Home  Press Releases Worldwide March to End Prohibition, Federal Plaza, Chicago
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Worldwide March to End Prohibition, Federal Plaza, Chicago |
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CHICAGO: Noon - Federal Plaza - Dearborn between Jackson and Adams.
The War on Drugs isn't about drugs, it's about social control, restricting our rights, and misinformation. It causes violence when it purports to protect us.
"Isn't it time we tried something new?" asked Dianna Brickner, Ph.D., Executive Director of Illinois NORML. "The Illinois Department of Corrections reports that in 2002 there were 7,698 sentences and 5,500 prison admissions for the offense Possession of Controlled Substance - Class Four felony."
"With a recidivism rate of nearly 50%, when are we going to learn that making fellow citizens felons and incarcerating them for simply possessing drugs isn't sound policy?"
Given the fact that Illinois leads the nation in racial disparity concerning drug sentencing locking up blacks at a rate of 57 to 1 to whites, according to Human Rights Watch 2000 Illinois should quickly reexamine and reform its drug possession laws. If these laws cannot be enforced without racial consequences, then these laws are unjust.
Get active. There are 45,000 annual cannabis arrests in Illinois, and that is 45,000 too many.
For more information, contact Dianna Brickner at 773-395-9708 or Caren Thomas at 847-293-4862. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 26 May 2006 )
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