Drug decriminalization, marijuana legalization, medical marijuana, and psychedelic reform initiatives have all already qualified for the ballot this year, and more still may. 3 comments
ON THE SPEAKEASY BLOG
Philippine Democracy and Human Rights Face a Critical Test This Week
Our ally Senator Trillanes is facing possible jailing, maybe as soon as tomorrow, for opposing Duterte's drug war killing campaign. 7 comments Trillanes Gets Reprieve, for Now
One of the few outspoken leaders opposing Rodrigo Duterte's mass murder campaign in the Philippine drug war, Senator Antonio Trillanes, is likely be jailed tomorrow. He will be the second opposition senator and Duterte critic suffering this fate. 1 comment EVENT: Human Rights Challenge: Judicial and Extrajudicial Drug War Killings, in a Time of Authoritarianism
The rise of authoritarian or authoritarian political figures has been accompanied by calls for both sanctioned and extra-legal government violence in their crime and drug policies. This event, held in association with the UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York, will focus primarily but not exclusively on the situation in the Philippines. We will also examine the ramifications of President Trump's call to administer the death penalty for drug trafficking. 1 comment VIDEO: Our Protest at the Philippine Embassy Today
There are nearly 40,000 v 11 comments Statement of ICC Prosecutor on Opening Preliminary Investigations in the Philippines and in Venezuela
The ICC is a long and uncertain road. But this is an important first step for stopping the drug war killings, restoring rule of law, and seeking justice. 18 comments Save Marijuana Legalization
Jeff Sessions is trying to turn back marijuana legalization and medical marijuana. Don't let him do it. 13 comments Action Alerts, #GivingTuesday, Issue 1000, Remembering Rep. Hinchey
As issue #1000 of the Drug War Chronicle newsletter approaches, we ask you to take advocacy actions, we ask for your financial support, and we stop to remember one of reform's best allies. 9 comments ALERT: Medical Marijuana Is Under Threat -- Tell Congress to Act!
For the first time since becoming law in 2014, the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment (formerly known as the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment) is in danger of not being renewed. 19 comments CONGRESS: Pass S. 1055 for Philippines Human Rights Accountability
This bill responds to the Philippines drug war killings, in which well over 10,000 people have been killed extrajudicially without trial by police and vigilantes. The legislation would place human rights conditions on law enforcement assistance to the Philippines. It would also fund positive public health programs for substance use issues, as well as the work of Philippine human rights defenders. 13 comments Against Jeff Sessions for Attorney General
The president-elect's nominee for Attorney General is a big-time drug warrior who could derail both sentencing reform and marijuana legalization. Please write your Senators in opposition to this nomination. 26 comments Massachusetts Legalizes It, Arkansas Okays Medical Marijuana
More marijuana victories tonight. 2 comments
AP: California Legalizes Marijuana!
The Associated Press has called it early. 8 comments
North Dakota Okays Medical Marijuana
With most of the votes counted, Measure 5 is cruising toward victory. 11 comments
Partial Initiative Results: Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, North Dakota
Florida has already won. Now returns are coming in from four more initiative states. 4 comments
Read all Speakeasy Posts
FROM THE CHRONICLE
State, Local Regulators Call on Congress to Move on MORE Act, Rwanda to Allow MedMJ Exports, More... (10/23/20)
Rwanda okays medical marijuana exports, state and local marijuana regulators want Congress to move on marijuana legalization, and more. 1 comment MT Supreme Court Throws Out Lawsuit Against Pot Initiatives, US Imprisonment Rate at 25-Year Low, More... (10/22/20)
The Montana marijuana legalization initiatives have survived a last-minute legal challenge, the ACLU and DPA challenge the murder conviction of a meth-using California woman whose fetus was stillborn, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
It's jail guards gone wild, an Idaho city marshal gets nailed for peddling pot on duty, a South Carolina deputy heads to federal prison after getting caught in a drug sting, and more. 1 comment Medical Marijuana Update
Missouri and Virginia see their first medical marijuana sales, a Mississippi medical marijuana initiative campaign gets in trouble with the Trump campaign, and more. comments Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges Over Oxycontin, Another NJ Pot Poll Looking Good, More... (10/21/20)
The Trump campaign demands a Mississippi medical marijuana initiative campaign cease and desist from saying he supports it, the Transform Drug Policy Foundation releases a book on how to regulate stimulants, and more. comments Filipino President Says Hold Him Responsible for Drug War Killings; NM Pot, Decriminalization Poll, More... (10/20/20)
New York should be advancing marijuana legalization early next year, Mexico's Senate should be voting on marijuana legalization by month's end, and more. 1 comment Former Mexican Defense Minister Busted at LAX, MT Legal Pot Initiative Faces Late Legal Challenge, More... (10/19/20)
Missouri and Virginia both saw their first legal medical marijuana sales this past weekend, the US Sentencing Commission reports more than 3,000 federal prisoners have secured sentence reductions under the First Step Act, and more. 5 comments AZ, MT Marijuana Legalization Polls, NM MedMJ Reciprocity Expansion, British Drug Deaths Up, More... (10/15/20)
The Drug Policy Alliance is in a new push to move the MORE Act, there are new polls on the Arizona and Montana marijuana legalization initiatives, and more. 3 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A group of New Jersey jail guards partied too hearty, an Alabama cop gets caught with cocaine and marijuana, and more. 6 comments Supreme Court Won't Hear Marijuana Rescheduling Case, New Zealand Marijuana Vote Saturday, More... (10/14/20)
The Supreme Court slaps down the latest effort to reschedule marijuana, Pennsylvania's governor is again calling on the legislature to legalize marijuana, New Zealand votes on marijuana legalization on Saturday, and more. 5 comments The Psychedelic Revolution is Coming to the Ballot Box -- This Year [FEATURE]
Two quite different psychedelic policy initiatives are on the ballot in Oregon and Washington, DC, next month. 24 comments NJ Police Chiefs Warn on Marijuana Legalization, European Drug Tends, More... (10/13/20)
Mississippi's Republican governor tries to undermine a medical marijuana initiative, the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction has a new report out, and more. 2 comments VA Bill to Limit Traffic Stops Goes to Governor, NJ Pot Poll Looking Good, More... (10/12/20)
The Arizona marijuana legalization initiative picks up a big endorsement, Michigan's governor signs a package of "clean slate" bills that includes expunging past pot offenses, and more. 2 comments CDC Reports on Rising Cocaine Overdoses, Mexico Poppy Farmers Vow to Fight Eradication, More... (10/9/20)
South Dakota's marijuana legalization initiative picks up support from a leading state political figure, the CDC says cocaine overdose deaths nearly tripled between 2013 and 2018, and more. 3 comments VT Becomes 11th State to Legalize Personal Use Marijuana Sales, ME Legal Sales Start Tomorrow, More... (10/8/20)
The Virginia legislature has passed bills limiting the ability of police to use the odor of marijuana as the pretext for a warrantless search, Vermont has approved a legal adult use marijuana marketplace, and more. 1 comment Oregonian Endorses Drug Decrim Measure, Mexico Cartel Post-COVID Threat, More... (10/7/20)
Arizona may relax its past marijuana use rules for police applicants, the International Crisis Group calls out the Colombian government over the assassination of hundreds of activists and human rights workers, and more. 2 comments OR Drug Decrim Init Gets Chan/Zuckerberg Donation, DC Dems Endorse Psychedelic Initiative, More... (10/6/20)
Facebook's founder kicks in half a million dollars for Oregon drug decriminalization, the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition launches a national dialog on the overdose crisis and COVID, a group of French MPs show their reactionary side, and more. 3 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
An LAPD officer gets nailed for stealing money from a grow op worker's backpack during a marijuana raid, and a trio of jail guard break bad. 5 comments VT Battle Over Marijuana Bill, Key Mexico Leader Vows Marijuana Legalization Bill Passage by December, More... (10/5/20)
Another Arizona poll muddies the waters on support for marijuana legalization, pressure is mounting on Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) to sign or veto the state's marijuana sales bill, and more. 5 comments Bipartisan Policy Center Recommends Safe Injection Sites, Marijuana Busts Declined Last Year, More... (10/2/20)
The House includes marijuana banking language in its latest COVID relief bill, pot busts declined last year, an Arizona poll is looking good for marijuana legalization there, and more. 1 comment VT Governor Hints Could Veto Marijuana Sales Bill, NY Governor Calls for Arrest of Street Drug Users, More... (10/1/20)
New Jersey's governor gets behing the marijuana legalization initiative, the Department of Health and Human Services wants to impose hair drug testing on federal employees, the New Zealand marijuana legalization referendum is facing headwinds, and more. 3 comments Montana's Marijuana Legalization Campaign Is Set for a Big October Push [FEATURE]
Montana is one of four states with marijuana legalization on the ballot this year. 3 comments Medical Marijuana Update
Things are heating up in Mississippi as Election Day nears, the New Jersey legislature approves a medical marijuana telemedicine bill, and more. 3 comments CA Governor Signs Marijuana Appellations Bill, IL Senate Committee Takes Up Drug Penalties, More... (9/30/20)
A new federal bill uses drugs and terrorism to take aim at tech companies' liability protections, a new Wyoming bill would ban smokable hemp and most CBD products, and more. 2 comments AZ Poll Has Legalization Init in Dead Heat, Psychedelic Group Releases Handbook for Organizers, More... (9/29/20)
The battle over medical marijuana in Mississippi is heating up, a proposed 2022 Oklahoma marijuana legalization initiative has to go back to the drawing board, and more. 3 comments Biden Campaign Scorns Trump Demand for Pre-Debate Drug Test, NE MedMJ Advocates File for 2022, More... (9/28/20)
Medical marijuana via telemedicine could be coming soon to New Jersey, medical marijuana via the ballot box could be coming to Nebraska in 2022, and more. 2 comments Study Finds Drug Use Rose During Pandemic, San Francisco Sues to Block Dealers from Tenderloin, More... (9/25/20)
The Michigan legislature is moving forward on a couple of front, San Francisco prosecutors try suing Tenderloin drug dealers, and more. 1 comment OR Dems Endorse Drug Reform Inits, CA East Bay County Ends Drug Possession Prosecutions, More... (9/24/20)
East Bay CA County Won't Prosecute for Drug Possession, OR Democrats go all in for drug decriminalization and therapeutic psilocybin initiatives, and more. 1 comment Will New Jersey Be the Next State to Legalize Weed? [FEATURE]
The Garden State is set to get a little greener come November. 3 comments No Indictments for Killing Breonna Taylor, Vermont MJ Commerce Bill Goes to Governor, More... (9/23/20)
A Vermont legal marijuana commerce bill goes to the governor, Michael Bloomberg has paid the fines of 32,000 felons in Florida so they can vote this year, and more. 1 comment 