Subject: Draft [key document]
The AMERICAN ANTIPROHIBITION LEAGUE
Sponsors of the OREGON DRUGS CONTROL AMENDMENT
http://ns2.calyx.net/~odca
"Drug War, or : 3125 SE BELMONT STREET PORTLAND OREGON 97214
Drug Peace?": 503-235-4524/fax:503-234-1330/Email:AAL@InetArena.com
The Antiprohibition Resolution
Whereas the individual harm and social expense of drug abuse, combined with the crime and violence of the black-market continues to mount, claiming more and younger victims each year;
Whereas public confidence in law enforcement continues to erode amid frequent reports of abuse, drugs corruption, unequal enforcement and prosecutions, double standards, special favors, cruel and unusual punishments and the obvious failure to stop drugs;
Whereas the availability of dangerous drugs and marijuana has not been reduced one iota, and are in fact more potent and cheaper than ever, despite enormous expenditures of the public's money for drug law enforcement and historically high levels of interdiction and incarceration;
Whereas voluntary, on-demand drug treatment for the indigent is non-existent and reliance upon "zero tolerance" forced compliance programs, administered by self-interested bureaucrats, contributes mightily to rampant recidivism, the cycle of abuse, crime, and arrest goes unbroken;
Whereas a highly disproportionate number of those arrested and convicted for drugs are poor and minorities, exposing the institutional racism, cultural and economic bias of this government's drug war and has resulted in the dis-enfranchisement of millions of our fellow citizens;
Whereas adult cannabis consumers, even those with a legitimate medical need, are routinely subjected to a state-sponsored reign of terror which ignores even the most basic human and Constitutional rights;
Whereas the public level of discourse on matters drug remains mired in an apriori assumption by an all too compliant press and media, resulting in widespread misconceptions and distorted facts, otherwise rational debate is further hindered by fear and intimidation;
Whereas today's adult drugs prohibition has neither been decided by popular mandate, or more importantly, on any Constitutional foundation, and in fact represents the only issue upon which Repeal of an Amendment has ever came to pass in the history of our Constitutional Republic, i.e. Alcohol Prohibition;
So therefore let it be resolved:
That in order to preserve the commonweal, for society to better control these substances, primarily to keep them away from children, to reduce the crime and violence associated with their distribution, to severely limit the currently out of control drugs black-market and its attendant corruption, a regulatory environment with limited, yet legal access to them must be set-up as soon as possible;
And let it be further resolved, regardless current drug laws and the quasi-judicial atmosphere surrounding them, a social choice of evils must be made which respects human dignity and, at a minimum, puts harm reduction and treatment on an equal footing with enforcement and punishment, especially in regards to the indigent;
And let it be further resolved, the hundreds of thousands of non- violent drug users, small-scale dealers and cannabis growers now incarcerated, on parole or on probation should be set free, their records expunged, seized property (or its fair market value) returned, and their civil rights restored;
And let it be further resolved, those who suffer from illness, disease (including addiction) and chronic pain and those who attend them within the medical and healing arts should not be unduly restricted in the use of any natural or refined substance which can bring relief from suffering, aid the healing process, and/or lift up the spirits of those so afflicted.
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The American Antiprohibition League declares a domestic and international emergency now exist, amid a leadership crisis. Hence we advocate a grass-roots movement which demands rapid, comprehensive reform of federal and state drug laws.
Each day that passes, under current drug policies, further enriches a violent criminal class which, according to the International Monetary Fund, already controls 8 percent of the world's economy, and it's growing. The writing is on the wall, international over-production of drugs ensures that if radical reforms are not made soon the U.S. will be swallowed in a wave of underage drug use and drug-market related crime, violence, corruption and disease. Constitutional rights will vanish in the corresponding escalation of the so-called War on Drugs.
Meanwhile illegal drug organizations in Mexico and Latin America will become powerful enough to topple whole governments, effectively erasing democratic gains and creating an intolerable national security risk.
In other words we are in big, big trouble if we do not change soon. That's why we need your political and financial support. As a card carrying Antiprohibitionist you'll receive the latest information about candidates and issues. Our goal is to get at least one antiprohibitionist into every political race and support ballot drives as we lobby state and federal legislators to support reform.
1 year membership/subscription is $25
(complete confidentiality/discretion assured)
THE AMERICAN ANTIPROHIBITION LEAGUE
"Drug War, or Drug Peace?":
3125 SE BELMONT STREET PORTLAND OREGON 97214
503-235-4524/fax:503-234-1330/Email:AAL@InetArena.com
