4/21
#420Day may be wrapped in images of “stoners...
#420Day may be wrapped in images of “stoners en masse,” but don’t kid yourself – it’s a highly political issue if ever there was one! http://bit.ly/1XJDaZN
The main issue being, of course, adults’ right to access medicine, and/or their right to make an autonomous, educated choice re: their own personal recreational habits (ie: beyond alcohol, red bull &/or cigarettes, that is).
Legalize, Decriminalize, Educate, Regulate… thoughts?
#420Vancouver #EndProhibition #EndTheDrugWar
Norml Canada Norml Women’s Alliance of Canada The House I Live In Legalize Marijuana Sensible BC Marijuana Policy Project Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Vancouver Dispensary Society Pivot Legal Society Legalize Marijuana in Canada Legalize It? We think so. End the War on Drugs
3/30
Today President Obama shortened the prison sentenc...
Today President Obama shortened the prison sentences of low-level drug offenders whose sentences would have been shorter if they were convicted under today’s laws. This is a topic we explored in The House I Live In, a documentary that adds up the true cost of America’s war on drugs.
11/18
“Author and documentary filmmaker Eugene Jar...
“Author and documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki will be presented with the Edward M. Brecher Award for Achievement in the Field of Media at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference on November 21, 2015 in Arlington, VA. Jarecki is the acclaimed documentarian behind Why We Fight, Reagan, and The Trials of Henry Kissinger, among many others – and he is receiving the Brecher award for the incredible impact of his film, The House I Live In.” – Drug Policy Alliance
11/12
The Rikers Island jail complex has become a symbol...
The Rikers Island jail complex has become a symbol of criminal justice dysfunction. Last year, The New YorkTimes uncovered 129 serious injuries to inmates. The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York documented widespread abuse and neglect of teenagers in the jail’s adolescent unit. And Mayor de Blasio described an environment so toxic that inmates are released “more broken than when they came in.”
11/11
Join the Peace and Justice Center for a special sc...
Join the Peace and Justice Center for a special screening of The House I Live In tomorrow at the Landing Film House: https://www.facebook.com/events/1709315932647627/
11/11
Alicia Keys took to Capitol Hill where she argued ...
Alicia Keys took to Capitol Hill where she argued for criminal justice reform on behalf of families affected by mass incarceration. “Nowhere in the rest of the western world are juveniles being tried as adults, or even worse, sentenced to life sentences without parole,” the musician said.
11/6
“According to the UN Office on Drugs and Cri...
“According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), illicit drug use has been stable at approximately 5.0 percent of the global population. In 2014, global opium production increased and reached the second highest level since the 1930s. Drug supply and use has led to public health issues.”
11/4
“The Mexican Supreme Court opened the door t...
“The Mexican Supreme Court opened the door to legalizing marijuana on Wednesday, delivering a pointed challenge to the nation’s strict substance abuse laws and adding its weight to the growing debate in Latin America over the costs and consequences of the war against drugs.” – The New York Times
11/2
“President Obama on Monday will announce a s...
“President Obama on Monday will announce a series of measures designed to reduce obstacles facing former prisoners reintegrating into society, including an executive order directing federal employers to delay asking questions about a job applicant’s criminal history until later in the application process.”
10/31
(Important Disclosure: Words in quotation marks ar...
(Important Disclosure: Words in quotation marks are double entendre and should be read at surface level 1st read)
What greater success do/can you have in life other than understanding the (valid) definition of “Love?”
Simple logic shows that “Love” is always firstly dependent on “Hope” because although you may choose to “Love” another (person or thing), there is no valid way of guaranteeing that “Love” will be returned/reciprocal; therefore it is a “blindtrust”/”Hope.” Consequently, “Love” is the best tangible manifestation of “Hope!” Nevertheless, as long as the one and only (“infinitely perfect”) ultimate rule/law of “E.O” is followed (“treat others how you want to be treated”) then, the respect of life and choices will exist. All humans have this ability to freely make choices.
Selflessly,
Ps.The ultimate climb/war that is fought anywhere on earth can always be reduced to “Love” (“selfless”) vs “Greed” (“selfish”). Therefore, (“selfish”) “Greed” deceptively mimics the essence of “limitless” “Love” (“Selfless”) by attempting to negate the “absolute truth” essence of “limitless” as ”more.” “Selfishness” (or Greed) is an excessive “desire” to acquire or possess more than what one “needs.” “Desire” is an expressed wish, want, or (false) “Hope.” False “Hope(s)” are not “needs” of/in life.
10/21
“More than 130 police chiefs, prosecutors an...
“More than 130 police chiefs, prosecutors and sheriffs — including some of the most prominent law enforcement officials in the country — are adding their clout to the movement to reduce the nation’s incarceration rate.” – The New York Times
10/15
We can’t end mass incarceration without ending t...
We can’t end mass incarceration without ending the drug war! The U.S. puts more people in prison than any other country on Earth. Thankfully the issue of mass incarceration is getting more attention and folks from all walks of life agree we need to do something. Check out this great video narrated by Senator Cory Booker and produced by our friends at ATTN
10/12
1 in 3 Americans have a criminal record that shows...
1 in 3 Americans have a criminal record that shows up on a routine background check, permanently shutting them out of the workforce.
Join our Executive Producer John Legend and ColorOfChange.org in asking President Obama to sign an executive order to Ban the Box – http://goo.gl/AwF8LX
10/7
“The Justice Department is preparing to rele...
“The Justice Department is preparing to release roughly 6,000 inmates from federal prisons starting at the end of this month as part of an effort to ease overcrowding and roll back the harsh penalties given to nonviolent drug dealers in the 1980s and ’90s, according to federal law enforcement officials.” – The New York Times
10/6
The Justice Department’s release of prisoners is...
The Justice Department’s release of prisoners is an effort to reduce overcrowding and provide relief to drug offenders who received harsh sentences over the past three decades. CC: The House I Live In
10/5
“A former local investigative reporter says ...
“A former local investigative reporter says Mike Duggan, Kym Worthy and Coleman Young have had an interest in the case involving Rick Wershe Jr.” – http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/13183/a_look_at_the_political_corruption_behind_the_imprisonment_of_white_boy_rick#.Vfdxs-lRHcd
9/30
“The DEA is rarely held accountable for thei...
“The DEA is rarely held accountable for their actions, and it seems that they don’t like to hold their employees accountable either. “The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has allowed its employees to stay on the job despite internal investigations that found they had distributed drugs, lied to the authorities or committed other serious misconduct.”
9/29
“Last July, Barack Obama became the first si...
“Last July, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to visit a federal prison. He invited VICE along to film the historic event for part of our new documentary, Fixing the System, which investigates America’s broken criminal justice system.” – VICE
9/29
Last week, Pope Francis criticized the drug war in...
Last week, Pope Francis criticized the drug war in his address to the United Nations. While he did not make any suggestions for solutions, he noted the shortcomings of efforts to combat drug trafficking and the effects on everyday citizens.
9/28
Pope Francis’s visit to a Philadelphia priso...
Pope Francis’s visit to a Philadelphia prison this weekend will serve as a reminder of the heavy cost of today’s high incarceration levels for families, neighborhoods and states.
9/24
“Like an alcoholic is always going to find place...
“Like an alcoholic is always going to find place to drink, heroin addicts are always going to find place to use,” Misty said. “Why not give them a space where they can get positive influences by people in recovery, rather than keeping them on the street, where you know they’re going to do what they do regardless?”
9/23
“In June, the Gloucester Police Department l...
“In June, the Gloucester Police Department launched its Angel Program, offering amnesty for any users who would turn over their drugs and agree to enter treatment.”
9/22
This is the latest installment in the Bringing Dow...
This is the latest installment in the Bringing Down the New Jim Crow radio documentary series created by Chris Moore-Backman. It introduces listeners to the advocates in California who crafted, promoted, and saw through to victory California state Proposition 47 which was passed with 60% voter approval and reduced most “nonserious and non-violent” property and drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors — retroactively — thus freeing tens of thousands of people from the life-long consequences of being labeled a felon. This episode features interviews with some of the key racial and social justice advocates who made Prop 47 a reality. They are seeking more than policy reform, aiming to transform the mindset and the conversation about race, punishment and justice in the United States.
9/16
“Nearly two in three families (65 percent) w...
“Nearly two in three families (65 percent) with an incarcerated member are unable to meet their family’s basic needs, according to a new report released today” – Washington Post
9/14
Today’s (Sunday, Sept. 13th) *MUST READ* blo...
Today’s (Sunday, Sept. 13th) *MUST READ* blog entry from former Detroit investigative reporter/producer Vince Wade!
Please also share this post from the Dime Droppers page via, email, Facebook, Twitter and any and all other social media options they provide! Thanks in advance! – http://www.thedimedroppers.com/2015/09/white-boy-rick-wershe-records-do-not.html
9/11
“There are more than 6,000 men currently imp...
“There are more than 6,000 men currently imprisoned at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola—three-quarters of them are there for life, and nearly 80 percent are African American. ” – The Atlantic
9/10
States are starting to move away from using solita...
States are starting to move away from using solitary confinement in prison. California recently announced that it will restrict the use of solitary confinement in its state prisons, and Washington state has already begun moving individuals out of solitary.
9/9
“Studies show that people who get access to ...
“Studies show that people who get access to education behind bars are far less likely to return to prison, and are more likely to land a job once they’re released. Few prisons in the U.S. offer individuals higher education face-to-face. One exception is San Quentin State Prison in California.” – NPR
9/8
“We have a system where outcomes are shaped ...
“We have a system where outcomes are shaped much more by poverty than they are by innocence or guilt.” Senior Attorney Alicia D’Addario interviewed by ATTN:
9/4
“According to a 2013 report from the America...
“According to a 2013 report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), there are approximately 3,278 prisoners serving life sentences without parole for nonviolent drug crimes. Sixty-five percent of them are black. Louisiana has 429 prisoners serving life sentences for nonviolent crimes, the highest number of any state; 91 percent of them are black.” – The Daily Beast
9/3
“According to a new study from the Pew Chari...
“According to a new study from the Pew Charitable Trusts, illegal-drug use has risen, as has the number of inmates in federal prison on drug charges (a topic of the documentary “The House I Live In”). And though the Mexican government has taken down some of the more notorious drug kingpins, violence has spiked and become even more horrific as smaller players jockey for supremacy.” – The New York Times
9/3
Black and Latino NYPD officers file a separate cla...
Black and Latino NYPD officers file a separate class action suit against the city and Commissioner Bill Bratton charging an internal quota system forces them to make “discriminatory and unwarranted” arrests against people in their own communities.
9/1
“A Pennsylvania judge was sentenced to 28 ye...
“A Pennsylvania judge was sentenced to 28 years in prison in connection to a bribery scandal that roiled the state’s juvenile justice system. Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella Jr. was convicted of taking $1 million in bribes from developers of juvenile detention centers” – NPR
8/31
“A Pew Research Center study released Thursd...
“A Pew Research Center study released Thursday shows that sentences for Americans convicted of federal drug crimes rose 36% — an average of 20 months — in 30 years, while sentences for all other offenders in federal prison declined by 3%.”
8/28
“The reason why some drugs are legal and oth...
“The reason why some drugs are legal and others are not has almost nothing to do with the safety of those drugs, and everything to do with who uses them.”
8/27
Help Vera Times fuel the #BlackLivesMatter Movemen...
Help Vera Times fuel the #BlackLivesMatter Movement by supporting Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline the funds will go to 8 free CoINTEL trainings for youth organizations to facilitate The Help Increase the Peace Project.
8/27
“f you missed this article last week, please...
“f you missed this article last week, please read and pass it on. I am constantly amazed by how much credit progressives — especially black folks — are inclined to give President Obama for his “efforts” on criminal justice reform when so far (deep into his second term) what he has offered is good (even eloquent) rhetoric but little else. In fact, as this article demonstrates, Obama’s Justice Department has actually been fighting to keep tens of thousands of people in prison even though their sentences have been determined to be illegal. Why? Because the administration views “finality” of sentences to be more important than justice. The gap between Obama’s rhetoric and his actions is telling, to say the least.” – Michelle Alexander
8/26
“Politicians, police officials and community...
“Politicians, police officials and community leaders around the country get on TV and appear baffled by the “senseless” violence. But the cause of the violence is not a mystery nor is it “senseless.” It is the logical and rational outcome of our public policy choices. Violence is the currency in an underground economic system that we as a society have created.” – The Baltimore Sun
8/25
Why are some drugs legal and some prohibited? It i...
Why are some drugs legal and some prohibited? It is not based on science. A series of excellent videos from ATTN: explains why, when, and how drugs such as marijuana, MDMA, cocaine, opium and LSD became illegal. Check them out!
8/24
“Booker expressed unequivocal support for a ...
“Booker expressed unequivocal support for a position that has not yet become popular with his colleagues in Washington: If the United States is serious about ending mass incarceration, it will require more than just lenience for drug offenders and other low-level criminals.”
8/17
“The Obama Administration announced a new pr...
“The Obama Administration announced a new program today to address the heroin and prescription opioid crisis. The fact that they’re addressing this as a public health problem is great, but their program really falls short. Here are some concrete ideas we should pursue to truly treat drug use as a health issue.”
8/13
“Eliminate cash bail. Period. If you’r...
“Eliminate cash bail. Period. If you’re looking for evidence that that our so-called justice system isn’t much interested in justice, you need look no further than the practice of holding poor people in jail for misdemeanor offenses simply because they can’t afford $250. As this article points out, cash bail doesn’t keep us safer or contribute to anything like “justice,” but it does grease the wheels of the criminal injustice machine. As the author puts it, ensuring that no one is held in jail simply based on poverty would necessitate a complete reordering of the system: “The open secret is that in most jurisdictions, bail is the grease that keeps the gears of the overburdened system turning.” If these stories were reported from any other country, we would shake our heads in disgust and wonder aloud “what kind of country would call this a justice system?” – Michelle Alexander
8/11
“Our state and local governments must follow...
“Our state and local governments must follow the president’s lead and transform our destructive “War on Drugs” into the public-health campaign it always should have been.”
8/7
When you provide young people with an encouraging ...
When you provide young people with an encouraging environment and the opportunity to rediscover themselves, they begin to hold their heads up high and start thinking, often for the first time, about their future. The model works. We’ve reduced recidivism 80 percent among students in the program, and the rate of our students staying out of trouble is twice that of young people exiting incarceration without the benefit of our program.
8/6
“At least 3,500 Americans have been detained...
“At least 3,500 Americans have been detained inside a Chicago police warehouse described by some of its arrestees as a secretive interrogation facility, newly uncovered records reveal. Of the thousands held in the facility known as Homan Square over a decade, 82% were black. Only three received documented visits from an attorney, according to a cache of documents obtained when the Guardian sued the police.” – The Guardian
8/5
“After Congress and President Barack Obama r...
“After Congress and President Barack Obama reduced mandatory minimum penalties for crack cocaine possession in 2010, crack offenders continued cooperating with law enforcement. And that could have big implications as Congress considers serious drug policy reform.”
8/4
The team behind The House I Live In has a new film...
The team behind The House I Live In has a new film exploring another domestic war, the war on terror. The Sundance-winning TERROR Documentary is the first film to place journalists on the ground during an active FBI terror sting. Learn more and support this incredible project below:
8/3
“In his N.A.A.C.P. address, he argued that i...
“In his N.A.A.C.P. address, he argued that instead of devoting $80 billion to incarceration, we could invest in pre-K and jobs for teenagers, both of which would return the investment far more grandly than a life diminished behind bars.”
7/31
“While the new program, which makes the gran...
“While the new program, which makes the grants available through a collection of experimental sites, sheds light on the educational opportunities — or lack thereof — available to the growing prison population, even supporters of the policy worry that ex-offenders need even more help making choices on matters of educational and professional development once they’re out of prison.
There’s nothing wrong at all with giving [people in prison] the chance to get a college education,” says attorney David Halperin, who writes frequently about the for-profit college industry. “The problem is recruiting [people in prison] to programs that are poor quality, and particularly programs that felons won’t be able to benefit from because they have a criminal conviction.’”
For more information on Pres. Obama’s restoration of #Pell access to people currently incarcerated: http://colorofchange.org/…/civil-rights-group-puts-billboa…/
7/30
Why is the DEA being run by someone who is not an ...
Why is the DEA being run by someone who is not an expert on drugs? Everyone knows marijuana is far safer than heroin (and most other drugs, including alcohol); that’s established science. You should know better, Chuck Rosenberg. http://bit.ly/1VPBFd8
7/28
THE HOUSE I LIVE IN was featured on Last Week Toni...
THE HOUSE I LIVE IN was featured on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
John Oliver discussed mandatory minimum sentencing on this past Sunday’s episode and featured our coverage of Kevin Ott’s story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=17&v=pDVmldTurqk
7/27
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’s topic w...
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’s topic was mandatory minimum sentencing last night and featured The House I Live In’s coverage of Kevin Ott’s story. Check out the segment below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=17&v=pDVmldTurqk
7/24
Stepping onto the advocacy stage in 2012 after pro...
Stepping onto the advocacy stage in 2012 after producing the documentary “The House I Live In”, John Legend visited U.S. prisons, Portugal, and launched #FREEAMERICA, a multi-year culture campaign to change the national conversation about our country’s “indecent” and “unconscionable” policies and transform America’s criminal justice system.
7/24
“According to the Institute on Women and Cri...
“According to the Institute on Women and Criminal Justice (IWCJ), one of the leading national policy centers quantitatively and qualitatively researching women in prison, the population of women in U.S. prisons grew by over 800% between 1977 and 2007–nearly twice the rate as men in that same timespan.”
7/23
The ACLU just filed suit in Arizona to defend the ...
The ACLU just filed suit in Arizona to defend the constitutional right to due process: https://www.aclu.org/…/aclu-challenges-civil-asset-forfeitu…. Civil asset forfeiture allows police to seize – and then keep or sell – any property they allege is involved in a crime. Owners need not ever be charged with or convicted of a crime for their cash, cars, or even real estate to be taken away permanently by the government. John Oliver agrees! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEpZWGgJks
7/22
Civil asset forfeiture programs allow federal, sta...
Civil asset forfeiture programs allow federal, state, and local law enforcement to seize – and then keep or sell – any property they allege is involved in nonviolent drug crimes, without ever having to charge the person of that crime. To learn how you can help end policing for profit and other cruel drug war practices, join our national call on Thursday.
7/21
New footage: LAPD tasers man in a wheelchair in do...
New footage: LAPD tasers man in a wheelchair in downtown Los Angeles. About a dozen officers fire beanbags, tasers, or something else to “subdue” a man in a wheelchair. This is an on going pattern and practice. Click the playlist at the top right to see broken windows policing in action, from depriving people of a place to sleep, to needlessly escalating an interaction leading to death.
Help us show the world this ongoing brutality.
Subscribe to our Youtube channel, like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/aSavagecityproduction, and share widely.
Most importantly, get involved with groups fighting back, like the Los Angeles Community Action Network: www.cangress.org
https://youtu.be/78Ga9tnHU7A
7/17
“President Barack Obama’s visit to an ...
“President Barack Obama’s visit to an Oklahoma federal prison on Thursday included a stunning admission: He considers his own past drug use to be similar to the ‘mistakes’ that have landed hundreds of thousands of Americans behind bars.”
7/14
BREAKING: President Obama just granted clemency to...
BREAKING: President Obama just granted clemency to 46 men and women whose sentences didn’t fit their crimes. Nearly all of these individuals would have already served their time and returned to society if they were convicted of the exact same crime today: http://go.wh.gov/KtwU7f
7/13
BREAKING: Today, President Barack Obama granted cl...
BREAKING: Today, President Barack Obama granted clemency to 46 people incarcerated in federal prison. Fourteen of them were serving life in prison for non-violent drug offenses. The President has now issued nearly 90 commutations, the vast majority of them to non-violent offenders sentenced for drug law violations under draconian sentencing laws.
7/12
After watching “The House I Live In” ...
After watching “The House I Live In” I want more than ever to help solved this huge problem. How can the faith communities help? Maybe as retired clergy, I can find a way to show this 2-hour program to many congregations and help them get involved in more effective ways. Perhaps a half-day workshop, watching it and then working out an action plan on one or two parts of the problem. Then I’d like to bring state legislators and Members of Congress to respond to an audience in my TV studio, making commitments to champion corrective legislation that we can support.
7/9
“Kalief Browder’s family couldn’...
“Kalief Browder’s family couldn’t afford the $3,000 bail set by a judge for his robbery charges, so he spent three years enduring horrific abuse on Rikers Island; those charges were later dismissed. Last month, Browder hung himself. Today the Mayor’s Office announced a $17.8 million program that would help 3,400 non-violent pretrial defendants like Browder avoid bail altogether.”
7/7
“America’s war on drugs has proved to be f...
“America’s war on drugs has proved to be futile as drug cartels have fueled violence on the U.S.-Mexican border. Sanho Tree, director of the Drug Policy Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, explains how U.S. policy on illegal drugs has contributed to the issue”
7/6
“Sometime in the next few weeks, aides expec...
“Sometime in the next few weeks, aides expect President Obama to issue orders freeing dozens of federal prisoners locked up on nonviolent drug offenses. With the stroke of his pen, he will probably commute more sentences at one time than any president has in nearly half a century.” – The New York Times
7/2
“A long-standing Texas law that has sent abo...
“A long-standing Texas law that has sent about 100,000 students a year to criminal court – and some to jail – for missing school is off the books, though a Justice Department investigation into one county’s truancy courts continues.”
7/1
“The battle to win one of the five licenses ...
“The battle to win one of the five licenses for New York State’s new medical marijuana program could be over as early as this Friday, Fortune has learned.”
6/30
“Watch this. A former federal judge acknowle...
“Watch this. A former federal judge acknowledges that 80 percent of the sentences she imposed in her 17 years on the bench “were unfair and disproportionate.” She resigned in 2011 to join the Harvard faculty to write about those stories––”to write about how it came to pass that I was obliged to sentence people to terms that, frankly, made no sense under any philosophy.”
She compares the damage caused by drug prohibition to the destruction of cities in World War II, and makes a point that I believe is absolutely essential: It is NOT enough to end the drug war. We most rebuild the communities that have been destroyed.” – Michelle Alexander
6/29
“How much more money do we have to waste, how ma...
“How much more money do we have to waste, how many more families have to be destroyed, how many more people have to be killed before you summon the courage to tell the truth to the American people?” – Don Winslow
6/26
“The resolution points to Christian principl...
“The resolution points to Christian principles of redemption and restoration to replace the current system of punitive sanctions against drug users. “
6/25
“The War on Drugs is a trillion-dollar failu...
“The War on Drugs is a trillion-dollar failure. We spend billions of dollars pursuing drugs and billions imprisoning people that probably shouldn’t be in prison. We have troops in Central America chasing drug dealers, we have Special Forces and Marines. Meanwhile, this war has killed a hundred thousand people in Mexico – and that doesn’t include 22,000 people missing.”
6/23
“Mayor Bill de Blasio, in a sharp shift from...
“Mayor Bill de Blasio, in a sharp shift from his initial objections, is poised to hire nearly 1,300 additional officers for the New York Police Department, a surprising addition in a $78.5 billion budget deal announced by city leaders on Monday night.”
6/19
Another #BanTheBox victory in New York! The New Yo...
Another #BanTheBox victory in New York! The New York City Council passed the Fair Chance Act, which prevents private companies with four or more employees from discriminating against applicants based on their arrest or criminal record. Bill sponsors say that the bill’s passage means there are now five million New Yorkers with prior convictions who will have a better shot at meaningful employment. A similar law is already on the books for NYC government hiring.
6/17
Dear Mr. Jarecki.
I watched your very informative ...
Dear Mr. Jarecki.
I watched your very informative and touching documentary. Thanks for this experience !
Could you tell me the name of the scientist with the “big unusual beard” who talked about the 5 steps of destroying a certain group of the population ? I could not find any info on your homepage or facebook. I thought that his explanations fit well for the present political situation in my home country Austria. Here refugees, muslims and people from Turkey are being identified by the far-right movement as the cause for all our problems.
Therefore I could use the ideas of this scientist for our local discussion.
All the best + greetings from Vienna
Wolfgang Mitter
6/15
“90% of Portugal’s anti-drug resources...
“90% of Portugal’s anti-drug resources are spent on treatment and prevention; 10% on policing and punishment. In the United States, it’s opposite.”
- via The Economist
6/11
“Hundreds of people made their voices heard ...
“Hundreds of people made their voices heard at State House in Boston in favor of eliminating mandatory minimum prison sentences for drug crimes.”
6/8
Educators, activists, and youth advocates! The pil...
Educators, activists, and youth advocates! The pilot site for Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline is now live in partnership with Teaching Tolerance! Check out the film and brand new curriculum!
5/28
“In a rash of high-profile police killings o...
“In a rash of high-profile police killings of unarmed black males – John Crawford III, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and Walter Scott – white prosecutors appeared reluctant to vigorously pursue indictments, even when facts were highly disputed. Reports by Talking Points Memo, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post conclude that almost none of the police officers who kill roughly 1,000 people each year are ever charged.”
5/26
“Even if we released everyone imprisoned for...
“Even if we released everyone imprisoned for drugs tomorrow, the United States would still have 1.7 million people behind bars, and an incarceration rate four times that of many Western European nations.”
5/20
Dr.Carl Hart from The House I Live In and Drug Pol...
Dr.Carl Hart from The House I Live In and Drug Policy Alliance gives an amazing TEDMED Talk. Take some time and watch this – you will be amazed at how much misinformation is out there about drugs and addiction. #NoMoreDrugWar
5/19
“It has been getting easier by the day for p...
“It has been getting easier by the day for politicians to talk about fixing the nation’s broken criminal justice system. But when states in the Deep South, which have long had some of the country’s harshest penal systems, make significant sentencing and prison reforms, you know something has changed.”
5/18
“President Obama on Monday will ban the fede...
“President Obama on Monday will ban the federal provision of some types of military-style equipment to local police departments and sharply restrict the availability of others, administration officials said.”
5/15
“Gov. Larry Hogan has decided to take $68 mi...
“Gov. Larry Hogan has decided to take $68 million that lawmakers set aside for schools and use it to shore up the state’s pension system instead — disappointing school officials in Baltimore and other large districts around the state.”
5/14
“Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New Yor...
“Last month, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York unveiled a plan to decrease the population of the Rikers Island jail complex by reducing the backlog of cases in state courts. About 85 percent of those at Rikers haven’t been convicted of any offense; they’re just awaiting trial, sometimes for as long as hundreds of days.”
5/13
“Enough is enough. We demand more empathy, m...
“Enough is enough. We demand more empathy, more accountability, more economic opportunity, more compassion, more dignity, more power and more opportunity for all.” – Afropunk
5/12
“The United States was slammed over its righ...
“The United States was slammed over its rights record Monday at the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, with member nations criticizing the country for police violence and racial discrimination, the Guantánamo Bay Detention Facility and the continued use of the death penalty.”
5/11
“Want to end the war on drugs? Lobby your lo...
“Want to end the war on drugs? Lobby your local police department. They’ve quietly had the power to end the whole thing this entire time—and some are doing just that.”
5/6
“Even as the number of immigrants caught ill...
“Even as the number of immigrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has fallen to the lowest levels since the 1970s, the federal government has increased spending on immigrant detention, filling 14,000 more beds last year than it did in 2006.”
5/5
Big news! Puerto Rico joins 23 U.S. states, the Di...
Big news! Puerto Rico joins 23 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and Guam after the governor signed an executive order on Sunday to authorize the use of medical marijuana! http://bit.ly/1FKJzgZ
5/1
“35-year-old Mosby, only four months into he...
“35-year-old Mosby, only four months into her role as state attorney, powerfully articulated that police brutality would not be tolerated and that she would seek justice on Gray’s behalf.”
5/1
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
In honor of Mother’s D...
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
In honor of Mother’s Day 2015, Moms United to End the War on Drugs encourages you to take a stand to not have your rights as a mother taken from you.
Read, Sign and Share our Mom’s Bill of Rights: http://www.momsunited.net/billofrights.html
4/28
TRNN’s The Real Baltimore series provides th...
TRNN’s The Real Baltimore series provides the crucially needed context for the current protests.
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2360
4/28
“When nonviolence is preached as an attempt ...
“When nonviolence is preached as an attempt to evade the repercussions of political brutality, it betrays itself. When nonviolence begins halfway through the war with the aggressor calling time out, it exposes itself as a ruse.” Ta-Nehisi Coates
4/27
“An analysis in The Times — “1.5 Million...
“An analysis in The Times — “1.5 Million Missing Black Men” — showed that more than one in every six black men in the 24-to-54 age group has disappeared from civic life, mainly because they died young or are locked away in prison.”
4/24
President Obama on Thursday said that America’s ...
President Obama on Thursday said that America’s decades-long war on drugs, the subject of the documentary The House I Live In, has been “unproductive” and that sending low-level narcotics offenders to prison tears apart families and leads to even more crime.
4/23
According to The New York Times, there are “...
According to The New York Times, there are “1.5 Million Missing Black Men.” They say, “For every 100 black women [aged 25 to 54] living outside of jail, there are only 83 black men. Among whites, the equivalent number is 99.” Black men being removed from the community is driven by mass incarceration. We need to end the war on drugs, which is a major force behind locking up so many black men today.
4/22
President Obama on Thursday said America’s decad...
President Obama on Thursday said America’s decades-long war on drugs has been “unproductive” and that sending low-level narcotics offenders to prison tears apart families and leads to even more crime.
4/10
Last week Pres. Obama granted early release to 22 ...
Last week Pres. Obama granted early release to 22 people behind bars for drug offenses. There are still so many people behind bars for nothing more than a drug law violation who deserve to be free. Take action now and urge President Barack Obama to use his executive powers to grant freedom to victims of the disastrous war on drugs!
4/8
I invite all my friends to see this groundbreaking...
I invite all my friends to see this groundbreaking documentary. It will enlighten you about the exploding prison population and exposes America’s dirty little secret. -A must see!
4/6
Last week Pres. Obama granted early release to 22 ...
Last week Pres. Obama granted early release to 22 people behind bars for drug offenses. There are still so many people behind bars for nothing more than a drug law violation who deserve to be free. Take action now and urge President Barack Obama to use his executive powers to grant freedom to victims of the disastrous war on drugs!
3/30
With Congress currently debating the controversial...
With Congress currently debating the controversial Bush-era education law “No Child Left Behind,” Murphy plans to introduce amendments that push schools to get rid of the “zero tolerance” discipline model that suspends and even arrests students for behaviors as minor as talking back to a teacher or violating the dress code.
3/29
Richard Wershe is 27+ years into a life sentence f...
Richard Wershe is 27+ years into a life sentence for a non-violent drug offense which occurred when he was just 17 years old (a juvenile). Rick was arrested for doing what a drug task force had previously encouraged and paid him to do starting when he was just 14 years old. Why should Rick have to spend another day behind bars for the mistakes he made as a kid??
“In May 1987, when he was 17, Wershe was charged with possession with intent to deliver eight kilos of cocaine, which police had found stashed near his house following a traffic stop. He had the misfortune of being convicted and sentenced under one of the harshest drug statutes ever conceived in the United States, Michigan’s so-called 650 Lifer law, a 1978 act that mandated an automatic prison term of life without parole for the possession of 650 grams or more of cocaine. (The average time served for murder in state prisons in the 1980s was less than 10 years.)
Sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole for non-homicide crimes was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010, by which point such sentences were already exceedingly rare; the court was able to locate only 129 inmates serving them nationwide. Michigan eventually acknowledged the failures of the 650 Lifer statute—the governor who signed it into law, William G. Milliken, has called it the greatest mistake of his career—and rolled it back in 1998. Those already serving time became parole eligible and began to be released. Wershe is the only person sentenced under the old law who is still in prison for a crime committed as a juvenile. Prominent and violent kingpins and enforcers from Wershe’s day in Detroit have long since been freed. And yet Wershe has remained incarcerated, for more than 26 years.” – From ‘The Trials of White Boy Rick’ by Evan Hughes.
3/27
A correctional nurse reflects on her time in a wom...
A correctional nurse reflects on her time in a women’s prison and asks whether Orange Is the New Black fairly represents corrections in the age of mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex.
3/26
Do you wish Breaking Bad was still on? If the show...
Do you wish Breaking Bad was still on? If the show teaches us anything about the war on drugs, it’s that the drug war just creates more violence and doesn’t stop drug use. If we want safer streets, we need to end the failed war on drugs.
3/23
New York City Council just made a groundbreaking, ...
New York City Council just made a groundbreaking, formal call to decriminalize and legalize marijuana. They are urging the state to pass the Fairness and Equity Act and the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act (MRTA) as part of their state budget and legislative agenda for 2015-2016.
3/18
In this short documentary from The New York Times,...
In this short documentary from The New York Times, parents reveal their struggles with telling their black sons that they may be targets of racial profiling by the police.
3/17
“Is there a a way to justify closing 23 Phil...
“Is there a a way to justify closing 23 Philadelphia public schools and laying off potentially thousands of teachers in order to build a new $400 million prison complex for Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections?”
3/13
Shared from the Drug Policy Alliance: We all know ...
Shared from the Drug Policy Alliance: We all know the drug war targets people unfairly but listen to this DEA Agent who was explicitly told not to enforce drug laws in white areas. His boss said, “You start locking their kids up…before you know it, they’re going to shut us down, and there goes your overtime.”
Thanks to Brave New Films: Justice for the video! Subscribe to their YouTube channel here: http://bit.ly/1DnxiLx
3/10
BREAKING: the most comprehensive piece of federal ...
BREAKING: the most comprehensive piece of federal marijuana legislation was just introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Cory Booker, Rand Paul and Kirsten Gillibrand. The bill will let states legalize medical marijuana without federal interference, expand research into the health benefits of marijuana, and so much more. Show your support and tell your Senators to cosponsor this bill!
2/26
“Nearly 75 percent are held [in jail] for no...
“Nearly 75 percent are held [in jail] for nonviolent offenses, such as traffic violations or drug charges. While three out of five people in jails are legally presumed innocent, they often must wait weeks, months or even years to have their cases resolved.”
2/24
The personal possession and home cultivation aspec...
The personal possession and home cultivation aspects of Alaska’s new marijuana legalization law go into effect today! Congrats again, Alaska! http://bit.ly/1D3DRB6
2/23
Congratulations to The House I Live In’s exe...
Congratulations to The House I Live In’s executive producer John Legend for his Oscar win! In his acceptance speech he discussed the civil-rights implications in America today regarding voting rights and mass incarceration.
2/18
“Women are currently the fastest growing seg...
“Women are currently the fastest growing segment of the U.S. prison population…Two-thirds of these women are serving time for nonviolent offenses and more than three-quarters are mothers.”
2/12
Executive director of Drug Policy Alliance Ethan N...
Executive director of Drug Policy Alliance Ethan Nadelmann recently gave an amazing TED Talk and it has been viewed nearly 1 million times! Have you seen it yet? Check it out and share this to help us break 1 million views! #NoMoreDrugWar
1/13
New York City officials agreed on Tuesday to a pla...
New York City officials agreed on Tuesday to a plan that would eliminate the use of solitary confinement for all inmates age 21 and under, a move that would place Rikers Island at the forefront of national jail reform efforts.
1/7
Editorial by the The New York Times addressing the...
Editorial by the The New York Times addressing the #NYPDslowdown — “No Justice, No Police”
“The problem is not that a two-week suspension of “broken windows” policing is going to unleash chaos in the city. The problem is that cops who refuse to do their jobs and revel in showing contempt to their civilian leaders are damaging the social order all by themselves….”
1/5
Just 12 hours left for Echoes of Incarceration, an...
Just 12 hours left for Echoes of Incarceration, an incredible initiative produced by youth with incarcerated parents. Let’s help them complete their Kick-starter goal!
12/15
“For the first time, Congress is letting sta...
“For the first time, Congress is letting states set their own medical marijuana and hemp policies, a huge step forward for sensible drug policy”
12/12
Friends, please spread the word about this great p...
Friends, please spread the word about this great project and, if you can, support it and help these young filmmakers tell their stories. The effects of incarcerated parents on children is a conversation we all need to have.
12/8
“Mexico used to supply the vast majority of ...
“Mexico used to supply the vast majority of marijuana in the United States, but that situation is slowly changing due to legalization efforts in America.”
12/4
We are so excited to have Eugene Jarecki, director...
We are so excited to have Eugene Jarecki, director of The House I Live In, to be featured in and teaching a master class at the 36th Annual Habana Film Festival today in Cuba.
12/4
“Our political leaders should not begin to o...
“Our political leaders should not begin to offer solutions for a problem if they won’t even name it: systemic, institutional racism exists in police forces throughout our country. “
12/2
Crucial article by Aljazeera English: “The c...
Crucial article by Aljazeera English: “The case has put a spotlight on Mexico’s struggle to end corruption and impunity amid a drug war that has left 100,000 people dead or missing since 2006.”
12/2
Democracy Now! speaks with lead Ferguson activist ...
Democracy Now! speaks with lead Ferguson activist Ashley Yates about the civil rights meeting with Barack Obama over police violence, racial profiling, and accountability.
11/27
Proud to announce that the Havana Film Festival wi...
Proud to announce that the Havana Film Festival will hold a retrospective of Eugene Jarecki’s films, culminating with The House I Live In, December 4-14, 2014.
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=107581
11/24
RT @johnlegend: “The House I Live In,”...
RT @johnlegend: “The House I Live In,” which I produced, just got an IMPACT award! Vote at http://t.co/EcxLZkbfhH to spread word about the…
11/24
Kudos to our Executive Producer and friend John Le...
Kudos to our Executive Producer and friend John Legend for winning his first AMA for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist last night! Even while on tour, he finds the time to lend his voice to the fight for justice.
11/22
Check out BRITDOC’s amazing analysis of the ...
Check out BRITDOC’s amazing analysis of the social impact of THE HOUSE I LIVE IN. It tells the story to date of the film’s campaign to stop the War on Drugs. See it here: http://www.britdocimpactaward.org/files/thehouseilivein.pdf
11/21
If you will be driving through the Nevada desert b...
If you will be driving through the Nevada desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles any time soon, check out this billboard announcing our new BRITDOC IMPACT AWARD! #NetflixHI5 #BRITDOCImpact
11/21
“As part of the National Defense Authorizati...
“As part of the National Defense Authorization Act passed nearly 25 years ago, congress launched what’s known as the 1033 program as part of the nation’s war on drugs… Since the program began, the military has transferred more than $5.1 billion worth of property.”
11/19
Shared from Michelle Alexander who says, “...
Shared from Michelle Alexander who says, “…the ugly racial reality here is that our nation has divested from education and job creation in poor communities of color and massively invested in a penal system unprecedented in world history”.
11/18
“We have 5 percent of the world’s populati...
“We have 5 percent of the world’s population, 25 percent of the people in incarceration. That’s not something that we can sustain. One third of the budget at the Justice Department now goes to the Bureau of Prisons, and if you look out to 2020, it goes up to 40, 45 percent or so.” – Attorney General Eric Holder
11/17
“…people are struggling to grasp the e...
“…people are struggling to grasp the enormity of a case that pulls together all the forces that feed the monstrous violence of the drug wars.”
11/14
“…child psychiatrists say that shackli...
“…child psychiatrists say that shackling is so damaging to a child’s developing sense of self that it may well push him or her into further criminality.”
11/13
Our friend Spencer Wolff has made a great film abo...
Our friend Spencer Wolff has made a great film about Stop & Frisk in New York City – Stop – premieres next Tuesday at the IFC Center – get your tickets now! http://www.docnyc.net/film/stop/
11/12
Shared from Michelle Alexander’s page who no...
Shared from Michelle Alexander’s page who noted: “If we’re looking primarily to the top of the pyramid for change we can believe in, we’re looking in the wrong direction.”
11/11
“More than 1.5 million people were arrested ...
“More than 1.5 million people were arrested for drug offenses in the US last year, and more than 693,000 of those for marijuana offenses. The figures come from the FBI’s 2013 Uniform Crime Report, which was released today.”
11/10
“The New York Police Department, which has b...
“The New York Police Department, which has been arresting tens of thousands of people a year for low-level marijuana possession, is poised to stop making such arrests and to issue tickets instead, according to law enforcement officials.”
11/9
“The measure passed, and California will now...
“The measure passed, and California will now become the first state to defelonize nearly all accounts of drug possession with the intent of personal use”
11/7
“…statistics are even worse in D.C., w...
“…statistics are even worse in D.C., where blacks are arrested for marijuana possession nearly eight times as much as whites, despite blacks being 50 percent of the population and whites representing 41 percent.”
11/7
Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipel...
Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline became a Kickstarter staff pick and reached it’s goal! There are still 2 days left to pledge and join the community fighting to stop the school to prison pipeline!
11/5
“That money is to be redirected to education...
“That money is to be redirected to education, mental health and addiction services — a novel approach that reformers hope will serve as a model in the larger push against mass incarceration.”
11/4
Today is the day! Help end the War on Drugs and in...
Today is the day! Help end the War on Drugs and inform others about this guide! #YesOn91 #Oregon #YesOn71 #WashingtonDC #YesOn2 #Alaska #Florida #YesOn47 #California #NewJersey #Maine #Michigan #NewMexico #Guam #NoMoreDrugWar
11/3
Help end the War on Drugs this election day! Tomor...
Help end the War on Drugs this election day! Tomorrow is a crucial moment in the fight to end drug war. States across the country need your help to tip the vote. Here’s a helpful voter’s guide #YesOn91 #Oregon #YesOn71 #WashingtonDC #YesOn2 #Alaska #Florida #YesOn47 #California #NewJersey #Maine #Michigan #NewMexico #Guam #NoMoreDrugWar
11/3
“In the last thirty years, prison spending i...
“In the last thirty years, prison spending in the US has grown way faster than educational spending, increasing by 1500 percent: in California just one university’s been built since 1980 but twenty-two new prisons have gone up. ” Yes on Proposition 47!
11/3
Just 5 days left to pledge! Paper City – Sto...
Just 5 days left to pledge! Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline is a new film and educational program designed to be a free public resource on the school-to-prison pipeline, restorative justice, and youth empowerment. Please like, share, and support. http://t.co/PUZsAYFzRj
10/30
“30 former police officers, sheriffs, prosec...
“30 former police officers, sheriffs, prosecutors and judges write in a letter released Wednesday by Yes on 91, the campaign supporting legalization in Oregon”.
10/29
“Proposition 47 is a groundbreaking Californ...
“Proposition 47 is a groundbreaking California ballot initiative to reclassify six nonviolent, low-level felonies as misdemeanors and then use the salary savings – in the hundreds of millions – for prevention, education and mental health treatment.”
10/29
Think Progress explores racial implications of dru...
Think Progress explores racial implications of drug policy in our nation’s capital. On voting day in D.C. vote yes on Initiative 71 to end racially biased arrests!
10/29
Our Executive Producer John Legend is hitting the ...
Our Executive Producer John Legend is hitting the phones to support Yes on Prop 47 – In this video he explains how this measure will help move California away from mass incarceration, instead putting those much needed tax dollars into schools and mental health centers. Please spread the word in California – This Tuesday vote YES on Prop 47! via Californians for Safe Neighborhoods and Schools #YesOn47
10/29
We are proud to announce that Eugene Jarecki has b...
We are proud to announce that Eugene Jarecki has been invited to give a TED talk at the first ever TEDxHabana in Havana, Cuba! November 15, 2014. Stay tuned for more info.
10/29
10 days left to pledge towards building a FREE onl...
10 days left to pledge towards building a FREE online resource for youth and youth educators to counteract the school to prison pipeline. Please support Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline!
10/27
2 weeks remain to back Paper City – Stop the...
2 weeks remain to back Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline! With your help both the film and it’s youth focused educational program will be available for free online! Share/Support!
10/24
Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipel...
Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline is a new film and educational program designed to be a free public resource on the school-to-prison pipeline, restorative justice, and youth empowerment. Please like, share, and support. http://t.co/PUZsAYFzRj
10/23
Free screening of The House I Live In at The Georg...
Free screening of The House I Live In at The George Washington University on October 29th at 8PM. Organized by GW Students for Sensible Drug Policy to support #Yeson71
10/22
“About 75 percent of those charged had no pr...
“About 75 percent of those charged had no prior criminal convictions, and more than 80 percent were black or Latino, according to the report, from the Marijuana Arrest Research Project and the Drug Policy Alliance.” Drug Policy Alliance – New York Office
10/20
Like Paper City – Stop the School to Prison ...
Like Paper City – Stop the School to Prison Pipeline! Share and support this Kickstarter to make it a public educational resource! http://kck.st/1stYMxq
10/14
The New York Times calls for federal oversight of ...
The New York Times calls for federal oversight of jails to end the “deep-seated culture of violence” which allows corrections officials to “engage in sadistic torture without fear of reprisal.”
10/13
Please sign this petition supporting the “Se...
Please sign this petition supporting the “Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act”. It will make law the concealment of certain non-violent misdemeanor criminal records in New York State.
10/10
Dear Friends,
Akil Gibbons, Outreach Manager for T...
Dear Friends,
Akil Gibbons, Outreach Manager for The House I Live In, is the producer and director of his own film about the struggles facing urban youth today entitled Paper City. The film just launched a Kickstarter to help raise funds for its own national educational outreach campaign. Please consider donating to this amazing cause which seeks to help end the school-to-prison pipeline. Thank you and please share with all your friends!
10/8
Twenty years ago, amid a national panic over crime...
Twenty years ago, amid a national panic over crime, California voters adopted the country’s most stringent three-strikes law, sentencing repeat felons to 25 years to life, even if the third offense was a minor theft.
The law epitomized the tough-on-crime policies that produced overflowing prisons and soaring costs.
Now California voters appear poised to scale back the heavy reliance on incarceration they once embraced, with a measure that would transform several lower-level, nonviolent felonies into misdemeanors punishable by brief jail stays, if that, rather than time in a state penitentiary. The referendum on Nov. 4 is part of a national reappraisal of mass incarceration.
Proposition 47, as it is called, would redefine thefts, forgery and other property crimes involving less than $950, and possession for personal use of drugs including heroin and cocaine, as misdemeanors — punishable by at most one year in a county jail, and often by probation and counseling. The changes would apply retroactively, lightening the penalties for thousands already in prison or jails.
Not only would many offenders avoid the crippling mark of a felony record, but the expected savings to the state government of up to a few hundred million dollars per year would be earmarked for mental health and substance abuse treatment, for counseling of potential school dropouts and for victim services, in hopes of breaking the cycle of crime.
10/2
The Brookings Institution released a new study tha...
The Brookings Institution released a new study that shows African Americans are less likely to sell drugs, but more likely to be arrested for selling drugs #NoMoreDrugWar
9/29
The Huffington Post, France features Eugene Jareck...
The Huffington Post, France features Eugene Jarecki and Julian Assange, and their virtual “high five”
http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2014/09/29/video-julian-assange-hologramme_n_5898992.html
9/29
London, The Independent features Julian Assange an...
London, The Independent features Julian Assange and Eugene Jarecki as “escape” from Embassy!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/julian-assange-escapes-ecuadorian-embassy-to-appear-as-a-3d-hologram-9763172.html
9/29
Check out Eugene Jarecki and Julian Assange in Lon...
Check out Eugene Jarecki and Julian Assange in London’s Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2773135/Has-Julian-Assange-broken-asylum-interview-U-S-Nope-s-just-hologram.html
9/29
Vanity Fair story on Eugene Jarecki and Julian Ass...
Vanity Fair story on Eugene Jarecki and Julian Assange in Nantucket.
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2014/09/julian-assange-leaves-london-as-a-hologram-for-nantucket-project-appearance?mbid=social_twitter
9/26
Big news: This weekend at The Nantucket Project, E...
Big news: This weekend at The Nantucket Project, Eugene Jarecki will interview Wikileaks’ founder Julian Assange on the future of the digital commons. Assange will be beamed in live, as a hologram, from his asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.
9/16
We mostly post positive news here– because w...
We mostly post positive news here– because we are winning the struggle against the drug war, and every day seems to bring more evidence of our imminent victory. Unfortunately, this headline is a reminder that there is still a long road to travel before we truly end the failed, unjust, draconian war on drugs.
9/12
Attention Australia! The University of Sydney is h...
Attention Australia! The University of Sydney is hosting a career retrospective on director Eugene Jarecki featuring screnings of all of his films: Reagan, The House I Live In, The Trials of Henry Kissinger and Why We Fight – Sept 21 through Oct 1
9/4
“Nixon declared all-out war on drugs, which is r...
“Nixon declared all-out war on drugs, which is really all-out war on people. The drug war needs to end yesterday.” Great article about the history of how we police, and what drives modern officers’ “siege mentality” #policemilitarization
9/3
RIP to the great journalist Charles Bowden. He was...
RIP to the great journalist Charles Bowden. He was a courageous and vital voice in the long fight for drug war reform. He will be sorely missed by all who fight for sanity in this madness.
9/2
RT @ricfouad: Watched “House I Live In”...
RT @ricfouad: Watched “House I Live In”- @DrugWarMovie – tonight: PHENOMENAL. Tide turning,but political folly still maddening…how many d…
8/28
We are honored to announce that the Milano Film Fe...
We are honored to announce that the Milano Film Festival will hold a retrospective of Eugene Jarecki’s career and work to date. September 5-8 screenings of several films will be held plus a Master Class by Eugene. More details here: http://bit.ly/1p8nvjj
8/28
Proud to see the film broadcast in Poland this pas...
Proud to see the film broadcast in Poland this past week, home to a strong movement for drug policy reform. Rebroadcast to be announced soon. The House I Live In has been televised in over 20 countries!
8/20
From The New Republic: “Much of what creates...
From The New Republic: “Much of what creates the poisonous, vicious-cycle relationship between young black men and the police is that the War on Drugs brings cops into black neighborhoods to patrol for drug possession and sale.” #NoMoreDrugWar #Ferguson
8/19
“The militarization of state and local polic...
“The militarization of state and local police is a deliberate strategy funded by the federal government to aggressively fight the failed war on drugs.” #Ferguson
8/11
Eugene Jarecki has been invited to Australia for a...
Eugene Jarecki has been invited to Australia for a retrospective of his film career. If you’re down under, stay tuned to our page for more info on this amazing upcoming event!
8/6
The House I Live in is now available on iTunes in ...
The House I Live in is now available on iTunes in nearly 30 countries!
Watch in the UK, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Luxembourg, Mozambique, Namibia, Poland , Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Uganda and, Zimbabwe: http://dogwoof.org/UVam5F
Watch it in Australia and New Zealand: http://dogwoof.org/1AU04Ur
Watch it in US and Canada: http://dogwoof.org/1qUIloW
7/31
The New York Times’ declaration to end marij...
The New York Times’ declaration to end marijuana prohibition is receiving international attention. French newspaper lefigaro.fr specifically acknowledges The House I Live In’s contribution in changing the conversation on drug laws, bringing further awareness of the racism inherently intertwined with the war on drugs.
7/31
The New York Times continues its week-long series ...
The New York Times continues its week-long series challenging marijuana prohibition. When it comes to the enforcement of marijuana laws, the federal government “clings to a policy that has its origins in racism and xenophobia and whose principal effect has been to ruin the lives of generations of people.”
7/28
The New York Times’ support for marijuana le...
The New York Times’ support for marijuana legalization is a huge milestone for the fight against the war on drugs and mass incarceration. To learn more, join their live Facebook Q&A today at 4:20 PM EST on facebook.com/nytimes
7/28
Almost all Americans agree that the failed war on ...
Almost all Americans agree that the failed war on drugs must end. Continuing in that bipartisan spirit, now that the liberal The New York Times has endorsed marijuana legalization, the conservative National Review says “Hey! We did that too… 18 years ago!”
7/22
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver brings you the ...
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver brings you the best commentary on the failed drug war, mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex since, well… The House I Live In — except this one involves a tad bit more humor #NoMoreDrugWar #SmarterSentencing
7/22
ICYMI: Very exciting news! What Salon calls the ...
ICYMI: Very exciting news! What Salon calls the “Drug war’s massive defeat” is underway, and if you sent a letter to the Sentencing Commission you played a part in helping 46,000 drug war prisoners and their families move closer to justice, potentially reducing their sentences by an average of 2 years each. #SmarterSentencing #NoMoreDrugWar
7/21
AMERICA JUST SAID NO! We are so excited that our ...
AMERICA JUST SAID NO! We are so excited that our JUST SAY NO video and letter campaign played a role in ensuring Friday’s decision by the US Sentencing Commission to make recent reductions in drug sentencing retroactive. This change will positively impact nearly 50,000 American prisoners inside America’s prisons. Congratulations to all of you who took part and sent letters to the Sentencing Commission. Onward! Families Against Mandatory Minimums Drug Policy Alliance The Sentencing Project Ford Foundation
7/18
“If this administration is serious about end...
“If this administration is serious about ending the stigma associated with drug addiction and is truly dedicated to education and evidence-based methods to fight drug abuse, it must first address and then reject the rank dishonesty and propaganda that has defined the American drug war for decades.”
7/14
“The sad reality is that the prohibition of ...
“The sad reality is that the prohibition of marijuana is killing Mexicans, imprisoning Americans, wasting tax dollars, ruining the border, and funneling billions to terrorists and drug cartels.” An interesting argument for legalization– what do you think?
7/11
Eugene Jarecki and Rodrigo Morganti wish to think ...
Eugene Jarecki and Rodrigo Morganti wish to think the extraordinary men and women of San Patrignano for their courage, trust, emotional honesty, and a life-changing visit. See you again in September! http://www.sanpatrignano.org/en
7/10
Hey #SanFrancisco! Join us for a FREE screening ...
Hey #SanFrancisco! Join us for a FREE screening & discussion tomorrow, Friday 7/11 at 6pm hosted by Delancey Street Foundation & Criminal Courts Bar Association – RSVP now to: david@charlottestreetfilms.com
7/10
Yesterday Michael Botticelli, the U.S. drug czar, ...
Yesterday Michael Botticelli, the U.S. drug czar, released a new blueprint for drug policy reform. He said the new course “rejects the notion that we can arrest and incarcerate our way out of the nation’s drug problem. Instead, it builds on decades of research demonstrating that while law enforcement should always remain a vital piece to protecting public safety, addiction is a brain disorder — one that can be prevented and treated, and from which people recover.” Is this a huge step in the right direction or just more rhetoric? What are your thoughts?
7/9
Today, Eugene Jarecki and Rodrigo Morganti visit S...
Today, Eugene Jarecki and Rodrigo Morganti visit San Patrignano, the legendary drug rehabilitation center outside Rimini, Italy. San Patrignano’s history is one of extraordinary innovation in the field of drug treatment and the larger quest to treat addiction with compassion and wisdom, rather than hysteria and destructive stupidity. Check out this video on the extraordinary men and women of San Patrignano, who inspire hope that a better world is indeed possible.
7/7
Today, as Washington state legalizes recreational ...
Today, as Washington state legalizes recreational marijuana, the racist drug war continues to be waged across the country, such as right here on the streets of New York City– where are you Mayor Bill de Blasio ?
7/7
We’re honored to be on this list with so man...
We’re honored to be on this list with so many other amazing documentary films. Watch The House I Live In on Netflix now with over an hour of exclusive bonus material!
7/1
RT @substancedotcom: The Drug-War “BeastR...
RT @substancedotcom: The Drug-War “Beast” Is Vulnerable, Says Award-Winning Director Eugene Jarecki @DrugWarMovie http://t.co/mrRmFxKNvY
7/1
Have you sent a letter to Congress urging them to ...
Have you sent a letter to Congress urging them to support the Smarter Sentencing Act? They need to hear your voice! Do it now to double-down and also send a letter to the US Sentencing Commission urging them to reduce unjust mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes. Just a few simple clicks can help to bring about reform #SmarterSentencing
6/30
What is America Really Doing to End the Drug War? ...
What is America Really Doing to End the Drug War? Join us for a teleconference with director Eugene Jarecki and Asha Bandele of Drug Policy Alliance at 1pm EST. RSVP here: http://bit.ly/EugeneJarecki
6/30
RT @DPA_NY: Don’t forget 1 PM – a spec...
RT @DPA_NY: Don’t forget 1 PM – a special teleconference @DrugWarMovie ‘s @EugeneJarecki, RSVP: http://t.co/ZZStrl5maF http://t.co/yzErRgsU…
6/27
Have you sent a letter to Congress urging them to ...
Have you sent a letter to Congress urging them to support the Smarter Sentencing Act? They need to hear your voice! Do it now to double-down and also send a letter to the US Sentencing Commission urging them to reduce unjust mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes. Just a few simple clicks can help to bring about reform #SmarterSentencing
6/24
Please join us June 30, 1-2 PM EST for a teleconfe...
Please join us June 30, 1-2 PM EST for a teleconference featuring The House I Live In director Eugene Jarecki, moderated by Asha Bandele of Drug Policy Alliance – RSVP here: http://bit.ly/EugeneJarecki
6/23
Sen. Rand Paul, a possible Republican Presidential...
Sen. Rand Paul, a possible Republican Presidential nominee for 2016, has announced a bill to restore voting rights to non-violent felons, specifically referencing the damage done to poor communities of color due to the war on drugs. We’re thrilled to see continued bipartisan support for ending the failed drug war.
6/9
Documentary filmmaker Gabriel London writes about ...
Documentary filmmaker Gabriel London writes about the need for more compassion within our criminal justice system to undo decades of harsh sentencing policies. Support the Smarter Sentencing Act now: http://bit.ly/1j1kXpW
6/6
For our HuffPo series in support of the Smarter Se...
For our HuffPo series in support of the Smarter Sentencing Act, we hear from a Republican on why criminal justice reform has become the most bi-partisan issue in our politically gridlocked country. The influential Grover Norquist explains the conservative POV on #SmarterSentencing
6/6
Adrian Grenier and Matthew Cooke write that our vi...
Adrian Grenier and Matthew Cooke write that our view of justice has become warped and we need #SmarterSentencing now. Support the Smarter Sentencing Act and tell Congress to Just Say NO…to the War on Drugs: http://www.thehouseilivein.org/advocate
6/6
California AG Kamala D. Harris writes about how he...
California AG Kamala D. Harris writes about how her state is leading the way for prison reform; “We are at a seminal moment in time for criminal justice policy — not just in California, but across the nation” #SmarterSentencing
6/5
The inspiring Professor Charles Ogletree writes: &...
The inspiring Professor Charles Ogletree writes: “the beginning of the end of a generation of mass incarceration may have arrived.” Read the article, watch our video, and tell Congress to support the Smarter Sentencing act now: http://www.thehouseilivein.org/advocate/
6/4
Glenn Martin writes about the casualties of the dr...
Glenn Martin writes about the casualties of the drug war and the need for mass-decarceration. Go beyond the rhetoric and take action now by telling Congress to support the Smarter Sentencing Act: http://thehouseilivein.org/advocate #SmarterSentencing
6/3
Sir Richard Branson urges you to support the Smart...
Sir Richard Branson urges you to support the Smarter Sentencing Act! Read his piece on The Huffington Post promoting our short video/Congressional letter campaign. Watch the video and tell Congress to JUST SAY NO TO THE WAR ON DRUGS: http://bit.ly/1j1kXpW #SmarterSentencing
6/3
Scott Budnick, producer of The Hangover franchise,...
Scott Budnick, producer of The Hangover franchise, writes about the innovative correctional educational programs at Ironwood State Prison in California, and why they should be a model for the nation. This blog post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and Charlotte Street Films in support of the Smarter Sentencing Act, stay tuned for more entries to this series in the coming days. #SmarterSentencing
6/2
Check out this piece written by Eugene Jarecki tod...
Check out this piece written by Eugene Jarecki today on The Huffington Post about why we need to Just Say NO…to the War on Drugs! The time is now for reform! #SmarterSentencing
5/29
Richard Branson says Just Say NO…To the War ...
Richard Branson says Just Say NO…To the War on Drugs! Please watch our video and click through to send a letter to your lawmakers telling them to support #SmarterSentencing. The time is NOW for common sense prison reform #EndTheWarOnDrugs
5/23
Our campaign is officially Upworthy! Please watch ...
Our campaign is officially Upworthy! Please watch the video and then tell Congress to JUST SAY NO…TO THE WAR ON DRUGS!! We have a historic moment RIGHT NOW to pressure our politicians to support #SmarterSentencing and #EndTheWarOnDrugs. If passed, the Smarter Sentencing Act will be the most significant rollback of the drug war in history. Please share with everyone you know!
5/22
Please support our Congressional letter campaign! ...
Please support our Congressional letter campaign! Watch the video and then tell your politicians to JUST SAY NO to the War on Drugs! By urging our elected officials to support the #SmarterSentencing Act we can begin to end mass incarceration caused by the failed drug war in the United States. You have the power to #EndTheWarOnDrugs – Please share!
5/21
JUST SAY NO…To the War on Drugs! Please join...
JUST SAY NO…To the War on Drugs! Please join our campaign to tell your legislators to support the #SmarterSentencing Act! This is our chance to make real change happen NOW! Watch, sign, share, #EndTheWarOnDrugs
5/14
JUST SAY NO…To the War on Drugs! Dear friend...
JUST SAY NO…To the War on Drugs! Dear friends, we really need your help today to spread the word! With this video, we are launching our biggest campaign to date – to tell Congress to pass the SMARTER SENTENCING ACT this month. If passed, it will be the most significant rollback of the War on Drugs in history. Share this video and click the link at the end, we will then send a personal email from you to Congress telling them to vote for the Smarter Sentencing Act. This moment is historic – you can truly make change happen today! #SmarterSentencing #EndTheWarOnDrugs
5/13
It’s rare these days that you get someone su...
It’s rare these days that you get someone supporting the drug war status quo- fortunately none of these “drug warriors” are in power any more. Let’s support the Smarter Sentencing Act, it’s a concrete step towards ending the War on Drugs #SmarterSentencing #EndTheWarOnDrugs
5/9
Tenaya, 18 months for possession of meth: “I...
Tenaya, 18 months for possession of meth: “I let a girl stay at my house, and she was involved in trouble like robbery and stolen furniture. Police came when my 2 babies were in the house. They pulled the girl out and arrested her, and found a meth light bulb too. It was filled with meth. I got 18 months for something that was not mine. I felt I was wronged, and my oldest 2 kids were taken away from me. I was always a good mother.” #drugwar #family #portrait #quote #prison
Follow us on Instagram for more! www.instagram.com/drugwarmovie
5/9
Follow us on Instagram @DrugWarMovie ! We’ve rec...
Follow us on Instagram @DrugWarMovie ! We’ve recently started an Instagram-based photo documentary project shedding light into the personal lives and struggles of inmates all over the country.
5/9
Nannie Jeter shares her wisdom at the “Mothe...
Nannie Jeter shares her wisdom at the “Mother-to-Mother” screening event in Baltimore of The House I Live In hosted by IBW/The Institute of the Black World 21st Century
5/8
Theodore, 9 years for Drug Trafficking: “My ...
Theodore, 9 years for Drug Trafficking: “My dad is getting old; he’s 78 and doesn’t have much time left. He’s been there for me all this time since I was a kid. If I get out on parole and mess up again, I won’t be able to be there for him.”
5/7
“It is time to end the ‘war on drugs...
“It is time to end the ‘war on drugs’ and massively redirect resources towards effective evidence-based policies underpinned by rigorous economic analysis. The pursuit of a militarized and enforcement-led global ‘war on drugs’ strategy has produced enormous negative outcomes and collateral damage.”
5/2
Sentencing reform is one of the most bi-partisan i...
Sentencing reform is one of the most bi-partisan issues in Washington. As a vote on the Smarter Sentencing Act looms in Congress, stay tuned in coming weeks for a new campaign from The House I Live In to help support the SSA #NoMoreDrugWar
5/2
Tonight @ 7pm in #Baltimore, IBW/The Institute of ...
Tonight @ 7pm in #Baltimore, IBW/The Institute of the Black World 21st Century is hosting a screening of “The House I Live In” which will feature an amazing panel discussion — come on down, it’s free and open to the public!
5/1
A new Pew survey shows the changing tide of the dr...
A new Pew survey shows the changing tide of the drug war: 67% of Americans favor treatment over incarceration, 63% are against mandatory sentencing for non-violent drug offenders, and 54% are in favor of marijuana legalization.
5/1
Bobby: “It’s tough, it’s real tough. I...
Bobby: “It’s tough, it’s real tough. I’m a transfer, so I am far from my family. In my 12 years, my mindset has changed. I didn’t care if it affected me, but my mother, my brothers, sisters and nieces – to see them suffer is hard, to not be able to hug or make contact is very difficult.” #prison #family #drugwar #quote #portrait
4/30
Today we are starting an Instagram-based photo doc...
Today we are starting an Instagram-based photo documentary project which will follow The House I Live In’s outreach campaign. Just this past week we screened our film in every prison in the state of New Mexico. Please follow us! #prison #drugwar #follow #newmexico #nm
4/30
Drug Policy Alliance – New York Office is ho...
Drug Policy Alliance – New York Office is hosting a 2-day event on the history and future of the war on drugs in New York. If you are a New Yorker who is passionate about drug policy reform then this is something you should definitely be attending — It’s FREE, May 1-2 in NYC. Click the link below to register- see you there!
4/29
This week will see much discussion on Capitol Hill...
This week will see much discussion on Capitol Hill about the drug war. We hope that the atmosphere created by recent steps in the right direction by the Obama administration and the DOJ will extend into Congress. This all can ultimately culminate with the passage of the bi-partisan Smarter Sentencing Act sometime this year.
4/24
An interesting way to visualize our uniquely Ameri...
An interesting way to visualize our uniquely American obsession with mass incarceration. What country’s prison population matches your state’s prison population? Thanks to Lori White for this!
4/23
Big news: there are potentially thousands of unjus...
Big news: there are potentially thousands of unjustly sentenced drug offenders who can benefit from the newly expanded clemency criteria. Next step: Get Congress to Pass the Smarter Sentencing Act!
4/22
It truly is an honor for us to win this award alon...
It truly is an honor for us to win this award alongside such amazing storytellers. If you haven’t already, you can watch our Sundance and Peabody award winning film right now on-demand: http://houseilivein.vhx.tv/
4/17
Our friend gabriel sayegh from Drug Policy Allianc...
Our friend gabriel sayegh from Drug Policy Alliance gives a great TED X Talk breaking down the war on drugs and how we can shift to a compassion-based, public health approach for the 21st century. Please share with your friends!
4/10
“The influence of high-profile crimes, fear of c...
“The influence of high-profile crimes, fear of crime, issues of race, the acquisition of cheap political capital — all have had far more influence on criminal justice policy than what we know works, or what is fair or just.”
4/10
As the Smarter Sentencing Act is being reviewed by...
As the Smarter Sentencing Act is being reviewed by a House committee, even more Republicans are joining in support of these much needed reforms. In an atmosphere of gridlock in Congress, scaling back the drug war and its consequence of over-incarceration might be the most agreed upon and bi-partisan issue being discussed on Capitol Hill.
4/7
Last week, Students for Prison Education and Refor...
Last week, Students for Prison Education and Reform: Princeton (SPEAR) hosted the “Building a New Criminal Justice” conference, where after a screening of our film, director Eugene Jarecki and journalist Chris Hedges engaged in an informative discussion about the failed war on drugs and its impact on our society.
4/4
On the anniversary of the assassination of our cou...
On the anniversary of the assassination of our country’s preeminent civil rights leader, Op-Ed columnist Katrina vanden Heuvel reminds readers that the struggle to achieve true equality for African-Americans continues to this day. We must end the war on drugs, which is the key component to the New Jim Crow. #NoMoreDrugWar #RIPMLK
3/20
Russell Brand asks the UN to end the criminalisati...
Russell Brand asks the UN to end the criminalisation of drug use
“”Nobody at all is helped by drugs being made illegal, unless of course there is a conspiracy to marginalise, condemn and persecute disenfranchised members of our global community.”
3/19
A big THANK YOU to the Sundance Doc Fund for their...
A big THANK YOU to the Sundance Doc Fund for their support of our grassroots outreach campaign surrounding The House I Live In, and a big CONGRATS to all of our fellow grantees!
3/14
Happy Friday!! With every week that passes, more a...
Happy Friday!! With every week that passes, more and more battles are fought and won against the drug war and mass incarceration. Our movement is winning #NoMoreDrugWar #EndTheWarOnDrugs
3/13
AG Holder continues reform: “This overreliance o...
AG Holder continues reform: “This overreliance on incarceration is not just financially unsustainable, it comes with human and moral costs that are impossible to calculate.”
3/7
Please support our allies’ campaign to pass ...
Please support our allies’ campaign to pass the Compassionate Care Act which will allow seriously ill New Yorkers access to medical marijuana. People across the state are suffering, and over 80% of New Yorkers support allowing access to medical marijuana to provide relief. We ask that you sign the petition, which will be delivered to Sen. Dean Skelos and Sen. Jeffrey Klein, letting them know that the Senate must put patients before politics and pass the Compassionate Care Act now. Please sign and share!!!!
3/6
Obama’s Pot Breakthrough: An editorial from ...
Obama’s Pot Breakthrough: An editorial from Rolling Stone Editor & Publisher Jann S. Wenner and the Founder of the Drug Policy Alliance Ethan Nadelmann
3/5
Tomorrow, Michelle Alexander will be participating...
Tomorrow, Michelle Alexander will be participating in an RSVP-only conference call, hosted by Drug Policy Alliance and open to the press and public, to discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in continuing to fight against the drug war and mass incarceration. Please join us!!
3/4
“[The alliance between AG Eric Holder and Se...
“[The alliance between AG Eric Holder and Sen. Rand Paul] could help bring about the most significant liberalization of sentencing laws since President Richard M. Nixon declared war on drugs.”
3/3
A review of Obama’s record on reforming our ...
A review of Obama’s record on reforming our broken criminal justice system by Bill Keller. With 3 more years to go, can dismantling the drug war and ending mass incarceration be this President’s “defining legacy” ?
2/26
NEW YORKERS: You’ve helped us get closer than ev...
NEW YORKERS: You’ve helped us get closer than ever to finally passing medical marijuana in New York. But right now, our only obstacle is the Senate — and you can make them act.
2/24
The world’s biggest drug kingpin, ‘El ...
The world’s biggest drug kingpin, ‘El Chapo’ Guzman of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, has been arrested. Last month it was reported that the U.S. allowed his cartel to operate unimpeded from 2000 to 2012 in exchange for information on competing cartels. What are your thoughts?
2/18
Great article about police lobbying against change...
Great article about police lobbying against changes to marijuana laws– “Once the politicians created these policies, they simultaneously created a powerful lobby to ensure those policies permanently remain in place, regardless of their efficacy, or of any harmful unintended consequences.”
2/13
Obama wants to stop the school-to-prison pipeline&...
Obama wants to stop the school-to-prison pipeline– let’s start by ending racist drug laws and zero tolerance policies which are criminalizing entire generations of underprivileged children
2/13
JUST RELEASED: You can now stream or download The ...
JUST RELEASED: You can now stream or download The House I Live In with over 60 minutes of new additional material through our website. You’ll receive $1 off when you enter the code “FACEBOOK” at checkout.
2/13
Russel Brand is fronting a new Avaaz petition for ...
Russel Brand is fronting a new Avaaz petition for a full review of UK drugs policy, lead by MP Caroline Lucas.
UK citizens can sign here and help to bring about some positive changes:
2/12
President Obama and AG Holder have made a series o...
President Obama and AG Holder have made a series of moves indicating that they are serious about reducing mass incarceration and fixing our broken criminal justice system. Drug Policy Alliance’s Tony Newman explains seven significant steps made by the administration over the past six months. #NoMoreDrugWar
2/11
AG Holder continues the administration’s ong...
AG Holder continues the administration’s ongoing effort to reform aspects of the criminal justice system by supporting the restoration of voting rights to ex-felons.
2/10
NEW YORKERS: You can help us pass medical marijuan...
NEW YORKERS: You can help us pass medical marijuana in New York! Governor Cuomo has said he will support the legislation once it’s passed, but as patients suffer, our legislative leaders are stalling. Tell legislative leadership to stop criminalizing sick people by passing medical marijuana now.
2/7
On Monday, APM: Marketplace released a piece by Am...
On Monday, APM: Marketplace released a piece by Amanda Aronczyk on the cost of having a family member in prison. The story includes a companion video introducing the documentary film “Criminal: One Family’s Story” by Craft Media
2/5
An insightful radio interview with our Exec Produc...
An insightful radio interview with our Exec Producer Danny Glover from NPR in Detroit promoting a recent screening at The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
2/4
“Communities are devastated because of this ...
“Communities are devastated because of this abject thing called the drug war,” he told The Huffington Post. “Forget the politics. This is the right thing to do.” Gavin Newsome, Lt. Gov of CA
2/4
Vermont’s Green River Pictures produced this...
Vermont’s Green River Pictures produced this heartbreaking short film about heroin abuse and the need to treat addiction as a public health issue. The film is used as an educational tool in schools around the U.S. and is now available in the public domain.
2/3
RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. Fear of criminal prose...
RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. Fear of criminal prosecution increases the risk of overdose deaths. Far too many drug users die needlessly- we need to treat drugs as a public health issue, not a criminal one.
2/1
President Obama on marijuana: “My concern is...
President Obama on marijuana: “My concern is when you end up having very heavy criminal penalties for individual users that have been applied unevenly and in some cases with racial disparity.”
1/31
We need to build momentum for this bill– Tel...
We need to build momentum for this bill– Tell your Congresspeople that you want their support for the Smarter Sentencing Act! Contact information for your local elected officials can be found by entering your zip code on our website: www.thehouseilivein.org
1/30
More good news today– The Obama Administrati...
More good news today– The Obama Administration gives further support for the early release of additional low-level, nonviolent drug offenders from federal prisons.
1/30
BIG NEWS!! The Senate Judiciary Committee has pass...
BIG NEWS!! The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed the bipartisan Smarter Sentencing Act, which can bring the bill to a vote in the near future. This groundbreaking, comprehensive legislation will be a huge step in helping reform our broken drug laws. Let’s get this done!
1/28
The brass at the DEA were not happy about Presiden...
The brass at the DEA were not happy about President Obama’s recent claim that marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol, and that pot laws disproportionately imprison the poor.
We hope Obama will continue his anti-drug war message tonight in his State of the Union speech. It is possible he will address the push for sentencing reform, and possibly go further to strengthen his positioning to enact substantive change.
1/27
“If you’re a middle-class reader, you prob...
“If you’re a middle-class reader, you probably see the justice system as protective. If you’re a young man of color, you may see it as threatening.” — A piece on the indignities perpetrated by police drug searches, which seem “more like rape than law enforcement”
1/24
Another important announcement from AG Holder- the...
Another important announcement from AG Holder- the Fed. government will no longer seek to punish banks doing business with marijuana companies operating legally under state law.
1/23
Breaking News: AG Eric Holder releases an official...
Breaking News: AG Eric Holder releases an official video urging Congress to pass the bi-partisan Smarter Sentencing Act- a bill which would help in giving federal judges more discretion in dealing with drug cases.
1/19
In a recent interview, President Obama said some v...
In a recent interview, President Obama said some very important things about marijuana and our marijuana laws!!!
1) he acknowledged marijuana is no more dangerous to a person’s health than alcohol
2) he said, “We should not be locking up kids or individual users for long stretches of jail time…”
3) and he said it’s important for the new marijuana legalization laws in Colorado and Washington to move forward “because it’s important for society not to have a situation in which a large portion of people have at one time or another broken the law and only a select few get punished.”
1/19
In a recent interview, President Obama said some v...
In a recent interview, President Obama said some very important things about marijuana and our marijuana laws!!!
1) he acknowledged marijuana is no more dangerous to a person’s health than alcohol
2) he said, “We should not be locking up kids or individual users for long stretches of jail time…”
3) and he said it’s important for the new marijuana legalization laws in Colorado and Washington to move forward “because it’s important for society not to have a situation in which a large portion of people have at one time or another broken the law and only a select few get punished.”
1/15
Our film is screening for FREE as part of the Texa...
Our film is screening for FREE as part of the Texas Drug Policy Conference in Dallas on Friday, January 17th at 2PM. There will be a post-screening panel discussion hosted by Mothers Against Teen Violence and moderated by Drug Policy Alliance. This screening is free and open to the public, tell your Texan friends!
1/15
Our film is screening for FREE as part of the Texa...
Our film is screening for FREE as part of the Texas Drug Policy Conference in Dallas on Friday, January 17th at 2PM. There will be a post-screening panel discussion hosted by Mothers Against Teen Violence and moderated by Drug Policy Alliance. This screening is free and open to the public, tell your Texan friends!
1/14
Mexican newspaper El Universal Online has released...
Mexican newspaper El Universal Online has released documents that prove the DEA has allowed the Sinaloa cartel to smuggle billions of dollars of drugs from Mexico into the United States. When will the insanity of the drug war end???? These types of secret government operations are the ultimate slap in the face to the millions of Americans whose lives have been ruined by a non-violent drug charge. #NoMoreDrugWar
1/14
Mexican newspaper El Universal Online has released...
Mexican newspaper El Universal Online has released documents that prove the DEA has allowed the Sinaloa cartel to smuggle billions of dollars of drugs from Mexico into the United States. When will the insanity of the drug war end???? These types of secret government operations are the ultimate slap in the face to the millions of Americans whose lives have been ruined by a non-violent drug charge. #NoMoreDrugWar
1/9
Another big step forward in the fight for common s...
Another big step forward in the fight for common sense drug reform! Last night, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin delivered his State of the State address, and every one of the 34 minutes was devoted to the issue of drug addiction. The House I Live In fully supports the Governor’s emphasis on treating addiction as a matter of public health, and is proud to have helped advise the Governor’s office on his policies. They will help guide Vermont to lower addiction rates, healthier citizens, a better use of state funds, and a compassionate recognition of fellow citizens in need of assistance. Keep an eye on Vermont in 2014!
1/9
Activist Noam Chomsky on the drug war: “The ...
Activist Noam Chomsky on the drug war: “The drug wars are fraud — a total fraud. They have nothing to do with drugs, the price of drugs doesn’t change. What the drug war has succeeded in doing is to criminalize the poor. And the poor in the United States happen to be overwhelming black and Latino.”
1/8
Check out this hilarious clip from The Daily Show ...
Check out this hilarious clip from The Daily Show last night… Bill O’Reilly warns about the dangers of the marijuana-texting industrial complex — special appearance by Dr. Carl Hart!
1/7
Our friend gabriel sayegh (of Drug Policy Alliance...
Our friend gabriel sayegh (of Drug Policy Alliance) talks to Democracy Now! about New York’s opportunity to legalize medical marijuana. Call Gov. Cuomo today (518) 474-8390 and urge him to support comprehensive medical marijuana legislation!
12/4
A great sign that we may soon see an end to the US...
A great sign that we may soon see an end to the US-led global prohibition policy: “A number of countries are pushing for the “war on drugs” to be seen in a different light, which places greater emphasis on treating drug consumption as a public health problem, rather than a criminal justice matter.”
12/3
The absurdity of “Stop And Kiss” is on...
The absurdity of “Stop And Kiss” is only slightly more intrusive than the reality of “Stop And Frisk” — A very funny satire by The Onion
12/3
A reminder that our film is screening for free at ...
A reminder that our film is screening for free at 6PM tonight in Brooklyn, NY. Following the screening there will be a panel moderated by Drug Policy Alliance – come see the film and join in on the conversation #NoMoreDrugWar
12/2
Justice is served in a case which highlights corru...
Justice is served in a case which highlights corruption in the private prison industry — a judge who received over $1 million in kickbacks in exchange for prisoners, will now know the fate of those he has condemned.
12/2
BROOKLYN- You’re invited to a FREE screening...
BROOKLYN- You’re invited to a FREE screening of our film tomorrow night, Tuesday December 3rd! Following the screening there will be a panel hosted by Drug Policy Alliance – New York Office, Voices Of Community Activists & Leaders (VOCAL-NY) and BK Nation. Come see the film and join the discussion #NoMoreDrugWar
12/2
Obama should be pardoning drug war prisoners, not ...
Obama should be pardoning drug war prisoners, not turkeys — Democracy Now! reports on a piece in The Huffington Post by Drug Policy Alliance’s Anthony Papa (read the article here: http://tinyurl.com/oovbj6y)
11/30
“Around the world, the most marginalized gro...
“Around the world, the most marginalized groups in society – from Roma to HIV-positive people to sex workers to drug users – are reluctant to access basic health services because they fear arrest, intimidation and harassment.”
http://www.irinnews.org/report/99204/justice-and-health
11/25
The Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) has b...
The Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) has been trafficking prisoners thousands of miles from where they were originally incarcerated. Grassroots Leadership finds that these transfers are destroying prisoners’ relationships with their families and communities and treating them like commodities.
11/22
“I have to admit it’s a strange feelin...
“I have to admit it’s a strange feeling, at once wonderful and wary, when the attorney general of the United States tells an audience of security ministers — at a conference in a foreign country — that there’s something fundamentally wrong with incarcerating so many people in his own country,” said Ethan Nadelmann from the Drug Policy Alliance
11/21
Very informative article about economic inequality...
Very informative article about economic inequality and its effect on public health.
“While the country as a whole has gotten richer and healthier, the poor have gotten poorer, the middle class has shrunk and Americans without high school diplomas have seen their life expectancy slide back to what it was in the 1950s.”
11/19
Great article about the anticipated progressive fu...
Great article about the anticipated progressive future of drug policy in NYC as a model for the country. Penned by our good friend gabriel sayegh of the Drug Policy Alliance – New York Office
11/18
Attention Ocean City NJ! The Ocean City Free Publi...
Attention Ocean City NJ! The Ocean City Free Public Library and Drug Policy Alliance invite you to a FREE screening of The House I Live In this Wednesday, Nov 20 @ 7pm.
Share how the drug war has touched you or those you know, tell the world your ideas and concerns about American drug policy, or just let your voice be heard and demand an end to the war on drugs.
If you’re interested in showing The House I Live In to your community, please provide some general information and we’ll be in touch to help arrange a screening.