From: [d--ks--e] at [bronze.lcs.mit.edu] (Arian Wolverton) Newsgroups: alt.hemp,talk.politics.drugs,alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.libertarian,talk.politics.misc,alt.activism,alt.drugs,ne.politics Subject: What Can I Do? (Updated) Date: 29 Aug 1994 22:51:03 -0400 For those of you who are genuinely concerned about and determined to change the absurd marijuana laws in this country, here are some places to start and things to do: 1. Order and read "How our laws are made". Ask your U.S. representative's office to send you a copy. 2. Order and read "Tell it to Washington: A guide for citizen action including Congressional directory 1993-1994" Send $3.50 (includes shipping and handling) to: League of Women Voters 1730 M Street NW Washington, DC 20036 Be sure to ask for publication number 349 3. Find out who your federal and state representatives are 4. Your state representative and state senator have offices in or near your community and in your state capital. Your U.S. representative and two U.S. senators have offices in Washington, DC., and in various locations in your state. The office staff is there to serve you, the constituent. Call and ask them to send you all pending legislation pertaining to marijuana, drugs, controlled substances, and "drug-related" crime. 5. Write letters opposing unfavorable legislation and supporting favorable legislation. Tips include: -- Use the proper form of address. Letters should be addressed to "The Honorable _____________" -- Keep it brief, no more than one page long. Mention the name and number of the bill, and whether you support or oppose it, in the first paragraph. Include your reasons and some supporting data in the next paragraph or two. Conclude by asking for a response to your letter. -- Be polite and concise - keep everything relevant to the bill in question. Type or print neatly, and check spelling. -- Identify yourself as a concerned citizen, parent, or whatever applies. It's better NOT to identify yourself as a member of an organization. Finally, mail it and wait for a response (and forward any interesting responses to NORML). -- Remember, Each letter pertaining to a particular piece of legislation is usually counted as a "yes" or "no." Don't get overwhelmed by the project. The important thing is to get the letters written and in the mail! -- Encourage your friends to do the same. Important federal addresses and phone numbers To support reforming the forfeiture laws, contact key members of Congress: U.S. Representative ____________ U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515..Switchboard: 202-224-3121 U.S. Senator ___________ (x2) U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510..Switchboard: 202-224-3121 The Honorable Jack Brooks 2449 Rayburn House Office Bldg. Chairman, Judiciary Committee Washington, DC 20515-4309 202-225-6565 To support medical access to marijuana, contact key members of the Clinton Administration: President Bill Clinton 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500.....202-456-1111 Deputy Secretary For Health Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg. Dr. Phillip Lee 200 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20201.....202-690-7694 Surgeon General Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg. Dr. Joycelyn Elders 200 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20201.....202-690-6467 Attorney General Department Of Justice Janet Reno Constitution Ave. & 10th St., NW Washington, DC 20530 202-514-2001 or 800-869-4499 Order free studies: Drugs & Crime Data Center - 1994 National Drug Control Strategy - 800-666-3332 National Institute on Drug Abuse - Free catalogue listing the dozens of reports available, including the study of drug use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders (released in January) - 800-729-6686 U.S. Sentencing Commission - Annual Report - 202-273-4590 U.S. Supreme Court, voice mail system - Recent opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court (need docket number of the case in question) - 202-479-3211 Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs - "An analysis of non-violent drug offenders with minimal criminal histories" (2/4/94), prepared by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General - 202-514-2007 Dept. of Health and Human Services, public information - Study on teenage attitudes toward drug use (4/8/94) - 301-443-8956 National Highway Transportation Safety Admin., office of Ted Anderson - "The incidence and role of drugs in fatally injured drivers" by K.W. Terhune, et. al. - 202-366-5586 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don't be discouraged by unfavorable responses - the more that you and others communicate with your public officials, the sooner they will change their positions. Persistance will prevail. The NORML national office will continue to educate the public and devote a portion of time to direct lobbying. Only you can convince your representatives that it would not be politically suicidal to do the right thing. Together, we can make a difference. Remember... Right now, someone is being locked in a cage with rapists and murderers for smoking a joint. Right now, someone is vomiting uncontrollably from AIDS or cancer treatment because she could not obtain marijuana. Right now, the drug warriors could be coming for you! Write now. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ All of the above information taken from NORML's "Active Resistance", the quarterly newspaper you receive upon becoming a member. I hope you found this informative and I hope you should take the steps listed - steps towards a better America. Don't forget to join NORML. $25 is all it takes. Remember: "If one takes the lowest government estimate of the number of pot smokers in America - 10 million - one half of one percent of that is 50,000. If just this ridiculously low percentage were members of NORML, we could relegalize hemp. We now stand at just one-tenth of that number, one tenth of one half of one percent of the lowest government estimate of the number of regular pot smokers in America! Even at this level, one in 2000 of the lowest estimate, we are beginning to have an impact. With 50,000 members, we could have the narcocracy in full retreat." Taken from the article "Why Hemp Is Still Illegal" by Richard Cowan, National Director of NORML, in the January '94 issue of High Times. Imagine if NORML were as influential as the National Rifle Association The NRA has two million members and a $97 million budget. If each of the approximately 30 million marijuana consumers in the United States were to give $3.50 to NORML, NORML would have more money than the NRA. Instead, NORML's annual budget is now just over $300,000 - only a penny per marijuana consumer! The above taken from NORML's Active Resistance newsletter. Here are some new additions courtesy of Jim Rosenfield ([j n r] at [igc.apc.org]): 1) align with a "network of help". find others of like mind and join with them. This could be organizations, friends, or a "policy action mailing list" such as the DRC-Net set up by Dave Borden ([b--rd--n] at [netcom.com]). You should consider supporting NORML, Drug Policy Foundation and the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation. Join the ACLU and People for the American Way. 2) Find out what legislation is pending, national and local, formulate your positions and go to work.