A new report from a high-powered criminal justice panel offers detailed solutions for fixing some of the inequities of the federal criminal justice system. 0 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. 9 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. 3 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. 4 comments VIDEO: Our Protest at the Philippine Embassy Today
There are nearly 40,000 v 3 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. 17 comments Save Marijuana Legalization
Jeff Sessions is trying to turn back marijuana legalization and medical marijuana. Don't let him do it. 4 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. 3 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. 14 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. 3 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. 2 comments
Partial Initiative Results: Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, North Dakota
Florida has already won. Now returns are coming in from four more initiative states. 2 comments
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FROM THE CHRONICLE
COVID-19 Impacts the Cocaine Trade, COVID-19 Sparks Jump in Dark Web Drug Sales Offerings, More... (5/28/20)
Coronavirus is having differential impacts on the illicit drug trade, Michigan groups push to end the state's drug felon foodstamp ban, Colombian rebels call for a coronavirus ceasefire, and more. comments Fixing the Federal Criminal Justice System: The Establishment Weighs In [FEATURE]
A new report from a high-powered criminal justice panel offers detailed solutions for fixing some of the inequities of the federal criminal justice system. comments Volunteers Needed: Online Signature Gathering for Psychedelic and Drug Decrim Initiatives
Drug reform initiatives have had to get creative about securing the needed petition signatures during the pandemic. Your help is needed right now -- wherever you live -- to help them make the ballot through phonebanking and online signature gathering. 1 comment Medical Marijuana Update
A Louisiana medical marijuana expansion bill is just a step away from passing the legislature, Montana patients will soon be able to buy their medicine at any dispensary, and more. comments US Army Unit Heads to Colombia to Fight Drugs, LA Senate Approves MedMJ Expansion Bill, More... (5/28/20)
One Arkansas marijuana legalization campaign calls it quits for this year, the Louisiana Senate has passed a medical marijuana expansion bill, Tyson Timbs finally gets his Land Rover back, and more. comments Call for Independent Investigation of Fatal Louisville Drug Raid, LA MedMJ Expansion Bill Advances, More... (5/27/20)
Nearly four dozen members of Congress want an independent investigation into the death of Breonna Taylor at the hands of Louisville drug police, a high-profile task force calls on the federal government to grant states waivers to set their own marijuana policies, and more. comments OR Psilocybin and Decrim Initiatives Hand in Signatures, MA Pot Shops Reopen, More... (5/26/20)
Massachusetts pot shops see long lines as they do a limited reopening, two Oregon initiative campaigns handed in signatures last Friday, the Harris County DA throws out nearly a hundred drug convictions linked to a disgraced Houston police officer, and more. comments Federal Marijuana Prisoner Killed by COVID-19, AL Mayoral Candidate Wants to Hang Drug Dealers, More... (5/22/20)
Ohio local decriminalization initiative campaigns can do electronic signature-gathering, an Alabama mayoral candidate draws attention with a call to hang drug dealers, and more. 3 comments "Deaths of Despair" Plateaued in 2018, No COVID Shutdown for Colombia's Coca Eradicators, More... (5/21/20)
Virginia has now decriminalized small-time marijuana possession, a marijuana legalization bill is moving again in the US Virgin Islands, "deaths of despair" have leveled off, and more. 4 comments State Attorneys General Press for SAFE Banking Act, Singapore Drug Death Sentence Via Zoom, More... (5/20/20)
Illinois is spending tens of millions of marijuana tax dollars to help communities impacted by the drug war, the DEA gets a new acting administrator, Mexican murders continue to increase, and more. 2 comments House HEROES Act COVID Relief Bill Calls for Prisoner Releases, Marijuana Banking [FEATURE]
The House Democrats' latest coronavirus relief bill doesn't leave prisoners behind nor the legal marijuana industry. 3 comments MA Pot Shops Beginning Curbside Delivery, LA House Advances MedMJ Expansion, More... (5/19/20)
The Louisiana House votes to expand the state's medical marijuana program, the Georgia Department of Revenue gets caught mishandled seized asset forfeiture funds, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
Meet a trio of cops who aren't really corrupt but who got caught with the personal goodies and, of course, a crooked jail guard. 2 comments Medical Marijuana Update
The Department of Health and Human Services is messing with Maine's mental health grants because it allows medical marijuana use by students, a ban on potentially kiddie-enticing edibles is headed for the Missouri governor's desk, and more. 1 comment ME Loses Federal Student Mental Health Aid Over Medical Marijuana, MA Safe Injection Site Bill Moves, More... (5/18/20)
Missouri lawmakers cast a baleful eye on medical marijuana gummies, a safe injection site bill is moving in Massachusetts, and more. 3 comments MJ Industry Group Seeks Action from Northeast Governors, HEROES Act Vote Looms, More... (5/15/20)
El Paso moves to reduce small-time marijuana possession arrests, drug policy and criminal justice groups call on the House to pass the latest coronavirus relief bill, and more. 3 comments GOP Criticize COVID Bill Cannabis Provisions, Honduran Congress Head Tied to Traffickers, More... (5/14/20)
It looks like there will be a fight over marijuana provisions in the HEROES Act coronavirus relief bill, an Oklahoma pot breathalyzer pilot project bill passes the House, another member of the Honduran political elite is tied to drug traffickers, and more. 2 comments Amnesty International on Cambodia Drug War Abuses, Deadly Botched Drug Raid in Louisville, More.... (5/13/20)
Coronavirus hobbles yet another drug reform initiative, Amnesty International goes after Cambodia's drug war human rights abuses, and more. 1 comment House Includes Marijuana Banking in COVID Bill, Mexico Soldiers to Stay on Streets, More... (5/12/20)
A Mexican cartel leader is struck down by the coronavirus, the House leadership is including help for state-legal marijuana businesses in its latest COVID bill, and more. 1 comment Push to Help Marijuana Businesses in Next COVID Bill, Coca and Conflict in Bolivia and Colombia, More... (5/11/20)
Advocacy groups are pushing for marijuana businesses to be included in the next coronavirus relief bill, a pair of Oregon drug reform initiatives are teaming up for signature-gathering, and more. 2 comments End Drug Prohibition to Fight Organized Crime, World Leaders Say [FEATURE]
The Global Commission on Drug Policy has released a new report on how to most effectively target organized crime, and that includes moving toward legal, regulated drug markets. 4 comments Traffic Searches Decline with Marijuana Legalization, But Racial Disparities Persist, More... (5/8/20)
A new study reports that driving while black is still a thing even in legal marijuana states, Joe Biden touts some coercive, but non-carceral approaches to drug offenders, and more. 2 comments Cartel COVID Curfew in Culiacan, SF Providing Booze, Buds, Butts to Quarantined Drug Users, more... (5/7/20)
The coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc with global drug markets, the Sinaloa Cartel has imposed a coronavirus curfew on a city of nearly a million people, San Francisco is taking a harm reduction approach to quarantined drug users, and more. 5 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
Just a couple of miscreant men in blue this week, and they were both apparently slinging weed. 1 comment MN House Leader Files Marijuana Legalization Bill, DC Psychedelic Decrim Campaign Catches Break, More... (5/6/20)
A Republican pollster in Pennsylvania calls on GOP legislators to consider supporting marijuana legalization, new New York City drug testing rules go into effect next week, a Minnesota legalization bill is introduced, and more. 4 comments Kansas Weed Warriors Pay for Bad Raid, NY Mushroom Decrim Bill Filed, More... (5/5/20)
A psilocybin mushroom decriminalization bill has been filed, Joe Biden again calls for marijuana decriminalization, and more. 1 comment Trump Authorizes Reserves to Fight Cartels, Murder Spike in Ciudad Juarez, More... (5/4/20)
President Trump has authorized the Defense Department to call up military reserves as he ramps up a campaign against the cartels, a Nebraska medical marijuana initiative plans to continue signature-gathering, the legal pot industry is still hiring, and more. 3 comments MT Judge Blocks E-Signatures for Pot Initiative, Europe Flooded With Cocaine Despite Pandemic, More... (5/1/20)
No electronic signature-gathering for the Montana marijuana legalization initiatives, a Canadian psychedelic decriminalization petition has enough signatures to send it to the House of Commons, Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel is handing out crisis supplies in Puerta Vallarta, and more. 1 comment US Imprisonment At Lowest Rate Since 1996, Dr. Bronner's Kicks In $1 Million for OR Psilocybin Init, More... (4/30/20)
The former Honduran National Police chief just got indicted on drug charges in New York City, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps just bestowed a huge gift on the Oregon psilocybin initiative campaign, and more. 2 comments With Psychedelic Legalization on the Horizon, How Should We Get There from Here? [FEATURE]
Checking in with last weekend's virtual Psychedelic Liberty Summit. 3 comments 