International Drug Policy Expert Ethan Nadelmann to Speak at Baker Institute Conference on Alternatives to ‘War on Drugs’

HOUSTON — (March 7, 2012) — Described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the point man" for drug-policy reform efforts, Ethan Nadelmann will join prosecutors, judges, law enforcement officials, religious figures, drug-reform advocates, defenders of current policy and academics at a March 9 conference at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.

"Ethan Nadelmann is widely regarded as the outstanding proponent of drug-policy reform both in the United States and abroad," said Bill Martin, who organized the conference — "The War on Drugs Has Failed. Is Legalization the Answer?" Martin is the Baker Institute's Harry and Hazel Chavanne Senior Fellow in Religion and Public Policy.

Nadelmann is the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, the nation's leading drug-policy reform organization, and advocates for drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.

For more information on the conference, visit http://news.rice.edu/2012/03/05/baker-institute-conference-to-weigh-alternatives-to-war-on-drugs-2/

The Baker Institute conference comes at a particularly timely moment, with Vice President Joe Biden currently in Mexico and Central America, where presidents are now calling for a serious dialogue about legalization and other alternatives to the U.S. war on drugs. Nadelmann recently returned from the region, where he met with business and governmental leaders at the highest levels. Nadelmann and the Drug Policy Alliance are also deeply involved in efforts to legalize marijuana, including initiatives in Washington state and Colorado that were recently approved for the ballot in November. Nadelmann will be in Houston on Thursday and Friday and is available for interviews. He can address issues specific to Texas, as well as national and international matters such as:

• Current debate on drug legalization in Latin America.
• Marijuana legalization initiatives on the 2012 ballot.
• The state of drug policy reform in Texas.
• Drug policy and the presidential candidates

Nadelmann received his B.A., J.D. and Ph.D. in political science from Harvard as well as a master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics. Hetaught at Princeton University for seven years. Nadelmann's writings have appeared in such outlets as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Science and National Review, and he has appeared on TV and radio programs, including "Real Time with Bill Maher," "The Colbert Report," ABC's "Nightline," a Ted Koppel special report, NBC's "Today Show," "NBC Nightly News," CBS's "48 Hours," CBS morning news and "Larry King Live."

To schedule an interview with Nadelmann, contact David Ruth at [email protected] or 713-348-6327.