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. . . a weekly service for the media on news items related to Marijuana Prohibition.

- NORML'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE WITH THE "PARTNERSHIP FOR A DRUG-FREE AMERICA"

As you may know, the so-called Partnership for a Drug-Free America boasts that it has received over one billion dollars in free air time and ad space from America's media. Recently, many television stations ran one of the Partnership's spots about marijuana called "Statistics." In this ad they cited a number of alarming statistics on how violence in America impacts young people. For example, 60% of rape victims are under the age of 18. But the ad ends by telling the viewers (paraphrasing): "These are the 90s, not the 60s. Tell your children the facts about marijuana. There is no such thing as a harmless drug."

NORML called the Partnership and asked them what was the connection between marijuana and these statistics on violence. They replied that they had not claimed that there was any connection. They promised to send us a story board of the spot, but it never arrived. NORML called them back several times over one month's time and they repeatedly promised a story board.

Finally their "public relations" officer called and flatly stated that they do not send out story boards. The Partnership will not send NORML even a transcript, hence the paraphrase.

Suggestion: Call the Partnership and ask for a story board on their recent spots on marijuana such as "Statistics." Ask them why they will not give them to us. Better yet, ask them to justify their ads. They cannot. NORML calls it lying by skywriting. Run a quick lie that will be seen by millions of people and then another and another, allowing no opportunity for rebuttal. Somehow the American media are comfortable being used in this way. Why? [Please contact the Partnership for a Drug-Free America at 212-922-1560.]

- THE DRUG CZAR, MARIJUANA POTENCY, AND THE MEMORY HOLE; OR THE MORE THINGS REMAIN THE SAME, THE MORE THEY LIE ABOUT IT.

1994-Drug Czar Lee Brown: "I am deeply concerned that so-called 'cool' names are glamorizing and masking ever more dangerous forms of marijuana in an attempt to make these drugs more attractive to our young people." (from a press release headed "SUPERCHARGED MARIJUANA BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR"

accompanying the "Pulse Check National Trends in Drug Abuse" (sic) report issued by the Office of National Drug Control Policy on September 14) 1974-Andrew Tartaglino, Deputy Administrator, DEA: "The shift is clearly toward the abuse of stronger, more dangerous forms of the drug, which renders much of what has been said in the 1960s obsolete." (testifying before Senator Eastland's Senate Internal Security Sub-Committee hearings on "marijuana's threat to the internal security of the United States." Yes, really.)

September 8, 1994-NORML Press Release: "Potency Monitoring Project (sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse) Releases Quarterly Findings: Mean Potency of Marijuana Remains Essentially Unchanged." (The NIDA report shows that the average potency is around 3% to 4%.)

September 16, 1994-Washington Times story on "Pulse Check" quoting anonymous source in Drug Czar's office: "The marijuana being sold on the street today contains 15 to 39 percent tetrahydocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient.

x This new strength marijuana will absolutely destroy you." 1984 by George Orwell: "Statistics were just as much a fantasy in their original version as in their rectified version x and then the chosen lie would pass into the permanent records and become the truth."

[For a copy of the NIDA report, the Washington Times article or an analysis of the potency issue by a leading academic, call NORML. For an explanation of what the Drug Czar's anonymous source really meant, call the Czar's office (Office of National Drug Control Policy) at 202-395-6618.]

- BRITAIN'S LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY VOTES TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

On September 19, as reported by Reuters, "Britain's Liberal Democrats (BLD) became the first major political party in the country to vote for the legalisation of cannabis use."

Delegates at the party's annual conference voted 426 to 375 in favor of acall to decriminalize cannabis so police and customs could target resources on the fight against hard drugs, according to Reuters.

BLD Delegate Alan Dean, a father of three, who told the conference he had never taken cannabis himself, said decriminalization in Amsterdam had resulted in a drop in cannabis use. "This move will sever the link between cannabis and other drugs," Dean told the conference.

Reuters reported that "other [BLD] delegates cited the views of several senior British police officers who wanted to decriminalise cannabis, which they said was less harmful than alcohol or tobacco." [emphasis added]

According to Reuters, the motion to decriminalize cannabis use is thought unlikely to become part of the BLD's policy manifesto.

- 10,000 PRO-MARIJUANA REFORM SUPPORTERS CROWD BOSTON COMMON

On September 17, the Mass Cann/NORML chapter held its fifth annual marijuana legalization rally on Boston Common. The combination of beautiful weather and hard work helped lead to such a successful event, according to Mass Cann/NORML treasurer attorney Steve Epstein.

This year's event received significant advance media coverage due in no small part to Mass Cann/NORML's highly publicized legal wrangling with the Boston Park Commission (BPC). The BPC had threatened Mass Cann/NORML with last-minute and excessive financial burdens regarding the funding of extra police presence. A mutually satisfying agreement was reached just hours before the rally was to begin.

According to a September 18 Boston Globe article, "the Boston police reported no arrests at the rally. Police officers and park rangers at the Common said the crowd was generally calm."

- BOSTON GLOBE EDITORIAL PLEADS FOR MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

On September 17, the Boston Globe's lead editorial entitled "Pot Politics" made a strong argument for the federal government to allow medical access to marijuana. It said, in part:

"The legalization of marijuana for medicinal use is long overdue and would ease the suffering of thousands of people. But the federal government, rooted in a 'drug war' mentality, refuses to help. "Thirty-five states, including Massachusetts, have passed laws allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana for treatment, but the legislation is meaningless because of the stronger federal law. Marijuana is still a 'class 1' drug on the books in Washington, meaning it can't be used for treatment, and anybody caught trying to use it can go to jail.

"The Clinton administration, haunted by the image of a president who did not inhale and United States Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders' comments on legalizing drugs, is maintaining a hard line. Once again politics takes precedence over logic. And politics never did much for anybody in pain except make it worse." (emphasis added)

- MEDIA REMINDER: NATIONAL MEDICINAL MARIJUANA DAY ON NOVEMBER 15

Very soon everyone will be hearing much more about this date-when there will be nationwide demonstrations led by medicinal marijuana users here in Washington, who will self-medicate in acts of civil disobedience with prominent physicians in attendance. This event will launch a sustained campaign for medical access to cannabis under the banner "STOP ARRESTING SICK PEOPLE!"

[For more details, contact Allen St. Pierre at NORML, 202-483-5500.]-- end --