DrugSense Email Fundraiser (index)

Date: December 16, 2005
Subject: DrugSense Holiday Flash Back

Flash back. Imagine you have just taken a time machine back to November 1995. Now imagine you have been charged with the formidable task of creating an organization that, within the next 10 years, will accomplish the following:

- Find, organize, and archive 150,000 news articles on drug policy topics. (www.mapinc.org)

- Generate a fully searchable database of those articles to benefit researchers, reporters, historians, and others interested in drug policy. (www.mapinc.org/find)

- Organize a cadre of writers to respond to those articles with Letters-to-the-Editor and OpEds, which counter inaccuracies and fallacies. (www.mapinc.org/lte/topwrit.htm)

- Send out regular Focus Alerts to notify letter writers about particularly egregious or important articles. (www.mapinc.org/focus/)

- Guarantee at least 20,000 of these letters are written and published in newspapers worldwide, representing more than $20 million of equivalent advertising value on behalf of reforming drug policy. (www.mapinc.org/lte/)

- Publish a first rate weekly newsletter encapsulating all major drug policy developments in the world during that week, replete with commentary, and distribute it to 30,000+ readers each week. (www.drugsense.org/current.htm)

- Insure that the organization conducts a minimum of 250 radio and television interviews about drug policy, and using its media training system, help local activists do likewise. (www.mapinc.org/onair/)

- Create a subsidiary to provide technical support, Website development and hosting, e-mail discussion lists, and news feeds for more than 200 drug-policy-focused organizations worldwide. (www.drugpolicycentral.com/)

- AND win the 2005 Robert C. Randall Award for Achievement in the Field of Citizen Action (www.drugsense.org/awards/randall.htm)

Sounds like a pretty big job, doesn't it?

Further, you must also devise a budget to carry this project. What do you think the above accomplishments would cost per year? Don't forget to calculate into this cost at least 10 top-notch, dedicated professionals as a management base. This alone would probably require at least $1 million per year in compensation to attract the requisit talent.

Would $2 million a year seem reasonable, or perhaps $20 million over the next decade?

It may shock you to learn that DrugSense has already accomplished ALL of the above tasks on an average of less than $200,000 per year over the last decade and on the backs of a dreadfully underpaid, yet highly competent and dedicated staff and army of volunteers.

This brochure, drugsense.org/flyers/ds10year.pdf, created to commemorate our 10th anniversary, shows what we have accomplished on this very limited budget.

You may also be surprised to learn that DrugSense has come perilously close to being unable to meet its obligations (and payroll) twice during the last 12 months. It is entirely possible that this important organization could have been forced to cease operations and close its doors forever.

Can you imagine what might happen then? No reliable, unbiased collection of drug policy articles. No accurate responses to government anti-drug propaganda. Less web content for those interested in reform. No groups or individuals empowered to confront the media.

The bottom line is that we need your help in order to keep doing all we do to bring about more sensible drug policies. Please make a generous contribution to DrugSense. If you are able, please consider recurring monthly donations. If not, anything you can manage will make a difference.

Secure donations by credit card or PayPal account can be made at www.drugsense.org/donate/

Checks should be made payable to DrugSense and mailed to:

DrugSense
14252 Culver Dr #328
Irvine, CA 92604-0326

Thank you for your support - helping us to achieve our many accomplishments over the last ten years - and for ensuring that DrugSense can complete its central mission of providing accurate information about drug policy in order to promote and enact reforms over the coming decade.

Happy Holidays,

Mark Greer,
Executive Director

P.S. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your contribution is tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Due to the generosity of a long time DrugSense funder, we have secured a five figure MATCHING FUNDS GRANT! This means that anything you contribute to DrugSense will be matched, thus DOUBLING the effective amount of your contribution. If you set up a repeating monthly contribution, your donation will be matched every month for the entire year!

Please donate today!

www.drugsense.org/donate/