Home : Drug Policy

U.S. Supreme Court Weighs 100-to-1 Disparity in Crack/Powder Cocaine Sentencing (10/02/2007)
WASHINGTON - The United States Supreme Court heard arguments today regarding the ability of judges to depart from the notorious 100-to-1 crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, Kimbrough v. U.S., arguing that federal judges have discretion under existing law to reject this disparity and issue more lenient sentences than those called for by federal sentencing guidelines for crack offenses.

Members of Congress Ask DEA to Stop Obstructing Medical Marijuana Research (09/18/2007)
Washington, D.C. – A letter signed by 45 members of the U.S. House of Representatives will be delivered today to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) demanding an end to the obstruction of scientific research aimed at developing marijuana as a legal prescription medicine.

ACLU Announces Legal Challenge to First-Ever Random Drug Testing Policy for Public School Educators (09/14/2007)
HONOLULU -- The American Civil Liberties Union is convening a series of local events to announce its legal challenge to a state policy that will randomly drug test many public school employees, including teachers, librarians and many administrative workers. Saying that the drug testing program violates adults’ constitutional right to privacy, is ineffective and costly, the ACLU is currently seeking Hawaii public school employees to participate in a lawsuit against the State that will soon be filed in federal court.

Coalition Launches Public Education Initiative to Bring Fairness to Crack Cocaine Sentencing (08/09/2007)
WASHINGTON – A coalition of criminal justice advocacy organizations is launching "It's Not Fair. It's Not Working," a national effort to reform the 100-to-1 federal sentencing disparity ratio between crack and powder cocaine which results in excessive mandatory minimum sentences for first-time possession of small amounts of crack cocaine. The initiative will officially launch at the National Association of Black Journalists 32nd Annual Convention August 8-12, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Students in Kent County School Drug Sweep Case Win Landmark Settlement (08/06/2007)
KENT COUNTY, MD - Three years after taking a courageous stand against excessive police action at their public high school, two young women from Kent County have won what the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland is calling the most significant settlement of a school search case in Maryland history - including $285,000 in monetary damages and written apologies from both the school system and Sheriff's Department.

As Major Medical Marijuana Vote Nears, Congressional Scrutiny of DEA Reaches Fever Pitch (07/25/2007)
Washington, DC - The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote today on an amendment that would prohibit the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from raiding and arresting medical marijuana patients and providers in states that have made medical marijuana legal under state law. The "Hinchey Amendment," offered by U.S. House of Representatives member Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) during consideration of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, would prevent the U.S. Department of Justice from spending funds to interfere with medical marijuana in any state that has authorized medical marijuana use.

Congress Scrutinizes the Use of Informants in Drug Law Enforcement Following Accidental Shooting of 92-Year-Old Woman (07/19/2007)
WASHINGTON – The House Judiciary Committee held hearings today to examine the dangers of the informant system as used in drug law enforcement. Today’s hearing was prompted by the tragic death of a 92-year-old Atlanta woman, Kathryn Johnston, who was shot during a botched SWAT raid of her home. The raid was based on information fabricated by police, who falsely attributed the misinformation to a confidential informant. Civil rights advocates and members of Congress called for an overhaul of the informant system, instituting oversight mechanisms and safeguards to prevent future injustices.

Court Upholds Law Making Marijuana Santa Barbara’s Lowest Law Enforcement Priority (07/10/2007)
SANTA BARBARA, CA - The American Civil Liberties Union applauded today’s ruling by a California Superior Court judge to uphold a voter-enacted initiative that directs police to focus resources on serious crime by making marijuana use the lowest law enforcement priority. Citing California’s ban on lawsuits that punish public participation in the political process, the court dismissed the city of Santa Barbara’s challenge of the law, known as Measure P, which was brought against Heather Poet because she was the proponent of the challenged initiative.

ACLU Applauds Governor for Signing Texas’ First Needle Exchange Bill (06/14/2007)
AUSTIN – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas today applauded Governor Rick Perry for signing a Medicaid reform bill authorizing the first legal needle exchange program in Texas. The new law brings Texas up to date with most other states in the nation by starting a safe, legal needle exchange pilot program in Bexar County this fall.