{news} GP RELEASE Green Party's Thornton awarded for work on drug policy reform

[Clifford Thornton]

It is now official.  This now appears
on the front page of the National
Green Party web site.


GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org<http://www.gp.org/>

For Immediate Release:
Monday, December 3, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty at greens.org<mailto:mclarty at greens.org>
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,
starlene at gp.org<mailto:starlene at gp.org>
Clifford Thornton, national co-chair of the Green
Party, 860-657-8438, efficacy at msn.com<mailto:efficacy at msn.com>


Green Party leader to receive award from the Drug
Policy Alliance for leadership in drug law reform

 Cliff Thornton of Connecticut will receive the
Robert C. Randall Award for Achievement in the
Field of Citizen Action on December 8


WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party congratulates
Connecticut Green Clifford Thornton on an award
he will receive from the Drug Policy Alliance
<http://www.drugpolicy.org<http://www.drugpolicy.org/>> for his leadership in
the movement to reform drug laws.

Mr. Thornton, co-founder of the drug law reform
organization Efficacy, Inc.
<http://www.Efficacy-online.org<http://www.efficacy-online.org/>>, is a national
co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.
 In 2006, he ran on the Green Party ticket for
governor of Connecticut.

"Cliff Thornton's work for the reform of US drug
policy is in line with Green opposition to the
War on Drugs, unjust and draconian drug laws, and
the use of drug laws to fill up prison cells with
black, brown, poor, and young Americans.  We're
proud that Cliff is a member of the Green 
Party," said Alfred Molison, co-chair of the
Green Party's national Black Caucus
<http://gpblackcaucus.blogspot.com<http://gpblackcaucus.blogspot.com/>>.

Excerpts from a November 29, 2007 Drug Policy
Alliance press release announcing the award:

"Longtime Connecticut drug policy reform advocate
and activist Clifford Thornton will receive the
Robert C. Randall Award for Achievement in the
Field of Citizen Action from the Drug Policy
Alliance.  The award honors citizens who make
democracy work in the difficult area of drug law
and policy reform.

Thornton will be among leading advocates that
work courageously to promote and implement more
sensible drug policies who will be honored at the
International Drug Policy Reform Conference, in
New Orleans, December 5-8.  The conference is
organized by the Drug Policy Alliance and dozens
of other organizations.  The Drug Policy Alliance
is the nation's leading organization working to
end the war on drugs and promote new drug
policies based on science, compassion, health and
human rights.  The winners will be honored during
an awards ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 8....

Thornton is the primary speaker for Efficacy,
Inc. -- a non-profit organization that has
concentrated on drug policy reform.  Thornton ran
for governor in Connecticut in 2006 on the Green
Party ticket.  His campaign centered on drug
policy reform.  Thornton has done over 400 radio
shows on drug policy. Thornton has spoken to over
300,000 people in some 450 venues about the drug
war as it relates to health, economics, race,
class, and white privilege.  Efficacy is
partially responsible for the removal of D.A.R.E.
from the Ocean City, NJ school system in 2001. 
Thornton gave a presentation to the board of
education that received great reviews and helped
facilitate its demise.  Thornton taught a
graduate-level course, "Illegal Drugs and Public
Policy" at Trinity College in Hartford, CT in
2002."

Media contacts for Drug Policy Alliance
<http://www.drugpolicy.org<http://www.drugpolicy.org/>>: Tony Newman,
646-335-5384; Tommy McDonald, 646-335-2242


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org<http://www.gp.org/>
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
 Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml<http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml>
 Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers<http://www.gp.org/speakers>
 Green candidate database for 2007 and other
campaign  information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml<http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml>

"War on drugs is a war on youth, people of color
Green Party press release, May 16, 2007
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_05_16.shtml<http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_05_16.shtml>

"Green Party says racially biased US justice
system needs drastic overhaul"
Green Party press release, July 25, 2007
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_07_25.shtml<http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_07_25.shtml>


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