With the support of thousands of raised voices last year, we took important steps toward ending the "war on drugs" and this year we intend to do the same in leaps and bounds. By setting a new "bottom line" for measuring the effectiveness of drug policy - a national standard that sticks to the basic principles of harm reduction - we’re redoubling our work in the states.

For many of you, marijuana reform is top priority, and for us, it’s what’s at the heart of the drug war. The road to reform is still one riddled with potholes (no pun intended) and legal hurdles. Last year set the stage for us to up our medical marijuana efforts in five states: Alabama, Connecticut, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin. With Alabama as the stronghold of the nation’s harshest marijuana laws, the state is ripe for change, and we'll be promoting sentencing reforms that keep people from getting locked up for marijuana charges.  In Oakland and San Francisco, we’re moving forward with Measure Z and a similar initiative, Proposition S, that endorses legalization. 

Along with marijuana reform we are also working to improve policies in other areas for 2005:

• For the many Americans suffering from chronic pain, we hear you. The burgeoning pain medication prescribing issue is an offense that needs immediate attention.  We’re monitoring prescription drug abuse-related bills, and are going to advocate for laws that maintain your right to medical privacy and keep your doctors out of the courts.
  
  
• We’re all aware of the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. We believe that harm reduction programs are a key component to curbing infection rates. The bottom line is, they help save lives. In New Jersey and California, our campaigns are fighting for increased access to sterile syringes for those at risk. Throughout the year, we’ll continue our multi-pronged approach to raising awareness about the benefits of supporting this legislation.
  
  
• Let’s face it, the "war on drugs" is full of irreparable flaws. Its effects reveal the ugly truth about unjust racial disparities. We’ve now begun to fill some of these gaps in California and Connecticut, where we intend to equalize the penalties for crack cocaine and powder cocaine.
  
  
• We’re also working on reforming laws that stifle the rehabilitation of people - particularly people of color - who are in jail or have served their time. We’re speaking out on laws that deny financial aid for college applicants who have a drug record and take away ex-felons’ right to vote in places like New Mexico. Treatment-instead-of-incarceration programs are sprouting up in the states where we work, and some legislators are finally coming around. The success of Proposition 36, a program that reduces recidivism and saves a considerable amount of your tax dollars, is being replicated in Connecticut, D.C., Maryland, Wisconsin and Ohio. In New York, the Real Reform campaign shortened prison sentences for thousands of drug law offenders, but our ultimate goal is full repeal of Rockefeller drug laws and getting legal representation for inmates.
  
  
• Safety First, our "Just Say Know" drug education campaign, strengthens opposition to student drug testing. We’re beefing up distribution of educational materials and we plan to block the federal government's attempts to impose random drug testing of students and drivers.

With the new "bottom line" in mind, all of these endeavors are reinforced with our core principles - saving lives, salvaging families and upholding individual rights.  With another year of your support, the work continues to reduce the fiscal and human costs of a hideous and wasteful drug war.