We're looking at 2019 through the rearview mirror now, but before we turn our sights to 2020, it's worth taking a few moments to look back at the last year in international drug policy. 2 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. 3 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. 1 comment VIDEO: Our Protest at the Philippine Embassy Today
There are nearly 40,000 v 1 comment 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. 11 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. 1 comment 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. 1 comment 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. 25 comments Massachusetts Legalizes It, Arkansas Okays Medical Marijuana
More marijuana victories tonight. 1 comment
AP: California Legalizes Marijuana!
The Associated Press has called it early. 1 comment
North Dakota Okays Medical Marijuana
With most of the votes counted, Measure 5 is cruising toward victory. 1 comment
Partial Initiative Results: Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, North Dakota
Florida has already won. Now returns are coming in from four more initiative states. 1 comment
Florida Passes Medical Marijuana!
First southern state, and a big one. 1 comment
Read all Speakeasy Posts
FROM THE CHRONICLE
Chronicle AM: NM Pot Legalization Bill Filed, San Francisco Heroin/Fentanyl ODs Double, More... (1/24/20)
A New Mexico pot legalization bill backed by the governor has been filed, Montana activists file a second pot legalization initiative, San Francisco authorities report a doubling of heroin and fentanyl overdose deaths last year, and more. 2 comments Chronicle AM: US Revokes Visa of Philippines Drug War Chief, VT Psychedelic Decrim Bill Filed, More... (1/23/20)
Connecticut and New York begin grappling with getting marijuana legalization passed, a Vermont bill would legalize several natural psychedelics, the Mexican Senate will take up marijuana legalization in the coming weeks, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: NM & NY Govs Call for MJ Legalization, NJ Gov Signs Criminal Justice Bills, More... (1/22/20)
Two Democratic governors push for marijuana legalization, another Democratic governor signs a package of criminal justice reform bills, and more. 1 comment Taking It to the Streets: States That Could Vote on Marijuana in November [FEATURE]
There's a whole heap of marijuana legalization and medical marijuana initiatives out there this year. 1 comment Chronicle AM: NY MJ Legalization Poll Shows Strong Support, Tulsi Gabbard Calls for Drug Legalization, More... (1/21/20)
A New York poll shows strong support for marijuana legalization, Dutch opinion-shapers push for a new drug policy, a US presidential calls for drug legalization and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: Federal Marijuana Prosecutions Drop, Drug Czar Touts Reduced Overdoses, More... (1/17/20)
A New Mexico marijuana legalization bill gets filed, Rhode Island's governor calls for pot legalization, the drug czar touts a drop in drug overdose deaths, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
More prison guards break bad, an Ohio trooper's pill habit got the best of him, an ongoing Paterson, NJ, police corruption scandal snares another cop, and more. 2 comments Chronicle AM: NM Governor Says Legalize This Year, KY Justice Reform Push, More... (1/16/20)
New Mexico could legalize marijuana next month, Virginia activists says marijuana decriminalization is not enough, Kentucky prepares to go to work on criminal justice reforms, and more. 2 comments Chronicle AM: MI Jail Task Force Recommendations, Congress Wants Answers on Meth and Cocaine ODs, More... (1/15/20)
The Czech Pirate Party reaches for the stars, House members want answers from the administration about rising meth and cocaine deaths, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: MT Legalization Initiatives, NJ Forfeiture Reform, More... (1/14/20)
Montana activists have rolled out a pair of marijuana legalization initiatives, a Colorado bill aims to protect workers who use marijuana during their time away from work, New Jersey becomes the latest state to reform its civil asset forfeiture laws, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: Another MORE Act Vote, Austin Decrim, FL Init Shifts to 2022, More... (1/13/20)
The MORE Act should get another committee vote this week, the Florida marijuana legalization initiative campaign has shifted its sights to 2020, Illinois' governor sketches out criminal justice reforms, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: Decriminalize Nature Hits DC, Colombia Coca Eradication Fight, More... (1/10/20)
Vermont lawmakers begin a push to tax and regulate marijuana sales, the Decriminalize Nature movement arrives in the nation's capital, Colombia's president and governors disagree about aerial eradication of coca crops, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: MS MedMJ Initiative Qualifies for Ballot, DPA Executive Director to Step Down, More... (1/9/20)
A search for a permanent new executive director is underway at the Drug Policy Alliance, Mississippians will vote on a medical marijuana initiative this year, New York's governor vows to legalize marijuana this year (again), and more. 1 comment The Top Ten International Drug Policy Stories of 2019 [FEATURE]
We're looking at 2019 through the rearview mirror now, but before we turn our sights to 2020, it's worth taking a few moments to look back at the last year in international drug policy. 2 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A pervy Florida cops heads to prison, a New Mexico narc is in trouble for sampling forbidden substances, a Virginia narc pays for outing snitches to drug traffickers, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: MD Marijuana Poll, USAID Bolivia Mission, Atlanta PD Disbands Dope Squad, More... (1/8/20)
The Atlanta Police are shutting down their dope squad to concentrate on violent crime, the Florida legislature and state attorney general try to block a marijuana legalization initiative, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: South Dakota MJ Legalization Vote, Mexico's Toll of Disappeared, More... (1/7/20)
The MORE Act gets another push, there will be no decriminalization of marijuana in New Jersey during the lame duck session, a South Dakota marijuana legalization initiative qualifies for the ballot, and more. 2 comments Chronicle AM: CA Racial Profiling Study, VA Governor Pushes for Marijuana Decrim, More... (1/6/20)
Virginia's Democratic governor is ready to push for pot decriminalization as part of a broader criminal justice reform package, federal opioid funds will soon be available to address meth and cocaine as well, the Philippines' vice-president rips Duterte's bloody drug war, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: TX MJ Prosecutions Halved, Random Drug Tests for Truck Drivers to Double, More... (1/3/20)
New York's governor vetoes a bill easing access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction for Medicaid patients, but not for patients with private insurance; Illinois sold $3.2 million worth of weed on day one of legalization, and more. 17 comments Chronicle AM: IL Legal Marijuana Sales Begin, FDA Bans Flavored Vape Cartridges, More... (1/2/20)
Legal marijuana sales get underway in Illinois, the Italian Supreme Court gives the okay to personal marijuana cultivation, Colombia wants to resume aerial spraying of coca crops with herbicides, and more. 2 comments Chronicle AM: Portland Decriminalize Nature Signature Gathering Gets Underway, More... (12/24/19)
Portland, Oregon, sees a psychedelic decriminalization initiative begin signature gathering, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: Trinidad & Tobago Legalizes, Trump Says He Can Ignore Congress's Medical Marijuana Protections, more... (12/23/19)
No marijuana brews for Oregonians, Trinidad & Tobago legalizes possession and cultivation, Trump asserts the power to enforce federal drug laws in medical marijuana states, and more. 1 comment Bad Precedent: When the Fourth Amendment Doesn't Apply [FEATURE]
The 7th Circuit rules that drugs recovered during an illegal raid are still admissable as evidence under a little known legal doctrine elaborated by Antonin Scalia. 1 comment Chronicle AM: SD MMJ initiative Qualifies for Ballot, New Zealand Pill Testing Study, More... (12/20/19)
South Dakota voters will get to decide on okaying medical marijuana next year, Chicago legal sales are set to begin January 1, New Zealand's government pays for a pill-testing study, and more. 2 comments Chronicle AM: SAFE Banking Act Challenge in Senate, FL Marijuana Legalization Bill Coming, More... (12/19/19)
A bipartisan pair of senators file a pair of marijuana bills, a key Senate Republican is demanding changes in the House-passed SAFE Banking Act, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A Tennessee deputy goes on a bizarre crime spree, a California cop gets busted for the fondling the breasts of a dead overdose victim, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: DC MJ Sales Appear Blocked Again, RI Senate Leader Says No Legalization Next Year, More... (12/18/19)
It looks like Congress will once again block the District of Columbia from taxing and regulating legal marijuana sales, a key Rhode Island senator just says no to legalizing pot there next year, and more. 1 comment The Top Ten Domestic Drug Policy Stories of 2019 [FEATURE]
From marijuana to psychedelics to the lingering overdose crisis to the emergence of a new vaping-related illness, a lot happened in 2019. Here are ten of the biggest highs and lows. 1 comment Chronicle AM: New Pot Polls Look Good, Pot Initiative Action, Dutch Push for Legal Ecstasy, More... (12/17/19)
Protections for state-level marijuana legalization programs gets stripped from a federal funding bill, two new polls have strong national support for legalization, a Dutch political party is pushing for the legalization of Ecstasy and soft drugs, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: CA Initiative Would Legalize Magic Mushroom Sales, Senate GOP Cartel Bill, More... (12/16/19)
The latest version of California's psilocybin decriminalization initiative turns it into a legalization initiative, a group of Senate Republicans file a bill to treat drug cartels like terrorist organizations, and more. 1 comment 