Subject: Fwd: Marijuana Reform Under Attack Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 10:43:21 -0500 To: lp_manhattan From: Bob Armstrong FYI : --- Original Message --- From: MPPupdates@mpp.org To: =A0 Cc: Sent: Tue, =A01 Apr 2003 19:51:37 -0500 (EST) Subject: Marijuana Reform Under Attack >=A0The following message is being sent by the Marijuana Policy= Project as >=A0part of a message exchange agreement with the Drug Policy= Alliance. >=A0MPP will never sell, rent, or give your e-mail address to any= other >=A0organization or person. > >=A0=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > >=A0***Proposed Laws Threaten Marijuana Reform >=A0***Action Needed to Stop Drug War Bills That Could Put You and= Your Family In Jail > >=A0Congress may soon give Attorney General John Ashcroft the power= to >=A0take away more of your rights, including your right to free= speech -- >=A0unless you act right now. > >=A0Three American heroes are being forced to plead guilty to= relieving >=A0the suffering of others by providing medical marijuana to AIDS= and >=A0cancer patients in California. They face up to twenty years in= federal >=A0prison for their acts of compassion -- and you could be next! > >=A0Scott Imler, Jeff Yablan and Jeffrey Farrington were accused= of >=A0violating the federal "crack house statute", a law designed to >=A0imprison people operating crack houses but which is now being= used by >=A0the Bush Administration to prosecute people caring for medical >=A0marijuana patients. As if this is not bad enough, Congress is= now >=A0considering two proposed laws -- the RAVE Act (HR 718) and the= Illicit >=A0Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (S.226) -- that would further= expand the >=A0federal "crack house law" to apply to more people, including= home >=A0owners and organizers of marijuana rallies. A third proposed= law, the >=A0CLEAN-UP Act (HR 834), would make it a federal crime --= punishable by >=A0up to nine years in prison -- to promote any entertainment= event in >=A0which drug offenses might occur, such as hemp festivals and= music >=A0concerts. > >=A0These proposed laws will make it easier to put more people in= jail -- >=A0including the families of medical marijuana patients,= organizers of >=A0hemp rallies, and anyone who hosts a party or barbecue in which= even >=A0one person smokes marijuana. You could even be jailed for= crimes that >=A0you take no part in -- that's how much power Congress wants to= give >=A0John Ashcroft. (More information below) > >=A0Don't let Congress give even greater power to John Ashcroft. >=A0Take action today! > >=A0ACTIONS TO TAKE > >=A0=A0(1) Urge your Representative to oppose the RAVE Act (HR 718)= and Section 305 in the CLEAN-UP Act (HR 834) by faxing him or= her for free at= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=3D2&item=3D= 1516 > >=A0=A0(2) Urge your Senators to oppose the Illicit Drug= Anti-Proliferation Act (S. 226) by faxing them for free at= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=3D2&item=3D= 1448 > >=A0=A0(3) Forward this alert to your friends, family members, and= co-workers. It is vital that thousands of Americans speak out. > >=A0=A0(4) Join fellow reformers at Drug Policy Alliance's 2003= Biennial conference, November 5-8 (more information at the end= of this e-mail). > > >=A0MORE INFORMATION > >=A0If enacted the RAVE Act (HR 718) and the Illicit Drug= Anti-Proliferation Act (S. 226) would: > >=A0***Give the federal government the power to imprison you for up= to twenty years if you smoke marijuana*** > >=A0Among other things, the proposed laws would amend the federal= "crack >=A0house statute" to make it a federal crime to temporarily use= any place >=A0for the purpose of taking any illegal drug, including= marijuana. If >=A0you smoked marijuana anywhere -- including your own home -- you= could >=A0be found guilty of "operating a crack house" and fined up to= $500,000 >=A0and imprisoned for up to twenty years. Your home could be= deemed the >=A0equivalent of a "crack house" and seized under federal asset >=A0forfeiture laws -- throwing your family out on to the street. > >=A0***Give the federal government the power to shut down hemp= festivals, marijuana rallies and other events and imprison= property owners and activists that host or promote them*** > >=A0Both the RAVE Act and the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act= expand >=A0the federal "crack house law" to apply to temporary outdoor= events >=A0such as marijuana rallies and music concerts. If even one= person >=A0smoked marijuana at an event, organizers and promoters of the= event >=A0could be jailed for up to twenty years. The owner of the land= could >=A0also be imprisoned. If these bills become law, people will= become too >=A0afraid to hold hemp festivals, marijuana rallies and other= events that >=A0federal officials don't like -- effectively suppressing free= speech >=A0and silencing all those that oppose the war on marijuana. > >=A0***Give the federal government the power to imprison you if= someone smokes marijuana in your home or other property or at= any concert, rally or other event you organize -- even if you= take no part in their marijuana smoking and try to discourage= it*** > >=A0Recent federal court decisions have ruled that the "crack house= law" >=A0can be applied to people who are not even involved in drugs,= even >=A0those that oppose drug use and are working to discourage people= from >=A0using drugs on their property or at their events. If these= bills >=A0become law, it will be easier for the federal government to= punish >=A0people for the crimes of others. Concert and other event= organizers >=A0could be imprisoned and fined if people smoke marijuana at= their >=A0events. Homeowners could be fined and imprisoned if even one= person >=A0smokes marijuana at their party. > >=A0***Give the federal government further power to trample on= state medical marijuana laws -- including the power to punish= family members of medical marijuana patients and landlords that= rent to them*** > >=A0New civil penalties will allow federal prosecutors to fine= (and >=A0bankrupt) anyone that provides space for medical marijuana= patients >=A0including landlords and family members. Even allowing a= medical >=A0marijuana patient to use marijuana in your home could get you= fined up >=A0to $250,000 -- and possibly imprisoned for up to twenty years. > >=A0If enacted, the CLEAN-UP Act (HR 834) would make it impossible= to hold >=A0hemp festivals and music concerts. At first glance it is a= seemingly >=A0harmless bill that provides more money and training for the= clean up >=A0of illegal methamphetamine laboratories. Buried within it,= however, >=A0are provisions (Section 305) that would make it a federal crime= -- >=A0punishable by up to nine years in prison -- to promote for= commercial >=A0purposes "any rave, dance, music or other entertainment event"= that >=A0might attract some attendees that would use or sell drugs --= even if >=A0promoters work to prevent drug offenses at their events. Under= the >=A0provision, any concert promoter, nightclub owner and arena or= stadium >=A0owner could be fined and jailed, since a reasonable person= would know >=A0some people use drugs at musical events. Hemp festivals would= likely >=A0be targeted by federal law-enforcement agencies with the hopes= of >=A0stomping them out of existence and putting their organizers in= prison. > > >=A0It is important that you contact your Members of Congress today= and >=A0forward this alert to everyone you know. Even as you read this= e-mail, >=A0politicians in Washington, DC are plotting to quickly pass= these laws. >=A0They will succeed, unless you ACT NOW. > >=A0Fax your Representative at= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=3D2&item=3D= 1516 > >=A0Fax your Senators at= http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=3D2&item=3D= 1448 > >=A0Drug Policy Alliance led a successful campaign last year to= stop these >=A0bills, which not only threaten marijuana reform advocates, but= bar and >=A0nightclub owners, all-night dance parties, circuit parties, and= any >=A0establishment and event that federal officials do not like. For= more >=A0information on these bills and what you can do about them,= see: >=A0http://www.nomoredrugwar.org/music/rave_act.htm > >=A0Do you think the war on drugs is doing more harm than good?= Want to >=A0learn more about drug policies and your rights? If so, then= join >=A0fellow reformers at the Drug Policy Alliance's 2003 Biennial >=A0Conference, November 5-8, at the New Jersey Meadowlands. The= biennial >=A0event is the world's principal gathering of people who believe= the war >=A0on drugs is doing more harm than good. No better opportunity= exists to >=A0learn about drugs and drug policy, and to strategize and= mobilize for >=A0reform. Registration materials will be available in May. For= more >=A0information email conference@drugpolicy.org. > >=A0=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D >=A0This message was sent by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) as= part of >=A0a message exchange agreement with the Drug Policy Alliance. MPP= will >=A0never sell, rent, or give your e-mail address to any other >=A0organization or person. To unsubscribe from MPP's lists, simply= reply >=A0to this e-mail with the word REMOVE in the subject line. Thank= you. =09 -- =A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com -- 212-285-1864 Ultimate Computing Environment : =A0http://cosy.com/K/CoSy.htm A WTC vision : http://cosy.com/CoSy/ConicAllConnect/ =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A02003/04/02 10:42:40 AM