrived last week. The DEA’s self-imposed
    ‘interpretative ruling’ of the 1970 federal Controlled Substances Act
    puts millions of Americans at risk of arrest should they be found in
    possesion of a wide range of food and beverage products that may
    contain hemp or hemp based ingredients.

    First issued on Oct 9, the DEA initially provided a ‘grace’ period of
    90 days before they would begin active enforcement of their ruling.
    Americans found in violation would be subject to the same penalties
    currently leveled against those who violate federal laws against
    marijuana possesion and/or distribution.

    Thanks to the efforts of America’s hemp industry and their lawsuits
    against the DEA, this enforcement period has been further extended
    until Mar 18. DEA Director Asa Hutchinson exclaims that his agency is
    ‘simply enforcing the laws created by Congress’, and at the same time
    ignores all rational discussions that show the foolishness of
    criminalizing these products.

    The Feb 10 issue of TIME magazine carried a very good summation of the
    current state of affairs as well as some up close information about
    the hemp industry in Kentucky.

    PLEASE CONSIDER writing a letter to TIME magazine TODAY and thank them
    for their coverage of this topic. You might also include indications
    of your support for the DEA’s cessation of ending their plans to
    criminalize hemp based foods and beverages.

    You might also review any recent issue of TIME, and examine their
    Letters page. Most printed letters in TIME are short and focus on a
    single concise point. However these relatively small letters carry
    enormous equivalent advertising value due to their huge circulation
    and readership.

    Thanks for your effort and support.

    WRITE A LETTER TODAY

    It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

    NOTE: _SHORT_ Letters Needed! See Target Analysis Below

    ***************************************************************************

    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
    Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
    and/or http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.

    ************************************************************************

    The CONTACT info for TIME is:

    [email protected]

    or

    Time Magazine Letters, Time & Life Bldg., Rockefeller Center, NY, NY 10020

    *************************************************************************

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE

    Pubdate: Mon, 18 Feb 2002
    Source: Time Magazine (US)
    Issue: Vol. 159, No. 7
    Copyright: 2002 Time Inc
    Contact: (mailto:[email protected])[email protected]
    Website: (http://www.time.com/time/)http://www.time.com/time/
    Details: (http://www.mapinc.org/media/451)http://www.mapinc.org/media/451
    Author: John Cloud
    Bookmark: (http://www.mapinc.org/hemp.htm)http://www.mapinc.org/hemp.htm (Hemp)

    THIS BUD’S NOT FOR YOU

    Not if you want to get high, anyway.

    But if hemp isn’t a drug, why is the DEA treating it like
    heroin?

    No one is saying Kentucky doesn’t offer its share of distinctive
    intoxicants. Bourbon and tobacco have long been popular drugs here,
    and even in these abstemious times, a well-known member of the
    political class will occasionally pour his visitors a glass of
    moonshine from a Mason jar with plumped cherries bobbing on the bottom.

    But the farmers around Lexington are mostly old-fashioned men with a
    serious problem: the decline in demand for U.S. tobacco.

    And when they tell you they know of a crop that could help replace
    tobacco and maybe save their farms, they aren’t promoting any stoner
    foolishness. True, the crop they hope to grow is known to botanists as
    Cannabis sativa, but different races within that species can have
    widely varying amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the
    merrymaking chemical in pot. Marijuana will typically have anywhere
    from 3% to 20% THC. Hemp is bred to contain less than 1%. You could
    roll and smoke every leaf on a 15-ft. hemp plant and gain little more
    than a hacking cough.

    Next month, however, the Drug Enforcement Administration is set to
    begin enforcing a new rule treating foods that contain “any amount of”
    THC ( even nonpsychoactive amounts ) as controlled substances, making
    them as restricted as heroin.

    Anyone possessing such foods is supposed to dispose of them now,
    though hemp sellers and eaters won’t be prosecuted until March 18.
    Nationally marketed products include the Hempzel Pretzels, baked in
    Pennsylvania, and Organic Hemp Plus Granola, made in Blaine, Wash.
    Gastronomically speaking, a ban on these earthy-tasting comestibles
    would be no great tragedy–though the hemp-crazy Galaxy Global Eatery
    in New York City serves an apple pie with a delightful hemp crust.

    Economically speaking, though, a ban could ruin the 20 or so companies
    that make and sell more than $5 million worth of hemp waffles, salad
    oils and other foods a year. Hemp Universe here in Lexington stopped
    selling food weeks ago, and Whole Foods Market of Austin, Texas,
    recommended last week that its 129 stores remove hemp products.

    Other retailers are holding firm, saying hemp foods contain such tiny
    traces of THC that the chemical wouldn’t register in a routine lab
    test. But that’s not the same as having zero THC, and the threat of
    further DEA action has prompted seven hemp companies to ask the Ninth
    Circuit Court of Appeals to block the rule. They say the DEA is
    effectively creating a new law, not interpreting existing statutes. A
    Canadian hemp firm has filed a claim saying the DEA is violating NAFTA
    by failing to provide scientific justification for a rule that “will
    be nothing short of an absolute ban on trade in hemp food.” ( The
    Canadian government has also formally objected. ) The DEA’s position
    is that U.S. drug laws clearly ban THC–any THC. The court’s decision
    will turn on the historically murky question of whether Congress
    intended hemp to be part of those laws. Some antidrug groups–
    including, most stridently, the Family Research Council–believe
    allowing hemp foods would send a pro-marijuana message.

    Many farmers are watching the case because it shows how hard the
    government will fight a growing movement to legitimize hemp farming in
    the U.S. Right now it’s legal to sell hemp products but illegal to
    grow the hemp used in them, which is imported.

    The global market for raw hemp is expanding.

    Foods are only a fraction of the hemp-product universe, which includes
    Mercedes door panels, Body Shop Body Butter, Armani place mats, and
    countless humbler items such as twine, carpet and diapers.

    These nonedibles would remain legal under the rule. But if the court
    doesn’t intervene, investors may think twice before supporting a
    business associated with drugs.

    If hemp cultivation were legalized, could it really save U.S.
    farms?

    That’s unclear, but legislators in more than 20 states have asked for
    research. They know that a year after Canada allowed hemp cultivation
    in 1998, its farms were already growing 35,000 acres.

    The U.S. has taken a different, more tangled approach to the plant,
    one that reflects the quick assumptions of the war on drugs.

    (Note: for space reasons, the rest of this article has been cut, but you
    can read the remainder here:
    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n230/a03.html )

    *****************************************************************

    SAMPLE LETTER

    To the editors of TIME:

    re: This Bud’s Not For You (Feb 10)

    The Drug Enforcement Administration clearly wants to hide from their
    nefarious ‘interpretative ruling’ about hemp based food and beverages.
    DEA head Asa Hutchinson peeks from behind the skirt of the U.S.
    Congress and proclaims that he cannot ignore the law. Should his
    agency’s ruling prevail against the current legal actions of the hemp
    industry, several million otherwise law abiding Americans will be
    re-defined as criminals.

    Since none of the hemp based food products made in America contain
    sufficient THC to create even a twinge of a ‘high’, the DEA’s ruling
    has nothing to do with public health or safety. Instead it comes down
    to nothing more than a desire to further expand Washington’s War on
    Americans, formerly known as the War on Drugs.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Stephen Heath (contact info)

    ****************************************************************************

    TARGET ANALYSIS Time Magazine Circulation 4,250,000

    Time has several published letters in the MAP archive. They tend to be
    extremely short, between 23 and 83 words, with an average of 65 words.
    On the other hand, if you can generate a short powerful reply to this
    article you could potentially influence a huge audience. A one inch
    LTE published in TIME Magazine has an equivalent advertising value of
    more that $25,000!!

    http://www.mapinc.org/mapcgi/ltedex.pl?SOURCE=Time+Magazine

    *******************************************************************************

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm

    Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm

    ****************************************************************

    TO SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS:

    Please utilize the following URLs

    http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm

    http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm

    We wish to thank all our contributors, editors, Newshawks and letter
    writing activists.

    NOTICE:

    In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
    distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior
    interest in receiving the included information for research and
    educational purposes.

    REMINDER:

    Please help MAP find news articles. Details at http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm

    =
    NOW YOU CAN DONATE TO DRUGSENSE ONLINE AND IT’S TAX DEDUCTIBLE

    DrugSense provides many services to at no charge BUT THEY ARE NOT FREE
    TO PRODUCE.

    We incur many costs in creating our many and varied services. If you
    are able to help by contributing to the DrugSense effort visit our
    convenient donation web site at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

    -OR-

    Mail in your contribution. Make checks payable to MAP Inc. send your
    contribution to:

    The Media Awareness Project (MAP) Inc. d/b/a DrugSense PO Box 651
    Porterville, CA 93258 (800) 266 5759 [email protected]
    http://www.mapinc.org/ http://www.drugsense.org/

    ********************* Just DO It!! **********************************

    Prepared by Stephen Heath http://www.drugsense.org/dpffl – DrugSense
    FOCUS Alert Specialist

  • Focus Alerts

    #226 Speak Out Against Drug Propaganda Campaign

    Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2002
    Subject: #226 Speak Out Against Drug Propaganda Campaign

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #226 Wednesday February 6, 2002

    Speak Out Against Drug Propaganda Campaign

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    The link between drug prohibition and terrorist funding has been
    established ( see for example, http://www.narcoterror.org/ ), but it’s
    a long stretch to say that American drug users are helping to fund
    terror. Drug warriors, no strangers to long stretches, are trying to
    sell the argument on TV and newspaper ads. They were willing to use
    more than $3 million of your tax money in a single minute to promote
    the new campaign during the broadcast of the Super Bowl.

    A few newspapers have covered the new ads as stories – and at least
    293 newspapers have been paid to run the ads. Please write a letter to
    one of those newspapers to debunk the faulty logic underlying the ads.
    Please remind editors that terrorists aren’t using alcohol and
    pharmaceuticals to fund their activities, and that prohibition offers
    the strongest link between drugs and terror.

    WRITE A LETTER TODAY

    It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

    ************************************************************************

    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
    Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see:

    http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm

    and/or

    http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.

    ************************************************************************

    CONTACT INFO

    Source: Washington Post (DC)
    Contact: [email protected]

    EXTRA CREDIT

    A number of other newspapers have covered this story – please send a
    letter to them as well. And, if you’ve seen these ads in your local
    newspaper, please write to tell them what you think of the ads.

    US: Anti-Drug Ads Play The Terror Card
    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n190/a02.html
    Pubdate: Mon, 04 Feb 2002
    Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
    Contact: [email protected]

    US MN: Editorial: New Campaign Highlights Effects Of U.S. Drug
    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n192/a05.html
    Pubdate: Tue, 05 Feb 2002
    Source: Duluth News-Tribune (MN)
    Contact: [email protected]

    US NY: This Drug Ad A Hard Sell
    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n181/a06.html
    Pubdate: Sun, 03 Feb 2002
    Source: Newsday (NY)
    Contact: [email protected]

    US: White House Drug Agency Scores Last-Minute Super Bowl Ad
    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n162/a04.html
    Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jan 2002
    Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
    Contact: [email protected]

    ************************************************************************

    NOTE: Please address each newspaper one at a time using the To: field of
    your email program. Be sure to use the newspaper name somewhere in each
    message. Newspaper editors expect that you are addressing them only – they
    are quick to hit the delete key if they think you are sending something to
    multiple publications.

    ************************************************************************

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE

    Pubdate: Sun, 03 Feb 2002
    Source: Washington Post (DC)
    Page: A03
    Copyright: 2002 The Washington Post Company
    Contact: [email protected]
    Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
    Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
    Author: Frank Ahrens, Washington Post Staff Writer
    Cited: Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicyalliance.org/
    Bookmarks: http://www.mapinc.org/campaign.htm (ONDCP Media Campaign)
    http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism)

    NEW PITCH IN ANTI-DRUG ADS: ANTI-TERRORISM

    The ads by the President’s Office of National Drug Control Policy
    aired during last night’s Super Bowl marked an escalation in the
    selling of the administration’s war on drugs — for the first time,
    the illegal narcotics trade is linked to terrorism.

    Previously, government anti-drug messages focused on how users harm
    themselves. The two Super Bowl ads, which cost nearly $3.5 million to
    place during the widely watched Fox television broadcast, claim that
    money to purchase drugs likely ends up in the hands of terrorists and
    narco-criminals.

    “Where do terrorists get their money?” asks one of the ads, which
    portrays a terrorist buying explosives, weapons and fake passports.
    “If you buy drugs, some of it might come from you.”

    About half of the 28 organizations identified as terrorist by the
    State Department are funded by sales of illegal drugs, according to
    the drug office.

    The ads are targeted at teens and aim to tap the same sense of
    international awareness seen in young protesters of globalization and
    the lending practices of the World Bank and International Monetary
    Fund. “Young people are interested in and motivated by larger concerns
    in society, such as environmentalism” and the World Trade
    Organization, said John Walters, director of the Office of National
    Drug Control Policy. “They’re looking for ways to make the world
    better and against things that make the world worse.”

    The two 30-second ads (which aired a total of three times before and
    during the game) were funded by the drug office’s $180 million
    advertising budget, the largest of any government agency. They were
    created by New York advertising giant Ogilvy & Mather. By law, Ogilvy
    receives expense reimbursement from the government for making the ads,
    but they are “essentially pro bono work,” said Chris Wall, Ogilvy
    executive creative director.

    In addition to the paid Super Bowl ads, Fox is required to provide the
    drug office with three additional free prime-time airings of the
    commercials.

    The ads kick off a four-to-six-week nationwide campaign, which also
    includes ads on radio and in 293 newspapers (including The Washington
    Post), an augmented Web site (www.theantidrug.com) and teaching
    materials to be distributed to middle and high school students.
    Walters estimated the campaign’s cost at $10 million.

    “Considering that Americans spend over $60 billion on [illegal] drugs
    a year, this is a pretty well-leveraged investment,” said Walters, who
    was the drug office’s chief of staff under William J. Bennett.

    Even before they aired, the ads drew criticism from groups that favor
    drug decriminalization and treatment programs instead of harsh
    criminal penalties. “There is something very disturbing about the fact
    the federal government is spending almost $3.5 million to blame
    nonviolent Americans for funding terrorism when . . . people who need
    drug treatment can’t get it,” said Matthew Briggs, an assistant
    director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which advocates changes in drug
    laws.

    “We’re not blaming Americans for terrorism, we’re blaming terrorists
    for terrorism,” Walters said. “We’re telling Americans that if they
    use drugs, they should be aware that some of that money is being used
    to support terrorism in many cases.”

    The drug office spent about $50,000 to make its Web site hacker-proof,
    said Alan Levitt, chief of the drug office’s education division. The
    office also bought about two dozen Internet addresses with names
    similar to the official site, in an attempt to prevent parodies.

    Shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, the drug office contacted Ogilvy,
    an agency it had worked with before, asking for ideas on how to link
    the war on drugs to terrorism in an ad campaign. The drug office knew
    that the Taliban was partially funded by sales of opium, which can be
    refined into heroin.

    What followed, said British film and commercial director Tony Kaye,
    who produced the ads, was “unprecedented” fact-checking between the
    drug office and government agencies, including the FBI, DEA, CIA, and
    the departments of Defense and State. Details down to the price of
    AK-47 assault rifles, featured in one of the ads, were debated. “The
    FBI said, ‘Is the price retail or black market?’ ” Levitt said.

    Each line of dialogue in the ads is explained by a story on the
    agency’s Web page. For instance, in one of the ads, a teen actor says:
    “I helped kill a judge.” On the Web page, that line is linked to a
    drug-related killing in South America.

    Before airing, the ads were shown to teens in focus groups. The
    teenagers showed “a strong decline in intention to use” drugs after
    seeing the ads, Levitt said. And, he said, parents called them a
    “powerful way to initiate conversations” with their children.

    ************************************************************************

    SAMPLE LETTER

    To the editor:

    The new so-called anti-drug ads that debuted during the Super Bowl
    were offensive on many levels. The ads aren’t intended to make viewers
    think, or everyone would be asking why terrorists aren’t using money
    derived from alcohol or tobacco markets. We don’t pretend we can wipe
    those legal drugs off the face of the earth. We recognize that despite
    the problems associated with them, outlawing alcohol and tobacco would
    cause bigger problems – like creating easy funding for terrorists.

    But we continue to play the good drug/bad drug game. Too bad we don’t
    play the game honestly and base our judgement of good and bad on the
    amount of death caused by a group of drugs. Then alcohol and tobacco
    would be considered as bad drugs, while drugs like marijuana, which
    causes no deaths, would be considered good.

    But, perversely, Super Bowl viewers were sold the notion that
    marijuana use leads to torture, while drinking Budweiser constitutes
    patriotism. What a wonderful lesson for young people.

    A more honest ad would have featured the face of federal drug czar
    John Walters saying, “I helped to drop toxic herbicide on peasants in
    Colombia today.”

    Or a DEA agent saying, “I helped to take medicine away from a cancer
    patient today, and subvert the democratic process in California at the
    same time!”

    I’d buy such ads myself, if I had the money. Sadly, a good portion of
    my money is pooled with yours in order to convince us that (drug) war
    is (terror) peace.

    Stephen Young

    NOTE: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at
    least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of
    the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for
    his/her work.

    ************************************************************************

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    Writer’s Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

    ************************************************************************

    Prepared by Stephen Young www.maximizingharm.com – DrugSense FOCUS
    Alert Specialist

  • Focus Alerts

    #251 Governor Jeb Bush And Tough Drug Law Policies

    Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2002
    Subject: #251 Governor Jeb Bush And Tough Drug Law Policies

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert 251, Feb. 3, 2002

    GOVERNOR JEB BUSH AND TOUGH DRUG LAW POLICIES

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    For the past three years Governor Jeb Bush and his mouthpiece, Florida
    Drug Czar Jim McDonough have been criticized for the state’s
    aggressive policy against drug users, which focuses on incarceration
    in the prisons and county jails. They have deflected these complaints
    by telling us how important they believe drug treatment is and its
    being a better approach to dealing with drug abuse and the associated
    crimes that often go with it.

    Now we read Monday where Bush has trashed the state budget which pays
    for drug treatment in our prisons, thus ending programs in all but
    four of the states facilities. And less than 48 hours later, his
    daughter is arrested on felony drug charges. While we all hope that Ms
    Bush gets any and all appropriate help she needs, it brings clearly to
    the forefront the hypocrisy of ‘get tough on drugs’ laws.

    WRITE A LETTER TODAY

    It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

    ************************************************************************

    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
    Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see:

    http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm

    and/or

    http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.

    ************************************************************************

    CONTACT INFO

    Following is a list of most Florida newspapers. We invite you to write
    to any or all of them. Of course since this is also national news with
    regards to Noelle Bush, you are encouraged to write your local papers
    as well with appropriate references.

    Most media Email LTE addresses can be found at:

    http://www.mapinc.org/resource/email.htm

    The biggest paper in the state(circulation)is the St Petersburg Times
    [email protected]

    Other major market papers are:

    Tampa Tribune: [email protected]

    Miami Herald: [email protected]

    Orlando Sentinel: [email protected]

    Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville): [email protected]

    Ft Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel: [email protected]

    Palm Beach Post: [email protected]

    Florida Today (Melbourne/SpaceCoast): http://www.floridatoday.com/forms/services/letters.htm

    A smaller paper, but likely the MOST favorable to drug policy reform in the
    state is The Northwest Florida Daily News: [email protected]

    Other papers, alphabetically:

    Bradenton Herald:
    http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/contact_us/feedback_np1/

    Bradford County Telegraph: [email protected]

    Daytona Beach News-Journal: [email protected]

    Destin News: [email protected]

    Florida Alligator (Univ of Florida): [email protected]

    FSU Views (FL State in Tallahassee): [email protected]

    Gainesville Sun: [email protected]

    Key West Citizen: [email protected]

    The Ledger(Lakeland): [email protected]

    News-Herald (Panama City): [email protected]

    News-Press (Ft Myers): [email protected]

    Pensacola News-Journal: [email protected]

    Sarasota Herald-Tribune: [email protected]

    St Augustine Record: [email protected]

    Best for last…home of Governor Jeb Bush and family, the state capitol:
    Tallahassee Democrat: [email protected] (And if the Democrat tells you
    they don’t print letters from outside their area, refer them to Dave
    Michon’s PUB LTE of Jan 31…he’s from Wisconsin…not exactly local.)

    Good luck and thanks for any and all support

    ************************************************************************

    NOTE: Please address each newspaper one at a time using the To: field of
    your email program. Be sure to use the newspaper name somewhere in each
    message. Newspaper editors expect that you are addressing them only – they
    are quick to hit the delete key if they think you are sending something to
    multiple publications.

    ************************************************************************

    ORIGINAL ARTICLES

    Following is an example of each of the two stories referenced. They
    ran in most all Florida newspapers in virtually the same form.

    The cutback on drug treatment funds for state prisons was originally
    reported in The Miami Herald

    US FL: Florida Slashing Care for Drug Addicts URL:
    http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n144/a02.html

    Versions of the Noelle Bush arrest ran nationwide. A general sample of this
    news story can be seen from the article which ran in the Orlando Sentinel:

    US FL: Drug Charge Filed Against Governor’s Daughter URL:
    http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n155/a04.html

    ************************************************************************

    SAMPLE LETTER

    To the editor:

    First we read Monday where Governor Jeb Bush has trashed the state
    budget which pays for drug treatment in our prisons, thus ending
    programs in all but four of the states facilities. And less than 48
    hours later, his daughter is arrested on felony drug charges.

    While we all hope that Ms Bush gets any and all appropriate help she
    needs, it brings clearly to the forefront the hypocrisy of ‘get tough
    on drugs’ laws. Virtually all Floridians who are arrested on drug
    charges feel the full brunt of these harsh policies. Unless one has
    sufficient money to hire competent defense counsel, you are assured of
    being jammed into the criminal justice system. Upon your emergence
    months (or years) later, you will find employment difficult to obtain,
    you will no longer qualify for federal student loans, you will never
    again be able to vote in Florida (if a felony), you will be barred
    from a long list of professions. And if you still have the root
    problems which lead to drug abuse –who cares? We’ll just run you
    through the mill again.

    Governor Bush endorses draconian drug policies because he knows that
    his family and friends will never have to experience the full and
    complete life shattering consequences of these policies. If he says
    otherwise now, you don’t have to ‘read his lips’. Just check his
    proposed state budget.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Stephen Heath Drug Policy Forum of Florida (contact info – address and
    phone number)

    NOTE: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at
    least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of
    the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for
    his/her work.

    ************************************************************************

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    Writer’s Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

    ************************************************************************

    Prepared by Stephen Heath http://www.drugsense.org/dpffl DrugSense
    FOCUS Alert Specialist

  • Focus Alerts

    #250 Doonesbury Comic Strip Carries Message Newspapers Avoid

    Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002
    Subject: #250 Doonesbury Comic Strip Carries Message Newspapers Avoid

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #250 Monday Jan 28, 2002

    Doonesbury Comic Strip Carries Message Newspapers Avoid

    ——-
    PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE
    ——-

    On Sunday Jan 27, the well known comic strip DOONESBURY, penned by
    Garry Trudeau delivered to readers a message that is not usually
    delivered by major media. In the limited space a Sunday comic panel
    affords, the strip drew a direct comparison between the dangers of
    tobacco and marijuana. Using the well known satirical icons of Mr.
    Butts (representing tobacco) and Mr. Jay (marijuana), a short
    conversation ensues. Butts remarks that once again he was responsible
    for over 400,000 American deaths last year. Mr. Jay admits he killed
    no one, but did allow that he was responsible for over 700,000 arrests
    by police. With their conversation taking place at a gathering of the
    ‘Sin Lobby’, Jay confesses feeling like a fraud.

    If you have not seen the comic strip, it is online
    at

    http://www.mapinc.org/image/db012702/

    Note that newspapers are not required to print the first two panels –
    some did – some did not – based on their own layout needs.

    Please consider writing a letter thanking newspaper editors for
    carrying Doonesbury and asking them to please give this subject more
    attention than just satirical comic messages.

    Doonesbury has a history of providing pro-reform messages. For
    example,

    Doonesbury BEFORE the passage of Prop. 215 http://www.kubby.com/Cartoons/cartoons-doonesbury1.html

    Doonesbury AFTER the passage of Prop. 215 http://www.kubby.com/Cartoons/cartoons-doonesbury2.html

    Doonesbury AFTER Ashcroft ordered raids against cannabis buyers clubs
    http://www.kubby.com/Cartoons/cartoons-doonesbury3.html

    In 1997 Garry Trudeau received The Edward M. Brecher Award for
    Achievement in the Field of Journalism from the Drug Policy Foundation
    for the Prop. 215 comic strips.

    ***************************************************************************

    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter,
    Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
    and/or http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.

    ************************************************************************

    Here is a list of newspapers for which we have been able to confirm
    that the Doonesbury strip was printed:

    Anchorage Daily News (AK) [email protected]

    Appleton Post-Crescent (WI) [email protected]

    Arizona Daily Star (AZ) [email protected]

    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR) [email protected]

    Auburn Journal (CA) [email protected]

    Bakersfield Californian (CA) [email protected]

    Baltimore Sun (MD) [email protected]

    Blade, The (OH) [email protected]

    Boston Globe (MA) [email protected]

    Capital Times, The (WI) [email protected]

    Charlotte Sun Herald (FL) [email protected]

    Chicago Tribune (IL) [email protected]

    Contra Costa Times (CA) [email protected]

    Courier News, The (NJ) [email protected]

    Daily Mining Gazette, The (MI) [email protected]

    Daily News Journal (TN) [email protected]

    Dallas Morning News (TX) [email protected]

    Daytona Beach News-Journal (FL) [email protected]

    Des Moines Register (IA) [email protected]

    Detroit News / Free Press (MI) [combined Sunday edition]
    [email protected] [email protected]

    Elkhart Truth (IN) [email protected]

    Florida Times-Union (FL) [email protected]

    Foster’s Sunday Citizen (NH) [email protected]

    Free Lance-Star (VA) [email protected]

    Grand Rapids Press (MI) [email protected]

    Green Bay Press-Gazette (WI) [email protected]

    Hendersonville Times-News (NC) [email protected]

    Honolulu Advertiser (HI) [email protected]

    Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI) [email protected]

    Houston Chronicle (TX) [email protected]

    Indianapolis Star (IN) [email protected]

    Inquirer (PA) [email protected]

    Kansas City Star (MO) [email protected]

    Lansing State Journal (MI) [email protected]

    Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV) [email protected]

    Lincoln Journal Star (NE) [email protected]

    Los Angeles Times (CA) [email protected]

    Marin Independent Journal (CA) [email protected]

    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) [email protected]

    Norman Transcript (OK) [email protected]

    Oakland Tribune (CA) [email protected]

    Olympian, The (WA) [email protected]

    Orange County Register (CA) [email protected]

    Oregonian, The (OR) [email protected]

    Orlando Sentinel (FL) [email protected]

    Plain Dealer, The (OH) [email protected]

    Post and Courier, The (SC) [email protected]

    Press Democrat, The (CA) [email protected]

    Press-Enterprise (CA) [email protected]

    Register Citizen (CT) [email protected]

    Register-Guard, The (OR) [email protected]

    Reno Gazette-Journal (NV) [email protected]

    Reporter-Herald, The (CO) [email protected]

    Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) [email protected]

    Sacramento Bee (CA) [email protected]

    Salt Lake Tribune (UT) [email protected]

    San Francisco Chronicle (CA) [email protected]

    Santa Fe New Mexican (NM) [email protected]

    Seattle Times (WA) [email protected]

    South Bend Tribune (IN) [email protected]

    Spokesman-Review (WA) [email protected]

    St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) [email protected]

    St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN) [email protected]

    St. Petersburg Times (FL) [email protected]

    State Journal-Register (IL) [email protected]

    State, The (SC) [email protected]

    Tacoma News Tribune (WA) [email protected]

    Tampa Tribune (FL) [email protected]

    Tri-City Herald (WA) [email protected]

    Tulsa World (OK) [email protected]

    Washington Post (DC) [email protected]

    Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (IA) [email protected]

    Wichita Eagle (KS) [email protected]

    NOTE: Please address each newspaper one at a time using the To: field of
    your email program. Be sure to use the newspaper name somewhere in each
    message. Newspaper editors expect that you are addressing them only – they
    are quick to hit the delete key if they think you are sending something to
    multiple publications.

    The above list is probably not even a majority of the Sunday papers
    which printed the Doonesbury cartoon. If you know of other newspapers
    that did, you may find their email address here:

    http://www.mapinc.org/resource/email.htm

    Do you know of newspapers that do not carry the daily or Sunday
    Doonesbury? Consider sending them a note asking them to carry it. You
    can be sure Doonesbury will carry our message in the future!

    ***************************************************************************

    Extra Credit:

    Sunday the Baltimore Sun also printed an OPED by a couple of shills
    for the prohibitionist lobby which is at

    http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n141/a02.html

    If you have the time, a Letter to the Editor defending both Zonker and
    cannabis truth would be nice.

    ***************************************************************************

    SAMPLE LETTER (SENT)

    To the editor

    I write to thank G. B. Trudeau and editors of your newspaper for the
    excellent Doonesbury strip of Jan. 27.

    Arresting hundreds of thousands of Americans for marijuana, a drug
    that doesn’t kill anyone, represents a wasteful and cruel absurdity.
    Understanding the damage caused by marijuana prohibition, I would
    never endorse the prohibition of tobacco. But as Doonesbury pointed
    out, our tolerance of potentially lethal tobacco makes marijuana
    prohibition seem even crazier.

    While the cartoon was an excellent example of political commentary
    mixed with black humor, the situation it describes is truly tragic.
    Even sadder is the fact that the situation rarely gets attention in
    any newspaper – outside of the funny pages.

    Stephen Young contact info

    ***************************************************************************

    IMPORTANT Always include your address and telephone number Please
    note: If you choose to use this letter as a model please modify it at
    least somewhat so that the paper does not receive numerous copies of
    the same letter and so that the original author receives credit for
    his/her work.

    ***************************************************************************

    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
    efforts

    Writer’s Resources http://www.mapinc.org/resource/

    ***************************************************************************

    TO SUBSCRIBE, DONATE, VOLUNTEER TO HELP, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL SEE
    http://www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm

    TO UNSUBSCRIBE SEE http://www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm

    ***************************************************************************
    Prepared by Stephen Heath and Richard Lake, Focus Alert Specialists – with

  • Focus Alerts

    #249 Just Say NO! To Harsher Ecstasy Sentencing

    Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002
    Subject: #249 Just Say NO! To Harsher Ecstasy Sentencing

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #249, Jan 14, 2002

    Just Say NO! To Harsher Ecstasy Sentencing

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    The Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet) has asked our assistance
    in reaching California voters about this important action. Please help
    us both as below, and by alerting any California citizens who may wish
    to help. Here is the DRCNet alert:

    Your help is needed to stop SB 1103 and AB 1416, bills in the
    California legislature that would enact a mandatory minimum 90-day
    jail term for being under the influence of MDMA (ecstasy). SB 1103 and
    AB 1416 would also classify MDMA as a schedule I substance under
    California law, and would further fuel the government’s anti-ecstasy
    hysteria, waste taxpayer dollars and violate privacy.

    Please visit http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/ca-ecstasy/ to register
    your disapproval of this legislation with the California legislature
    and the governor. This is a very important issue because most drug
    enforcement is at the state or local level, which SB 1103 and AB 1416
    will heavily impact.

    When you’re done, please call, write or fax your State Senator and
    your State Assembly member to make even more impact on this issue
    (info below); and last but not least, forward this alert or use the
    tell-a-friend page on our web site to spread the word. Again, please
    visit http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/ca-ecstasy/ to contact your
    legislators through our on-line system.

    Even if MDMA were the dire threat some claim it to be, this bill would
    still be the wrong way to go and would do great harm to our nation’s
    youth. Yet the government’s reaction to ecstasy use is wildly
    disproportionate to the actual evidence. For example, the Drug Abuse
    Warning Network found only 27 known cases of ecstasy-related
    fatalities during the five-year period spanning 1994-1998 throughout
    the entire United States.

    While these 27 deaths are tragedies, that number is dwarfed by the
    millions who died from tobacco during that time, the hundreds of
    thousands from alcohol or the tens of thousands from aspirin! Even in
    face of rising use of ecstasy, the numbers are still minuscule.
    Perhaps worse, this law could stifle the provision of much-needed harm
    reduction information and resources to the very communities of young
    people we say we want to protect — the kind of help that could have
    saved those 27 people. And perhaps worst of all, SB 1103 and AB 1416
    go beyond conventional drug possession or distribution laws in the
    extent to which it creates a “thought crime,” merely being under the
    drug’s influence.

    Again, visit http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/ca-ecstasy/ to contact the
    legislature in opposition to this bill. Our web site will send an
    e-mail or fax to your state legislators and the governor; you may use
    our pre written version, or better yet, modify it or write your own.

    To follow up with your State Senator by phone, fax or mail, visit
    http://www.sen.ca.gov to look up your Senator and his or her contact
    information. If you don’t have web access, you can get help from the
    Secretary of the Senate office at (916) 445-4251. Visit
    http://www.assembly.ca.gov for corresponding information on your State
    Assembly member.

    Visit the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics at
    http://www.alchemind.org/dll/sb1103index.htm for extensive information
    on this bill and related issues.

    Visit http://www.dancesafe.org for harm reduction information and
    resources on MDMA and other “club drugs.” Visit http://www.maps.org
    for information on MDMA research and other related topics.

    Again, please take two minutes and point your web browser to
    http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/ca-ecstasy/ to take a stand against
    hysteria and injustice.

    ***************************************************************************

    The Lindesmith Center – Drug Policy Foundation has also issued an
    alert. This page allows you to FAX the members of the California
    Senate and Assembly Public Safety Committees http://www.drugpolicy.org/action/

    More information is available in The Week On-line article “New
    California Bill Would Mandate 90-Day Minimum Jail Term for Being Under
    Ecstasy’s Influence” http://www.drcnet.org/wol/219.html#ca-ecstasy

    ***************************************************************************

    PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU DID ( Letter, Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy report your action to the sent letter list
    ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy
    directly to [email protected] if you are not subscribed. Your action
    will then be forwarded to the list with so others can learn from your
    efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.

    ************************************************************************
    TO SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please utilize the following URLs

    http//www.drugsense.org/hurry.htm

    http//www.drugsense.org/unsub.htm

    We wish to thank all our contributors, editors, Newshawks and letter
    writing activists.

    Please help MAP find news articles. Details at http://www.mapinc.org/hawk.htm

    =
    NOW YOU CAN DONATE TO DRUGSENSE ON-LINE AND IT’S TAX DEDUCTIBLE

    DrugSense provides many services to at no charge BUT THEY ARE NOT FREE
    TO PRODUCE.

    We incur many costs in creating our many and varied services. If you
    are able to help by contributing to the DrugSense effort visit our
    convenient donation web site at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm

    -OR-

    Mail in your contribution. Make checks payable to MAP Inc. send your
    contribution to

    The Media Awareness Project (MAP) Inc. d/b/a DrugSense PO Box 651
    Porterville, CA 93258 (800) 266 5759 [email protected]
    http://www.mapinc.org/ http://www.drugsense.org/

    ********************* Just DO It!! **********************************

    = Please help us help reform. Send drug-related news to
    [email protected]

  • Focus Alerts

    # 248 It’s Time To Follow The European Lead For Drug Policy

    Date: Fri, 04 Jan 2002
    Subject: # 248 It’s Time To Follow The European Lead For Drug Policy

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert # 248 Jan 4, 2002

    IT’S TIME TO FOLLOW THE EUROPEAN LEAD FOR DRUG POLICY REFORM

    TO SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, DONATE OR UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS PLEASE
    SEE THE INFORMATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS FOCUS ALERT

    *********************PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE*************************

    New York’s NEWSDAY gave drug law reformers a tremendous shot in the
    arm to start off the new year of 2002. On Jan 2 and 3, they printed a
    pair of columns denouncing the Drug War and also proposing very
    workable alternatives to current U.S. drug policy.

    The first column came from JEFFERSON M. FISH of St. John’s University
    and thoroughly breaks down the many reasons why current Drug War
    funding is a horrible waste. He astutely notes that this funding
    results in weaker national defense and also takes much needed
    resources from ‘real’ police work that is vital to protect our
    communities. He makes a strong call for ending the War, especially
    against marijuana, and suggests that changes in European drug policy
    will soon have a demonstrable effect on international drug law treaties.

    On Thursday, NEWSDAY gave a full column space to Lindesmith Center
    DPF’s ROBERT SHARPE. Robert’s column focused on the significant
    differences between European drug policies and U.S. drug policies.

    Both columns’ focus on smarter, more workable drug law policy are
    worthy of a huge thumbs-up and endorsement from reform minded
    supporters everywhere. NEWSDAY shows great journalistic courage in
    using these columns back-to-back. While the past five years clearly
    show us that they will receive far more supportive letters than
    opposing viewpoints, it is up to us to make sure that happens.

    Thanks for your effort and support.

    WRITE A LETTER TODAY

    It’s not what others do it’s what YOU do

    ************************************************************************
    PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER OR TELL US WHAT YOU DID
    ( Letter, Phone, fax etc.)

    Please post a copy your letter or report your action to the sent
    letter list ([email protected]) if you are subscribed, or by
    E-mailing a copy directly to [email protected] if you are not
    subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list with so
    others can learn from your efforts and be motivated to follow suit.

    Subscribing to the Sent LTE list ([email protected]) will help you to
    review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or
    approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing
    efforts.

    To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm
    and/or http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form

    This is VERY IMPORTANT as it is one very effective way of gauging our
    impact and effectiveness.
    ************************************************************************

    Source: Newsday (NY)
    Website: http://www.newsday.com/homepage.htm
    Address: 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville NY 11747
    Contact: [email protected]
    Copyright: 2002 Newsday Inc.
    Forum: http://www.newsday.com/forums/forums.htm
    Fax: (516)843-2986

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ORIGINAL ARTICLES

    Both of the columns below are SNIPPED for brevity; please use the URL
    to read the complete column

    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n006/a11.html

    Pubdate: Wed, 02 Jan 2002
    Author: Jefferson M. Fish
    Note: Jefferson M. Fish, a psychology professor and former department
    chairman at St. John’s University, is the editor of “Is Our Drug Policy
    Effective? Are There Alternatives?” and “How to Legalize Drugs.”

    DIVERT DRUG-BUST MONEY TO WAR ON TERRORISM

    NEW YORK CITY, terrorist target, is also New York State’s prime target
    in the war on drugs.

    A majority of drug felons come from the city and are shipped off to
    fill upstate prisons at more than $30,000 per prisoner per year.
    Arrests for marijuana smoking have escalated from about 700 in 1992
    under former (and new) Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly to more than
    50,000 last year. Certainly with the city facing a budget crisis and
    the police department trying to cut costs, it’s time to re-examine
    this issue.

    Our new war on terrorism reveals a major policy contradiction not just
    for New York City, but for the United States. The war on drugs creates
    a gigantic and vicious black market, whose profits fund terrorism in
    many parts of the world from Colombia to Afghanistan. The more
    “successful” the war on drugs, the more dangerous and profitable the
    drug trade becomes.

    Yet no matter how “successful,” the war can’t be won, despite what our
    politicians proclaim. After all, if we can’t keep drugs from entering
    our prisons, how can we can keep them from crossing our borders? As
    tax revenues fall in a weak economy, the tens of billions of dollars
    devoted to the war on drugs divert significant funds from the fight
    against terrorism, let alone the normal costs of law
    enforcement.

    Downsizing the war on drugs would both increase our resources
    available to fight terrorism and decrease terrorists’ resources.

    (SNIP)

    URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n009/a04.html
    Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jan 2002
    Author: Robert Sharpe, http://www.mapinc.org/author/Robert+Sharpe
    Note: The newspaper printed this is the space of a regular columnist, with
    the following note: Robert Sharpe is a program officer with the Lindesmith
    Center-Drug Policy Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization in
    Washington. Marie Cocco is off.

    U.S. SHOULD FOLLOW EUROPE’S LEAD IN DRUG-LAW REFORM

    ONE OF THE MANY challenges facing a post-Taliban coalition government
    is the corrupting influence of drug trafficking.

    Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium, the raw material
    used to make heroin. According to the State Department, both the
    Taliban and the Northern Alliance have financed their activities by
    taxing the opium trade. A recent State Department report blames the
    Afghan drug trade for increased levels of global terrorism and notes
    that the production of opium “undermines the rule of law by generating
    large amounts of cash, contributing to regional money-laundering and
    official corruption.”

    Paradoxically, Afghanistan’s brutal Taliban regime was able to reap
    obscene profits from the heroin trade because of drug prohibition, not
    in spite of it. The same lesson, unfortunately, applies here at home.

    Just as alcohol prohibition did in the early 1900s, the modern-day
    drug war subsidizes organized crime. An easily grown weed like
    marijuana is literally worth its weight in gold in U.S. cities. In
    Colombia, the various armed factions waging civil war are financially
    dependent on America’s drug war. The illicit trade keeps prices high
    and a cartel reaps the profits. While U.S. politicians ignore the
    historical precedent of alcohol prohibition, Europeans are instituting
    harm reduction, a public health alternative that seeks to minimize the
    damage associated with both drug use and drug prohibition.

    There is a middle ground between drug prohibition and
    legalization.

    (SNIP)

    —————————————————————————-
    SAMPLE LETTER

    To the editors of Newsday:

    re: DIVERT DRUG-BUST MONEY TO WAR ON TERRORISM (Jan 2)

    U.S. SHOULD FOLLOW EUROPE’S LEAD IN DRUG-LAW REFORM (Jan 3)

    Both authors astutely note the problems with U.S. drug law policies.
    And they also provide excellent alternatives that not only increase
    public safety, but public health as well.

    Most notable are the much smarter approaches practiced in Europe which
    focus on health and social aspects of drug use and abuse, with far
    less concern for harsh criminal sanctions on users.

    You will likely find that a majority of feedback to these columns is
    supportive. Note that staunch opposition will only come from those who
    have some form of financial gain from the current Drug War — police,
    prosecutors and jailers who are fed by the steady flow of drug law
    arrests; drug prevention ‘specialists’ who earn money from coerced
    treatment patients provided by the courts; members of various federal
    agencies who get paid to wage the war, both home and abroad. And of
    course politicians whose campaigns are financed by all of the above.

    It’s clear that we need to reconsider the policies supported by the
    many groups who currently profit from the failed policies from the
    past 20+ years. The columns from Fish and Sharpe provide us with
    plenty of great ways to do that.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Stephen Heath Drug Policy Forum of Florida http://www.drugsense.org/dpffl

    *****************************************************************
    ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing efforts

    3 Tips for Letter Writers http://www.mapinc.org/3tips.htm

    Letter Writers Style Guide http://www.mapinc.org/style.htm
    ***************************************************************************

    Prepared by Stephen Heath [email protected] DrugSense FOCUS Alert
    Specialist