[420 Girl]

Want to see something really scary this Halloween? Then check out the alarming rise of cannabis-related arrests in the U.S. in the chart below. YIKES!!

It's a very simple proposition. Police have limited budgets, manpower, and resources. If they place a high priority on the arrest and prosecution of non-violent cannabis users, they simply can't address other areas of real concern, including predatory and violent crimes. Every minute spent arresting a cannabis user is a minute that law enforcement can't use to address rape, assault, break-ins, and domestic violence. Sadly, a marijuana consumer is arrested every 38 seconds in America.

But surely police no longer arrest cannabis consumers, focusing instead on the production and distribution of hard drugs and other legitimate public safety concerns, right? Unfortunately, a recent article by NORML Senior Policy Analyst Paul Armentano reveals a very different tale. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report released on September 24th of this year, police arrested a record 829,625 persons for marijuana violations in 2006, representing "the highest annual total ever recorded and nearly three times the number of citizens busted 15 years ago." ( see chart below ) Want to know the scariest part: 89% of these arrests are for simple possession. BOO!!

How can you find out all of this frighteningly useful information? You can read it online at MAP: The Media Awareness Project, along with over 187,000 drug policy-related articles aimed at increasing public awareness about this failed and expensive war on our personal rights and freedoms.*

This Halloween, ignore statistical "tricks" used by the federal government to make it look like prohibition is working, and instead send a "treat" to help DrugSense bring an end to the arrest of non-violent cannabis users.

To donate quickly and easily online, please click here: DrugSense: Drug Law Reform - DrugSense: Drug Policy Reform Contributions. All on-line donations are secure, private and tax-deductible.

You can also make your check or money order payable to DrugSense and mail it to:

DrugSense

14252 Culver Dr #328

Irvine, CA 92604-0326

REMEMBER, you can easily repeat your donation every month, quarter, or half year to provide DrugSense with automatic, recurring support. ( DrugSense: Drug Law Reform - DrugSense: Drug Policy Reform Contributions ) Please sign up for whatever you can afford.

Thank you again for working to end the irrational war on drugs and for supporting DrugSense/MAP.

Mark Greer, Executive Director

* You can find Paul's article from AlterNet at: US: Web: 10 Million Americans Busted for Pot: Enough Is Enough.

YEAR : MARIJUANA ARRESTS

2006 : 829,625

2005 : 786,545

2004 : 771,608

2003 : 755,187

2002 : 697,082

2001 : 723,627

2000 : 734,498

1999 : 704,812

1998 : 682,885

1997 : 695,200

1996 : 641,642

1995 : 588,963

1994 : 499,122

1993 : 380,689

1992 : 342,314

1991 : 287,850

1990 : 326,850

Chart of U.S. cannabis arrests per year from 1990-2006.

Mark Greer is the Executive Director of DrugSense and the Media Awareness Project ( MAP ) Inc.

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/in...lly-scary.html