This Wednesday (April 30) in New York City, The New York City Bar Association will be hosting a lecture called “New York City’s Marijuana Arrest Policy: Thirty Years After Decriminalization”. The lecture, based on research by Professor Harry Levine (Queens College), Deborah Small (head of Breaking the Chains), and Bruce D. Johnson (Ph.D), will discuss and review law enforcement patterns, alternative policing practices, and targeting cannabis consumers.

The research was previously submitted as testimony to the New York State senate, where they focused on law enforcement practices in New York City, revealing that Marijuana Possession arrests have risen from 39-thousand to 362-thousand in the past ten years. This testimony was also presented at the 2007 NORML Conference in Los Angeles.

I wish I was able to make it into the city this week to attend the lecture, but unfortunately I’ve got prior obligations to attend to. If you’ll be in the New York City area this Wednesday, I encourage you to attend! It starts at 6:30PM and the address is as follows:

The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036.

If you’re like me and unable to attend the lecture, you can view the research in PDF format here.

I received a letter, along with the regular e-zine, from the founder of NORML, Keith Stroup, in my inbox yesterday. I’m spreading the word – NORML needs your help.

As you may or may not know, for the first time in twenty-four years, a bill was introduced to Congress by Barney Frank (US Congressman) to rid the Federal Government of its authority to arrest responsible adults who consume marijuana. The bill (H.R. 5843), co-sponsored by Republican Presidential Candidate, Ron Paul, is known as an “Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults.”

According to the article, “If passed by Congress, this legislation would legalize the possession, use, and non-profit transfer of marijuana by adults for the first time since 1937.”

• All federal penalties prohibiting the personal use and possession of up to 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) of marijuana will be eliminated
• Adults who consume cannabis would no longer face arrest, prison, or even the threat of a civil fine.
• All penalties for the not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of pot will be eliminated.

In the accompanying letter, Stroup writes this:

For a moment, just imagine the impact of 1,000 phone calls to Congress – all on the same day, all at the same time, all with one single message: Stop arresting responsible marijuana consumers! Now imagine the impact of 10,000 phone calls – or even 50,000 calls – jamming the Congressional phone lines! That’s the outpouring of support we need to show to Congress, and it’s the type of support we intend to generate – with your help.

You are receiving this heartfelt appeal from me today, as are hundreds of thousands of other NORML supporters. And on Monday, April 21, we need every one of you to send an unmistakable and unforgettable message to the 110th Congress.

What NORML is asking is for you to call your Congressional Representative, (Congressional Switchboard: (202).224.3121) on Monday, April 21, and deliver the following message:

“Millions of hard-working Americans use marijuana. Most consume it responsibly, in the privacy of their own homes, and in a manner similar to alcohol. Why, then, are we spending millions of dollars each year to arrest these otherwise law-abiding individuals? It’s time to end the madness; it’s time to stop arresting responsible marijuana consumers. I urge you to support House Bill H.R. 5843, an ‘Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults’.”

Tomorrow is 4/20, which is a holiday celebrated amongst pot-smokers as ‘National Pot Smoking Day’. While you’re home recuperating Monday, take the time out of your day to make the call – Be a part of history! It’ll only take a minute or two to relay the message.

Learn more about the bill here and here,.