http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/feed.xml Visit ACLU.org to learn more and get involved. en-us 10 2008-08-20T05:47:41-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/36222prs20080731.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the American Civil Liberties Union expressed its disappointment in Congress for failing to repeal the aid elimination penalty in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). The aid elimination penalty bars students with drug convictions – often minor, first time and misdemeanor offenses – from receiving critical college aid. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/36222prs20080731.html 2008-07-31T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/35964prs20080711.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union applauded a federal appellate court ruling today that school officials violated the constitutional rights of a 13-year-old Arizona girl when they strip searched her based on a classmate’s uncorroborated accusation that she possessed ibuprofen. Today’s 6-5 ruling from an en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reverses an earlier decision by a divided three-judge panel of the same court. Eight of the eleven judges on the en banc court held that the strip search violated Savana’s constitutional rights, and a six-judge majority further held that the school official who ordered the search is not entitled to immunity as a result of his actions. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/35964prs20080711.html 2008-07-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/35894prs20080707.html?s_src=RSS VIENNA, Austria – The American Civil Liberties Union today joins a diverse coalition of civil and human rights organizations participating in the United Nations’ “Beyond 2008 Forum,” a historic opportunity to assess the past decade of international drug policy and to shape its future course. The ACLU and others will speak to the inability of current, principally punitive drug policies to reduce the supply of or demand for illicit drugs, as well as the significant violence, health problems, and civil and human rights violations directly attributable to these policies. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/35894prs20080707.html 2008-07-07T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/racialjustice/35721prs20080618.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union calls on Congress to reform a Department of Justice grant program as part of today’s markup of HR 3546, reauthorizing the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. This program funds hundreds of regional anti-drug task forces that perpetuate racial disparities, police corruption, over-incarceration and civil rights abuses in large and small towns across America. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/racialjustice/35721prs20080618.html 2008-06-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/35183prs20080506.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is conducting the latest in a series of regional summits designed to convince local educators to begin drug testing students randomly and without cause – a policy unsupported by the available science and opposed by leading experts in adolescent health, including the Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association, the Association of Addiction Professionals and the National Association of Social Workers. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/35183prs20080506.html 2008-05-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/34657prs20080326.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO - A federal appellate court today heard oral arguments over the constitutionality of a strip search performed on a 13-year-old Arizona girl by school officials looking for ibuprofen. A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled the search constitutional on September 21, 2007, greatly expanding the circumstances under which schools may strip search students. That decision will now be reviewed by the full Ninth Circuit. The American Civil Liberties Union is co-counsel in the case. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/34657prs20080326.html 2008-03-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/34512prs20080313.html?s_src=RSS The Washington Supreme Court today unanimously found that Wahkiakum School District’s policy of suspicionless urine testing for students who participate in extracurricular athletic activities is unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington challenged the suspicionless testing program on behalf of two families in the district, including a deputy sheriff and an emergency room doctor. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/34512prs20080313.html 2008-03-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/34294prs20080303.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO - In legal papers delivered today, the American Civil Liberties Union joined an ongoing case to represent a 13-year-old girl unconstitutionally strip searched by school officials after a classmate’s uncorroborated accusation of ibuprofen possession. A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the search constitutional on September 21, 2007. The panel’s 2-1 decision, which greatly expands the circumstances under which schools may strip search students, will now be reviewed by the full Ninth Circuit. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/34294prs20080303.html 2008-03-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34204prs20080226.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – On Tuesday, February 26, activists from around the country, civil rights and professional organizations stood together to call for much-needed reform to the country’s federal sentencing laws. This press briefing and lobby event marked the culmination of a month-long series of events aimed at addressing the 20-year-old sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. According to current guidelines, a conviction for the sale of 500 grams of powder cocaine results in a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence, while the same penalty is triggered for sale or possession of only 5 grams of crack cocaine. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/34204prs20080226.html 2008-02-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/34085prs20080212.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The ACLU submitted testimony to the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs of the Senate Judiciary Committee for today’s hearing, titled "Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws: Reforming the 100-to-1 Crack/Powder Disparity." The purpose of this hearing is to address the wide disparity between federal sentencing guidelines for crack versus powder cocaine. October 2006 marked the 20th anniversary of the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act. In the years since its passage, many of the myths surrounding crack cocaine have been dispelled, and it has become clear that there is no scientific or penological justification for the 100-to-1 disparity. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/34085prs20080212.html 2008-02-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/33893prs20080201.html?s_src=RSS HONOLULU – A diverse group of legal and labor experts and public school educators delivered a letter to Governor Linda Lingle today demanding that she retract legally baseless threats to withhold teachers’ pay raises. In response to the Board of Education’s decision last week not to divert money from Hawaii’s classrooms to fund a random teacher drug testing program, Lingle threatened to deny teachers a pay raise included in their current contract. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/33893prs20080201.html 2008-02-01T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33825prs20080128.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union criticized remarks Attorney General Michael Mukasey made on Friday suggesting he would seek to derail a decision by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to apply recent changes in federal crack cocaine sentencing guidelines retroactively. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33825prs20080128.html 2008-01-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/33833prs20080125.html?s_src=RSS HONOLULU – The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the Hawaii State Board of Education for its decision not to fund the random drug testing of Hawaii’s educators. In a unanimous vote yesterday evening, the Board of Education rejected a motion that would have allocated $400,000 just to initiate the random testing policy – additional funds would be necessary to conduct the actual random tests. In response to the Board’s decision, Governor Linda Lingle today threatened to withhold a wage increase included in the teachers’ union’s most recent contract. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/33833prs20080125.html 2008-01-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/33913prs20080117.html?s_src=RSS CARLSBAD, NM – A paraplegic man is suing Eddy County Sheriff's deputies for seizing marijuana plants and equipment to grow marijuana, which he uses to control pain resulting from a spinal cord injury. Leonard French received a license to cultivate and use small quantities of marijuana for medicinal purposes from the state of New Mexico under the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, which represents French, says the deputies' actions violated not only that law, but also state forfeiture laws and a constitutional prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/33913prs20080117.html 2008-01-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33536prs20080107.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union Washington Legislative Office, a non-partisan organization, believes Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) was mistaken when she called ending mandatory minimum sentences a controversial position. The organization urges all candidates, from all parties, to oppose mandatory minimum sentencing and support legislation to close the sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33536prs20080107.html 2008-01-07T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33269prs20071218.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today joined Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) at a press conference calling for a fix to the unfair federal crack cocaine sentencing policy. The ACLU also urged Congress to support Rep. Jackson-Lee’s recently introduced legislation, H.R. 4545, the “Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007.” This bill would eliminate sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine as well as the current mandatory minimum for simple possession. In addition, the legislation establishes grants for drug treatment programs, gives the U.S. Sentencing Commission discretion to review sentencing enhancements for crack offenses, and attempts to focus federal resources on major drug dealers. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33269prs20071218.html 2007-12-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33139prs20071211.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s decision to apply recent changes in federal crack cocaine sentencing guidelines retroactively. Thousands of offenders were sentenced under the previous guidelines, which unfairly and erroneously required them to serve more than the mandatory minimum sentence required by law. Thanks to the USSC’s decision, such offenders will now have the opportunity to appear before the court and have their case reviewed by a judge. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33139prs20071211.html 2007-12-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33094prs20071210.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – By a 7-2 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today in Kimbrough v. United States that it is no longer mandatory for federal judges to adhere to the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which provide for disparate sentences for crack and cocaine offenses. The United States Sentencing Commission has itself rejected the 100:1 disparity as unreasonable. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/33094prs20071210.html 2007-12-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/32960prs20071203.html?s_src=RSS Washington, D.C. – The American Civil Liberties Union today reiterated its support of retroactivity for defendants serving longer sentences than required by federal law after the question was raised in this weekend’s presidential debate. The United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) last month changed federal sentencing guidelines to make sure people would not serve more than the federal mandatory minimum sentence for crack offenses. The USSC is now considering whether to make those changes to the guidelines retroactive, applying them to offenders currently in prison, not just those who were arrested before the new guidelines were implemented. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/32960prs20071203.html 2007-12-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/32794prs20071115.html?s_src=RSS HONOLULU – The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Governor Lingle’s refusal to retract a policy that will subject as many as 13,500 public school employees, including teachers,librarians and many administrative workers to random drug testing. Saying that the drug testing program violates adults’ constitutional right to privacy and is ineffective and costly, the ACLU announced today that it will file suit imminently in federal court. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/32794prs20071115.html 2007-11-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/32733prs20071113.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – On November 1, as a result of corrective action by the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), the federal sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine were brought back in line with the mandatory minimum statute. The ACLU now urges the USSC to take the additional step of making such changes retroactive, a move that would go a long way toward increasing parity and justice in cocaine sentencing. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/32733prs20071113.html 2007-11-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/32518prs20071101.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today praised the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC) for taking action to bring the guideline ranges for crack cocaine federal sentences back in line with the mandatory minimum statute. As a result of the previous guidelines, crack cocaine defendants sentenced to the mandatory minimums often served many more months than required by the law for their offense. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/32518prs20071101.html 2007-11-01T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/32089prs20071004.html?s_src=RSS HONOLULU - The American Civil Liberties Union served Governor Lingle a formal demand letter today calling for an end to the State’s plan to randomly drug test many public school employees, including teachers and librarians. The ACLU has so far been contacted by more than 150 educators seeking to challenge the random drug testing policy. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/32089prs20071004.html 2007-10-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/32050prs20071002.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/32050prs20071002.html 2007-10-02T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/31863prs20070918.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/31863prs20070918.html 2007-09-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/31851prs20070914.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/testing/31851prs20070914.html 2007-09-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/31253prs20070809.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/31253prs20070809.html 2007-08-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/32399prs20070806.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/search/32399prs20070806.html 2007-08-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/30942prs20070725.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/30942prs20070725.html 2007-07-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/racialjustice/30757prs20070719.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/racialjustice/30757prs20070719.html 2007-07-19T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/30449prs20070710.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/30449prs20070710.html 2007-07-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/harm/30151prs20070614.html?s_src=RSS 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. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/harm/30151prs20070614.html 2007-06-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/29857prs20070523.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON D.C. – A U.S. Department of Justice-appointed judge submitted her final recommendation to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on May 15, calling on the agency to end a forty-year government monopoly on the supply of research-grade marijuana available for Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved studies. With this monopoly broken, new studies could lead to medical marijuana’s availability in pharmacies as a legal, prescription drug. DEA Deputy Administrator Michele Leonhart must now accept the judge’s recommendation in order for the ruling to take effect, though she has no deadline for doing so and may choose to reject the recommendation. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/29857prs20070523.html 2007-05-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/29745prs20070515.html?s_src=RSS Washington, DC - The ACLU today responded to the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s release of its 2007 Report to Congress on Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy. Under current law, distribution of just five grams of crack cocaine carries a minimum five-year federal prison sentence; distribution of 500 grams of powder cocaine carries the same sentence. This 100:1 sentencing disparity has devastated African-American and low-income communities, targeting low-level offenders while failing to address the larger problem of the drug trade. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/sentencing/29745prs20070515.html 2007-05-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/harm/29639prs20070508.html?s_src=RSS SANTA BARBARA, CA – Citing California’s ban on strategic lawsuits against public participation (“SLAPP”), the American Civil Liberties Union today moved to dismiss a legal challenge brought by the Santa Barbara City Council seeking to thwart a new law, enacted through voter initiative, that directs police to focus resources on violent and serious crime by making marijuana use the lowest law enforcement priority. The Council’s lawsuit was brought against the initiative’s sponsor based solely on her participation in the political process. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/harm/29639prs20070508.html 2007-05-08T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/29539prs20070428.html?s_src=RSS Washington - In a public hearing Friday evening, the United States Sentencing Commission voted to amend the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for federal crack cocaine offenses. Distributing just five grams of crack for example, carries a minimum five-year federal prison sentence, while distributing 500 grams of powder cocaine carries the same sentence. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/29539prs20070428.html 2007-04-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/youth/29383prs20070416.html?s_src=RSS ST. LOUIS, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed an appeal asking that a federal court be compelled to weigh the full body of evidence in determining the constitutional validity of a provision of the Higher Education Act that denies financial aid to students convicted of a drug offense. The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota dismissed the case last year after refusing to consider significant legislative history demonstrating the law to be unconstitutional. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/youth/29383prs20070416.html 2007-04-16T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/28344prs20070213.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union applauded a ruling issued by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration judge that recommends ending the federal government’s sixty-five year monopoly on the supply of marijuana available for Food and Drug Administration-approved medical research. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/28344prs20070213.html 2007-02-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/27521prs20061122.html?s_src=RSS OLYMPIA, WA - The Washington Supreme Court today rejected a seriously ill woman’s plea to use medical marijuana to alleviate chronic pain, even though she had a doctor’s written recommendation. The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington said the 6-3 ruling points to the need to clarify the state’s medical marijuana law to ensure that patients are able to exercise their rights. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/27521prs20061122.html 2006-11-22T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/27446prs20061116.html?s_src=RSS SAN DIEGO - Medical marijuana patients around the country scored a major win today, as a California Superior Court judge issued a preliminary ruling that state medical marijuana laws can co-exist with the federal law that prohibits all use. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/27446prs20061116.html 2006-11-16T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/27397prs20061114.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON - Jesselyn McCurdy, Legislative Counsel at the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, testified today at a public hearing held by the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) about the continued unfairness and racial impact of federal drug sentencing policy. Despite repeated recommendations by the USSC, Congress has not addressed a 100-to-1 sentencing disparity between distribution of powder and crack cocaine. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/gen/27397prs20061114.html 2006-11-14T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/27194prs20061026.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – To mark the 20th anniversary of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, the American Civil Liberties Union today issued the report, “Cracks in the System: Twenty Years of the Unjust Federal Crack Cocaine Law.” The report details discriminatory effects of the drug law that devastated African American and low-income communities. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/27194prs20061026.html 2006-10-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/26803prs20060919.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House of Representatives to protect students’ Fourth Amendment rights and reject a bill granting schools broad authority to search students and their personal belongings. H.R. 5295, the “Student Teacher Safety Act of 2006,” would allow school officials to conduct random, wide-scale searches of students without having any individualized suspicion that a particular student is participating in criminal activity or breaking school rules. http://www.aclu.org/crimjustice/juv/26803prs20060919.html 2006-09-19T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/26388prs20060804.html?s_src=RSS SAN DIEGO – A San Diego Superior Court ruled today that lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans for Safe Access and the Drug Policy Alliance will be permitted to intervene in a lawsuit brought by several California counties seeking to thwart the state’s Compassionate Use Act, which makes medical marijuana legal for patients with a doctor’s recommendation. The groups joined the case on behalf of medical marijuana patients and their caregivers and doctors in order to assure their adequate representation in the legal proceedings. http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/medmarijuana/26388prs20060804.html 2006-08-04T12:00:00-05:00 CrownPeak CMS