Prosecuting drug users for murder when they score together and one of them overdoses just isn't right, a federal appeals court has ruled. 1 comments
ON THE SPEAKEASY BLOG
Our Work on Medical Marijuana at the UN
This post is the first of a series explaining our organization's current work and strategy. One part of that is work at the United Nations. 7 comments
The MORE Act has passed the House!
The MORE marijuana legalization with social justice act has passed the US House of Representatives! This is a big day for drug policy reform.
28 commentsInitiatives 2020 -- Legalization Sweep, Psychedelic Sweep, Medical Marijuana, Decrim
November 3rd was a good day for drug reform ballot initiatives. 4 comments 
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. 34 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. 10 comments 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. 7 comments VIDEO: Our Protest at the Philippine Embassy Today
There are nearly 40,000 v 21 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. 13 comments Save Marijuana Legalization
Jeff Sessions is trying to turn back marijuana legalization and medical marijuana. Don't let him do it. 2 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. 2 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. 3 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. 2 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. 32 comments Massachusetts Legalizes It, Arkansas Okays Medical Marijuana
More marijuana victories tonight. 7 comments
Read all Speakeasy Posts
FROM THE CHRONICLE
Houston Narc, Suspect Killed in Drug Raid; FL Marijuana Legalization Init Can Gather Signatures, More... (9/21/21)
A Houston drug raid proved deadly Monday, mass killings are on the rise in one of Colombia's cocaine conflict zones, and more. comments Vancouver Clinic Offers Take-Home Prescription Heroin, Nepal Marijuana Protest, More... (9/20/21)
Violence linked to cartel in-fighting continues to rock Mexico's state of Michoacan, a Vancouver clinic is now offering take-home prescription heroin to a small number of patients, and more. comments CA Psilocybin Legalization Initiative Cleared for Signature Gathering, DE Supreme Court on Pot Odor, More... (9/17/21)
Supporters of a proposed Philadelphia safe injection site have asked the Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court decision blocking it, the Delaware Supreme Cout rules the mere odor of marijuana is not sufficient cause for a warrantless arrest, and more. 4 comments White House Releases Annual List of Drug Producing, Transit Countrie; WA Drug Decrim Initiative Coming, More... (9/16/21)
Granite State lawmakers are looking at a voter-approved constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana, Washington activists are laying the groundwork for a 2022 drug decriminalization initiative, and more. 2 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
It's all Sunshine State rogue cops this week, with a DEA supervisory agent nailed for helping a major drug dealer and more. 3 comments The Taliban Says It Will Stop the Opium Trade--Is That Likely? [FEATURE]
Afghanistan has been by far the world's leading supplier of opium for the past 20 years, but now the Taliban say they are going to stop it. 2 comments NJ Sees a Summer of Marijuana Expungements, Finnish Green League Endorses Pot Legalization, More... (9/14/21)
The Flint, Michigan, city council punts on a chance to do some drug war virtual signaling, South Dakota legislators balk on some of the governor's proposed restrictions on medical marijuana, and more. 3 comments BOP Tells Certain Drug Prisoners to Apply for Clemency, Italy Marijuana Decrim Referendum, More... (9/13/21)
Italian activists and political parties are pushing a referendum on decriminalizing marijuana cultivation and possession, the Biden administration asks prisoners with certain drug offenses to apply for clemency, and more. 4 comments CT Legal Pot Sales Could Be Delayed, CA Hemp Bill Goes to Governor's Desk, More... (9/10/21)
There are signs South Dakota is moving away from harsh drug sentencing, GOP conservatives stick up for mandatory minimum fentanyl analog sentences, and more. 1 comment Chronicle Book Review: "Undoing Drugs" by Maia Szalavitz
The first comprehensive history of harm reduction is here. It belongs on your bookshelf. 1 comment MD House Marijuana Legalization Working Group Meets, Italy Moves To Allow Home Pot Grows, More... (9/9/21)
A fire at an overcrowded Indonesian prison kills at least 41, mostly drug offenders; a Maryland House of Delegates working group is moving forward with plans for marijuana legalization, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
An ICE agent takes a bribe to pay off a drug debt, a Utah prison guard goes down for drug smuggling into the prison, and more. 1 comment Marijuana Use at All-Time High Among Young Adults, Cartel Violence Sparks Protests in Mexico's Michoacan, More... (9/8/21)
The latest Monitoring the Future survey finds marijuana use is at an all-time high among young adults; Georgia's Tybee Island, home of the state's largest public beach, decriminalizes pot possession, and more. 1 comment NYC Marijuana Arrests Hit Single Digits, MI Psychedelic Decriminalization Bill Filed, More... (9/7/21)
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds marijuana legalization has little impact on youth use rates, the number of marijuana arrests in New York City in the second quarter of 2021 totaled a whopping eight -- that's right, eight -- and more. 1 comment Biden Asks Congress to Permanently Schedule Fentanyl Analogues, Seattle Task Force Calls for Drug Decrim, More... (9/3/21)
A Seattle task force calls for drug decriminalization, Vancouver activists seek permission to operate drug buyers' clubs, and more. 1 comment Medical Marijuana Update
Another effort to force the federal government to reevaluate its stance on medical marijuana gets shot down, an expansion of Texas's medical marijuana program goes into effect today, and more. 1 comment DEA to Increase Research Production Quotas for Marijuana & Psilocybin, SD MedMJ Home Grows Endangered, More... (9/1/21)
Panama legalizes medical marijuana, the DEA boosts quotas for production of marijuana and psilocbyin for research purposes, and more. 1 comment OH Marijuana Legalization Campaign Can Gather Signatures, Biden Considers Drug Sentence Commutations, More... (8/31/21)
An effort to force the DEA to reconsider the Schedule I status of marijuana has been shot down by the 9th Circuit, an Ohio marijuana legalization campaign gets the go-ahead to start signature gathering, and more. 2 comments CA Psychedelic Decriminalization Bill Held Over, TX MedMJ Expansion Goes into Effect Wednesday, More... (8/30/31)
A Philadelphia site injection site that was blocked by a federal appeals court is asking the Supreme Court to take up the case, a third marijuana legalization initiative campaign emerges in Missouri, and more. 1 comment DEA to Review Foreign Operations, Vancouver Activists Plan Another "Safe Supply" Drug Giveaway, More... (8/26/21)
California wants to try a form of drug treatment where users are paid not to use, Vancouver activists plan to mark International Overdose Awareness Day with a "safe supply" drug giveaway, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
An Oregon cop ODs on dope he stole from the evidence locker and causes a multiple car crash, and more. 1 comment Medical Marijuana Update
Prospects for medical marijuana this year remain alive in Mississippi and North Carolina, and more. 1 comment Thai Parliament Approves Drug Reform Bill, US Reform Groups Urge DOJ to End Fentanyl Analog Scheduling
Drug reform, civil rights, and other groups urge the Justice Department to end the punitive emergency scheduling of fentanyl and its analogs, a North Carolina medical marijuana bill advances, and more. 1 comment NJ Regulators Approve Rules for Recreational Pot Market, Mexico President Could Free Aged Killer Drug Lord, More....(8/24/21)
A Mississippi legislative special session to pass a medical marijuana bill is still possible, New Jersey moves one step closer to legal recreational marijuana sales, and more. 1 comment OH Marijuana Legalization Measure Takes Small Step Forward, Portland Psychedelic Push, More... (8/23/21)
An Ohio effort to legalize marijuana cleared an initiial hurdle last Friday, Wyoming marijuana legalization and medical marijuana advocates will begin signature gathering next month, and more. 1 comment Taliban Say No More Opium Production Under Their Rule, CA Psychedelic Decrim Bill Advances, More... (8/19/21)
The harm reduction group DanceSafe releases new test kits for cocaine and ketamine, a North Carolina medical marijuana bil is moving, and more. 1 comment Chronicle Book Review: "This Is Your Mind on Plants" by Michael Pollan
Renowned foodie and plant author Michael Pollan is back with another book about some psychoactive plants. 1 comment Medical Marijuana Update
It's the dog days of summer, but there is still a little bit of medical marijuana news to report. 1 comment September Will Be Psychedelic Awareness Month in Ann Arbor, US Afghan Opium Fiasco, More... (8/18/21)
Pennsylvania's medical marijuana advisory board rejects five potential qualifying conditions, it will be Psychedelic Awareness Month next month in Ann Arbor, and more. 1 comment Gallup Says Nearly Half of US Adults Have Smoked Pot, Sri Lanka Drug War Abuses Called Out, More... (8/17/21)
Washington state's governor is moving to commute hundreds of drug possession sentences, a new Gallup poll has the number of Americans who admit ever using marijuana at an all-time high, and more. 1 comment 