DrugSense Email Fundraiser (index)

Date: December 18, 2003
Subject: Moving toward a compassionate, science-based drug policy

My friend,

I am writing to you today out of both fear and frustration with the current state of affairs in America. Although the new millennium began with a burst of optimism for the future of U.S. drug policy, the last few years have been marked by a steady erosion of our personal and civil liberties. While polls show a growing majority support for harm reduction and a more liberal drug policy, our present government has done its best to maintain and reinforce its widely discredited and unpopular drug prohibition.

What is particularly frustrating is that we know that there is a better way. Much of the Western world has chosen to embrace a science-based, harm-reduction approach towards the use of recreational drugs, treating it as a medical rather than a criminal concern. While we continue to fill our prisons with non-violent drug offenders, the U.K will soon reclassify recreational cannabis use as a non-arrestable offense. Even our neighbours in Canada will once again consider decriminalizing the personal use of marijuana in 2004.

Under the questionable moral leadership of John Ashcroft and John Walters, and as a result of poorly construed policies such the Homeland Security Act, the HEA and the newly introduced RAVE legislation, our nation is quickly devolving from the "land of the free" to the land of the carefully monitored and widely oppressed.

DrugSense has been working hard to help America retain its liberty and regain its freedoms. With the upcoming federal elections, information is our greatest tool for progressive change. However, the pending election has diverted much of the traditional funding avenues for drug policy reform to the wider goal of ousting the present regime, which is why I need to ask you today to support our goal of moving toward a compassionate, science-based drug policy, rather than one which is based on fear and misinformation.

Find our address below or use our quick, easy, and secure donations page at www.drugsense.org/donate.htm#supportds

DrugSense continues to support, assist and inform the entire online drug policy reform movement through important resources such as the Media Awareness Project, our weekly e-newsletter, and issue-oriented media Focus Alerts. Our ever-expanding Drug Policy Central web services currently host over 100 of drug reforms leading organizations, including Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, and Common Sense for Drug Policy. If we are to continue with this good work, we need to ask for help from people like you who believe that compassionate policies and the preservation of personal freedoms are what continue to make America great.

Please help us keep Ashcroft/Walters honest; give what you can to MAP/DrugSense.

With my sincere gratitude, and a hope for new direction for 2004.

Mark Greer
Executive Director
DrugSense
14252 Culver Dr #328
Irvine, CA 92604
(800) 266 5759