Vice President Leni Robredo of the Republic of the Philippines recorded a dramatic video for our side event this month at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting: "Human Rights Challenge: Responding to Extrajudicial Killings in the Drug War." The video has sparked a raging political firestorm in the Philippines about whether she should have made the video, and we need your help to steer the discussion back to the drug war. 10 comments
ON THE SPEAKEASY BLOG
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. 21 comments Massachusetts Legalizes It, Arkansas Okays Medical Marijuana
More marijuana victories tonight. 0 comments
AP: California Legalizes Marijuana!
The Associated Press has called it early. 0 comments
North Dakota Okays Medical Marijuana
With most of the votes counted, Measure 5 is cruising toward victory. 0 comments
Partial Initiative Results: Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, North Dakota
Florida has already won. Now returns are coming in from four more initiative states. 0 comments
Florida Passes Medical Marijuana!
First southern state, and a big one. 4 comments
Myths, Moralism, and Hypocrisy Drive the International Drug Control System
Our international drug policies reflect a bias towards the global north, with damaging consequences for the south. 13 comments Will UNGASS 2016 Be the Beginning of the End for the War on Drugs?
Held this April, will the United Nations General Assembly Special Session be the turning point for the international drug control system? 13 comments David Borden -- Remarks at the United Nations, February 10, 2016
Last week the UN held an NGO meeting in New York, as part of a series events leading up to this April's major drug session. 12 comments BREAKING: Another Senate Pro-Medical Marijuana Vote
The Senate Appropriations Committee just voted to extend the ban on DOJ spending funds to interfere with state medical marijuana laws. 12 comments New York Medical Marijuana Program Brings in $3 Million from Application Process
New York has closed it application process for those wishing to get one of the state's 5 permits to open a medical cannabis dispensary. Each permit would entitle the holder to open four dipsnsaries. In total, 20 dispensaries would be opened in a state with a population of over 19 million people. 0 comments URGENT: Congressional Vote on Permitting State Marijuana Laws!
Last year's legislation protecting state medical marijuana laws from federal interference is expiring soon. A vote coming as soon as tonight could extend it, while expanding it to include state legalization laws too. 7 comments CT Lawmakers Push to Add Children and Hospital Patients to Medical Marijuana Program
Both houses of the Conneticut legislature are preparing their final votes on a bill that would add children and hospital patients to the state's medical marijuana program. The bill would restrict children from smoking or vaping their medical marijuana. 8 comments Three Marijuana Reform Bills Filed in Louisiana
Three seperate marijuana reform bills have been filed in the Louisiana State Capitol. They include a restrictive medical marijuana bill supported by law enforcement, and two seperate efforts to reform the state's harsh sentencing laws. 9 comments Write and Call Congress TODAY for Vets' Access to Medical Marijuana!
An important amendment is coming up for a vote in the House of Representatives late this afternoon or early evening. Our two web forms will help you to both email and call your member of Congress to support it. 11 comments What Does Congress's Medical Marijuana Legislation Actually Mean?
The controversial "CRomnibus" bill passed by the House and Senate includes language barring the Dept. of Justice from using taxpayer funds to interfere with state medical marijuana laws. 10 comments Washington Sheriff Tells Oregon Voters: Legalization Is Already Working
King County Sheriff John Urquhart has recorded a message letting Oregon voters know that legalization in Washington State has seen wasteful arrests decrease, DUIs decrease, taxes going to schools and police, and drug prevention programs getting funding. 14 comments Summer Reading Assignment for Congress
Dean Becker of the Drug Truth Network is in Washington today to give copies of his book, "To End the War on Drugs," to every member of the House and Senate. 3 comments House Votes to Let Banks Take Deposits from Marijuana Businesses
In a historic vote this afternoon, the US House has approved an amendment to the Treasury Department appropriations bill barring the agency from spending any money to punish financial institutions that provide services to marijuana businesses where it is legal. 3 comments One of the Worst Ideas to Come Out of the War on Drugs: Sentencing Enhancement Zones
A video from the Prison Policy Initiative on what is indeed one of the worst ideas to come out of the war on drugs. 10 comments House Committee Votes to Block DC Decrim
The GOP-dominated House Appropriations Committee stuck a thumb in the eye of democratic governance in the nations capital this morning. The committee voted to prevent the District of Columbia from implementing marijuana decriminalization approved by the District government. 6 comments Senate Could Vote to Cut DEA Funds as Soon as Tonight
In a historic vote late last month, the House moved to cut funding for the DEA to go after medical marijuana in states where it is legal. Now, the Senate is preparing to vote on a similar measure. 17 comments DEA Leaning On Massachusetts Docs with Dispensaries Ties
The Boston Globe is reporting today that the DEA has been visiting Massachusetts doctors involved with yet-to-open medical marijuana dispensaries and giving them an ultimatum: Cut your ties with the dispensary or lose your DEA-issued license to prescribe drugs. And it's working. 12 comments There Were Several Drug Policy Amendments to the CJS Bill
Reformers have mostly been talking about the 13 comments
House Passes Historic Medical Marijuana Amendment
Late Thursday night, the House of Representatives told the DEA to butt out of medical marijuana states by approving a budget amendment barring the use of taxpayer funds to do so. 12 comments Kentucky Gets its Hemp Seed as DEA Backs Off
It's a done deal. A UPS truck delivered more than 250 pounds of hemp seed to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture this afternoon. It took a lawsuit and a lot of political pressure on DEA head Michele Leonhart, but the agency has backed away from its initial refusal to allow the seeds to be imported. 5 comments The Largest Marijuana March Ever? 150,000 Protest in Buenos Aires!
Good Golly, Miss Mary Jane! I've been watching marijuana legalization marches for a long time and I've never seen a crowd like this. 13 comments Uruguay's Mujica is the Grumpy Old Man of Global Marijuana Legalization
Uruguay formally rolls out its marijuana legalization rules next week, but President Mujica shows he's no Captain Cannabis. 7 comments Read all Speakeasy Posts
FROM THE CHRONICLE
Chronicle AM: Dutch to Pilot Legal Marijuana Grows, OR Marijuana Tax $$$, More... (10/10/17)
The Dutch finally begin to address their marijuana "back door problem," Canadian Mounties and tribal members clash over a pot shop, California's governor vetoes an opioid task force bill as redundant, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: Fed Sentencing Reform Bill Filed, Colombia Coca Clashes, More... (10/6/17)
Leading senators roll out a federal sentencing reform bill, Jeff Sessions ramps up the Safe Neighborhoods program, the VA doubles down against medical marijuana, more clashes erupt in Colombia's coca producing areas, and more. 1 comment Chronicle AM: MA Advocates Push for No Pot Tax $$$ for Towns That Ban Pot Ops, More... (10/5/17)
It's all marijuana today, with Washington state considering personal grows, Delaware pondering legalization, Massachusetts activists trying to put the screws to towns that ban stores, and more. 1 comment Federal Bill Would Reverse Perverse Incentives for Mass Incarceration [FEATURE]
For more than two decades, federal Justice grants have incentivized states to increase their prison populations. Now, it's time to do the opposite. comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
We've only got a couple this week, but they're both pretty juicy and involve federal law enforcement officials. comments Medical Marijuana Update
Florida is slow getting out of the gate with cultivation licenses, a Georgia lawmaker is pushing to makes the state's CBD law workable, Michigan lawmakers are moving to keep dispensaries open during a year-end switch over, and more. comments Chronicle AM: Alaska Towns Reject Marijuana Bans, DEA Names Acting Head, More...(10/4/17)
The DEA names an in-house acting administrator, the Massachusetts high court takes up the question of whether judges can order addicts to remain drug-free, Canada advances on looming marijuana legalization, and more. comments Chronicle AM: Atlanta A Step Closer to MJ Decrim, Drug Treatment Privacy Threat, More... (10/3/17)
Atlanta is one step away from decriminalizing marijuana possession, patient advocacy and health care groups unite behind a campaign to protect the privacy of drug treatment patients, and more. comments Chronicle AM: Trump DEA Pick Has Issues, FL MedMJ Licenses Delayed, More... (10/2/17)
The man Trump will reportedly name to head the DEA has some racial profiling issues in his past, the Global Commission on Drugs issued recommendations on dealing with the opioid crisis, the 6th Circuit slaps down the DEA in an asset forfeiture case, and more. comments The 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, October 11-14, Atlanta
The 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference is the major biannual gathering of drug policy reformers from around the world. comments Chronicle AM: Quebec To Have Gov't Pot Shops; Seattle, WA State Sue Pharma Cos, More... (9/29/17)
Nevada sets legal marijuana sales records, Quebec will go with government marijuana shops, Seattle and the state of Washington file lawsuits over the opioid crisis, and more. comments Chronicle AM: Houston Quits Trying "Trace Amount" Drug Cases, US Chides Colombia, More... (9/28/17)
San Antonio quits arresting small-time pot violators, Houston quits prosecuting folks caught with trace amounts of drugs, Vermont begins pondering how to do pot legalization, the US chides Colombia on coca and the FARC, and more. comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
Busy, busy: A long-time fugitive rogue Chicago cop gets cop, a DHS agent gets nailed for taking big bucks to help a Cali Cartel operative make an indictment go away, a Vermont cop plied a woman addict with drugs in order to get laid, and more. comments Study Finds Marijuana Legalization Doesn't Drive Increased Use, But Vice Versa
A new study regurgitates some old findings, but the point remains worth making. comments Medical Marijuana Update
It was a pretty quiet week on the medical marijuana front, with all the action taking place in the courts. A Florida farmer sues over grower licenses, a Montana dispensary operator sues over a local ban, and more. comments Chronicle AM: Citing Trump, DEA Head Quits; Atlanta Moves Toward MJ Decrim, More... (9/27/17)
DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg is outta here, Atlanta moves closer to pot decriminalization, San Francisco goes slow on legal pot sales, Florida's governor wants to restrict opioid prescriptions, and more. comments Drug Arrests, Marijuana Arrests Both Up Last Year, FBI Reports [FEATURE]
The mass arrests are at odds with a majority of the public that supports ending the drug war and treating drug use as a health issue. comments A Marijuana Drive-Through Could Be Coming to a Corner Near You
If you live in Maine, that is. comments Chronicle AM: Maine Considers Marijuana Social Clubs With No Smoking, More... (9/26/17)
Maine considers marijuana social clubs where you can't smoke, some Maryland criminal justice reforms passed last year will go into effect on Sunday, and more. comments The 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, October 11-14, Atlanta
The 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference is the major biannual gathering of drug policy reformers from around the world. comments Chronicle AM: FBI: Drug Arrests Up Last Year, Colombia Coca Conflict, More... (9/25/17)
The FBI's latest Uniform Crime Report shows an increase in drug arrests last year, there's conflict in the coca fields in Colombia, British Columbia gets set to figure out how it's going to handle legal weed, and more. comments Is North Korea Peddling Dope to Get Around Sanctions?
It certainly looks that way. If so, then drug prohibition may prevent the economic embargo from having the desired impact. 8 comments Chronicle AM: MA Drug Lab Scandal Redux, PA MJ Support Strong and Rising, More... (9/22/17)
Pennsylvania support for marijuanalegalization is strong and rising, Attorney General Sessions mixes drug and immigration policy, another federal court rules against Stingray, a second Massachusetts drug lab scandal could see thousands more cases dismissed, and more. comments Chronicle AM: CVS to Limit Opioid 'Scrips, Sessions Slams Legal Pot (Again), More... (9/21/17)
The attorney general makes clear yet again that he doesn't like legal weed, a Kentucky court throws out a medical marijuana lawsuit, one of the nation's largest pharmacy chains is moving to tighten up on opioid prescriptions, Rodrigo Duterte is ready to kill his own kid for the sake of the drug war, and more. comments The 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, October 11-14, Atlanta
The 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference is the major biannual gathering of drug policy reformers from around the world. comments You Won't Believe Alphonse D'Amato's New Gig
The hardcore conservative and former Republican senator is going to be a paid marijuana lobbyist. 2 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A Louisiana cop gets nailed for having sex and peddling dope on the job, a sticky-fingered Pennsyvlania cop gets nailed for stealing drug money, a South Carolina cop gets nailed -- nine years after the fact -- for lying on a drug search warrant, and more. comments Chronicle AM: Las Vegas MJ Lounges Hit Snag, Utah MedMJ Init Polling Well, More... (9/20/17)
The Bay State's highest court just made it harder for cops to charge people with pot-impaired driving, Las Vegas-area county commissioners put a stop to talk of pot lounges anytime soon, Colombia's president speaks out against the drug war (again) at the United Nations, and more. comments Chronicle AM: CA Safe Injection Site Blocked for Now, No Toronto Pot Lounges, More... (9/19/17)
The California safe injection bill came up two votes short of passing this year, Toronto authorities ignore the pleas of pot lounge operators for a place under legalization, Virginia's Democratic attorney general comes out with a plan to fight opioid overdoses, and more. comments Colorado County's Marijuana Tax Program Will Provide $420,000 in College Scholarships This Fall
Marijuana legalization is bringing economic and educational benefits to the people of Pueblo County. comments 