NORML Weekly Press Release

1001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
202-483-8751 (p)
202-483-0057 (f)
www.norml.org
foundation@norml.org


March 16, 2000

Federal Marijuana Sentences Decline

    Washington, DC: According to a recent report by Syracuse University's 
Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), the average prison 
sentence for a federal marijuana conviction has declined significantly 
since 1992.
    In 1998, there were more federal arrests for marijuana than any other 
drug, and marijuana cases accounted for a third of all federal drug 
convictions. 
    TRAC analyzed data provided by the U.S. Justice Department, the 
Administrative Office of the Courts and the U.S. Sentencing Commission 
for the study. 
    Further, the report found that two-thirds of all U.S. Customs cases 
involve marijuana. Customs cases accounted for 21 percent of all federal 
drug cases.
    Federal drug arrests and convictions were shown to be increasing while 
the length of prison sentences were declining. Between 1992 and 1998 the 
average prison sentence for a federal drug offense fell 22 percent, from 
86 months to 67 months. 
    Marc Mauer, assistant director of the Sentencing Project, credits the 
decline of prison sentences to changes in sentencing laws in 1994 that 
allow judges to give first-time, non-violent drug convicts a reduction in 
mandatory minimum prison sentences -- a so-called "safety valve." 
    "It took a couple years for the effect to become apparent, but what's 
been demonstrated there, which is what many people had suspected, is that 
there are considerable numbers of low-level drug offenders in the federal 
system, and judges have taken advantage of the safety valve to give them 
less time," Mauer said.
    For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Foundation 
Executive Director at (202) 483-8751 or Marc Mauer of the Sentencing 
Project at (202) 628-0871.


    Industrial Hemp Study Approved By Kentucky House 

    Frankfort, KY: The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a bill this 
Wednesday allowing universities with agricultural programs to study the 
growth and market potential of industrial hemp. The universities will 
still have to gain approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration in 
order to plant a crop.
    House Bill 855, which would have permitted farmers to grow hemp with 
tetrahydrocannabinol levels of less than one percent, was amended to 
allow only for the university study for now. If the results of the study 
are favorable, farmers would be able to grow hemp after July 15, 2002.
    "I'm disappointed that we are postponing an opportunity that could help 
farmers and agriculture in this state for two years or longer, mostly out 
of fear and misunderstanding," said Rep. Steve Nunn (R-Glasgow).
    The bill has been sent to the Senate for consideration.
    For more information, please contact Tom Dean, Esq., NORML Foundation 
Litigation Director at (202) 483-8751.


NORML Builds Case Against ONDCP For Violating Anti-Payola Laws 

    Washington, DC: NORML Foundation Litigation Director Tom Dean, Esq., 
filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, on 
NORML's behalf on February 17, against the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy (ONDCP) and television networks for their particiption in 
a program where the ONDCP would offer additional advertising dollars if 
network programs had anti-drug messages embedded in their programming. 
    The complaint asks the FCC to sanction the ONDCP and the networks 
involved for their continued violations of the anti-payola law set forth 
in the Federal Communications Act. 
    This week, the ONDCP responded to a January Freedom of Information Act 
request, seeking all pertinent information about the program, by sending 
hundreds of documents pertaining to the program and its intent. 
    A booklet titled, "The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign - 
Communication Strategy Statement" published by the ONDCP stated, "The 
communication objectives of the campaign should focus on altering those 
mediating variables (including knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors) that 
are known to have significant impact on adolescent drug use."
    "The stated purpose of this propaganda campaign is to control the very 
things that make society free," Dean said. "The fact that this program is 
carried out secretly, by tampering with the content of popular television 
programs, underscores the federal governments complete lack of respect 
for the law and citizens' right to self-determination."
    For more information, please contact Tom Dean, NORML Foundation 
Litigation Director at (202) 483-8751. To view NORML's complaint to the 
FCC, along with informative supplemental information regarding the ONDCP 
program, please visit http://norml.org/news/fcc_complaint

-end-

Las Vegas NORML
P.O. Box 34473
Las Vegas, NV 89133
Ph: (702) 380-7869
www.lvnorml.com

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