Drug decriminalization, marijuana legalization, medical marijuana, and psychedelic reform initiatives have all already qualified for the ballot this year, and more still may. 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. 10 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. 12 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. 8 comments VIDEO: Our Protest at the Philippine Embassy Today
There are nearly 40,000 v 8 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. 7 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. 10 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. 4 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. 3 comments
AP: California Legalizes Marijuana!
The Associated Press has called it early. 2 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. 5 comments
Read all Speakeasy Posts
FROM THE CHRONICLE
New Federal Legalization Bill, Houston Narcs Indicted, Peru Coca Production Up (Maybe), More... (8/3/20)
Peru and the US are in a dispute over how much coca and cocaine is produced there, Houston narcs involved in a deadly botched drug raid get indicted, and more. 1 comment SD Medical Association Opposes Marijuana Initiatives, ONDCP Touts Mexico Opium Reduction, More... (7/31/20)
Rhode Island's governor is once again pushing for marijuana legalization, the South Dakota state medical association comes out against both medical marijuana and marijuana legalization initiatives, and more. 2 comments House Passes Bill to Block DOJ Meddling in State Marijuana Programs, Scots Want Safe Injection Sites, More... (7/30/20)
The House has voted to block the Justice Department from interfering with state-legal marijuana programs, a populous Maryland county moves to end no-knock raids for drugs, and more. 1 comment Book Review: The Year of Dangerous Days: Riots, Refugees, and Cocaine in Miami 1980 [FEATURE]
Miami, 1980. What a year. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
New York City's finest are at it again, and there's more trouble in the Houston narcotics division. 1 comment House to Vote on Protecting All State-Legal Marijuana Programs, Bolivia Coca Cultivation Up, More... (7/29/20)
An amendment to block the Justice Department from using its funds to go after state-legal marijuana programs is headed for a House vote, Maryland's Supreme Court rules that the smell of weed isn't enough for a police search and arrest, and more. comments Drug Reform Pioneer Arnold Trebach Dies, Dems Reject Marijuana Legalization in Party Platform, More... (7/28/20)
A new poll suggests the New Jersey marijuana legalization initiative is headed for victory in November, drug reform pioneer Arnold Trebach had died, and more. 1 comment House Could Vote on Marijuana Legalization in September, France to Issue Instant Fines for Drug Use, More... (7/27/20)
The House could vote to legalize marijuana this fall, DC activists say their natural entheogen initiative has qualifed for the ballot but it's not official yet, and more. comments Oakland Psychedelic Activists Take Next Step, NY Senate Passes MedMJ Housing Protections, More... (7/24/20)
Congress could take up an amendment that aims at protecting state-legal marijuana programs next week, Oakland activists are pushing forward with plans to open up natural psychedelics for healing -- but not commercial -- purposes, and more. 1 comment Reform Groups Call for Marijuana Legalization Amidst COVID Crisis, DEA Part of Federal Anti-Crime Surge, More... (7/23/20)
The initial draft of the Democratic platform calls for not interfering with state marijuana laws but doesn't call for legalization, a North Dakota legalization campaign comes up short, hospitals are warning of IV opioid shortages, and more. 2 comments Book Review: Kilo: Inside the Deadliest Cocaine Cartels -- From the Jungle to the Streets [FEATURE]
Here's a twitchy, harrowing look at Colombia's cocaine industry. 2 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A pair of Chicago cops are headed to prison for their misdeeds, and a trio of prison guards break bad. 1 comment Medical Marijuana Update
The House has approved allowing members of the military to use hemp and CBD products, an Idaho medical marijuana initiative campaign is threatening to sue the state over signature-gathering, and more. 1 comment AZ Pot Foes File Suit to Block Initiative, House Votes to Allow Military Members to Use Hemp and CBD, More... (7/22/20)
The organized opposition makes a move in Arizona, a Pennsylvania lawmaker is trying to jumpstart a stalled marijuana legalization bill, and more. 1 comment AZ Poll Shows Strong Support for MJ Legalization, BC Premier Asks for Canada Drug Decrim, More... (7/21/20)
The city of Chicago will pay out big time for seizing the vehicles of people in small-time drug busts, a California bill would undo some drug war sentencing excesses, the Colombian opposition has filed a bill to decriminalize and regulate cocaine, and more. 1 comment MT Legalization Activists Say They've Qualified for Ballot, Mexican Cartel Shows Off Its Firepower, More... (7/20/20)
New Approach Montana says county-level data shows it has qualified a marijuana legalization initiative for the November ballot but the results aren't official yet, Canada's health minister says she's open to discussing drug decriminalization, and more. 1 comment CA Marijuana Arrests Decline But Disparities Persist, AR MedMJ Growers Sue to Block Competition, More... (7/17/20)
California marijuana felonies are at the lowest level since 1954, Argentina moves to make its medical marijuana program more patient-friendly, and more. comments House Hearing on DC Entheogens Init, Colombia Drug Gangs Enforce Pandemic Lockdowns, More... (7/16/20)
A first congressional challenge to the Washington, DC, natural psychedelics initiative has been fended off, Mexico's toll of "disappeared" in drug violence in the past 14 years tops 70,000, and more. 1 comment CDC Says Fatal Drug ODs Up Last Year, FL Supreme Court Orders Rare Second Hearing in MedMJ Case, More... (7/15/20)
After the first decline in drug ODs in decades in 2018, the number jumped again last year, the CDC says; Canadian psychotherapists want the ability to use psilocybin themselves to better treat patients using the drug, and more. comments ID MedMJ Initiative Campaign Threatens to Sue Over Signature-Gathering, Colombia to Spray Coca Crops, More... (7/14/20)
The Idaho Cannabis Coalition threatens to sue if state officials don't allow it to use electronic signature-gathering in the midst of the pandemic, a drug testing lab reports spikes in the use of four illicit drugs during the pandemic, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
Hoo, boy! Highway patrolmen cooking up 'shrooms, district judges tipping off friends and messing up drug investigations, and more. comments Drug Reform Initiatives Already on the November Ballot and Those That Could Still Make the Cut [FEATURE]
Drug decriminalization, marijuana legalization, medical marijuana, and psychedelic reform initiatives have all already qualified for the ballot this year, and more still may. 2 comments Democratic Platform to Call for Rescheduling and Decriminalizing Marijuana But Not Legalizing, Canada Police Chiefs Want Drug Decrim, More... (7/13/20)
Democratic task forces working on the party platform have settled on rescheduling and decriminalizing marijuana but not legalizing, the Justice Department rips a Massachusetts dope squad for its resort to excessive force, Canadian police chiefs call for drug decriminalization, and more. comments EVENT: No Time Like the Present: Drug Policy Reform is More Urgent Than Ever
Please join our online event at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, Wednesday July 8th, noon-1:30pm ET. 6 comments House Spending Bills Include MedMJ Protections, DC Psychedelic Initiative Hands in Signatures, More... (7/7/20)
Mexico once again looks set to move forward with medical marijuana, House funding bills include protections for medical marijuana -- but not recreational marijuana -- and more. 2 comments Arkansas Marijuana Legalization Initiative Won't Make Ballot, More Mexico Mayhem, More... (7/6/20)
Nevada's governor pushes for wholesale marijuana possession pardons, prohibition-related violence flares in Mexico, and more. 1 comment Austin Police to End Minor MJ Busts, Southern CA DAs Let 100,000 MJ Convictions Be Cleared, More... (7/3/20)
The capital of Texas gives up on enforcing minor marijuana possession offenses, Virginia Democratic lawmakers are eyeing legalization next year, and more. 1 comment Nashville to End Small-Time Pot Prosecutions, More Cops Charged in Wake of Fatal Houston Drug Raid, More... (7/2/20)
Drug reform initiative campaigns are handing in signatures as deadlines approach, Nashville's DA says no more petty pot prosecutions, Mexican gunmen kill 24 in a raid on a drug rehab center, and more. 5 comments OR Drug Decrim Will Go to Voters, VA Marijuana Decrim Now in Effect, More... (7/1/20)
The Old Dominion decriminalizes pot possession, Oregon will vote on decriminalizing all drugs, drug overdoses are jumping during the pandemic, and more. 1 comment OR Therapeutic Psilocbyin Init Looks Set to Make Ballot, Atlanta Cops Quit Drug Arrests During Sickout, More... (6/30/20)
UN human rights experts keep up the pressure on the Philippines, the Oregon therapuetic psilocbyin initiative looks set to make the November ballot, and more. 1 comment 