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Drug Policy News Round Up: Feb. 21, 2008

February 21, 2008 on 10:08 pm | In News and Action Alerts | Comments Off A Drug War at School

Random drug testing of students is "an enormously powerful prevention tool"
that more communities and school districts should embrace, the country's drug czar told educators at a regional summit Tuesday. "The most striking thing I hear in talking to students is that the kids feel safer," said John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In addition to helping in the early identification of students with drug problems, which improves the chances for successful treatment, he said the threat of testing makes it easier for students to decline drugs offered by their peers.

It's Time For A Calculated And Objective Look At The Worth Of Our War On Drugs

It doesn't take a genius to recognize that our current approach to the control of dangerous drugs such as cocaine simply isn't working. Despite government prohibition, such drugs remain relatively easy to obtain, illegal sales generate massive profits that are used to corrupt both politicians and police, drug war costs are ballooning at a scary pace, and we are running out of jail cells for nondrug-related offenders.

Sen. Seeks Leniency For Nonviolent Drug Offenders

About 5,000 people sit in prison in Maryland each year for nonviolent drug offenses. State Sen. Lisa Gladden says she thinks that’s a waste and is sponsoring bills to help nonviolent offenders avoid prison and get jobs once they’re back in the community. “Ninety percent [of incarcerated people] get out eventually, and we have to do something with them,” Gladden, a Baltimore City Democrat, told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Wednesday. One of Gladden’s bills, the Smart on Crime Act, has gained support from a coalition of groups. “Each year, Maryland spends hundreds of millions of dollars incarcerating people convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses,” said LaWanda Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Justice Policy Institute. “Maryland’s scarce prison resources should not be wasted.” 

Legislators Defend Prop. 36 Funding

February 21, 2008 on 9:46 pm | In News and Action Alerts | Comments Off In a piece of good news from California's legislature, Proposition 36, the state's landmark treatment-instead-of-incarceration program, will maintain its current funding level for this budget year.
 
In January, due to a rapidly increasing budget deficit, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed cutting current-year spending for Prop. 36 along with many other programs. However, during legislative discussions of those proposed budget modifications, both senators and assembly members defended Prop. 36, saying that funding to the successful and cost-saving program should not be cut. The Senate and the Assembly on Friday both passed a revised budget that does not include cuts to Prop 36.
 
The governor had proposed cuts of $4 million to Prop 36 in 2007-08. According to research by the University of California at Los Angeles, Prop. 36 saves $2.50 for every dollar that is invested in the program. That means spending $4 million on Prop. 36 will generate $10 million in savings for California! The legislature actually saved more money by funding Prop. 36 than it would have by cutting spending on the program.
 
Margaret Dooley-Sammuli, statewide Prop. 36 coordinator for DPA, said, "This legislative support is hugely significant, because it acknowledges that all California residents benefit from expanded access to addiction treatment--not just those suffering from drug problems. This growing support will be essential as legislators move on to debate the 2008-09 budget."

Newark Begins Syringe Access Program

February 21, 2008 on 8:30 pm | In News and Action Alerts | Comments Off Tuesday, February 19th, Newark became the fourth city in New Jersey to implement a legal syringe access program. Newark follows Atlantic City, Camden and Paterson in implementing this life-saving program. The program is run by the Northern Jersey Community Research Institute and will operate five days a week for three hours each day. The opening of the program in Newark has particular significance because Newark has been in the top ten nationally for numbers of HIV/AIDS cases among cities with over 100,000 population. Legal syringe access programs in New Jersey are possible thanks to legislation passed in 2006 which allows up to six municipalities to establish syringe access programs to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases. The Campaign for a Healthier New Jersey, a coalition created by Drug Policy Alliance New Jersey, was instrumental in advocating for this legislation.

DPA New Jersey and the Campaign for a Healthier New Jersey will continue to advocate for syringe access by supporting the implementation of syringe access programs and by advocating for legislation to allow for non-prescription sale of syringes in pharmacies. New Jersey is one of only three states that require a prescription for syringes.

Access to sterile syringes is proven to reduce the spread of disease without increasing drug use. Increasing sterile syringe access in New Jersey is an important public health measure, given that New Jersey has the fifth highest number of adult HIV cases in the nation, the third highest number of pediatric HIV cases, the highest proportion of women infected with HIV, and an exploding epidemic of hepatitis C.

Health Effects of Smokeless Tobacco Products

February 21, 2008 on 8:05 pm | In News and Action Alerts | Comments Off The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) has been asked to evaluate the health effects of smokeless tobacco products (STP) with particular attention to tobacco for oral use, moist snuff, which is called “snus” in Sweden. In addition to tobacco for oral use, STP include chewing tobacco, dry snuff and nasal snuff.

Maryland Campaign Seeks to Change Flawed Medical Marijuana Law

February 21, 2008 on 8:04 pm | In News and Action Alerts | Comments Off An upcoming series of events in Maryland will raise awareness about major flaws in the state's medical marijuana law, and mobilize people affected by the law to advocate for change.
 
Maryland passed a medical marijuana law in 2003, but it does little to protect patients. If legitimate medical marijuana patients are arrested, they are slapped with a criminal conviction--even if a court determines that they are using marijuana out of medical necessity. This means that even a successful court defense results in a permanent criminal record, which poses barriers to financial aid, housing, employment, and more.
 
DPA will hold teach-ins and trainings about this issue around the state in March. The events, which are taking place in partnership with patient organization Americans for Safe Access, will gather patients, their families and medical professionals to review Maryland's current law and discuss how to exercise their rights under that law.

From there, the focus will shift to how attendees can help fix the law and how they can get more involved in advocacy--both at the local level and at an upcoming Patient Lobby Day in Annapolis.
 
The events will take place in Baltimore on March 11, Salisbury on March 18, Silver Spring on March 20, and Hagerstown on March 25. If you live in Maryland and want more information, you can contact Naomi Long, director of DPA's DC Metro Area office, or you can sign up for DPA's action alerts. Make sure to include your full address to get information on the event closest to you!