Pubdate: Thu, 17 Nov 2005
Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT)
Copyright: 2005 The Salt Lake Tribune
Contact:  http://www.sltrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/383
Author: Heather May
Cited: http://www.drugpolicy.org/events/dpa2005/awards/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Rocky+Anderson

ROCKY GETS AWARD FOR DRUG POLICY REFORM

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has received an award from a
national group that promotes alternatives to the "war on drugs." The
Drug Policy Alliance gave Anderson the Richard J. Dennis Drugpeace
Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Drug Policy Reform -
which is given to individuals who "most epitomize loyal opposition to
drug war extremism," according to the Drug Policy's Web site. The site
noted Anderson's decision to pull funding for D.A.R.E., and the city's
training of police in harm reduction and the city's efforts to educate
sex workers about how to protect themselves. More recently, the mayor
created a campaign urging drug users to call 911 when their friends
overdose.

The alliance called Anderson the "most outspoken and effective local
elected official in the United States when it comes to drug policy
reform." Anderson accepted the award in Long Beach, Calif., last week
during the 2005 International Drug Policy Reform Conference. The Drug
Policy Alliance says its goal is to reduce harm associated with drug
use through a variety of methods, such as legalizing marijuana use for
medical purposes, ending criminal penalties for marijuana except in
some cases, repealing mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug
offenses, redirecting government drug control resources from criminal
justice to public health and education, supporting harm reduction
programs and science-based drug education.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake