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Push Back Regressive Drug Laws

In her latest post, my boss Katrina vanden Heuvel highlights efforts to have New York State's draconian Rockefeller drug laws taken off the books. Tomorrow, March 10, thousands of people are expected to convene in Albany for the Drop the Rock Advocacy Day to convince lawmakers to enact repeal.

Here's how you can help:

There's still time to catch a bus to Albany to join the action.

Peter Rothberg

March 9, 2009

In her latest post, my boss Katrina vanden Heuvel highlights efforts to have New York State’s draconian Rockefeller drug laws taken off the books. Tomorrow, March 10, thousands of people are expected to convene in Albany for the Drop the Rock Advocacy Day to convince lawmakers to enact repeal.

Here’s how you can help:

There’s still time to catch a bus to Albany to join the action.

Email or post the campaign’s flyer.

Sign a petition to demand repeal of the law.

Host a Drop the Rock presentation at your organization, school, church or community center.

The Rockefeller drug laws laws are both terribly unjust and remarkably counter-productive. The legislation combined two regressive criminal justice trends into a punitive new policy: They prescribe imprisonment rather than treatment for drug offenders, they establish mandatory minimum sentences even for non-violent offenders, and they give the power to decide sentences to the prosecutors, who choose charges, rather than to the judges hearing cases, striping away judiciary discretion. These laws have caused much needless pain and suffering. Do what you can to get them off the books.

Peter RothbergTwitterPeter Rothberg is the The Nation’s associate publisher.


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