"change the climate" via drugpolicy.org

SHOULD THIS AD BE BANNED?

Just received a press release from Ethan Nadelmann on this pending action.

Drug Policy Alliance, ACLU, Change the Climate, and Marijuana Policy Project are filing a lawsuit against the federal government and the Washington, D.C. transit system. Our lawsuit charges that the D.C. transit system rejected an ad by our coalition because of a new federal law, promoted by Representative Ernest Istook (R-OK), that suppresses free speech. The law prohibits federal funding to any local transit authority that accepts and displays an ad criticizing the government's drug policy. Our forbidden ad, which the D.C. transit system rejected last week, states the facts about the government's severe and wasteful marijuana laws.

...Istook's amendment, which was included in the huge FY 2004 omnibus spending bill, directs Congress to deny federal funds to local transit authorities that display advertisements promoting "the legalization or medical use of any substance listed in schedule I...of the Controlled Substances Act" - including marijuana. The same law also hands over $145 million in taxpayer money for pro-'War on Drugs' advertising - especially anti-marijuana campaigns.

You can check out the complaint here.

US citizens should not have to sue for their right to dissent on misguided public policy, but since the feds apparently don't see it that way, please do what you can to help these organizations protect our First Amendment rights.