| NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN |
| 2005 National NOW Conference Resolution passed July 3, 2005 |
| Click on the clock to see the numbers add up |
| WOMEN'S RIGHTS - ANOTHER CASUALTY OF THE "WAR ON DRUGS" |
| WHEREAS, the incarceration rate of women convicted of low-level drug-related offenses has increased dramatically in the past decade as a result of our nation's relentless "War on Drugs," and poor women and women of color have been disproportionately targeted for drug law enforcement and receive long mandatory prison sentences that have little relationship to their actions or culpability; and WHEREAS, two thirds of women in prison have at least two children who are displaced as a result of their incarceration, often forced to live in the care of family, friends, or state-sponsored foster care where they may be at increased risk of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; and WHEREAS, women's unique patterns of drug abuse and addiction and special treatment needs are inadequately addressed, as women often turn to drugs to cope with undiagnosed or untreated mental illness, and/or the trauma of physical or sexual abuse or other stresses particular to women; and WHEREAS, the intersection of substance use and pregnancy are increasingly the focus of drug law enforcement; and WHEREAS, violence against women and other circumstances specific to women's involvement in drug-related activities are often overlooked or ignored in sentencing, such as situations in which women who have been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused by partners involved in drug operations are dependent on them and unlikely to turn to the authorities; and WHEREAS, after incarceration, women continue to bear the stigma and burden of post-conviction sanctions that constitute collateral consequences of incarceration impeding their reintegration into society, including denial of access to public housing, public assistance and food stamps, higher education aid and civic participation, effectively rendering them second-class citizens; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) iterate its opposition to the "War on Drugs" and in its stead support an approach to drug use and addiction that promotes compassion, public health and human rights; and THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW educate its membership about the harms the "War on Drugs" inflicts on women, using the NOW web site, NOW materials and literature and regular NOW legislative updates including pending legislation that would negatively impact women; and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that an ad-hoc committee be created to research current drug policy that has a particular impact on women and report back to the leadership and membership at the next national conference on a potential action plan to be implemented locally and nationally in conjunction with other organizations currently working toward the same objectives. |
| The number of drug arrests, imprisonments, and costs to pay for this insane policy increases every second. www.drugsense.org |
| DRCNet Interview: Cher Ford-McCullough and Jean Marlowe of the Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform 7/22/05 [CLICK HERE] |
| "Our position is that drug abuse and addiction should be treated as a health issue, not a criminal justice issue." |
| -Jean Marlowe |
| In 1929 W.O.N.P.R. was founded to rescue America's families and communities from the ravages of ten years of alcohol prohibition. In 2004, after thirty years of a failed "War on Drugs", the tragic consequences of prohibition are back - gang warfare, arbitrary and racially biased enforcement, corruption and broken homes. [WEBSITE] |
[WONPR WEBSITE]
| The Drug fLaws.com analysis of the drug laws by dennis mcbride |
| SAVE RENEE BOJE!! |
As if our government doesn't have
over two million people in prison,
they are trying to bring a lovely
young woman out of Canada,
where she lives with her husband
and young son, to stand trial for
alledgedly watering cannabis
plants in California in 1997!!! Our
government has even threatened
Canada with sanctions if she is not
made to return to the US. If made
to return, Renee faces a
mandatory 10 year sentence!
http://www.reneeboje.com
over two million people in prison,
they are trying to bring a lovely
young woman out of Canada,
where she lives with her husband
and young son, to stand trial for
alledgedly watering cannabis
plants in California in 1997!!! Our
government has even threatened
Canada with sanctions if she is not
made to return to the US. If made
to return, Renee faces a
mandatory 10 year sentence!
http://www.reneeboje.com
Ladies, your representatives make these laws! Is this how you want your tax
dollars spent? Call your representatives now. Don't Let America's Outdated
Drug Laws Tear Apart This Canadian Family.
Come On Ladies, Let's Hear Your Outrage!!!
dollars spent? Call your representatives now. Don't Let America's Outdated
Drug Laws Tear Apart This Canadian Family.
Come On Ladies, Let's Hear Your Outrage!!!