Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002
Subject: # 238 Canadian Newspapers Carrying Anti-War Messages

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DrugSense FOCUS Alert # 238 Mon, 18 Mar 2002

Canadian Newspapers Carrying Anti-war Messages

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

In the six years The Media Awareness Project have been tracking
newspaper coverage of drug policy news and opinion, we have seen a
demonstrable and measurable shift away from Drug War support. Not
only has overall coverage and column inches increased tremendously,
the most important half of the equation – opinion – has clearly swung
to a majority support for reform ideas and proposals. Additionally, we
see an increasing number of newspapers calling out Drug War
hypocrisies, and most notable is the number of editorial boards and
opinion writers who are quite frankly ‘demanding’ public officials
take notice and accept accountability for ending of the War as we have
known it for the past 60+ years.

While the needed areas of reform are numerous and each require more
light and scrutiny, nowhere is the need for dramatic reform more
apparent than in the area of cannabis law reforms. While recent
opinion polls may still show a minority of voters believe that
“Marijuana should be legalized for adult use”, we also know that a
majority of voters believe an adult should not be jailed for marijuana
possession. This percentage jumps to 80% or better when the question
involves adults using marijuana as medicine.

Most folks already know that Canada has been ahead of the U.S. in
terms of it’s laws about marijuana for adults. In the past two years,
not only has their federal government made allowances for medical
users, but they are clearly giving serious debate to overall
decriminalization of marijuana possession. This of course has provoked
an even higher level of press coverage than enjoyed by the readers of
U.S. newspapers. And likewise, an increasing amount of this coverage
is calling for strong reform of drug policy.

The NATIONAL POST, Canada’s second most widely read newspaper came out
with likely the strongest editorial viewpoint about marijuana
decriminalization that we have seen from a newspaper of this size
anywhere in North America. The editorial ran this past Friday (Mar 15)
and speaks for itself.

This is as strong a need as we have ever had for supporting and
thank-you letters.

One need not make a particularly eloquent statement, nor compose the
‘perfect’ thoughts for this letter, since the editorial does the work
for us. What is most needed is to let the National Post know that
their viewpoint is shared by many people, and not just those who ‘want
to legalize all drugs’, or simply ‘unrepentant hippies and
counterculture types’ (You all KNOW who you are…)

Thanks for your effort and support. We suggest you review our Target
Analysis (below the Sample Letter) prior to writing your letter for
information which may increase your impact and your chance of
publication.

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 our way of gauging our impact and
effectiveness.
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CONTACT INFO

Source National Post (Canada)

Contact [email protected]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXTRA CREDIT –

Send your letter to any or all of the newspapers in Canada and ask
them to consider reprinting the editorial from the National Post.

You can go to the DrugSense MEDIA EMAIL DATABASE. Simply go to the
website below and select ‘Canada’ as your criteria and – presto – a
list of media contacts complete with names of the media organization
will be presented or E-mailed to you.

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

IMPORTANT NOTE

Newspaper editors expect that the LTEs you write are for them alone.
For the best results always address each email one at a time to each
newspaper.

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ORIGINAL EDITORIAL

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n468/a04.html

Webpage:
http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary/story.html?f=/stories/20020315/344962.html

Pubdate: Fri, 15 Mar 2002
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc.
Contact: [email protected]

IT’S AGREED: DECRIMINALIZE POT

The lobby to decriminalize marijuana continues to grow, with the
Canadian Medical Association now joining the push. The organization,
which represents more than 50,000 physicians, has strengthened the
case previously made by groups such as the federally funded Canadian
Centre on Substance Abuse, the Association of Canadian Police Chiefs
and the Canadian Bar Association. These organizations hardly
constitute a hippy rabble.

What is it going to take for the federal government to abandon the
obsolete view that marijuana is a dangerous vice that merits the force
of Criminal Code sanction? The CMA notes that of the 66,500 drug
offences in Canada in 1997, more than 70%, or 47,908, were
cannabis-related. Of those, two-thirds involved mere possession and
the majority of those charged with offences were young. About 2,000
Canadians go to jail annually for simple possession of marijuana. It
is these figures, and not the consumption of the mood-altering
substance, that constitute the real source of concern Enforcement of
our marijuana laws necessitates a useless waste of public funds and
police resources.

[SNIP]

The facts show that marijuana generally contributes to ruin of neither
mind nor body

[SNIP]

Public opinion is also well ahead of the government on this issue.
Polls have shown that Canadians overwhelmingly support
decriminalization, with one survey in 1990 finding that seven out of
10 Canadians felt marijuana possession merited no more than a fine.

[SNIP]

The federal legislators should take the advice of their doctors and
decriminalize marijuana entirely.

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

SAMPLE LETTER

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 The National Post

Thank you for publishing, “It’s agreed Decriminalize
pot’.

It’s refreshing to read some sane, rational viewpoints regarding
Marijuana Prohibition. Your editorial aptly noted that it is the law
enforcement of this inane criminal interdiction policy , aka
Prohibition, that causes the real harm to our society.

Too often the media plays the “reefer madness” party line at the
expense of not only medical marijuana users, but all adults who use
marijuana responsibly. After all, such coverage usually garners gushy,
reactionary readership. It does squat though to truly inform and
educate the public.

Thank you kindly for showing some leadership, honesty and willingness
to buck the status quo on Marijuana Prohibition. Canada has an amazing
opportunity to not only demonstrate leadership in reforming our drug
laws but also to send a clear signal that we will not be intimidated
by the failed American “Drug War” Policies of zero-tolerance and its
wasteful, shameful abuses.

David d’Apollonia Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

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ADDITIONAL INFO to help you in your letter writing
efforts

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

TARGET ANALYSIS

The National Post is one of two newspapers sold everywhere in Canada.
Here is what their website says about their circulation (note that a
Canadian dollar is worth about 63 cents in U.S. dollars today) 810,400
daily readers across 16 major Canadian markets. $76,918 average
household income is 30% higher than the Canadian average. $49,346
average personal income is 40% higher than the Canadian average.
National Post daily readers are 44% more likely than adults 18+ to
have personally accessed a search engine in the past month.

Our analysis of the published letters at http://www.mapinc.org/mapcgi/ltedex.pl?SOURCE=National+Post+(CN)
shows that the National Post selects what they print based on quality
– without any bias as to the location of the LTE writer. Clearly,
shorter to the point LTEs are most likely to be printed. Our analysis
shows that the average published letter body is only 124 words long,
with a range from 56 to 258 words.

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

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

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

Prepared by Stephen Heath of The Drug Policy Forum of Florida
DrugSense FOCUS Alert Specialist

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

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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.

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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/

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

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 DrugSense FOCUS Alert Specialist

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

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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

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

Prepared by Richard Lake, Focus Alert Specialist

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

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

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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
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REMINDER:

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DrugSense provides many services to at no charge BUT THEY ARE NOT FREE
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We incur many costs in creating our many and varied services. If you
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-OR-

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

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

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

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

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

=
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-OR-

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

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