cannabisnews.com: Groups Display Marijuana Policy Ads in D.C. Metro 





Groups Display Marijuana Policy Ads in D.C. Metro 
Posted by CN Staff on August 31, 2004 at 17:20:28 PT
For Immediate Release
Source: ACLU 
Washington -- The controversial marijuana law reform advertisement at issue in a recent federal lawsuit will be displayed tomorrow for the first time in the Union Station and Capitol South stops of the Washington D.C. Metro. After a legal battle between a coalition of drug policy reform groups and the federal government over a law that would have eliminated federal funding of transportation authorities that ran such ads, a federal district court ruled the law unconstitutional in June 2004. The government appealed from the district court’s decision to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on August 2.
“We are pleased that the court’s ruling will allow the public to see this message, despite the efforts of the government to stifle our point of view,” said Graham Boyd, Director of the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project (previously known as the Drug Policy Litigation Project). The paid advertisement will run through the end of the month. The ad shows a group of ordinary people standing behind prison bars under the headline, “Marijuana Laws Waste Billions of Taxpayer Dollars to Lock Up Non-Violent Americans.” It can be viewed online at: http://www.aclu.org/images/client/decrim_ad.jpgAt issue in the case is an amendment buried in the 2004 federal spending bill that would have cut off more than $3 billion in federal funding from local transit authorities if they accepted advertisements critical of current marijuana laws and other drug laws. Last February, the coalition of national drug policy reform groups filed a challenge to the “Istook Amendment,” as it is known, after the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority rejected its advertisement.In his June ruling, Judge Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirmed that “there is a clear public interest in preventing the chilling of speech on the basis of viewpoint” and that “the government articulated no legitimate state interest in the suppression of this particular speech other than the fact that it disapproves of the message, an illegitimate and constitutionally impermissible reason.” Critics of current marijuana policy point to a dramatic change in public opinion about current marijuana laws, citing ballooning incarceration and arrest rates and high-profile raids on sick patients who use medical marijuana. In 2003, the FBI Uniform Crime Report Statistics revealed that almost 700,000 people were arrested for marijuana offenses, and public opinion polls have consistently shown that a majority of Americans favor decriminalizing the drug. “The Department of Justice just released statistics showing that nearly seven million people are under the control of the criminal justice system at a time when states are facing serious budgetary shortfalls,” said Joe White, Executive Director of Change the Climate. “Because drug offenses mainly account for this unprecedented rise in the prison population, considering a change in marijuana laws is an important first step.”“Istook’s ban provides powerful evidence of how scared the federal government is of genuine debate,” said Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “I guess that’s no surprise since they’re trying to defend a policy that is indefensible.”Steve Fox, the director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project added, “Filling up prisons and jails with marijuana users, regardless of the indirect consequences, is a waste of money. But sending marijuana users to prison while violent criminals are being paroled because of overcrowding is simply insane.”The lawsuit is ACLU et al., v. Norman Y. Mineta. The government’s appeal is expected to be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit some time in 2005. The plaintiffs are represented by the Washington D.C. law firm of Arnold & Porter LLP.“Reasonable people can disagree about drug policy, but Congress cannot constitutionally censor one side of that discussion,” said Arthur B. Spitzer, Legal Director of the ACLU of the National Capital Area. “We look forward to protecting the First Amendment rights of those committed to reforming marijuana laws at the court of appeals level.”Accompanying legal documents and background information can be found at: http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy -- http://www.changetheclimate.org -- http://www.drugpolicy.org and http://www.mpp.orgComplete Title: Drug Policy Reform Groups Display Marijuana Policy Ads in D.C. Metro Source: ACLU (NY)Published: August 31, 2004Copyright: 2004 ACLUWebsite: http://www.aclu.org/Contact: http://www.aclu.org/feedback/feedback.cfmCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on September 01, 2004 at 11:41:28 PT
That is such a wonderful link! Thank you!
http://www.leap.cc/events/events.phpTalk about "encouraging". These guys are laying it on the line. I'm so thankful for and to them.
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Comment #5 posted by darwin on September 01, 2004 at 07:00:06 PT
Excellent
This ad is excellent it targets the rational non-users, the exact people that need to be educated. The "better sex" ad doesn't change anyone's mind, as it's only appreciated by users. We need this ad on billboards, newspapers, and TV, and it should include the estimated annual cost rather than "billions".
Too bad Clear Channel owns most of the billboards and radio outlets. And Big business controls TV and newsprint. That only leaves the internet as an information outlet. Do you think Yahoo would allow this ad on their site?
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Comment #4 posted by ekim on August 31, 2004 at 19:00:17 PT
R-nold you and Bush smoked stop the maddness
Arnold saying how much he feared the ussr he should be sayen the same about the dea-----------http://www.leap.cc/events/events.php
Sep 3 04 North Shore Harm Reduction 07:00 PM Jim Gierach Wilmette Illinois USA 
 Speaker Jim Gierach will speak at the North Shore Harm Reduction event. Topic: the failure of drug prohibition. Sep 6 04 Sisters for Life 5th Annual Convention 09:00 AM Eleanor Schockett Crystal City Virgina USA 
 Board Member Eleanor Schockett will be a guest and speaker at the Sisters for Life 5th Annual Convention. Topic: America's failed war on drugs. Sep 7 04 Georgetown-Sun City Rotary 12:00 PM Howard Wooldridge Georgetown Texas USA 
 The Georgetown-Sun City Rotary welcomes Board Member Howard Wooldridge for lunch and discussion of the failed war on drugs. Sep 7 04 Manchester Kiwanis Club 12:00 PM Peter Christ Manchester Center Vermont USA 
 Board Member Peter Christ will lunch with members of the Manchester Kiwanis Club to discuss issues related to the failed war on drugs. Sep 7 04 Bennington Catamount Rotary Club 07:15 AM Peter Christ Bennington Vermont USA 
 Board Member Peter Christ breakfasts with the Bennington Catamount Rotary Club to discuss issues related to the failed war on drugs. Sep 7 04 Bennington Banner Newspaper 03:00 PM Peter Christ Bennington Vermont USA 
 The Bennington Banner's crime reporter, Zack Church, will interview Peter Christ for a feature article in the Bennington Banner. Sep 7 04 Chinatown Rotary Club 01:00 PM Jack Cole New York New York USA 
 Executive Director Jack Cole meets with members of the Chinatown Rotary Club for discussion of the failure of drug prohibition. 
Sep 8 04 Greater Pflugerville Rotary 12:00 PM Howard Wooldridge Pflugerville Texas USA 
 Board Member Howard Wooldridge meets with the Greater Pflugerville Rotary to discuss alternatives to the failed war on drugs. Sep 8 04 Charlie & Ernie In the Morning 08:35 AM Peter Christ Colchester Vermont USA 
 The Charlie & Ernie In the Morning Call In Show welcomes Board Member Peter Christ to station WVMT 620 AM Radio to discuss the failures of drug prohibition. Sep 8 04 Essex Rotary 12:00 PM Peter Christ Essex Junction Vermont USA 
 Board Member Peter Christ lunches with members of the Essex Rotary while exploring alternatives to America's war on drugs. Sep 8 04 Austin University Area Rotary 05:30 PM Howard Wooldridge Austin Texas USA 
 Board Member Howard Wooldridge visits the The Lone Star State and the Austin University Area Rotary to explore alternatives to the failure of drug prohibition. Sep 9 04 Rutland South Rotary 07:30 AM Peter Christ Rutland Vermont USA 
 Board Member Peter Christ breakfasts with the Rutland South Rotary Club and explains the failures of drug prohibition. Sep 9 04 Rotary Club of West Austin 12:00 PM Howard Wooldridge Austin Texas USA 
 Board Member Howard Wooldridge lunches with members of the Rotary Club of West Austin while exposing the failures of America's war on drugs. Sep 9 04 Society of Professional Journalists 09:00 AM Jack Cole New York New York USA 
 The Society of Professional Journalists' National Convention offers the journalism community an opportunity to reflect on the industry and to engage in thought-provoking, stimulating and hands-on training. This year's convention theme is "Raising the Torch". Board Member Jack Cole and Speaker Fred Martens will attend. Sep 10 04 Unitarian Universalist Ocean County Congregation 10:30 AM Martin Haines Bayville New Jersey USA 
 The Unitarian Universalist Ocean County Congregation welcomes Speaker Judge Martin Haines for discussion of the failure of drug prohibition. 
http://www.leap.cc
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 31, 2004 at 18:14:19 PT
mayan
It is a good ad. I appreciate the ad happening now when politics are in the forefront of everyone's minds. I am overwhelmed by what is going on in New York. I never remembered this much hatred for a president. I don't remember this much religion in a convention either. Soon the war on terror that Bush said is not winnable yesterday in an interview with Matt Lauer (sp) will be a full blown religious war and that is one scary scenerio to me.
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on August 31, 2004 at 18:05:35 PT
JAIL JAIL JAIL
That is a great ad isn't it, FoM? The startling image of all those people behind bars along with the fact that it's their own tax dollars that put them there is downright infuriating! Jail is not the answer!From the article...“The Department of Justice just released statistics showing that nearly seven million people are under the control of the criminal justice system at a time when states are facing serious budgetary shortfalls,” said Joe White, Executive Director of Change the Climate. “Because drug offenses mainly account for this unprecedented rise in the prison population, considering a change in marijuana laws is an important first step.”The government is both morally and financially bankrupt. They have spent all of our money on wars against arabs and oppressing us. They have no choice but to cage all of us or free all of us. Either way, their war on this amazing plant has failed.The way out is the way in...Updates On Damning 9/11 Zogby Poll:
http://inn.globalfreepress.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=745Still waiting to hear from Bush on 9/11 - Jersey widow demands some accountability:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/227286p-195200c.html25 Things We Now Know Three Years After 9/11:
http://www.crisispapers.org/essays/25-things.htmQuestions For Michael Moore Regarding Saudi Involvement in 9/11:
http://www.propagandamatrix.com/articles/august2004/300804saudiinvolvement.htm
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 31, 2004 at 17:21:33 PT
Good Ad! Thank You ACLU!
http://www.aclu.org/images/client/decrim_ad.jpg
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