The drug czar was in the hot seat at a Wednesday congressional hearing, and activists and academics got a chance to weigh in on the flaws of US drug policy as well.
Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy has spent years trudging through the poppy fields of Asia on his way to becoming one of the world's leading experts on the opium trade. With the publication of "Opium: Uncovering the Politics of the Poppy," the fruits of his labors are now available in English, and we should be thankful for that.
StoptheDrugWar.org is pleased to be the first drug policy organization to offer this important new video to our members -- your donations will support our work of building the movement and fueling public debate, too.
It's a veritable potpourri of prohibition-related police misconduct this week, from small town departments to the Big Apple to the ATF.
An initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Arizona is poised to make the November ballot. If it does, and if it is approved, it will mean medical marijuana is the law of the land from the Pacific Coast to the Texas border.
One of the side-effects of prohibition is contamination of unregulated illicit drug supplies, putting users at risk. Two now familiar, but disturbing, contaminants are in the news this week: anthrax in European heroin and levamisole in North American cocaine.
Legal needle exchanges may be coming to Colorado -- if a bill before the state Senate passes. But injection drug users in Boulder already benefit from an exemption allowing exchanges, and drug users in Denver can take advantage of an underground exchange.
There will be no marijuana decriminalization in the Granite State -- at least not this year. A veto-wielding governor managed to scare off the state Senate after the House passed it overwhelmingly, but activists aren't giving up. Instead, they are vowing to return until the legislature gets it right.
In the violent and volatile world of Mexican drug cartels, no alliance is forever. Now, the Zetas have grown too threatening, and the other cartels are joining forces against them. Meanwhile, Chapo Guzman and his Sinaloa cartel have taken Ciudad Juarez.
Drink up -- it's Coca Colla time! Yes, it's a coca-based soft drink, but you'll have to go to Bolivia to try it. And this isn't some de-cocainized soft drink; it's the real thing.
Bermuda has long taken a hard-line on marijuana possession, but now members of the ruling party are suggesting it's time for a change.
Millions of people have viewed -- and benefited from -- the film "Busted: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters." The new Flex Your Rights film, "10 Rules for Dealing with Police," has taken things to the next level, in more ways than one.
Do you read Drug War Chronicle? If so, we need your feedback to evaluate our work and make the case for Drug War Chronicle to funders. We need donations too.
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
"Michelle Obama's Awesome Plan for Winning the Drug War," "Drug Cartel Assassins Caught on Camera," "The Government is Still Trying (and Failing) to Prove That Marijuana is Dangerous," "The Best Argument Ever for Legalizing and Taxing Marijuana," "Teachers for Marijuana Legalization," "Dr. Drew Endorses Planting Evidence on Drug Users to Get Them Locked Up," "Mike Huckabee Compares Using Drugs to Committing Incest," "Eating Your Stash Won't Keep You Out of Jail."
Apply for an internship at DRCNet and you could spend a semester fighting the good fight!
CannBe, a medical cannabis consulting firm based in Oakland, CA, and comprised of many leaders in the medical cannabis industry and movement, is hiring high-achieving professionals for several open positions including Business and Organizational Development Specialist, Junior Government Relations Specialist, Operations Development Administrator, Office Administrator, and Partner Support Administrator.
Gil Kerlikowske, head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP -- the drug czar's office), testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday that the Obama administration is seeking "a new direction in drug policy," but was challenged both by lawmakers and by a panel of academics and activists on the point during the same hearing. The action took place at a hearing of the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee in which the ONDCP drug budget and the forthcoming 2010 National Drug Strategy were the topics at hand.
The hearing comes in the wake of various drug policy reforms enacted by the Obama administration, including a Justice Department policy memo directing US attorneys and the DEA to lay off medical marijuana in states where it is legal, the removal of the federal ban on needle exchange funding, and administration support for ending or reducing the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenders.
But it also comes in the wake of the announcement of the ONDCP 2011 drug budget, which at $15.5 billion is up more than $500 million from this year. While treatment and prevention programs got a 6.5% funding increase, supply reduction (law enforcement, interdiction, and eradication) continues to account for almost exactly the same percentage of the overall budget -- 64%--as it did in the Bush administration. Only 36% is earmarked for demand reduction (prevention and treatment).
Citing health care costs from drug use and rising drug overdose death figures, the nation "needs to discard the idea that enforcement alone can eliminate our nation's drug problem," Kerlikowske said. "Only through a comprehensive and balanced approach -- combining tough, but fair, enforcement with robust prevention and treatment efforts -- will we be successful in stemming both the demand for and supply of illegal drugs in our country."
So far, at least, when it comes to reconfiguring US drug control efforts, Kerlikowske and the Obama administration are talking the talk, but they're not walking the walk. That was the contention of subcommittee chair Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and several of the session's panelists.
"Supply side spending has not been effective," said Kucinich, challenging the budget breakdown.
"Supply side spending is important for a host of reasons, whether we're talking about eradication or our international partners where drugs are flowing," replied the drug czar.
"Where's the evidence?" Kucinich demanded. "Describe with statistics what evidence you have that this approach is effective."
Kerlikowske was reduced to citing the case of Colombia, where security and safety of the citizenry has increased. But he failed to mention that despite about $4 billion in US anti-drug aid in the past decade, Colombian coca and cocaine production remain at high levels.
"What parts of your budget are most effective?" asked Kucinich.
"The most cost-effective approaches would be prevention and treatment," said Kerlikowske.
"What percentage is supply and what percentage is demand oriented?" asked Rep. Jim Jordan (D-OH).
"It leans much more toward supply, toward interdiction and enforcement," Kerlikowske conceded.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) was more old school, demanding a tougher response to Mexico's wave of prohibition-related violence and questioning the decision not to eradicate opium in Afghanistan. "The Southwest border is critical. I would hope the administration would give you the resources you need for a Plan Colombia on steroids," said Issa.
"There is no eradication program in Afghanistan," Issa complained. "I was in areas we did control and we did nothing about eradication."
"I don't think anyone is comfortable seeing US forces among the poppy fields," Kerlikowske replied. "Ambassador Holbrooke has taken great pains to explain the rationale for that," he added, alluding to Holbrooke's winning argument that eradication would push poppy farming peasants into the hands of the Taliban.
"The effectiveness of eradication seems to be near zero, which is very interesting from a policy point of view," interjected Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL).
Kucinich challenged Kerlikowske about harm reduction. "At the UN, you said the US supported many interventions, but you said that, 'We do not use the phrase harm reduction.' You are silent on both syringe exchange programs and the issue of harm reduction interventions generally," he noted. "Do you acknowledge that these interventions can be effective in reducing death and disease, does your budget proposed to fund intervention programs that have demonstrated positive results in drug overdose deaths, and what is the basis of your belief that the term harm reduction implies promotion of drug use?"
Kerlikowske barely responded. "We don't use the term harm reduction because it is in the eye of the beholder," he said. "People talk about it as if it were legalization, but personally, I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about whether to put a definition on it."
When challenged by Kucinich specifically about needle exchange programs, Kerlikowske conceded that they can be effective. "If they are part of a comprehensive drug reduction effort, they make a lot of sense," he said.
The grilling of Kerlikowske took up the first hour of the two-hour session. The second hour consisted of testimony from Drug Policy Alliance executive director Ethan Nadelmann, Brookings Institute foreign policy fellow and drugs and counterinsurgency expert Vanda Felbab-Brown, former ONDCP employee and drug policy analyst John Carnevale, and University of Maryland drug policy expert Peter Reuter. It didn't get any better for drug policy orthodoxy.
"Let me be frank," said Nadelmann as he began his testimony. "We regard US drug policy as a colossal failure, a gross violation of human rights and common sense," he said, citing the all too familiar statistics about arrests, incarceration, the spread of HIV/AIDS, and drug overdose deaths. "All of these are an egregious violation of fundamental American values."
"Congress and the Obama administration have broken with the costly and failed drug war strategies of the past in some important ways," said Nadelmann. "But the continuing emphasis on interdiction and law enforcement in the federal drug war budget suggest that ONDCP is far more wedded to the failures of the past than to any new vision for the future. I urge this committee to hold ONDCP and federal drug policy accountable to new criteria that focus on reductions in the death, disease, crime and suffering associated with both drugs and drug prohibition."
Nadelmann identified four problems with current drug strategy:
- The drug war's flawed performance measures;
- The lop-sided ratio between supply and demand spending in the national drug budget;
- The lack of innovation in the drug czar's proposed strategies;
- The administration's failure to adequately evaluate drug policies.
"They want to move toward a public health model that focuses on reducing demand for drugs, but no drug policy will succeed unless there are the resources to implement it," said Carnevale. "Past budgets emphasizing supply reduction failed to produce results, and our drug policy stalled -- there has been no change in overall drug use in this decade."
Carnevale noted that the 2011 ONDCP budget gave the largest percentage increase to prevention and treatment, but that its priorities were still skewed toward supply reduction. "The budget continues to over-allocate funds where they are least effective, in interdiction and source country programs."
"The drug trade poses multiple and serious threats, ranging from threats to security and the legal economy to threats to legality and political processes," said Felbab-Brown, "but millions of people depend on the illegal drug trade for a livelihood. There is no hope supply-side policies can disrupt the global drug trade."
Felbab-Brown said she was "encouraged" that the Obama administration had shifted toward a state-building approach in Afghanistan, but that she had concerns about how policy is being operationalized there. "We need to adopt the right approach to sequencing eradication in Afghanistan," she said. "Alternative livelihoods and state-building need to be comprehensive, well-funded, and long-lasting, and not focused on replacing the poppy crop."
"Eradication in Afghanistan has little effect on domestic supply and reduction," said Kucinich. "Should these kinds of programs be funded?"
"I am quite convinced that spending money for eradication, especially aerial eradication, is not effective," replied Carnevale. "The point of eradication in Colombia was to reduce the amount of drugs coming into the US, but I see no such effect."
"We're dealing with global commodity markets," said Nadelmann. "If one source is knocked out, someone else will pop up. What's missing is any sort of strategic analysis or planning. If you accept that these drugs are going to be produced, you need to manage it to reduce the harms."
"The history of the last 20 years of the cocaine and heroin trade shows how much mobility there is in cultivation and trafficking," said Reuter. "What we do has a predictable effect. When we pushed down on trafficking in Florida, that lead to increases in Mexico. The evidence is striking that all we are doing is moving the trade."
Times are changing in Washington. What was once unassailable drug war orthodoxy is not under direct assault, and not just from activists and academics, but among members of Congress itself. But while the drug czar talks the happy talk about "new directions in drug policy," the Obama administration -- with some notable exceptions -- looks to still have a drug policy on cruise control.
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Phillip S. Smith, Writer/Editor
For more than a decade, French researcher Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy has been cementing his reputation as one of the world's leading experts on opium and the opium trade, and now, with "Opium," he makes his work accessible to an English-speaking audience. In doing so, he reveals the long and fascinating history of the opium poppy and explores the dynamics behind the ever-mutating patterns of cultivation and distribution that mark the trade for the past century. He also explains why decades of aggressive anti-drug policies by the US and the United Nations have failed to suppress or even reduce illicit poppy production.
Chouvy's knowledge of the trade is extensive -- he has spent years trudging around the backwaters of Asia, from Burma and Laos to Afghanistan and Pakistan -- and his grasp of its motors and contours is impressive. As he traces the 20th Century evolution of the opium trade, he also shows how damnably difficult it is to suppress the pain-relieving poppy.
Chouvy takes the reader through China's (at least temporarily) successful opium ban of the 1950s and demonstrates how the ban stimulated production just south of the border in Thailand, Laos, and Burma. Similarly, he shows how opium bans in Turkey and Iran around mid-century stimulated production in Pakistan and now Afghanistan.
Along the way, Chouvy reveals the futility of drug war approaches by unveiling the symbiotic relationship between drug economies and war economies. A trade that thrives on the poverty and underdevelopment created by violent conflict cannot be defeated militarily. Thus, the logic of the drug war is almost completely backwards, he argues.
It's not that opium bans or eradication can never work, Chouvy notes. They have worked, at least locally, whether through harsh repression, as in China in the 1950s or Burma in the 2000s, or in combination with economic development efforts, as in Thailand in the 1970s and 1980s. But to reduce opium cultivation requires alternative livelihood programs and economic and social development programs that are well-constructed, adequately funded, and long-lived because "poverty and food insecurity are the main drivers of illicit opium production."
(One could argue that demand drives production, although opium is the sort of commodity that creates its own demand, or that artificially inflated prices due to the global prohibition regime drive production, but for Chouvy, the appetite for opium and the reality of drug prohibition are givens.)
That has not generally been the case, Chouvy rather convincingly chronicles. Especially in areas dominated by US and UN drug war paradigms, the approach has been ass-backwards, with eradication done before alternative development is in place and with development assistance tied to eradication. A key issue here is sequencing. Development must come before eradication or bans, or it is unlikely to work.
Similarly, the amount of resources devoted to alternative development programs has been so paltry in comparison to resources devoted to eradication and interdiction that most programs have been doomed to failure or, at best, limited local success.
A third problem with alternative development programs is that, until recently, they have been designed as "one size fits all" without taking into account differences in poppy cultivation patterns between countries and, especially, within countries. In Afghanistan, for example, poor farmers suffering from food insecurity will supplement their wheat crops with poppy, while wealthier farmers grow poppy not out of desperation but out of the desire to gain profits. Development programs must be targeted with acute specificity to fit local needs and conditions, Chouvy writes.
But reducing illicit opium cultivation faces even more fundamental challenges. "It is necessary to identify and address the causes of poverty and food insecurity, no matter how diverse they might be, if illegal poppy cultivation is to be reduced or suppressed," Chouvy writes. "Ultimately, since illicit opium production stems from the need of farmers to cope with poverty and food insecurity, what is required in order to achieve drug supply reduction is broad and equitable economic development, especially in rural areas."
That's a tall order for a country like Afghanistan or Burma, and it demands the kind of economic, social, and political changes that may be inimical to the interests of major donor nations like the US.
With "Opium," Chouvy has made a major contribution to the literature of the poppy trade. His book needs to be read by academics, activists, policy-makers, development NGOs, and anyone else with a serious interest in the opium trade and how to deal with it.
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 It's here. The "10 Rules for Dealing with Police" DVD. Donate $30 or more and get a free copy mailed within one week.
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| From the creators of the classic, Busted: The Citizenâs Guide to Surviving Police Encounters (2003), our friends at the group Flex Your Rights are now releasing their new achievement, 10 Rules for Dealing with Police. Because StoptheDrugWar.org (DRCNet) members like you supported Busted, you've earned the first chance to see this important new DVD.
10 Rules for Dealing with Police, a 40-minute educational drama, is the most sophisticated and entertaining film of its kind. Narrated by the legendary trial lawyer William "Billy" Murphy, Jr. (from HBO's The Wire), 10 Rules depicts innocent people dealing with heavy-handed policing tactics used every day in the United States.
Through extensive collaboration with victims of police abuse, legal experts and law enforcement professionals, Flex Your Rights has developed a powerful multi-language (English, Spanish & Arabic) resource that provides proven survival strategies for dealing with racial profiling and police abuse.
Do you know what your rights are if you're stopped by police? Most people don't, and the consequences can be severe. From simple misunderstandings to illegal searches and excessive force, a bad police encounter can happen to anyone. But after watching 10 Rules for Dealing with Police, you'll be more confident and better prepared to handle every kind of police situation.
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It's a veritable potpourri of prohibition-related police misconduct this week. Let's get to it:
In New York City, an NYPD auxiliary officer and a retired NYPD officer were arrested Tuesday after being indicted for helping protect drug shipments. Auxiliary NYPD Police Officer Rafael Jimenez and retired NYPD Officer Alfredo Rivera. The pair went down after meeting with a confidential informant and agreeing to transport a 10-kilogram load of drugs from Long Island to Brooklyn. They are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. They are looking at a 10-year mandatory minimum if convicted and up to life in prison.
In Altamonte Springs, Florida, an Altamonte Springs police officer and his wife were arrested April 5 on drugs and weapons charges. Officer Clay Adams and his wife Robyn are accused of operating a marijuana grow-op and trafficking in Oxycontin. They are also accused of threatening to kill an informant and a former narcotics unit chief. They are being held without bond at last report. They face up to life in prison if convicted.
In Beeville, Texas, a Beeville Police detective was arrested April 8 for allegedly peddling prescription drugs. Detective Victor Gonzales, 31, is charged with possession of a prescription drug with intent to distribute. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Gonzales has been released on bond and is suspended from his job with pay.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agent was indicted last Friday for allegedly participating in a drug distribution ring. Former agent Brandon McFadden, 33, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. He is also charged with possessing meth with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense and money laundering. The indictment alleges that while McFadden was an ATF agent in Tulsa and participating in drug sales, he also planted false drug evidence on suspects, stole drugs and money from suspects, and perjured himself testifying in court. Tulsa Police Officer Jeff Henderson, who worked with McFadden, is now on leave amid accusations that he and McFadden gave false testimony in a drug case. He has not been charged with any crimes.
In Marietta, Georgia, a Fulton County Sheriff's deputy was indicted Tuesday on federal charges for allegedly protecting suspected drug dealers in January and March. Deputy Anthony Atwater, 32, is charged with five counts, including extortion and aiding and abetting cocaine distribution. He is accused of protecting drug dealers on two different occasions and of receiving $4,000 for his efforts. He is being held pending a bond hearing next week and is indefinitely suspended without pay.
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An initiative that would legalize medical marijuana in Arizona appears headed for the November ballot after organizers handed in some 252,000 signatures to state officials Wednesday. The initiative needs 153,365 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
coming your way on election day
The initiative, known as the
Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, would allow terminally and seriously ill patients to use marijuana with their doctors' approval. Patients and caregivers could procure medical marijuana at regulated clinics, but could grow it themselves only if they are located more than 25 miles from a clinic.
"We are proud to turn in these signatures today on behalf of the thousands of patients in Arizona who will benefit from this law once it is enacted," said Andrew Myers, campaign manager for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project. "People suffering from multiple sclerosis, cancer, AIDS, and other serious illnesses should not be forced to seek on the streets the medicine they and their doctors know they need. This initiative proposes instead a dispensary system that will give patients safe and reliable access to medical marijuana if they possess a doctor's recommendation to use it. We look forward to qualifying for the ballot and bringing our message to voters over the coming months."
If the initiative qualifies, that will mean two states will be voting on medical marijuana this year. An initiative in South Dakota has already made the ballot.
If Arizona voters approve the initiative in November -- and support for medical marijuana is running at 65% in the state -- that would mean medical marijuana would be legal all the way from the Pacific Coast to the Texas border. Arizona borders California, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Only the latter state does not have legal medical marijuana.
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Problems with contaminated drug supplies reemerged on two fronts this week, with health authorities in Scotland announcing another case of anthrax among heroin users and health authorities in Quebec warning that cocaine continues to be contaminated with levamisole, a veterinary de-worming agent.
anthrax spores
In a
press release issued last Friday, Health Protection Scotland announced the first anthrax case among heroin users in the Edinburgh area had been confirmed. That brings to 33 the number of confirmed cases among heroin users, all but two of them in Scotland. One was reported in Germany and one in London. Eleven people have died of anthrax from tainted heroin, 10 of them in Scotland.
"There is no way to tell if your heroin is contaminated and there is no way to take heroin which we can advise is safer or less likely to result in illness or death if it has anthrax contamination," warned Dr. Colin Ramsey, consultant epidemiologist for Health Protection Scotland. "Drug users are advised that the only way to avoid the risk of anthrax in this outbreak is not to take heroin. While we appreciate that this may be extremely difficult advice to follow, it remains the only public health protection advice possible due to the nature of anthrax infection."
Such advice dismays harm reductionists, who have called for more informational campaigns and the prescribing of pharmaceutical heroin to addicts.
Users should seek urgent medical attention in the event of symptoms such as redness or swelling at or near an injection site, or other symptoms of general illness such a fever, chills or a severe headache, as early antibiotic treatment can be lifesaving, Health Protection Scotland said. Marked swelling of a limb which has been used as an injection site is a particularly important sign of possible anthrax infection.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, the National Public Health Institute of Quebec has issued a report on levamisole contamination in cocaine (sorry, French only) in the province. According to that report, eight out of 10 blood samples taken from known cocaine users in Quebec contained the cutting agent.
When ingested by humans, levamisole can cause nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea. Chronic use can lead to neutropenia, a potentially lethal blood disorder, or a related condition, agranulocytosis.
The US DEA first reported the presence of levamisole in cocaine in 2002 and its use is on the rise. In November 2009, Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services published a survey indicating that 70% of cocaine seized in the US contained levamisole.
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Colorado is one of just 17 US states that do not allow needle exchanges, but that could change under a bill before the Colorado Senate. The bill, SB 189, would allow local health departments to exchange dirty needles for clean ones in a bid to slow the spread of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C among injection drug users.
widely-used needle exchange graphic
The bill passed its first legislative hurdle Wednesday, passing out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee with only two no votes. It now goes before the Senate for a floor vote.
"This is intended to be a public health measure to stop the spread of infectious diseases," lead sponsor Sen. Pat Steadman (D-Denver) told ABC 7 News.
But the bill is generating opposition from solons who fear it will enable drug use. "It does give kind of a wink and a nod towards the use of illegal drugs," said Sen. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud), who opposes the measure. "My common sense says a needle exchange program is a de facto drug legalization and I'm not going to go there. We've got a problem with illegal drugs," he said. "Let's not make it worse by saying maybe, sort of, kind of, you can do it."
"No one's condoning illegal drug use," Steadman retorted. "No one's saying, 'Go have a good time.' What we're saying is, 'Please be safe.'"
Under current Colorado law, groups are allowed to collect used syringes, but not exchange them for clean ones. The only city in the state that allows for needle exchanges is Boulder, which passed a 1989 law exempting some groups from prosecution for doing exchanges.
That doesn't mean there is no needle exchange in Denver, the state's largest city. The Underground Syringe Exchange of Denver (USED) has been doing exchanges since 2008 and has handed out more than 11,000 needles to drug users.
"We remove syringes off the streets of Denver," said USED member Chris Conner. "They wind up in our dumpsters. They wind up thrown away in public bathrooms or discarded in parks," he said. "So this is a public health issue for all of us."
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A bill that would decriminalize the possession of a quarter-ounce or less of marijuana in New Hampshire appears dead this year after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-0 Tuesday not to recommend it. The bill will still go before the full Senate, where it is expected to be defeated on a voice vote.
"It is now clear the bill will not become law this year, but it is also clear the discussion will continue," Matt Simon, director of the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, told the North Andover (Massachusetts) Eagle Tribune after the vote.
The bill, HB 1653, passed the House on a 214-37 vote earlier this year. But Senate Judiciary Committee members said the threat of a gubernatorial veto made it dead on arrival because the Senate has other legislation to which to attend.
Simon said the Senate vote was a minor setback and that medical marijuana and decriminalization bills will be back. The legislature already defeated a marijuana legalization bill this year, but will study the tax benefits of legalizing pot this summer.
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[Editor's Note: There is no Mexico Drug War Update this week. It will be back next week.]
With the prohibition-related bloodshed in Mexico continuing apace, Mexican drug trafficking organizations -- the so-called cartels -- are engaged not only in brutal conflict but also in shifting alliances. According to reports from Mother Jones and Al Jazeera, three rival cartels have joined forces in a battle to the death with the Zetas, the former soldiers turned Gulf cartel hit-men who eventually turned on their own employers.
Citing sources from the Mexican police and the DEA, Al Jazeera reported that the Gulf, La Familia, and Sinaloa cartels had formed an alliance to fight the Zetas in the border state of Tamaulipas, across the Rio Grande River from Brownsville and McAllen, Texas. Mother Jones reported that the alliance is known as the New Federation and has put out YouTube videos threatening the Zetas.
In one video directed to the Mexican public, the New Federation said: "Without the 'Z' you will live without fear... If you are a Zeta, run because the MONSTER is coming... the new alliance has raised its weapons to fuck the Zetas because they have undermined the drug trafficking business with their kidnappings, extortions, etc. To sum it up, they don't give a shit about the freedom and tranquility of the Mexican people."
"It's an issue of a common enemy," Will Glaspy, the head of the DEA's office in McAllen, told Al Jazeera. "The Zetas have been trying to wage war on everybody for a while," he said. "It's been well-documented that the Gulf cartel has formed alliances with the Sinaloa cartel and La Familia to wage war against the Zetas."
The Sinaloa cartel, led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has also been busy in Ciudad Juarez, where the Associated Press reported last Friday that the cartel had defeated the Juarez cartel in a bloody battle to control the lucrative "franchise" for smuggling drugs across the river into El Paso and beyond. The AP cited US intelligence sources and the FBI.
That sounded about right to Mexican Federal Police Chief Facundo Rosas, who said that while Mexican authorities are still working to confirm the US assessment, "These are valid theories. If you control the city, you control the drugs. And it appears to be Chapo."
"The onslaught against the Juarez cartel has been very brutal, not only by the Chapo Guzman cartel but also the military," said Tony Payan, an expert on the Juarez drug war at the University of Texas-El Paso. "I don't think by any means the Juarez cartel is done, but it's a shadow of its former self."
If true, a Sinaloa cartel victory in Ciudad Juarez could augur a decline in violence there. Some 5,000 people have been killed in the city since Guzman's gang moved in on Ciudad Juarez in 2008. Now, with the Sinaloa cartel in control of smuggling into and out of the city, the violence may be limited to local gang turf wars over retail drug sales in the city.
According to Payan, much of the recent violence in Juarez has been Guzman's men finishing off Juarez cartel "stragglers" who continued to deal drugs on city streets. The retail level violence has pitted Juarez cartel-aligned street gangs the Aztecas and La Linea against gangs affiliated with Guzman, including the Mexicles and the Killer Clowns.
"The killings, they are mostly small retail people," Payan said. "I think they are Aztecas, falling like flies all over the city."
And so it goes with Mexico's prohibition-related violence. Since President Felipe Calderon declared war on the cartels in late 2006, deploying up to 50,000 military troops, several key cartel figures have been killed or arrested, but the cartels themselves always reconstitute, and the drug trade continues. Meanwhile, the death toll continues to climb, past 19,000 by the Chronicle's count, but now past 22,000 according to a Mexican government report released this week.
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A coca-based soft drink went on sale in Bolivia this week. Coca Colla, made from the coca leaf and named after Bolivia's indigenous Colla people, is the latest manifestation of President Evo Morales' quest to expand legal markets for coca products.
Coca Colla (photo via curiosaweb.com
The first batch of
Coca Colla, about 12,000 half-litre bottles going for $1.50 each, went on sale in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba. Like Coca-Cola, it is black, sweet, and comes in a bottle with a red label. Unlike Coca-Cola, which
originally used full-fledged coca leaf extract but began de-cocainizing it early in the company's history, Coca Colla is the real thing.
While Morales' government has vowed zero tolerance for cocaine, it has encouraged Bolivian companies to use coca in products including tea, syrups, toothpaste, liqueurs, candies, and cakes. The Bolivian government backed Coca Colla from the beginning. If Coca Colla and other coca products take off, the government could expand the amount of land authorized for legal coca production from the current 30,000 acres to as much as 50,000 acres.
"We are seeing how we can give it impetus, because the industrialization of coca interests us," the deputy minister of rural development, the BBC quoted the deputy minister of rural development, Victor Hugo Vázquez, as saying.
Five years ago, Paez indigenous people in Colombia launched a coca-based soft drink, Coca Sek. But that drink was banned in 2007 following pressure from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), which enforces the international drug treaties that consider coca a drug. No word yet from the INCB on Coca Colla.
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Members of Bermuda's ruling Progressive Labor Party (PLP) are calling for a major debate on marijuana criminalization, the Royal Gazette reported this week. Calls are increasing for the party to debate whether people arrested with small amounts of weed should be arrested.
map of Bermuda (from the World Factbook, state.gov)
Not only does arresting marijuana smokers tie up police and judicial resources, it also has serious collateral consequences for them. Someone arrested for pot possession in Bermuda can be barred from traveling to the nearby US, for instance.
The Caribbean island nation has traditionally taken a hard line on low-level marijuana offenses. But debate on the question has been percolating for several years.
Sen. Walter Brown, a former drug researcher, is one of the people calling for debate now. [Editor's Note: In the quote below, Brown appears to be confusing decriminalization with legalization.] "We should not embrace decriminalization," he said. "What we can look at is a policy so that people who are caught in possession of small amounts do not get a criminal record for that. People who smoke marijuana aren't likely to go out and attack anyone. I support police taking it from them, but why bring them before the courts? Let's not criminalize the behavior of people in possession of small amounts."
Another PLP representative, Ashfield DeVent, said he would consider introducing a private member's bill on the issue. He argued that legalizing all drugs would take the profit out of the drug trade and reduce gangsterism.
PLP member David Burt said that while right now other issues deserved the government's attention, he hoped debate would come in the near future. "We need to discuss the issue without sensationalism with one simple goal: how do we reduce drug use and the effects of drugs in our community," he said. "Speaking in my personal capacity, I think that Bermuda needs to have in-depth discussion on serious issues such as this. Drugs are bad, but we live in a society where people who smoke weed everyday make fun of crack heads. All drugs are bad. Ultimately we as a society need to figure out the best way to reduce substance abuse in our Country. I happen to think the best way is via decriminalization, education, and treatment."
The current hard-line policy isn't working, Burt said. "Prohibition has never worked, and there isn't a democracy ever that has been successful with prohibition. There are no good fixes to this problem; however as a society, we need to look at the best choice out of two bad options; continue as we are, or change the laws and treat substance abuse and addiction as the public health problem it is."
The PLP is talking to itself about decriminalization. The next step will be to actually have that national conversation.
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(We reprint Phil's review of this important new release.)
Phillip S. Smith, Writer/Editor
In 2008, the latest year tallied in the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, more than 14 million people were arrested in the United States, and uncounted millions more were subject to "stop and frisk" searches either on the streets or after being stopped for an alleged traffic violations. Of all those arrests in 2008, more than 1.7 million were for drug offenses, and about half of those were for marijuana offenses. For both pot busts in particular and drug arrests in general, nearly 90% of those arrested were for simple possession.
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| 10 Rules is available with a donation to StoptheDrugWar.org now! |
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"10 Rules" will help the both the entirely innocent and those guilty of nothing more of possessing drugs in violation of our contemptible drug laws reduce the harm of their run-ins with police. Not that it encourages the violation of any laws -- it doesn't -- but it does clearly, concisely, and effectively explain what people can do to exercise their constitutional rights while keeping their cool, in the process protecting themselves from police who may not have their best interests in mind.
Those stops and those arrests mentioned above, of course, were not random or evenly distributed among the population. If you're young, or non-white, or an identifiable member of some sub-culture fairly or unfairly associated with drug use, you are much more likely to be stopped, hassled, and perhaps arrested. The writers of "10 Rules," Scott Morgan and Steve Silverman of Flex Your Rights understand that.
Building on the foundation of their 2003 video, "Busted: A Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters," which featured mainly young, white people involved in police encounters, Morgan and Silverman have expanded their target audience. In three of the four scenarios used in the video -- a traffic stop and search, a street stop-and-frisk search, and a knock-and-talk home search -- the protagonists are a young black man, a young Latino man, and a black grandmother, respectively. In only one scene, two young men apparently doing a dope deal on the street, are the citizen protagonists white.
That's not to say that "10 Rules" is intended only for the communities most targeted by police, just that the writers understand just who is being targeted by police. The lessons and wisdom of "10 Rules" are universally relevant in the United States, and all of us can benefit from knowing what our rights are and how to exercise them effectively. "10 Rules" does precisely that, and it does so in a street-smart way that understands cops sometimes don't want to play by the rules.
"10 Rules" build upon the earlier "Busted" in more than one sense. While "10 Rules" is expanding the terrain covered by "Busted," it has taken the cinematic quality to the next level, too. While "Busted" was made using a beta cam, this flick is shot in High Definition video, and that makes for some great production values, which are evident from the opening scene. "10 Rules" was shot on a bigger budget that "Busted," it has more actors (including some drug reform faces you might recognize), and more professional actors, and it has more of the feel of a movie than most video documentaries.
And it has legendary defense attorney William "Billy" Murphy, who plays the role of socratic interlocuter in the video. (You may remember him from appearances on HBO's "The Wire.") Appearing in a courtroom-like setting before a multi-ethnic group of very interested questioners, the pony-tailed lawyer begins with a basic discussion of the rights granted us by the US Constitution, especially the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth amendments dealing with the right to be free of unwarranted searches, the right to stay silent, and the right to legal counsel. His performance, folksy, yet forceful; scholarly, yet street-savvy, sparkles throughout; his natural charisma shines through.
From there, we alternate between Williams and his audience and the scenarios mentioned above. We see the young black man, Darren, get pulled over in traffic, produce a bit of bad attitude, and suffer mightily for his efforts. He gets handcuffed, manhandled, and consents to a search of his vehicle, after which the cop leaves his belongings strewn in the wet road and gives him a traffic ticket.
Then it's back to the courtroom, where Darren, angry and feeling disrespected, tells his tale. Murphy is sympathetic, but explains that Darren broke rule #1.
"Rule #1, always be calm and collected," the veteran attorney intones. "A police encounter is absolutely the worst time and place to vent your frustrations about getting stopped by the police. As soon as you opened your mouth, you failed the attitude test. Don't ever talk back, don't raise your voice, don't use profanity. Being hostile to police is stupid and dangerous."
Such advice may be frustrating, but it's smart, and it's street-smart. Murphy noted that things could have turned out even worse, as the video showed in an alternate take on the scene with Darren twitching on the ground after getting tasered for his efforts. He also threw in some good advice about pulling over immediately, turning off the car, keeping your hands on the wheel, and turning on an interior light just to reduce police officers' nervousness level.
Murphy uses the same scenario with Darren to get through rule #2 ("You always have the right to remain silent"), rule #3 ("You have the right to refuse searches"), rule #4 ("Don't get fooled" -- the police can and will lie to you or tell you you'll get off easier if you do what they ask), and rule #5 ("Ask if you are free to go"). This time, the cop still has a bad attitude and Darren still gets a ticket, but he doesn't counterproductively antagonize the cop, he doesn't get rousted and handcuffed, he doesn't allow the cop to search his vehicle, he doesn't get intimated by the officers' threat to bring in a drug dog that will tear up his car, and he does ask if he's free to go. He is.
Which brings us to a discussion of probable cause and and rule #6: "Don't expose yourself" and give police probable cause to search you. The video shows a car with bumper stickers saying "Got Weed?" "Bad Cop, No Donut," and "My other gun is a Tech-9" -- probably not a smart idea unless you really enjoy getting pulled over and hassled. More generally, "don't expose yourself" means that if you are carrying items you really don't want the police to see (and arrest you for), don't leave them lying around in plain sight. That's instant probable cause.
I'm not going to tell you the rest of the rules because I want you to see the video for yourself. But I will tell you about the heart-rending scene where the black grandmother lets police search her home in the name of public safety -- there have been some gang gun crimes, they explain pleasantly -- and ends up getting busted for her granddaughter's pot stash, arrested, and is now facing eviction from her public housing. Under Murphy's guidance, we rewind and replay the scene, with grandma politely but firmly exercising her rights, keeping the cops out of her home, and not going to jail or being threatened with losing her home.
In a time when police are more aggressive than ever, "10 Rules" is an absolutely necessary corrective, full of folksy -- but accurate -- information. "10 Rules" is the kind of basic primer on your rights that every citizen needs to know, it's well-thought out and well-written, and it not only is it full of critically important information, it's entertaining.
Go watch it and learn how to flex your rights. Better yet, watch it together with your friends, your family, or your classmates, then practice putting the rules into effect. Sometimes it's as simple as saying a simple phrase -- "Officer, am I free to go?" Do some role-playing, practice saying the magic words, and "10 Rules" can help you survive any police encounter in better shape than otherwise. When you're done, watch it and practice again -- familiarity is the best help when facing an intimidating police officer staring down at you.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to people who feel strongly enough about the rule of law in this country to help others learn how the law protects them and how to protect themselves within the law. A big thank you to the guys at Flex Your Rights is in order. And they would be the first to tell you the best way to thank them is to learn and apply the "10 Rules."
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April 19, 1943: Albert Hoffman takes the first dose of LSD, in Basel, Switzerland.
April 16, 1998: The Iowa Legislature overwhelmingly approves a bill enhancing marijuana penalties for repeat offenders, and enabling police officers to conduct drug tests on drivers who appear to be operating under the influence of marijuana.
April 18, 2001: Kenneth Hayes and Michael Foley are acquitted by a Sonoma County, California jury on charges of cultivating and possessing marijuana. The two were arrested for growing 899 marijuana plants for the 1,200 members of a San Francisco medical marijuana club called CHAMP (Cannabis Helping Alleviate Medical Problems).
April 20, 2001: American Christian missionary Veronica Bowers and her seven month-old daughter, Charity, are killed when their small plane is shot out of the sky by a Peruvian military jet as part of a CIA-backed program that patrols the Amazon Basin for drug couriers. The Senate Intelligence Committee investigates and concludes the missionary pilot did nothing wrong and should not have come under fire.
April 17, 2002: While under the influence of amphetamines issued to them by the US government in order to stay awake during the mission, two US pilots mistakenly drop a bomb that kills four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. The Air Force-issued "go pills" may have impaired the pilots' judgment, says David Beck, lawyer for Maj. William Umbach, adding that the pilots were given antidepressants upon returning from their mission. "The Air Force has a problem. They have administered 'go pills' to soldiers that the manufacturers have stated affect performance and judgment," Beck said.
April 20, 2002: Robin Prosser of Missoula, Montana begins a hunger strike demanding access to government grown marijuana to help her treat symptoms of Lupus. Prosser says that marijuana helps combat the illness and relieves her pain and stress.
April 16, 2004: Richard Paey, a wheelchair-bound pain patient, is sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Florida judge. Paey, who was convicted of forging prescriptions for pills to ease chronic, severe back pain dating from failed surgeries after an auto accident in 1985, was sentenced under Florida law as a drug dealer -- though even prosecutors conceded there is no evidence he did anything other than consume the opioid pain relievers himself. (Paey is later pardoned by Gov. Charlie Crist.)
April 21, 2004: US Circuit Court Judge Jeremy Fogel bars the US Dept. of Justice from interfering with Mike and Valerie Corral, heads of a medical marijuana hospice near Santa Cruz, California, with their 250 patients, or with their marijuana garden. Judge Fogel cites Raich v. Ashcroft, a 2004 Ninth Circuit decision which found the federal government has no jurisdiction over patients who grow their own plants.
April 22, 2004: The Pacific edition of the magazine Stars and Stripes reports that twenty sailors assigned to Commander, Naval Forces Marianas (Guam) were arrested on drug-related charges since late 2003 alone.
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Along with our weekly in-depth Chronicle reporting, DRCNet also provides daily content in the way of blogging in the Stop the Drug War Speakeasy -- huge numbers of people have been reading it recently -- as well as Latest News links (upper right-hand corner of most web pages), event listings (lower right-hand corner) and other info. Check out DRCNet every day to stay on top of the drug reform game! Check out the Speakeasy main page at http://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy.
prohibition-era beer raid, Washington, DC (Library of Congress)
Since last issue:
Scott Morgan writes: "Michelle Obama's Awesome Plan for Winning the Drug War," "Drug Cartel Assassins Caught on Camera," "The Government is Still Trying (and Failing) to Prove That Marijuana is Dangerous," "The Best Argument Ever for Legalizing and Taxing Marijuana," "Teachers for Marijuana Legalization," "Dr. Drew Endorses Planting Evidence on Drug Users to Get Them Locked Up," "Mike Huckabee Compares Using Drugs to Committing Incest," "Eating Your Stash Won't Keep You Out of Jail."
Phil Smith posts early copies of Drug War Chronicle articles.
David Guard posts numerous press releases, action alerts and other organizational announcements in the In the Trenches blog.
Again, http://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy is the online place to stay in the loop for the fight to stop the war on drugs. Thanks for reading, and please join us on the comment boards.
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CannBe is helping develop and advance the medical cannabis industry by implementing positive model dispensaries alongside like-minded entrepreneurs. The company is led by an impressive team experienced in developing nonprofit organizations, including the renowned Harborside Health Center in Oakland and Sebastopol's Peace in Medicine. CannBe's unstoppable team is comprised of experts in law, government relations, dispensary launch, operations, and organization development.
CannBe is looking for bright, creative, initiative-taking professionals to be part of our team. The company is looking for talented individuals who bridge the gap of design thinking and strategy -- believers, dreamers, thinkers and doers. This is a start-up organization that is expanding exponentially and is looking for the best talent to realize the greatest potential. CannBe needs flexible people who understand the dynamics of a start-up and are motivated to take action and implement structure and strategy where needed. The company seeks to embody an open, collaborative, communicative workplace where teamwork is fostered and encouraged.
CannBe is evolving, developing, and growing. Applicants should be independent, dynamic, flexible, and must embrace change. The start-up nature of the organization cannot be understated -- roles are fulltime, often with weekend and evening work, and may include travel. The company is riddled with tight deadlines, big projects, demanding clients, and an exciting, ever-changing legal environment. The organization is for those who are ready to dedicate 110% to the dream of developing the medical cannabis industry into one of professionalism and benefit to the community.
All roles are fulltime (and then some), may require travel, and are much more complex and dynamic than they appear! Qualified candidates should expect to pass a background check, a typing skills test, a proficiency test for Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel, and several rounds of interviews.
All applicants must submit a cover letter that is one page, a sample of your best writing, explains your current profession and why you're leaving/changing, references your experience as it relates to the CannBe culture and purpose and to the specific needs of the role for which you're applying; a resume that is error and typo-free, references your relevant experience, and no more than two pages in length; and three professional references including name, title, organization, phone/e-mail address, and how long you've known this person and the capacity in which you worked with this him/her.
All items should be sent by e-mail in PDF format to [email protected]. Please label the subject "APPLICANT: [Role] â [your first and last name]".
Job Opportunity 1: Business and Organizational Development Specialist
The Business and Organizational Development Specialist is responsible for developing clients' not for profit corporate structure, and overseeing all aspects of non-operations project implementation. This includes overseeing contractors responsible for marketing, public relations, business planning, and brand development.
The Business and Organizational Development Specialist must have a strong background in business development and/or nonprofit management, and be comfortable helping others develop and highly functional not for profit business structure. This includes assisting clients in drafting corporate documents, developing and managing their board of directors, drafting of business plans, project budgeting, and cash flowing.
CannBe's start-up culture is one of diligence, a can-do attitude, flexibility and openness to change. The ideal candidate will be independent, but a stellar team-player, who can change course quickly and smoothly. CannBe's favorite candidate will show grace under pressure and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, intense, and dynamic work environment.
Candidates for this position will be outgoing, personable, and have excellent verbal and written communication skills. This person must have a detailed understanding of the inner-workings of corporate structures, and be able to create and manage multiple new organizations at any given time. A Masters in Business Administration or equivalent experience is required. Candidates should be well-spoken and able to interact professionally with prospects, colleagues, clients, partners, and vendors. Establishing and maintaining excellent relationships is a key to success.
Responsibilities include assisting clients in developing the mission, vision, and image of their not for profit organization; developing appropriate legal entity and help client navigate filing processes; developing management and not for profit board structure and helping to recruit board members; overseeing the development of financial management tools, budgeting, and account systems; overseeing the development of MCDC branding, marketing, and advertising plan; writing or customizing MCDC business plan for client; communicating and coordinating regularly with operations development staff; helping client build alliances with local community members, businesses, and law enforcement; assisting government relations team with MCDC permit application processes; drafting work plans, timelines, and document maps for project implementation; developing professional lending packages for CannBe clients to seek investment for the development of their organization; preparing and filing bylaws, articles of incorporation, and other corporate documents, managing and coordinating multiple contractors (marketing, public relations, financial, etc.) for each client project, including scheduling meetings and deadlines; assisting in implementing human resources programs for new not for profit organizations; and reviewing and editing written materials from contractors before submitting to client.
Education and experience required includes a Masters in Business Administration (or equivalent experience) and a minimum of five years experience performing similar duties in an office environment.
Skills and abilities required include proficiency with MS Office (Central Desktop a plus); strong oral and written communication skills; strong written communication skills; excellent organizational and multitasking skills; and very strong memory skills. The ideal candidate will have proven abilities to be resourceful, energetic, get along with others; require little direction; and have the skills and abilities to take on more responsibility as the company and position grows.
Job Opportunity 2: Junior Government Relations Specialist
The Junior GR Specialist assists CannBe's in-house government relations team and outside consultants in designing and implementing plans to assist our clients in achieving desired results in local jurisdictions throughout the Bay Area and California. This person will assist CannBe's Government Relations Specialists in the development and implementation of effective legislative, regulatory, and political strategies on key issues impacting our consulting clients. A successful candidate will understand the impact that federal, state and local policy developments will have on the company and its clients.
The Junior GR Specialist will often be the first CannBe representative that community leaders and legislators come in contact with, so this person must be able to represent the company professionally and personably at all times. This position will be responsible for organizing community coalitions in advance of CannBe lobbying work, so experience with grassroots organizing is a plus.
The ideal candidate will be comfortable discussing medical cannabis policy with individuals of all walks of life. A warm personality and genuine passion for the issue are requirements for this position.
CannBe's start-up culture is one of diligence, a can-do attitude, flexibility and openness to change. The ideal candidate will be independent, but a stellar team-player, who can change course quickly and smoothly. CannBe's favorite candidate will show grace under pressure and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, intense, and dynamic work environment.
This is an excellent opportunity for an initiative-taking administrative professional who wants to take part in shaping the medical cannabis community. This individual should have a proven track record of success and the ideal candidate will consider it a privilege to work in this industry, and specifically for CannBe. The ideal candidate would aspire to take on more responsibility and have the necessary skills and abilities to be promoted to other assignments.
Responsibilities include mapping out the power structure in each city; conducting outreach to local community leaders, opinion leader, business leaders, non-profit leaders, etc.; scheduling regular meetings with policy makers and staff for GR Specialists; scheduling regular meeting with local community leaders, opinion leaders, business leaders, non-profit leaders, etc.; providing administrative support to GR Specialist for drafting documents, providing timelines; attending hearings to provide support and recordkeeping for GR Specialists; conducting basic jurisdiction research on medical cannabis policy; assisting GR Specialists or appropriate Managers with time and project management; and performing document review as appropriate.
Education and experience required include a high school degree or equivalent, preferred 2-year or 4-year college degree (or equivalent experience), and a minimum of one year experience in an office environment performing similar duties.
Skills and abilities required include proficiency with MS Office (Central Desktop a plus); strong oral and written communication skills; excellent organizational and multitasking skills; and very strong memory skills. The ideal candidate will have proven abilities to be resourceful, energetic, and get along with others; require little direction; and have the skills and abilities to take on more responsibility as the company and position grows.
Job Opportunity 3: Operations Development Administrator
CannBe unites some of the most experienced and accomplished professionals in the medical cannabis industry to develop, launch, enrich and direct medical cannabis projects. With a focus on legal integrity and proven models of success, CannBe believes in a social entrepreneurship approach to member service, in hopes of promoting a shared vision of safe, legal and professional access for patients.
In order to enhance these services, CannBe is searching for a highly motivated professional to serve as the company's Operations Development Administrator.
The Operations Development Administrator is responsible for assisting in the development and implementation of the retail operation of our clients' medical cannabis dispensaries. This includes aiding the Operations Development Specialist in overseeing all contractors for the build-out of a retail operation, developing inventory and needs lists, conducting property analysis, recruiting of staff, creating personnel infrastructure, and overseeing all other aspects of opening and operating a successful medical cannabis dispensary.
The ideal candidate will be independent as well as a supportive team-player, who can change course quickly and smoothly. CannBe's preferred candidate will show grace under pressure and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, intense and dynamic work environment. Candidates should be well-spoken and able to interact professionally with prospects, colleagues, clients, partners and vendors. This is an excellent opportunity for an initiative-taking administrative professional who wants to take part in shaping the medical cannabis community.
Responsibilities include managing the time of the Operations Development Specialist (ODS) by scheduling, coordinating, tracking and reminding the ODS of meetings and events; arranging, updating and presenting a daily and weekly calendar for the ODS; drafting work plans, timelines and document maps for project implementation; monitoring and adjusting project timelines and reporting adjustments to project manager; coordinating project management, research and reporting as assigned by the ODS; and supporting the ODS in project management and implementation by preparing research and relevant documentation for meetings; travelling locally to assist the ODS off-site; communicating with business associates on behalf of the ODS; managing and coordinating multiple contractors (marketing, public relations, financial, etc.) for each client project, including scheduling meetings and deadlines; organizing and requesting changes in training manuals, materials and checklists to meet each client's needs; reviewing and editing written materials from contractors before submitting to client; drafting and recording client meeting minutes; and performing basic administrative functions, such as making travel arrangements for the ODS and his party; data entry, filing and updating project phases; assisting in office organization, files and systems, and offering process improvement ideas; and supporting the administrative team and maintaining organizational communication by serving as a communications hub and relating prioritized information between CannBe team members, as well as relevant HHC departments; coordinating project-specific meetings, documents and timelines; accommodating the flux of "project completion date" workload by assisting the administrative team, correlating functions and delegating tasks (when necessary); and other duties as needed.
Education and experience required includes a high school degree (or equivalent, but preferred is a 2-year or 4-year college degree or equivalent experience) and a minimum of one year experience in an office environment, performing similar duties.
Skills and abilities required include proficiency with MS Office and e-Learning tools; strong oral and written communication skills; excellent organizational and multitasking skills; very strong memory skills; and proficiency in the strategy and development of Web-based training content, classroom training, demonstrations, on-the-job training, meetings, conferences, and workshops. The ideal candidate will possess significant knowledge and experience in theory, design, and implementation of training programs that focus on adult learning methods and how training can be organized most effectively for them; have proven abilities to be resourceful, energetic, get along with others, and require little direction; and have the skills and abilities to take on more responsibility as the company and position grows.
Job Opportunity 4: Office Administrator
The ideal candidate will be resourceful, hard-working, efficient, fast, and detail oriented. This dynamic individual should be extremely adept at Microsoft Outlook and its other Office products, able to seamlessly multi-task, and aim for 100% accuracy. This person isn't one to say why s/he cannot get something done, but that s/he can, and will figure out how! Further, candidate should be well-spoken and able to interact professionally with prospects, colleagues, clients, partners, and vendors. Establishing and maintaining excellent relationships is a key to success.
CannBe's start-up culture is one of diligence, a can-do attitude, flexibility and openness to change. The ideal candidate will be independent, but a stellar team-player, who can change course quickly and smoothly. CannBe's favorite candidate will show grace under pressure and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, intense, and dynamic work environment.
This is an excellent opportunity for an initiative-taking administrative professional who wants to take part in shaping the medical cannabis community. This individual should have a proven track record of success and the ideal candidate will consider it a privilege to work in this industry, and specifically for CannBe. The ideal candidate would aspire to take on more responsibility and have the necessary skills and abilities to be promoted to other assignments.
Responsibilities include answering and directing incoming calls, pick up voice mail messages, return calls; receiving incoming general emails and directing or responding to emails; data entry; send marketing materials and correspondence; coordinating follow-up to inquiries and creating reports; reviewing prospect qualification forms; greeting guests and visitors; running errands; organizing Central Desktop; organizing client information in software and files; making sure signed contracts and billing information is accurate and up to date; mailing copies to clients; processing mail; ordering office supplies; producing meeting transcripts/minutes; assisting with special projects as needed, coordinating meetings, events, and trade shows; setting up booths and representing CannBe at conferences and events; project management, research, and reporting as assigned by General Manager; assist in office organization, files, and systems, and offering process improvement ideas to General Manager
Education and experience required includes a high school degree or equivalent (preferred 2-year or 4-year college degree or equivalent experience) and a minimum of one year experience in an office environment performing similar duties.
Skills and abilities required include proficiency with MS Office (Central Desktop a plus); strong oral and written communication skills; excellent organizational and multitasking skills; and very good memory skills. The ideal candidate will have proven abilities to be resourceful, energetic, get along with others, require little direction, and have the skills and abilities to take on more responsibility as the company and position grows.
Job Opportunity 5: Partner Support Administrator
The ideal candidate will be resourceful, hard-working, efficient, fast, and detail oriented. This dynamic individual should be extremely adept at Microsoft Outlook and its other Office products, able to seamlessly multitask, aim for 100% accuracy, and should strive to minimize ripple effects of challenges to Principals and the remainder of the firm. This person isn't one to say why s/he cannot get something done, but that s/he can, and will figure out how!
The role directly supports multiple, high-level executives and their appropriate teams, and will take direction from multiple sources. The candidate should know how to take direction from several individuals â managing time, expectations, and communication appropriately.
This role will also be responsible for various writing assignments on very short deadlines. The candidate should have excellent writing and proofreading skills, and be able to capture the right voice for the audience and source of the communication. Further, candidate should be well-spoken and able to interact professionally with colleagues, clients, partners, and vendors. Establishing and maintaining excellent relationships are key to success.
CannBe's start-up culture is one of diligence, a can-do attitude, flexibility and openness to change. The ideal candidate will be independent, but a stellar team-player, who can change course quickly and smoothly. CannBe's favorite candidate will show grace under pressure and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, intense, and dynamic work environment. This is an excellent opportunity for an initiative-taking administrative professional who wants to take part in shaping the medical cannabis community.
Responsibilities include maintaining extremely accurate MS Calendar and Contacts for several Partners; tracking and reporting time worked for Partners; maintaining fast and professional correspondence for CannBe and Partners (writing emails, returning calls, etc.); taking on projects of all size and duration, while expertly maintaining daily administrative demands; creating and submitting accurate and timely expense reports for Partners; running errands; setting up booths and representing CannBe at conferences and events; taking concise, clear meeting notes and communicating and following up with action items; organizing the office (must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs.); and all other duties as assigned.
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