HOT OFF THE 'NET

MORE 10TH-GRADERS ARE SMOKING MARIJUANA THAN CIGARETTES

By Aaron Houston, AlterNet

A new survey reveals 13% of 10th-graders reported smoking marijuana
in the past 30 days, while just 12.3 smoked cigarettes.

http://drugsense.org/url/thHLC7GO

COULD OBAMA'S PRO-MARIJUANA COMMERCE SECRETARY SPELL A GOLDEN ERA FOR
POT REFORM?

By Scott Thill, AlterNet. Posted December 18, 2008.

Bill Richardson believes we need to "rethink and decriminalize" our
cannabis laws. Now that he's in office, he has the chance to achieve it.

http://drugsense.org/url/YJouW4au

CALIFORNIA COPS TO DEA - HELP US UNDERMINE STATE LAW

By Jacob Sullum

Perusing material submitted by the DEA in response to a query from
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, marijuana reform
activist Dale Gieringer catches the California Police Chiefs
Association actively subverting state law.

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/130638.html

GOVERNOR PATERSON'S HOLIDAY RESCUE MISSION

By Anthony Papa

Just about this time last year I wrote to Governor Elliot Spitzer
asking him to go on a personal rescue mission and grant clemency to a
large number of Rockefeller Drug Law offenders who have fully
rehabilitated themselves and already served enormous amounts of time
behind bars under the draconian provisions of mandatory-minimum sentencing.

http://drugsense.org/url/ltUsxOzK

FEDERAL DRUG THREAT ASSESSMENT FINDS PROHIBITION GREATEST DRUG-RELATED MENACE

Well, not in so many words. But anyone reading between the lines of
the National Drug Intelligence Center's National Drug Threat
Assessment 2009 could easily come to that conclusion.

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/565/national_drug_threat_assessment_2009

WHY HARM REDUCTION MAKES SENSE

By Stanton Peele

These Three Things I Know are True

http://drugsense.org/url/4rvHwykL

DRUG TRUTH NETWORK

Cultural Baggage Radio Show - 12/17/08 - Neill Franklin

Neill Franklin, working Baltimore cop with more than 32 years
experience and a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2177

Century of Lies - 12/16/08 - Vikki Hankins

Vikki Hankins who served 18 years behind bars for crack cocaine +
Neal Peirce of the Washington Post

http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2176

CALLS FOR DRUG LAW REFORM TOP OBAMA TRANSITION WEBSITE AT CHANGE.GOV

By Amy Long

President-elect Barack Obama offered Americans a unique opportunity
to directly relay their concerns to the incoming administration when
his change.gov website unveiled its "Open for Questions" tool late
last week. The result of that tool's first round of voting may have
surprised Obama and his staff: two of the top ten questions
- -including the highest ranking question - concerned marijuana policy
and questions that challenged the drug war in general took 16 of the
top 50 spots.

http://blog.aclu.org/author/along/

WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK

SUPPORT DRUGSENSE AND THE MEDIA AWARENESS PROJECT

With only a two weeks left in 2008, please make your year-end
donation to DrugSense RIGHT NOW! Tax rules may well change with the
new Congress, so don't forget that your contribution to DrugSense is
tax deductible today.

http://drugsense.org/donate/