Assembly Bill Would Let Cops Focus on Violent Crimes
TRENTON, NJ -- A bill to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana was introduced in the New Jersey General Assembly with bipartisan support on Wednesday. The bill, which is being endorsed by a group of police and judges who once waged the "war on drugs," comes less than a month after Connecticut legislators passed similar legislation decriminalizing marijuana.
Jack Cole, a 26-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police and board chairman for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "As a former undercover narcotics detective in New Jersey, I now know that all the time and resources I spent arresting people for marijuana offenses over the course of my career didn't accomplish anything good. In addition to being a waste of money that should have been spent solving and preventing violent crimes, these arrests in many cases ruined otherwise productive people's lives. The marijuana decriminalization bill is a great first step to undoing some of the damage wrought by the failed 'war on drugs.'"
The New Jersey bill, A4252, would remove criminal penalties for adults who posses less than 15 grams of marijuana. It is sponsored by Assemblymen Reed Gusciora (D) and Michael Patrick Carroll (R) with 15 additional co-sponsors.
Harvard University economist Jeffrey Miron estimates that New Jersey currently spends more than $183 million every year enforcing its marijuana prohibition laws. In 2009, 22,439 people in New Jersey were arrested for possessing less than 50 grams of marijuana.
Rachel Cotrino, an attorney and Board member at NORML NJ, said, “In addition to imprisonment, offenders of the current law face loss of driving privileges from six months to two years. This unreasonably punitive measure causes many, otherwise law abiding citizens, to lose their jobs because they cannot get to work. Offenders also face eviction from their leased premises or loss of public housing. It is time to decriminalize the individual user and remove the current penalties that stifle our community and economy.”
Fourteen states in the U.S. have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
First-Ever Marijuana Legalization Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress
Cops Say the War on Marijuana Has Failed, Let States End Prohibition
WASHINGTON, DC -- The first-ever Congressional bill to let states legalize marijuana will be introduced in the U.S. House by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers on Thursday, and a group of police and judges who fought on the front lines of the failed "war on drugs" is announcing its support.
Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "Clearly the 'war on drugs' has failed, and nowhere is that more clear than with respect to marijuana. It baffles me that we arrest nearly 800,000 people on marijuana charges in this country each and every year at taxpayer expense when we could instead be taking in new tax revenue from legal and regulated marijuana sales. Making marijuana illegal hasn't prevented anyone from using it, but it has created a huge funding source that funnels billions of dollars in tax-free profits to violent drug cartels and gangs. More and more cops now agree: Legalizing marijuana will improve public safety."
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), would essentially end the federal government's bullying of states when it comes to marijuana policy reform. Initial co-sponsors include Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO).
The bill's introduction comes in the wake of last week's 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon declaring the "war on drugs," which the group of pro-legalization police officers commemorated by releasing a new report that they attempted to hand-deliver to Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske: http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/40years.
There are expected to be marijuana legalization initiatives on next year's ballots in at least three states: California, Colorado and Washington.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 22, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
WASHINGTON, DC -- The first-ever Congressional bill to let states legalize marijuana will be introduced in the U.S. House by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers on Thursday, and a group of police and judges who fought on the front lines of the failed "war on drugs" is announcing its support.
Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "Clearly the 'war on drugs' has failed, and nowhere is that more clear than with respect to marijuana. It baffles me that we arrest nearly 800,000 people on marijuana charges in this country each and every year at taxpayer expense when we could instead be taking in new tax revenue from legal and regulated marijuana sales. Making marijuana illegal hasn't prevented anyone from using it, but it has created a huge funding source that funnels billions of dollars in tax-free profits to violent drug cartels and gangs. More and more cops now agree: Legalizing marijuana will improve public safety."
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), would essentially end the federal government's bullying of states when it comes to marijuana policy reform. Initial co-sponsors include Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO).
The bill's introduction comes in the wake of last week's 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon declaring the "war on drugs," which the group of pro-legalization police officers commemorated by releasing a new report that they attempted to hand-deliver to Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske: http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/40years.
There are expected to be marijuana legalization initiatives on next year's ballots in at least three states: California, Colorado and Washington.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 22, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
Sunday, June 19, 2011
From criminals to card-carrying cultivators
From criminals to card-carrying cultivators
BY LINDA BENTLEY | jUNE 15, 2011
http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2011/110615/frontpage-cultivators.html
The Arizona Department of Health Services has no authority to inspect the homes of those authorized to grow marijuana
Arizona's medical marijuana program is presenting a strange, new world for law enforcement.
Before a single state resident had a registration card issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services, police in Mohave County were seeing pot-possession cases that would normally be routine suddenly dumped by prosecutors.
Yesterday, we wrote about a case in Gilbert in which police raided the home of a marijuana-business owner, seizing two ounces of the man's "medicine" even after he proved he was a bona fide medical marijuana patient. And of course, the state's highest ranking legal authorities, the governor and the state attorney general, (who just happen to be adversaries of the new law), have sued their own state in order to stymie the program.
The conservative Sonoran News, which covers the north Valley, published an interesting yarn a couple of days ago that touches on the confusing situation for cops and licensed marijuana users and growers:
The article by Linda Bentley describes how a couple in Desert Hills was busted in March for allegedly growing 50 pot plants in their home. When Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies returned to the home of Justin Curran and Krista Leigh Roberts on June 9 with another arrest warrant, they again found marijuana being grown in the home.
But now, either Curran or Roberts (or maybe both) had obtained a caregivers license from the DHS, which allows them to legally grow marijuana on behalf of others -- so the deputies left the pot plants alone.
Justin Curran
Curran and Roberts, however, were taken into custody and later charged with new marijuana offenses. Their 3-year-old child, who wasn't supposed to be in the home because of the previous bust, was taken away from them and placed in Child Protective Services custody.
We found this line intriguing:
Since marijuana is a controlled substance, whereas growing, possessing, distributing and selling marijuana is still a violation of federal law, MCSO attempted to get federal law enforcement involved in the case, but to no avail.
Obviously, it galls some cops to think they can't freely bust pot users anymore -- and they aren't going to quit without a fight.
BY LINDA BENTLEY | jUNE 15, 2011
http://www.sonorannews.com/archives/2011/110615/frontpage-cultivators.html
The Arizona Department of Health Services has no authority to inspect the homes of those authorized to grow marijuana
Arizona's medical marijuana program is presenting a strange, new world for law enforcement.
Before a single state resident had a registration card issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services, police in Mohave County were seeing pot-possession cases that would normally be routine suddenly dumped by prosecutors.
Yesterday, we wrote about a case in Gilbert in which police raided the home of a marijuana-business owner, seizing two ounces of the man's "medicine" even after he proved he was a bona fide medical marijuana patient. And of course, the state's highest ranking legal authorities, the governor and the state attorney general, (who just happen to be adversaries of the new law), have sued their own state in order to stymie the program.
The conservative Sonoran News, which covers the north Valley, published an interesting yarn a couple of days ago that touches on the confusing situation for cops and licensed marijuana users and growers:
The article by Linda Bentley describes how a couple in Desert Hills was busted in March for allegedly growing 50 pot plants in their home. When Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies returned to the home of Justin Curran and Krista Leigh Roberts on June 9 with another arrest warrant, they again found marijuana being grown in the home.
But now, either Curran or Roberts (or maybe both) had obtained a caregivers license from the DHS, which allows them to legally grow marijuana on behalf of others -- so the deputies left the pot plants alone.
Justin Curran
Curran and Roberts, however, were taken into custody and later charged with new marijuana offenses. Their 3-year-old child, who wasn't supposed to be in the home because of the previous bust, was taken away from them and placed in Child Protective Services custody.
We found this line intriguing:
Since marijuana is a controlled substance, whereas growing, possessing, distributing and selling marijuana is still a violation of federal law, MCSO attempted to get federal law enforcement involved in the case, but to no avail.
Obviously, it galls some cops to think they can't freely bust pot users anymore -- and they aren't going to quit without a fight.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
On 40th Anniversary of "War on Drugs," Cops Release Report Showing its Failure
Obama's Drug Czar Says He Ended "War on Drugs" Two Years Ago
Cops Hand-Deliver Report to Drug Czar's Office While Czar Refuses to Meet
WASHINGTON, DC -- In conjunction with this week's 40th anniversary of President Nixon declaring "war on drugs," a group of police, judges and jailers who support legalization released a report today showing how the Obama administration is ramping up a war it disingenuously claims that it ended two years ago.
Following the report's release at a press conference this morning, the pro-legalization law enforcers attempted to hand-deliver a copy to Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, who is a former Seattle chief of police. Instead of making time to listen to the concerns of fellow law enforcers who have dedicated their careers to protecting public safety, he simply sent a staffer to the lobby to receive a copy of the cops' report.
Norm Stamper, also a former chief of police in Seattle and a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "It wasn't hard to put together a report showing how the Obama administration continues to wage the failed 'war on drugs' even while pretending to end it. Although President Obama has talked about respecting states' rights to enact medical marijuana laws, his DEA has raided state-legal medical marijuana providers at a higher rate than under the Bush administration. Similarly, this president has continued a Bush-era budget ratio that heavily favors spending on punishment over providing resources for treatment, even though he has said drug addiction should be handled as a health issue."
The full text of the pro-legalization cops' report is available online at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/40years
In the past four days alone, 2,500 people have used LEAP's website to send letters to President Obama asking him to transform his administration's good rhetoric on ending the "war on drugs" into policy reality. That action alert is also online at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/40years
Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and LEAP's executive director, said, "Over the past few weeks, us cops who have been on the front lines of the 'war on drugs' have made numerous attempts to schedule a meeting with the drug czar to share our concerns about the harms these drug laws are causing. The fact that he refused to sit down with us and discuss these issues - even when we went directly to his doorstep - speaks volumes about how much the Obama administration would rather ignore the failed 'war on drugs' than do anything to actually address it."
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, prison wardens, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
Shaleen Title - (617) 955-9638 or speakers@leap.cc
Cops Hand-Deliver Report to Drug Czar's Office While Czar Refuses to Meet
WASHINGTON, DC -- In conjunction with this week's 40th anniversary of President Nixon declaring "war on drugs," a group of police, judges and jailers who support legalization released a report today showing how the Obama administration is ramping up a war it disingenuously claims that it ended two years ago.
Following the report's release at a press conference this morning, the pro-legalization law enforcers attempted to hand-deliver a copy to Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, who is a former Seattle chief of police. Instead of making time to listen to the concerns of fellow law enforcers who have dedicated their careers to protecting public safety, he simply sent a staffer to the lobby to receive a copy of the cops' report.
Norm Stamper, also a former chief of police in Seattle and a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "It wasn't hard to put together a report showing how the Obama administration continues to wage the failed 'war on drugs' even while pretending to end it. Although President Obama has talked about respecting states' rights to enact medical marijuana laws, his DEA has raided state-legal medical marijuana providers at a higher rate than under the Bush administration. Similarly, this president has continued a Bush-era budget ratio that heavily favors spending on punishment over providing resources for treatment, even though he has said drug addiction should be handled as a health issue."
The full text of the pro-legalization cops' report is available online at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/40years
In the past four days alone, 2,500 people have used LEAP's website to send letters to President Obama asking him to transform his administration's good rhetoric on ending the "war on drugs" into policy reality. That action alert is also online at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com/40years
Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and LEAP's executive director, said, "Over the past few weeks, us cops who have been on the front lines of the 'war on drugs' have made numerous attempts to schedule a meeting with the drug czar to share our concerns about the harms these drug laws are causing. The fact that he refused to sit down with us and discuss these issues - even when we went directly to his doorstep - speaks volumes about how much the Obama administration would rather ignore the failed 'war on drugs' than do anything to actually address it."
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, prison wardens, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
Shaleen Title - (617) 955-9638 or speakers@leap.cc
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Can Patients "Sell" to Other Patients, Confusion in Arizona
There's a lot of confusion in Arizona about if one patient can "sell" to another patient.
The way I read the law, the answer is no, but I do know where the confusion comes from. It's the Arizona Department of Health Services own FAQ's about medical marijuana. On their medical marijuana FAQ, QP30 says, "Where can I legally "buy" marijuana if I am a qualifying patient?"
Their answer is, "Qualifying patients can obtain medical marijuana from a dispensary, the qualifying patient's designated caregiver, another qualifying patient, or, if authorized to cultivate, from home cultivation".
The problem is that someone at the Arizona Department of Health Services put BUY, rather than OBTAIN, like the law says.
I called Department of Health Services on Monday and told them I felt this may be where some of the confusion is coming from. In true bureaucratic fashion, the girl said she would tell her supervisor, but basically, don't hold my breath.
I just checked, and nothing has changed...... http://www.azdhs.gov/medicalmarijuana/faqs/patients.htm
Arizona is transforming from a black-market system, where patients payed black-market prices to who ever they could find, to a legal system where patients can share medicine, but not sell it, and caregivers can only recover actual expenses for the medical marijuana they grow for patients.
I'm afraid how we accomplish this transformation from the black market to a legal market, will determine how law enforcement sees medical marijuana patients in Arizona.
The way I read the law, the answer is no, but I do know where the confusion comes from. It's the Arizona Department of Health Services own FAQ's about medical marijuana. On their medical marijuana FAQ, QP30 says, "Where can I legally "buy" marijuana if I am a qualifying patient?"
Their answer is, "Qualifying patients can obtain medical marijuana from a dispensary, the qualifying patient's designated caregiver, another qualifying patient, or, if authorized to cultivate, from home cultivation".
The problem is that someone at the Arizona Department of Health Services put BUY, rather than OBTAIN, like the law says.
I called Department of Health Services on Monday and told them I felt this may be where some of the confusion is coming from. In true bureaucratic fashion, the girl said she would tell her supervisor, but basically, don't hold my breath.
I just checked, and nothing has changed...... http://www.azdhs.gov/medicalmarijuana/faqs/patients.htm
Arizona is transforming from a black-market system, where patients payed black-market prices to who ever they could find, to a legal system where patients can share medicine, but not sell it, and caregivers can only recover actual expenses for the medical marijuana they grow for patients.
I'm afraid how we accomplish this transformation from the black market to a legal market, will determine how law enforcement sees medical marijuana patients in Arizona.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Cops Mark 40th Anniversary of "War on Drugs" With Grim Picture of Damage Done
New Report Details Drug War Carnage the Obama Administration Would Rather Ignore
Obama's Drug Czar Says He Ended "War on Drugs" Two Years Ago
WASHINGTON, DC -- Forty years ago President Nixon declared the "war on drugs." Marking next week's somber anniversary, a group of police officers, judges and corrections officials who support legalizing drugs will join forces to detail the ongoing failures of a war the Obama administration disingenuously claims it ended two years ago. Following a press conference, the law enforcers will attempt to hand-deliver a copy of their new report to President Obama's drug czar. They will also hold a teleconference for journalists not able to attend the event in Washington.
Norm Stamper, former chief of police in Seattle and a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "Since President Nixon declared 'war on drugs' four decades ago, this failed policy has led to millions of arrests, a trillion dollars spent and countless lives lost. Yet drugs today are more available than ever. President Obama's drug officials keep saying they've ended the 'drug war.' But our report shows that's just not true, and we'll be hand-delivering a copy to the drug czar in hopes he'll be convinced to actually end this war, or at least stop saying he already has."
Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, like Stamper, is a former Seattle chief of police.
WHO: Police officers, corrections officials and border patrol agents who support legalizing drugs
WHAT: Press conference to release new research detailing ongoing "drug war" the Obama administration says it ended two years ago, followed by attempted hand-delivery of the report to drug czar Gil Kerlikowske
WHEN: Tuesday, June 14. In-person press conference: 10:00 AM EDT; Teleconference: 1:00 PM EDT
WHERE: National Press Club's Zenger Room (13th Floor); 529 14th St. NW; Washington, DC 20045
CALL-IN INFO FOR 1 PM EDT TELECONFERENCE: (800) 311-9404; Password - "40th Anniversary"
Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and LEAP's executive director, said, "When President Nixon declared the 'drug war' in 1971, we arrested fewer than half a million people for drug offenses that year. Today, the number has skyrocketed to almost two million drug arrests a year. We jail more of our own citizens than any other country in the world does, including those run by the worst dictators and totalitarian regimes. Is this how President Obama thinks we can 'win the future'?"
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, prison wardens, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
NEWS ADVISORY: June 7, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
Shaleen Title - (617) 955-9638 or speakers@leap.cc
Obama's Drug Czar Says He Ended "War on Drugs" Two Years Ago
WASHINGTON, DC -- Forty years ago President Nixon declared the "war on drugs." Marking next week's somber anniversary, a group of police officers, judges and corrections officials who support legalizing drugs will join forces to detail the ongoing failures of a war the Obama administration disingenuously claims it ended two years ago. Following a press conference, the law enforcers will attempt to hand-deliver a copy of their new report to President Obama's drug czar. They will also hold a teleconference for journalists not able to attend the event in Washington.
Norm Stamper, former chief of police in Seattle and a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said, "Since President Nixon declared 'war on drugs' four decades ago, this failed policy has led to millions of arrests, a trillion dollars spent and countless lives lost. Yet drugs today are more available than ever. President Obama's drug officials keep saying they've ended the 'drug war.' But our report shows that's just not true, and we'll be hand-delivering a copy to the drug czar in hopes he'll be convinced to actually end this war, or at least stop saying he already has."
Obama administration drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, like Stamper, is a former Seattle chief of police.
WHO: Police officers, corrections officials and border patrol agents who support legalizing drugs
WHAT: Press conference to release new research detailing ongoing "drug war" the Obama administration says it ended two years ago, followed by attempted hand-delivery of the report to drug czar Gil Kerlikowske
WHEN: Tuesday, June 14. In-person press conference: 10:00 AM EDT; Teleconference: 1:00 PM EDT
WHERE: National Press Club's Zenger Room (13th Floor); 529 14th St. NW; Washington, DC 20045
CALL-IN INFO FOR 1 PM EDT TELECONFERENCE: (800) 311-9404; Password - "40th Anniversary"
Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics cop and LEAP's executive director, said, "When President Nixon declared the 'drug war' in 1971, we arrested fewer than half a million people for drug offenses that year. Today, the number has skyrocketed to almost two million drug arrests a year. We jail more of our own citizens than any other country in the world does, including those run by the worst dictators and totalitarian regimes. Is this how President Obama thinks we can 'win the future'?"
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, prison wardens, federal agents and others who want to legalize and regulate drugs after fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs" and learning firsthand that prohibition only serves to worsen addiction and violence. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
# # #
NEWS ADVISORY: June 7, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc
Shaleen Title - (617) 955-9638 or speakers@leap.cc
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
World Leaders Encourage Drug Legalization
On Thursday the former presidents of several countries, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, former U.S. secretary of state George Shultz, former U.S. Fed chairman Paul Volcker and other luminaries will release a report calling the global "war on drugs" a failure and encouraging nations to pursue legalizing and regulating drugs as a way to put a stop the the violence inherent in the illegal drug market.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a group of police, prosecutors and judges who have waged the "drug war" on its front lines, is cheering the report and its conclusions.
"It's no longer a question of whether legalizing drugs is a serious topic of debate for serious people," said Neill Franklin, LEAP's executive director and a 34-year veteran police officer from Baltimore, Maryland. "These former presidents and other international leaders have placed drug legalization squarely on the table as an important solution that policymakers need to consider. As a narcotics cop on the streets, I saw how the prohibition approach not only doesn't reduce drug abuse but how it causes violence and crime that affect all citizens and taxpayers, whether they use drugs or not."
Some of the world leaders who signed on to the report will speak at a press conference and teleconference on Thursday:
When: Thursday, June 2 at 11 am, EST
Where: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Avenue, New York (Beekman Suite)
By Phone:
USA -- 1-800-311-9404 (Password: Global Commission)
From Outside the USA -- 1-334-323-7224 (Password: Global Commission)
The full report will be available at http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/
###
NEWS ADVISORY: June 1, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media//at//leap/dot//cc
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a group of police, prosecutors and judges who have waged the "drug war" on its front lines, is cheering the report and its conclusions.
"It's no longer a question of whether legalizing drugs is a serious topic of debate for serious people," said Neill Franklin, LEAP's executive director and a 34-year veteran police officer from Baltimore, Maryland. "These former presidents and other international leaders have placed drug legalization squarely on the table as an important solution that policymakers need to consider. As a narcotics cop on the streets, I saw how the prohibition approach not only doesn't reduce drug abuse but how it causes violence and crime that affect all citizens and taxpayers, whether they use drugs or not."
Some of the world leaders who signed on to the report will speak at a press conference and teleconference on Thursday:
When: Thursday, June 2 at 11 am, EST
Where: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Avenue, New York (Beekman Suite)
By Phone:
USA -- 1-800-311-9404 (Password: Global Commission)
From Outside the USA -- 1-334-323-7224 (Password: Global Commission)
The full report will be available at http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/
###
NEWS ADVISORY: June 1, 2011
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media//at//leap/dot//cc
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
