Keep an eye on Virginia’s legislative web site for
the Senate Finance Committee’s crossover meeting, or keep in touch with us.
  Most of the really bad stuff such as the death penalty bill, unemployment, urine testing and mandatory minimum proposals went down. This thanks to you who called and wrote letters and especially those who attended meetings during the General Assembly session.
You are patriots in the finest tradition.

           Drug Reformers on Line

     To harness the power of the internet for Virginia drug reformers
our own Michael Krawitz of Ironto, Virginia has sought help from the Media Awareness Project {MAP}
and the Drug Reform Coordination Network {DRCNet}.
Dave Borden of DRCNet  has teamed up with Michael to run the open list
where concerned Virginians can post information and discuss trends in drug policy.
So, if you have internet access go to DRCNet‘s front page by
typing in http://www.DRCNet.org/ or e-mail va-dpr@drcnet.org.
If you wish to receive only the most pertinent legislative information posted at a low
volume please subscribe to the list hosted by Mark Greer of Drug Sense
dpfva@drugsense.org You can visit DrugSense at http://www.drugsense.org/
Michael serves as moderator.
      Virginia’s web site at http://leg1.state.va.us/lis.htm makes it easy
for you to follow all kinds of legislative activities yourself.
 Get Involved

        The question is often asked,” What can I do to change the laws?”
 
There is plenty to do in your own county or city.  If you watch the
agenda of your local government, whether it be a town council or a county
board of supervisors, you will see the drug issue come up. By attending you
will have an opportunity to make a significant impact on how the drug war
is conducted in your community.

We need Newshawks to report on drug policy issues.
This can be done by searching web based Virginian newspapers, scanning articles
from your local paper and posting them or giving a brief synopsis of radio or television
news coverage. When you find printed news articles please email them to the
DPFVA@drugsense.org AND to editor@mapinc.org so that the article can be
archived on the MAPNews web pages and distributed nationally as well.

  Virginians Against Drug Violence has a close working relationship with
the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. They maintain a mailing
list of Virginia activists for us and mail legislative updates during the
session. MPP keeps us informed of developments at the federal level.
There is always something going on.
Contact them at:    P.O. Box 77492, Capital
Hill, Washington D.C. 20013 or call them at (202)462-5747.
   We love to hear from anyone who wants to get more active.  So, call
Lennice Werth if you need ideas (804)645-7838, email
lennice@nottowayez.net  or our legislative analyst Roy Scherer at:
rscherer@richmond.infi.net

           Urine Testers Get Hurt by Legal Hemp Products
      The urine testing industry suffered a setback when a U.S. Air Force
master sergeant was acquitted on charges stemming from a THC positive test.
It seems that many legal hemp products like hemp beer, hemp oil and hemp
cheese can cause a positive test result.  Because you have every right to
use these products, urine testers everywhere are in a tizzy. All kinds of
challenges will become possible, even reviews of old cases and firings.
Their greatest concern is that this fact will get out.  Just thought you’d
like to know.

Drug Reform Activists Have Significant Impact
       Politicians in Virginia who wanted to advance their careers by
trampling the lives and families of peaceful individuals involved in some
way with drugs, found it very slow going this year.  The reform lobby has
an increasingly high profile.  But, we need even more participation.  Get
involved with our Telephone Tree project or on our internet list and share
information with your friends so we can be even more effective next
February. Don’t forget to contact your state legislator sometime this year
to give them background information on how we can achieve drug peace.