The new documentary "Prohibition," by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, aired this week on PBS. We thinks it's well worth watching, especially for drug reformers.
CONPACCP members in the coca fields (photo by the author)
The new Humala government in Peru sought coca grower support by promising to end forced eradication, and now the growers are holding the government to its word.
Along with the usual carnage and corruption, suspected Zetas killed 52 casino goers in a gasoline/fire attack, teachers skipped school following extortion threats, authorities bust a Sinaloa Cartel "cell" in Utah, and one cartel has put up "wanted" posters targeting leaders of another cartel and offered rewards for them.
You know things are messed up when the federal police are shooting at the head of the Ciudad Juarez police. Oh, and 216 more people were killed there in the drug wars last month.
Musician Jimmy Tebeau bought a rural Missouri property and turned into a concert venue called Camp Zoe. Now, the feds want to seize it and jail Tebeau over allegations of drug use and sales at concerts there.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) has vetoed a smelly asset forfeiture bill. (Image courtesy state of Indiana)
Police and prosecutors in Indiana were violating the state constitution by failing to turn in seized funds to the school fund, so the legislature tried to fix it by saying they didn't have to. Now, the governor has done the right thing and vetoed that bill.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg started to talk sense about drug legalization, but quickly fumbled. Meanwhile his police officers are arresting thousands of marijuana users -- in a city that has decriminalization!