DrugSense & MAP and International Drug Policy Reform
by Mark Greer (26 May, 2006)

Thanks to DrugSense and the Media Awareness Project, the drug war can be discredited When Mexican President Vincente Fox bowed to U.S. pressure and refused to sign a bill that would have legalized the personal possession of all drugs, DrugSense was there. When England nearly re-criminalized the adult possession of cannabis, DrugSense was there. When American and Canadian activists, researchers, politicians and drug policy reformers organized a counter-symposium in Montreal to protest the DEA's International Drug Enforcement Conference, DrugSense was there. Whether it's decriminalization efforts in Mexico or Canada, the rejection of drug interdiction funding by Latin America, or ongoing harm reduction efforts in Europe, DrugSense and the Media Awareness Project (MAP) is there to help organize these international efforts. For example, we created a Canadian media contact list for the recent IDEC counter-conference in Montreal using our powerful and comprehensive Media Contact on Demand Coverage of this conference was then tracked through our MAP DrugNews Archive of drug-related articles from around the world, which now tops 164,000 clippings and counting! In fact, about half of the news articles received and posted by MAP are from outside of the U.S., and DrugSense has been integral in starting up Canadian, German, French, and Dutch versions of its popular Media Awareness Project. The progress made by other nations toward evidence-based drug policy may represent one of the best tools to push for positive change in the U.S. So, although DrugSense/MAP continues to focus on American drug policy reform, we have long been aware of the importance of assisting reformers all over the world. But, if DrugSense/MAP is to continue to provide news and services to the international drug policy reform community, and to use international pressure to push for U.S. reform, we need your help. Act now! Due to the generosity of a long time DrugSense sponsor, we have secured a matching funds grant! This means that anything you contribute to DrugSense and the Media Awareness Project RIGHT NOW will be matched, thus doubling the effective amount of your contribution. Please donate today! Our secure server accepts credit card and Paypal account payments. Checks should be made payable to DrugSense and mailed to: DrugSense 14252 Culver Dr #328 Irvine, CA 92604-0326 Please note that DrugSense is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent provided by law! Thank you again, merci, gracias, danke, dank u, grazie for working to end the international war on drugs, and for supporting DrugSense/MAP. • Mark Greer, Executive Director