Drug War Chronicle #563 - December 5, 2008

Alcohol Prohibition was repealed 75 years ago today. Are there lessons to be learned, and is it going to take another 75 years to end drug prohibition?

South Dakota has the dubious distinction of being the only state to defeat an initiative that would legalize medical marijuana, but that's not stopping advocates there. They have a bill ready for the legislature; now all they need are some sponsors.

Pictures from prohibition days -- enforcers, violators, activists -- courtesy the Hagley Museum and Library, a collection chronicling American enterprise and the legacy of the du Pont family, in Wilmington, Delaware.

StoptheDrugWar.org (DRCNet) is a nonpartisan organization, and no major party nominee for US President has yet supported enough of our mission to change that. Nevertheless, the views expressed in President-Elect Obama's books, speeches and campaign appearances are mostly positive, and enactment of them would make a major difference in drug policy and help many thousands of people. We need your help and your participation to fight this important fight at this time of opportunity.

StoptheDrugWar.org (DRCNet) seeks tax deductible donations as year's end approaches for our educational programs -- especially our web site, on which readership continues to go up and up.

A big corruption bust in Chicago, an ugly story out of upstate New York, and a sticky-fingered narc in Michigan, plus a former Schenectady police chief cuts a deal and heads for prison.

Last year, a California appeals court ruled that state and local police are not required to enforce federal drug laws. Now, the US Supreme Court has declined a chance to overturn that ruling.

A callous DC judge sentenced wheelchair-bound Jonathan Magbie to 10 days in jail for marijuana possession after he told her he would keep using it to ease his ills. He died before he made it halfway through his sentence, and now, DC and a local hospital will have to pay out the nose for their sins.

The Chicago suburb of Chicago Heights has decriminalized marijuana possession.

Voters in Switzerland Sunday easily approved prescribing heroin to addicts, but rejected marijuana legalization.

You can't sell or grow magic mushrooms in Holland anymore.

More people were executed for drug offenses or sentenced to death for them last month. American citizens might want to note the involvement of the US military or anti-drug agents in a pair of these cases.

"DC Pays Dearly After Letting a Medical Marijuana Patient Die in Jail," "Not Arresting Marijuana Users is Too Confusing For Police," "Medical Marijuana Debate: MPP vs. ONDCP," "LEAP Celebrates the Repeal of Alcohol Prohibition," "Tainted Cocaine is a Consequence of Drug Prohibition," "Random Drug Testing Won't Save the Children From Heroin," "Swiss Voters Approve Heroin Prescriptions, But Reject Marijuana Decriminalization," "Police Use Newspaper Ads to Recruit Snitches."

Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.

The Marijuana Policy Project is seeking a Communications Assistant for the organization's main office in Washington, DC.

StoptheDrugWar.org (DRCNet) is seeking volunteers in the DC area to help with our membership drive; and from anywhere to help with a writing-based project on which work has already begun.

Apply for an internship at DRCNet for this spring (or summer), and you could spend the semester fighting the good fight!