326 lines
13 KiB
Standard ML
326 lines
13 KiB
Standard ML
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POT PROHIBITION...?
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JUST SAY...
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NORML
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF MARIJUANA LAWS
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The government claims you have no right to use pot, NORML
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disagrees. The Constitution guarantees rights to the
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people, not the Vice Squads.
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Did you know that:
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. Over 350,000 Americans a year are arrested on
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marijuana charges?
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. Marijuana eradication has cost California's economy
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over $450 million a year?
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. Marijuana decriminalization, in the past, has saved
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Californians $100 million a year?
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. The primary cause of drug accidents and violence is
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alcohol, not marijuana?
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. Urine tests register positive for marijuana 1-4 weeks
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after smoking?
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STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT
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OF HAPPINESS. DON'T JUST TAKE "NO" FOR AN ANSWER!
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For free information on marijuana, marijuana laws, and
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drug testing contact:
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NORML
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8749 Holloway Dr.
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West Hollywood, CA. 90069
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(213)652-8654
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NORML
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF MARIJUANA LAWS
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WHAT IS NORML?
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NORML is a non-profit, tax exempt educational organization
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supported by tax-deductible contributions from the general
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public.
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NORML provides the public with up-to-date, verifiable
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information about marijuana, the laws relating to
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marijuana, and the effects they have on American society.
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We respond to requests for information about marijuana
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from students, reporters, legislators, researchers,
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lawyers, health professionals, members and the general
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public every working day.
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ARE THERE LOCAL CHAPTERS?
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At the local level, NORML chapters work to educate the
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public and publicize the services NORML offers. Active
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members pass out educational materials, post notices,
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donate publications to libraries, hold public forums,
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write letters-to-the-editor, monitor court proceedings,
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and stage local demonstration.
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Working with a chapter, or alone, NORML members help raise
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public consciousness on the marijuana issue locally by
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participating in public affairs in their community.
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NORML ON DRUG ABUSE
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NORML is an outspoken critic of federal policy calling for
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harsh punishment for marijuana users. NORML favors a
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system of legal civil regulation and control of marijuana.
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Some who support the current system mislabel this position
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as "pro-drug".
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NORML does not advocate the use of any drug, not even
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marijuana. At the same time, NORML supports a system under
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which marijuana may be legally obtained. NORML
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distinguishes between the use and abuse of drugs, and
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notes it is only possible to discourage abuse if there is
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some legitimate control over distribution.
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(CONTINUED)
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NORML ON DRUG ABUSE - (Continued)
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We believe that consistency is a true mark of integrity.
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Marijuana is less dangerous than many commonly used
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substances. It is hypocritical to ban marijuana, while at
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the same time selling alcohol and tobacco.
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WHAT NORML DOES
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NORML's primary function is to serve the public. We
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respond to dozens of phone calls and letters every day
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requesting information on:
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. MARIJUANA AND HEALTH
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. MARIJUANA LAWS
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. THE LEGALIZATION DEBATE
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. URINALYSIS
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. REFERRALS TO LOCAL ATTORNEYS
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. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
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. LOCAL MARIJUANA REFORM ORANIZATIONS
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. RESEARCH CONCERNING DRUGS
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. LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
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. EFFORTS TO CHANGE PENALTIES
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. AND OTHER RELATED TOPICS
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Our national staff is aided by hundreds of volunteers
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across the country in the effort to inform the American
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public on topics relating to marijuana.
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Volunteers also help us distribute publications prepared
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by our staff. Last year NORML distributed thousands of
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brochures and magazines about marijuana to the general
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public, including donations to schools and local
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libraries.
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NORML works with people. We counsel individuals, providing
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them with information and advice or referring them to
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people who can. We work with individuals to help them
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accomplish goals - whether they want to prepare for school
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assignments, or organize their friends to work for reform.
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The most important of all our activities is NORML's
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ongoing effort to record the stories of Americans whose
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lives have been damaged by Marijuana prohibition. The pain
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of a jail sentence, a false urinalysis test, and the
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inability to obtain marijuana for its medicinal
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properties, are measures of the profound effect marijuana
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prohibition has had on American society. NORML preserves
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the record of this tragic injustice, a record best
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expressed in human terms.
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HOW NORML REACTS
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When people started to question the logic of
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criminalizing marijuana in 1970, NORML persuaded the
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public to agree that adults shouldn't go to jail for
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marijuana use. NORML helped 11 states decriminalize
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marijuana possession, and works to keep those laws in
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place.
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In 1972, when research indicated that marijuana possessed
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potential medical value, NORML filed a lawsuit to compel
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the government to recognize marijuana's therapeutic uses.
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NORML helped persuade 33 states to adopt laws allowing
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marijuana's medical use. On September 6,1988, DEA
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Administrative Law Judge Francis Young decided the suit
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in NORML's favor making marijuana medically available.
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When in became clear that lies were being told about the
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health effects of marijuana, such as the case of its
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reputed ill-effect on the immune system reported in the
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mid 1970's, NORML reacted by gathering facts, analysis,
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and research from eminent experts to refute this typical
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scare story.
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When the government advocated spraying Paraquat on
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marijuana in the United States, NORML led the public
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outcry which halted the program. NORML demanded and won
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an injunction against the spraying until the completion
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of proper enviormental study, which established reasonable
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safeguards for use of any herbicide in marijuana
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eradication, and effectivly shutting down the use of
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Paraquat for marijuana eradication in the United States.
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When government para-military forces invaded Northern
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California, and engaged in improper search and seizure,
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harassment, and other illegal tactics in an anti-marijuana
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campaign. NORML worked with local attorneys to win a
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federal court order restraining the federal Campaign
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Against Marijuana Planting (C.A.M.P.) program to ensure
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compliance with the law.
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When urinalysis testing became widespread several years
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ago, NORML became a clearinghouse for legal and technical
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information, including information about recent
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developments. NORML also launched a lawsuit challenging
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the legality of the military's testing program.
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(CONTINUED)
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HOW NORML REACTS (Cont.)
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When misuse of inaccurate urinalysis results became
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apparent, NORML successfully petitioned the FDA to prevent
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marketing of over-the-counter urine test kits, and to
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stiffen the regulatory requirements of kits sold to
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laboratories.
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As discontent about urinalysis testing grew, NORML has
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held protests to demonstrate the opposition of much of the
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public to testing. NORML continues to be a leader in the
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fight for civil rights and privacy against urine testing.
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THE MARIJUANA ISSUE - WHY EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT
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The policy of jailing people for marijuana use is based
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on the premise that marijuana is a "dangerous" drug. Yet
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commissions appointed by the British government in 1898,
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the city of New York in 1944, the U.S. government in 1972,
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the Canadian government in 1974, the Austrailian
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government in 1977, the United States government again in
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1982, and the British government in 1982 as well, have
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consistently refuted that notion.
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Efforts to stiffen marijuana penalties, or recriminalize
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marijuana in some states, are based on the claim that
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marijuana is more potent today, and therefore more
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dangerous. Prohibitionists contend that more potent
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marijuana renders previous research, including the work
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of the commissions mentioned above, irrelevant.
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Yet, the fact is that potent marijuana has always been
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around. Prohibition has driven the market to make potent
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pot more widely available than before, since it is more
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profitable. As with alcohol, however, marijuana smokers
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compensate for higher potency by using less.
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Unlike alcohol, and most other drugs, marijuana has an
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extremely low toxicity - it is impossible to die from an
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overdose of marijuana. Marijuana has been used by humans
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for thousands of years. Marijuana has not changed in the
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last ten years, although the arguments used to justify the
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prohibition have changed.
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Ignorance about marijuana and its use have been
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responsible for the unnecessary and unjust arrests of
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300,000 - 400,000 American citizens each year over the
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last 15 years. Since 1965, over 8 million people have been
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arrested for a marijuana "crime".
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(CONTINUED)
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THE MARIJUANA ISSUE - (Cont.)
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Without public education, our government bases its
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policies on discredited information. Without public
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education, social leaders disseminate inaccurate and
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distorted information. Without public education, failed
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policies remain popular. This is why NORML is so important
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today. Please, join.
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HOW SHOULD YOU REACT
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GET VOCAL!!! Tell your legislators, and your Congressmen
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you believe marijuana, and marijuana users should be
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excluded from the "War on Drugs"
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JOIN NORML!!!! Send in the coupon on this page, along with
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your $25 annual membership to:
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NORML
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Suite #640
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2001 'S' Street NW
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Washington DC, 20009
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NORML's activities are funded by Tax-Deductible
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contributions from the public. Please give generously.
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NAME:--------------------------------------------
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ADDRESS:-----------------------------------------
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CITY/ST/ZIP:-------------------------------------
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[] Regular Membership: $25
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[] Low-Income Membership: $15
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[] Family Membership: $35
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Contributions: []$250 []$100 []$
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Membership includes a subscription to THE LEAFLET, special
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product offerings, and more!
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