Date: Mon, 06 Jun 2005
Subject: #309 Suggested Actions In Response To The Raich Decision

SUGGESTED ACTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE RAICH DECISION

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #309 – Monday, 6 June 2005

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that state medical marijuana laws don’t
protect users from a federal ban on the drug – allowing federal
authorities to prosecute sick people for their use of medical
cannabis, even if on the advice of their doctors.

The decision is on line in various formats here http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/03-1454.ZS.html
and as a 79 page .pdf file here http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/04pdf/03-1454.pdf

In its majority opinion against Raich and Monson (page 6), the Supreme
Court issued a significant word of warning about the wisdom of current
federal laws:

“The case is made difficult by respondents’ strong arguments that they
will suffer irreparable harm because, despite a congressional finding
to the contrary, marijuana does have valid therapeutic purposes. The
question before us, however, is not whether it is wise to enforce the
statute in these circumstances; rather, it is whether Congress’ power
to regulate interstate markets for medicinal substances encompasses
the portions of those markets that are supplied with drugs produced
and consumed locally.”

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

Organizations are calling for you to act and providing detailed advice
on the best ways to respond. Please see:

http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=25197

http://www.mpp.org/raich/

http://www.raichaction.org/

http://hinchey.kintera.org

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6550

http://www.angeljustice.org

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

Here are a few points to consider:

The single most important thing to understand is that state and local
laws on the books protecting medical cannabis patients and their
doctors will continue to stand and are not at all affected by this
ruling.

As you can see from this split decision, the Court has ruled on very
technical legal grounds, particularly on medical cannabis as a
commerce issue. However, we are heartened that the Court was clear in
recognizing the medical necessity for seriously ill patients like Angel.

The Attorney General and the federal government now have a choice:
They can choose to continue wasting taxpayers’ dollars raiding the
homes of sick and dying patients– suffering from diseases like
cancer, chronic pain, leukemia, multiple sclerosis and AIDS–who are
abiding by state and local laws, or they can choose more worthwhile
priorities, like national security or arresting terrorists. The
federal government should not compound the suffering of sick and dying
patients.

The federal government actually makes only 1% of all marijuana related
arrests in the country. While 99% protection from arrest isn’t
perfect, it is still substantial. It is more urgent than ever before
for states to act to protect patients from arrests and harassment.

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

The press will have a field day with this story – and will likely make
factual errors in their reporting which will enhance your chances of
being published if you write letters. Expect many targets for letters
to the editor in the days ahead.

Please check this link frequently, watching for news clippings with a
“Pubdate” of Mon, 06 Jun 2005 or later, to help you find targets for
your letters:

http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Raich

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

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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

Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

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

Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal
tips on how to write LTEs that get printed.

[email protected]

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

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

**********************************************************************
Prepared by: Stephen Heath, MAP Media Activism Facilitator =

Date: Wed, 18 May 2005
Subject: #308 USA Today’s Cannabis Policy Opinions

USA TODAY’S CANNABIS POLICY OPINIONS

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #308 – Wednesday, 18 May 2005

Today USA Today printed an editorial about our marijuana policies and
laws, and an OPED response by John Walters.

You may read the editorial ‘War on Drugs Gone to Pot’ at
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n800.a03.html and the OPED
‘Marijuana Policy Just Right’ at http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n800.a04.html

Both links have the USA Today email address for writing LTEs:
[email protected]

With a circulation of just over 2.3 million copies, the largest
circulation newspaper in the United States, the value of even one
printed letter in terms of what it would cost to buy the same space as
an ad is in the range of $10,000 or more.

Please consider sending the paper a LTE today. Someone is very likely
to have their letter printed. It seems likely that more than one will
be printed.

You can help give the USA Today editors a choice of quality letters to
print, but only if you write.

Writing letters now to any newspaper about the push by the Drug Czar
and Congress to escalate the war on cannabis users is likely to meet
with success.

Another good target for your letters is the Washington Post OPED
printed Tuesday, May 17th titled ‘The Right Drug to Target’ at
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n799/a03.html

For more about the efforts in Congress see http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=1876&l’536

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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

Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

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

Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal
tips on how to write LTEs that get printed.

[email protected]

You may join in discussions with successful letter writers on ways to
improve your success in the DrugSense Virtual Conference Room. See
http://www.mapinc.org/resource/paltalk.htm

The schedule for the letter writing sessions is at
http://www.mapinc.org/resource/pal_sched.php

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

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

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

Prepared by: Stephen Heath, MAP Media Activism Facilitator

=

Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005
Subject: #307 Marijuana Medicine Approved

MARIJUANA MEDICINE APPROVED

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #307 – Friday, 22 April 2005

This past Tuesday the continuing efforts to put medical marijuana into
a regulated commercial market took a huge step forward. Canada became
the first nation to approve a pharmaceutical prescription spray,
Sativex, made from marijuana — a move that could shift the medical
marijuana debate in the U.S.

Sativex is a natural marijuana extract developed by a British company,
GW Pharmaceuticals. It is a liquid that is sprayed into the mouth.
Made from marijuana plants bred for specific levels of various active
components, called cannabinoids, Sativex is similar to marijuana-based
extracts and tinctures which were legally available in the United
States until 1937.

It is expected to be available in Canadian pharmacies within
weeks.

The approval of Sativex by the Canadian government and the expected
approval in coming months by the government of Great Britain stands as
a direct rebuke of the U.S. government’s insistence that ‘marijuana
has no known or accepted medical value.’

PLEASE CONSIDER writing a Letter to the Editor to one or more of the
newspapers which printed this story.

You can see a continually updating list of these articles
here:

http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Sativex

If you choose to write to more than one newspaper, please vary your
message, especially if the newspapers are in the same geographic market.

Our experience has shown that letters submitted Friday through Sunday
have the best chance of being printed for the following week, so
please consider sending your letters soon.

Even if an article about Sativex being approved for use in Canada has
not been printed in newspapers in your area, a short well written
letter about the facts could still be published in those newspapers.
Medical cannabis is an issue of interest to newspapers! Contacts for
sending letters may be found at:

http://www.mapinc.org/media.htm

Facts about Sativex may be found at these sources:

Questions and Answers About Sativex – Liquid Medical Marijuana:

http://www.mpp.org/sativex.html

GW Pharmaceuticals Frequently Asked Questions:

http://www.gwpharm.com/faqs.asp

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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

Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

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

Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal
tips on how to write LTEs that get printed.

[email protected]

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

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

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

Prepared by: Stephen Heath, MAP Media Activism Facilitator

=

Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005
Subject: #306 Motivate Rep. Mark Souder

MOTIVATE REP. MARK SOUDER

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #306 – Monday, 11 Apr 2005

On Saturday, Apr 9, the Ft Wayne Journal Gazette (IN) ran an excellent
commentary written by a college junior at Cal State Fullerton. Her
target? The horribly misguided ‘drug provision’ in the Higher
Education Act of 1998, which penalizes applicants who have a drug
conviction of any kind in their background.

This column is extra notable because it was carried in the J-G, the
hometown paper for cited U.S. Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN). Souder
was the primary author of this provision, passed over six years ago,
that has since adversely impacted over 160,000 American college-bound
youth.

Author Marisa Garcia accurately notes that Mr. Souder has spoken out
several times in criticism of his own legislation – as passed in 1998
– but he has of yet failed to demonstrate the needed backbone when it
comes to stepping up to the plate and repealing the HEA ‘drug
provision’ from student financial aid applications.

Please consider writing a short, succinct Letter to the Editor to the
Journal-Gazette in support of Ms Garcia’s commentary and in criticism
of Mr. Souder’s staunch inaction in righting this legislative wrong
which he himself admits is a reality. Please include an appeal to Mr.
Souder that he stop dragging his heels and now demonstrate the
political leadership needed to make this repeal possible.

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

**********************************************************************
CONTACT INFO: [email protected]

You can read the article in full, here: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n578.a11.html

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

If you would like input or ideas on how to compose your letter, feel
welcome to contact MAP’s Media Activism Facilitator, Steve Heath
[email protected]

Additional suggestions for writing letters to the editor are
at:

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

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

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

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

Prepared by: Stephen Heath on behalf of SSDP http://www.ssdp.org/
=

Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005
Subject: #305 New York Times Criticizes Medical Cannabis

NEW YORK TIMES CRITICIZES MEDICAL CANNABIS

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #305 – Tuesday, 29 March 2005

Today’s New York Times includes an article titled “Medicinal Marijuana
on Trial” by Dan Hurley. Please read it here:

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n523/a02.html

And it is currently on line at the New York Times website
(registration may be required) here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/29/health/policy/29mari.html

Readers who have been following medical cannabis issues will have a
hard time calling it fair and balanced. The spin against medical
cannabis is clear, even though a few lines give lip service to the
positive.

We find this website among those useful for research to help respond
to points in the article: http://medicalmarijuanaprocon.org/

The Ottawa Citizen’s senior writer, Dan Gardner, wrote a column ‘How
Science Is Skewed to Fuel Fears of Marijuana’ that covers some of the
issues of the New York Times article. See http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n474/a07.html

Please consider writing a letter to the editor to the New York Times.
Email it to [email protected]

There are many potential ways you could write a LTE. You need not
focus just on the negative spin. You could elaborate on the positive
in the article. Whatever you send, we suggest you keep your letter
short, under 200 words, and focused on only one or two points.

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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

Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

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

Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal
tips on how to write LTEs that get printed.

[email protected]

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

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

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

Prepared by: Stephen Heath, MAP Media Activism Facilitator

=

Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005
Subject: #304 The Lone Ranger Rides Again

THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #304 – Saturday, 19 March 2005

Just over two weeks ago, the Media Director and Advisory Board member
for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) – Howard Wooldridge –
began his historic cross country horse ride promoting an end to 21st
century Prohibition.

This year’s ride, dubbed “The Lone Ranger Rides Again”, will take
Wooldridge from the west coast of the United States all the way to the
east, ending in New York City. Along the way, Howard will meet with
Americans in cities and towns with a focus on speaking to civic
groups, church groups and educational organizations.

He will be conducting media interviews along the route with radio, TV
and print journalists.

With the help of volunteer newshawks, the press coverage will be
posted to MAP. If you become aware of a printed article, but are not
sure how to newshawk it, please contact: [email protected]

One front page article, linked below, was printed March 18th in the
Edmond Sun. Reporter Alice Collinsworth attended some of Howard’s
speaking events. She was introduced to Howard by friends of both LEAP
and MAP.

We are calling on the many Friends of LEAP across North America to
send a letter to the editor of the Edmond Sun in response to this
prominent article.

Howard delivers his message so well that your LTE need not be
lengthy.

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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

The article, Two Sides of the Same Coin, can be seen
here:

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n468/a03.html

Read About Howard’s Ride http://leap.cc/howard/

Other news clippings about Howard are at:

http://www.mapinc.org/people/Howard+Wooldridge

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

Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center:

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

Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal
tips on how to write LTEs that get printed.

[email protected]

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

PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

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

Prepared by: Stephen Heath, MAP Media Activism Facilitator

=

Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005
Subject: #303 How To Increase Reform Media Coverage

HOW TO INCREASE REFORM MEDIA COVERAGE

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #303 – Saturday, 12 March 2005

Over the past five weeks, dozens of drug policy reform leaders and
activists have spent time in the new DrugSense/MAP Virtual Conference
Room.

The easy to download and install FREE Paltalk Messenger software
program brings like-minded people together Talking and Listening over
the internet.

As part of our Media Activism Project, DrugSense is renting a place on
the web which allows up to 25 people to gather and discuss drug policy
reform — our DrugSense/MAP Virtual Conference Room. This premium,
web-based room allows visitors to not only type messages but also talk
to each other using microphones! The premium rooms are of the type
used by businesses for teleconferencing.

Yes, your computer, if made in the last two decades, should support
teleconferencing.

The Virtual Conference Room is private and monitored. If you don’t
have the password for a session you don’t get in.

During our initial kickoff of meetings activists from 17 different
states and five different countries have joined for roundtable
discussions on how to better harmonize our many mutual efforts at
reforming failed and flawed public drug policies.

Additionally, MAP’s Media Activism project has conducted 13
personalized training sessions teaching activists how to increase
their drug policy reform related media coverage.

The curriculum has included the following:

How to Write Letters to the Editor That Get Printed

How to Newshawk Drug News Clippings for the MAP Archive

How to Write and Send Press Releases That Work

Upcoming sessions will continue to deliver these topics as well as new
topics:

How to Increase Drug Policy Reform Related News Stories and Opinion
Items in Your Local Media

How to Hold Press Conferences

How to Obtain Guest Spots on Talk Radio

How to Prepare for Radio and TV Appearances

Tools for Contacting the Media

We are open to suggestions for new MAP Virtual Conference Room session
topics.

The room has been and will be used by organizations and state groups
of activists who want an easy way for their members to all meet at the
same time in one place with both voice and text communication.

Already there are some organizations are considering obtaining their
own Paltalk Messenger premium teleconferencing rooms.

IF YOU or your organization would like to join us in this cutting edge
method of communication, please see the links below.

We look forward to meeting you and working together to bring activists
from different states, countries and organizations together —
working to improve our presence in the media in order to influence
public opinion.

Finally, we know there is a wide range of teleconferencing software
and options available from many other sources. The webmastering team
and other key leaders at DrugSense — spread out over two countries —
have been testing and using various teleconferencing options for years
— including having teleconferencing options demonstrated for us that
cost more per hour than our conference room costs in a month. We are
not endorsing this commercial product — rather we are using what has
worked best for us.

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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

The DrugSense/MAP Virtual Conference Room – How To Participate:

http://mapinc.org/resource/paltalk.htm

Schedule of Online Conferences and Activist Training Sessions:

http://www.mapinc.org/onair

Requests for Personal or Organizational Training or Private Meetings:

[email protected]

The MAP Media Activism Page:

http://www.mapinc.org/resource

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

Prepared by: Stephen Heath, MAP’s Media Activism Facilitator

=

Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2005
Subject: #302 Will We See You At A Conference?

WILL WE SEE YOU AT A CONFERENCE?

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #302 – Wednesday, March 2, 2005

As an internet based organization DrugSense folks – the volunteers and
activists who make us what we are – seldom meet unless it is at a
conference. This year there are two superb conferences. We hope to see
you at one, if not both.

Below is a message from Keith Stroup about the NORML conference as
well as an agenda.

The second conference is:

The 2005 International Drug Policy Reform Conference “Building a
Movement for Reason, Compassion and Justice”

November 10, 11, & 12, 2005, Beginning with a reception on the evening
of November 9. Westin Hotel, Long Beach, California

More details on this conference will be available in the months ahead.
We have been told that there will be a limited number of scholarships
available. The web link about this conference is http://drugpolicy.org/events/dpa2005/

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

2005 NORML Conference: Register now … rooms going fast!

Dear NORML Supporter,

Hurry up! Do not delay in booking your room and pre-registering for
the 2005 NORML conference in San Francisco, March 31 – April 2, 2005.
NORML’s staff informs me that we’ve already sold 150% of the
organization’s allotted discounted room block at the Cathedral Hill
Hotel.

If you don’t want to miss out staying at the conference hotel, call
1-800-622-0855 (use the code: ‘NORML’). We’ve still got great nightly
deals on hotel rooms in downtown San Francisco at $99/standard and
$109/deluxe!

To learn more about NORML’s 2005 conference, checkout:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6437

What can you expect at NORML 2005?

The wider world knows Rick Steves as one of America’s most successful
travel authors and a popular TV show host. This year’s NORML
conference keynote speaker aptly serves as NORML’s world ambassador,
passionately advocating for a sane cannabis policy encompassing legal
and responsible adult use. Rick is a generous, funny, famous and
deeply moving speaker. I’m so very glad that he’s accepted the
director’s invitation to speak at NORML 2005.

Expect speakers such as: NORML’s new executive director Allen St.
Pierre, Drug Policy Alliance’s Drs. Ethan Nadelmann and Marsha
Rosenbaum, medical marijuana activists Angel Reich and Diane Monson
(the ‘dynamic duo’ whose pending US Supreme Court decision in their
landmark case has the marijuana law reform movement waiting on pins
and needles); also featured at NORML 2005 are numerous and informative
panels for cannabis consumers highlighting physicians, lawyers,
medical and health researchers, representatives from medical marijuana
dispensaries, cultivation experts, young and seasoned activists, High
Times Magazine editors and members of NORML’s staff and national board
of directors.

Over two dozen drug policy reform organizations are represented,
including: Drug Policy Alliance, Canada NORML, Efficacy, Americans for
Safe Access, Vancouver Island Compassionate Club, Marijuana Policy
Project, MAPinc, DrugSense, ReConsiDer, Common Sense for Drug Policy,
Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, CHEAR, DRCNet and many others.

Since 1972, NORML’s annual conferences have become THE central place
for the marijuana law reform movement to meet, build community and
strategize on the ways and means to successfully bring an end to
marijuana prohibition.

Pre-register online for the conference by visiting:
https://secure.norml.org/conference/

Also, you can call 202-483-5500 and register over the
phone.

I look forward to seeing many old friends and making new acquaintances
at NORML 2005 in San Francisco(one of America’s most cannabis friendly
cities.

Regards,

R. Keith Stroup, Esq. Of Counsel (and NORML founder)

p.s. The entire NORML staff just booked flights from the Washington,
DC-area to San Francisco for under $200/person. Very affordable
flights still remain into San Francisco and Oakland from all over the
US and Canada.

If you’re driving to the NORML conference from CA, WA, OR, NV or from
wherever, and staying at the Cathedral Hill Hotel, parking is free.
Bonus!

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

NORML Conference Agenda as of 2 March from http://www.norml.com/index.cfm?Group_ID=6440

Wednesday, March 30

6:00 – 8:00pm Early Conference Registration and Happy
Hour

Thursday, March 31 First Day

9:00-9:90am Welcome – Steve Dillon, Esq., Chair, NORML board of
directors

9:20-9:40am Cannabis Convocation – Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director, NORML

9:40-11:00am 2004 Pro-Cannabis Initiatives: The Review

Alaska (TBA)

Oregon/Lee Berger, Esq.

Montana (TBA)

Massachusetts/Steve Epstein, Esq.

Columbia, MO – Med Mj. Initiative/Sterling Neeb – Decrim. Initiative/Dan
Viets, Esq.

Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI/Timothy Beck

Oakland – Judy Appel, Esq.

Moderator: Dominic Holden, WA NORML/ Sensible Seattle

11:15-1:00pm Drug Policy Reform: Taking it directly to the people

Jack Cole, LEAP

Roger Goodman, Esq., Voluntary Lawyer Comm.

Nick Eyle, ReConsider

Mikki Norris, Cannabis Consumer Campaign

Keith Saunders, Ph.D, MassCANN/NORML

Moderator: Clifford Thornton, Efficacy/ NORML national board of directors

2:00-2:30pm Teens and Drugs: Reports from the Field

Marsha Rosenbaum, Ph.D, Deputy Director, Drug Policy Alliance

2:30-4:00pm Cannabis Prohibition Victims: Recent, Current and Prospective

Diane Munson, Raich/Munson v. Ashcroft)

Valerie Leveroni Corral, WAMM, national NORML board of
directors

Angel Raich, Raich/Munson v. Ashcroft

Brian Epis

Todd McCormick

Marissa Garcia

Moderator: Steph Sherer, Executive Director, Americans for Safe Access

4:00-6:00pm Breakout Sessions

Student Activism: Stoking the Reefer Revolution

Christopher Mulligan, CHEAR/national NORML board of
directors

Scarlett Swerdlow, SSDP

Abby Bair, SSDP

Josh Manning, Univ. of FL NORML

Matt Jones, Univ. of FL NORML

Moderator: Kris Krane, Associate Director, NORML

Police Tactics: Don’t Become a Statistic

Anthony Feldstein, Esq.

Omar Figaroa, Esq.

Peter Vilkelis, Esq.

Vaporizers & FDA Research: The Future of ‘Smoking’ Cannabis

Rick Doblin, Ph.D, MAPS

Moderator: Dale Gieringer, Ph.D, Director CA NORML

6:30-9:00pm NORML/High Times Annual Art Auction and Activist
Awards

Friday, April 1 Second Day

9:00-9:45am Challenges and Opportunities in Drug Policy Reform – Ethan
Nadelmann, Ph.D Executive Director, Drug Policy Alliance

9:45-11:00am In the Cross Hair: Medi-pot Docs

Tod Mikuriya, M.D.

Frank Lucido, M.D.

David Bearman, M.D.

Mollie Fry, M.D.

Claudia Jensen, M.D.

David Hadorn, M.D.

Phil Denny, M.D.

Moderator: Fred Gardner, California Medical Marijuana Research Group

11:15-1:00pm Marijuana and Good Health: Who Knew?

Robert Malamede, Ph.D, University of CO

Donald Abrams, MD, University of CA, SF

Mitch Earlywine, Ph.D, USC

Greg Carter, M.D.,University of Washington

Moderator: Dale Gieringer, Ph.D, Director CA NORML national board of directors

1:00-2:30pm Luncheon and Keynote Speaker:

Rick Steves, Best selling travel author, TV show host and NORML
Advisory Board member

2:30-3:15pm Cannabis Arrest Report and Use Analysis

Jon Gettman, Ph.D. Former NORML Director; Fellow, George Mason Univ.

3:15-4:00pm High Times’ History of The ‘Bud’ Shot: A Pictorial and Cultural
Anthology

Steve Bloom, Senior Editor

Richard Cusick, Senior Editor

David Bienstock, Senior Editor

4:00-6:00pm Breakout Sessions

Cannabis Cultivation: The How, Why and for What

Kyle Kushman, High Times

Moderator: Chris Conrad, ChrisConrad.com

Medical Marijuana: State of the Law From the Pros

William McPike, Esq.

Lee Berger, Esq.

David Michaels, Esq.

Moderator: William Panzer, Esq.

Hemp: A Fruitful or Frightful Future?

Eric Steenstra, Votehemp.com

Jack Herer, The Emperor of Hemp

Moderator: David Bronner, Dr. Bronner’s Soaps, HIA

8:00-10:00pm Cannabis-oriented Entertainment

Saturday, April 2 Third Day

9:00-10:00am Registration Desk Open and NORML Product
Sales

10:00-11:15am Drugged Driving Tests: The Science and Policies What You Need
to Know-Right Now!

Dale Gieringer, Ph.D, CA NORML

Ed Orlett, Drug Policy Alliance of Ohio

Caren Woodson, Drug Policy Alliance

Moderator: Paul Armentano, Senior Policy Analyst, NORML

11:15-12:00pm Drug Policy: Then and Now

Arnold Trebach. Ph.D Founder of the Drug Policy Foundation, Trebach
Institute

12:15-2:00pm Oh Canada! Separating Myth From Reality

Richard Cowan, marijuananews.com

Moderator: Phillipe Lucas, VICS, Canada NORML

3:00-4:15pm Lessons Learned: Cannabis Prohibition and Censorship

Michael Gray, Common Sense for Drug Policy

Michael Aldrich, Ph.D

Marsha Rosenbaum, Ph.D, Deputy Director, Drug Policy Alliance

Debby Goldsberry

Mikki Norris, Cannabis Consumer Campaign

Moderator: Keith Saunders, Ph.D, MassCANN/NORML

4:15-6:00pm The Future is Now: Growing Grassroots Online

Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director, NORML

Dave Borden, Executive Director, DRCNet

Steven Heath, MAPinc

Matt Elrod, MAPinc

Moderator: Richard Cowan, former NORML Director, marijuananews.com

8:00-??? $75/person private benefit for NORML and the NORML
Foundation

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Prepared by: Stephen Heath http://www.mapinc.org/resource/maf_bio.htm

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Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005
Subject: #301 Educate Illinois Media About Medical Marijuana

EDUCATE ILLINOIS MEDIA ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

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

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #301 – Sunday, 20 Feb 2005

In a whirlwind series of events, including two excellent OPEDs in
major Chicago newspapers, the state of Illinois finds itself immersed
in a public discussion about legalizing marijuana for qualified
medical use.

In the Illinois state legislature, Rep. Larry McKeon introduced a bill
which would legalize use for a short list of medical conditions.

Though both were too cowardly to debate the topic in a public forum
with supporters of the bill, Dr. Andrea Barthwell, a now retired ONDCP
Deputy Chief, and her former boss Drug Czar John Walters each did
their part. They worked to insure medical patients who elect to use
cannabis with a doctor’s guidance will continue to be arrested and
criminally prosecuted. Barthwell toured the state speaking to
audiences reported to average about a dozen per showing, while Walters
enjoyed a more visible platform when testifying Thursday at the
committee hearings in Springfield.

Following testimonies from both supporters and detractors of the bill,
including Czar Walters, the 11-person committee voted 4-7 in favor of
the bill. Two Democrats who had been expected to vote for the bill –
Michelle Chavez of Cicero and – Naomi Jakobsson of Champaign – were
influenced by the scurrilous testimony of Czar Walters.

It appears that many newspapers in Illinois understand the truth of
what has played out in their state over the past two weeks. The
Chicago Sun Times and The Chicago Tribune had earlier endorsed such
legislation and they were joined with OPEDs by Rep. McKeon and Montel
Williams.

Please consider writing a short, succinct Letter to the Editor to the
newspapers linked below. Let them know your feelings about the need
to end the criminal prohibition laws against responsible medical
marijuana use.

These links will show you the articles and opinion items we are aware
of:

http://www.mapinc.org/people/Larry+McKeon

http://www.mapinc.org/people/Irvin+Rosenfeld

http://www.mapinc.org/states/il/ (Illinois)

Additional articles or opinion items on this issue may show up at the
links in over the next few days.

Thanks for your effort and support.

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

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Additional suggestions for writing letters to the editor are
at:

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

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PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER

Please post a copy of 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 so others
can learn from your efforts.

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#form

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Prepared by: Stephen Heath http://www.mapinc.org/resource/maf_bio.htm

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