NORML E-Zine 4/17

Discussion in 'Marijuana News' started by RMJL, Apr 18, 2001.

  1. NORML E-Zine
    Volume 4
    Issue 17
    April 17, 2001

    The NORML E-Zine is a free weekly compilation of major news
    items regarding
    marijuana policy. Text of archived stories
    are available on NORML's website
    at: http://www.norml.org/news/archives/index2001.shtml

    Political Officials, Leaders to Call for an End to Marijuana
    Prohibition
    at "4/20" NORML Conference

    Three-Day Forum Will Be Broadcast Live on Internet

    Washington DC: Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM) will join
    Congressman Barney
    Frank (D-MA), ACLU Executive Director Ira
    Glasser, San Francisco District
    Attorney Terence Hallinan and
    other distinguished guests this week at the
    annual conference
    of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
    Laws
    (NORML). Speakers will call on federal officials to end the
    war
    on marijuana smokers, and stop arresting patients and
    others who use marijuana
    responsibly.

    "Marijuana-law reform is a mainstream issue that enjoys growing
    public
    support, as is evident by the contingent of prominent
    elected officials
    appearing at this year's conference,"
    announced NORML Executive Director
    R. Keith Stroup, Esq.
    "Millions of responsible Americans smoke marijuana,
    and they
    should no longer be arrested or treated like criminals."

    The three-day convention starts Thursday, April 19, and will
    be broadcast
    live on the Internet at: www.norml.org. Ira
    Glasser will deliver the keynote
    address Thursday morning,
    followed by a special luncheon speech by Gov.
    Johnson.
    Congressman Frank will speak at noon on Saturday. NORML
    scheduled
    this year's conference to coincide with "4/20,"
    the date that has become
    synonymous in the popular culture
    with the celebration of personal freedom
    by marijuana smokers.

    Other panel discussions will include: racial discrimination
    in drug law
    enforcement, international developments in
    marijuana-law reform, an examination
    of how media coverage
    shapes drug policy, and an evaluation of the 107th
    Congress
    and the prospects for federal marijuana-law reform. Social
    events
    include an opening night silent auction and special
    awards presentation,
    as well as a NORML benefit party on
    Friday night.


    FEATURED SPEAKERS

    Gary Johnson is the twice-elected Republican governor of
    New Mexico, and
    is one of the nation's leading advocates for
    ending the drug war and legalizing
    marijuana. He is one of
    America's highest ranking public officials to
    speak out
    against the war on drugs.

    Rep. Barney Frank is serving his
    11th term in Congress. He
    is a leading drug-law reform advocate and is
    the lead sponsor
    of federal legislation to legalize medical marijuana.

    Ira Glasser heads the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),
    where he has
    served as Executive Director for the past 23
    years. He has testified frequently
    before Congress in support
    of amending federal drug laws. He will be retiring
    later this
    year.

    Terence Hallinan is the District Attorney for San Francisco.
    He was the
    only state prosecutor to publicly support California's
    Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalized the use of medical
    marijuana.
    Last year, he was the only state prosecutor to back
    Proposition 36, the
    Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act,
    which eliminated jail time for
    non-violent drug offenders.

    Ethan Nadelmann is the Executive Director of The Lindesmith
    Center-Drug
    Policy Foundation. He is one of the chief
    strategists behind the statewide
    drug-law reform initiative
    effort, and one of the most respected critics
    of U.S. drug
    policy.

    Dr. Lester Grinspoon is a professor (Emeritus) at Harvard
    Medical School
    and one of the world's leading experts on
    the medical value of marijuana.
    He is the author of Marihuana
    Reconsidered and Marihuana, the Forbidden
    Medicine.

    Dr. John P. Morgan is a professor of pharmacology at the City
    University
    of New York Medical School, and is co-author of
    the book Marijuana Myths,
    Marijuana Facts: A Review of the
    Scientific Evidence. He was an invited
    speaker at Minnesota's
    first ever state-sponsored medical marijuana conference,
    held
    earlier this month.

    Marsha Rosenbaum is the director of The Lindesmith Center-Drug
    Policy Foundation
    West and co-author of Pregnant Women on Drugs:
    Combating Stereotypes and
    Stigma. She is a frequent speaker
    on the subject of harm reduction strategies
    for teenagers.

    For further information, please contact NORML's Director of
    Communications
    Nicholas Thimmesch at (202) 483-5500 (office)
    or (703) 863-8008 (cell)
    or by e-mail at: normlmedia@msn.com.
    Registration information is available
    online at: http://www.norml.org/calendar/conf2001intro.shtml.


    #############################
    Support NORML's efforts to change marijuana policy and educate
    the public
    to alternatives to marijuana prohibition. You can
    join or donate online
    at:
    https://banqa.uaqa.com/norml/join/

    [ April 18, 2001: Message edited by: Reform MaryJane Laws ]
     

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