The folding of Crimea back into Russia has some ominous implications for hard drug users there, and the other shoe is already beginning to drop for them.
Whew! Busy, busy, busy at the statehouse, with both traditional medical marijuana bills and newfangled CBD medical marijuana bills getting lots of attention.
We tally the year's 11th drug war death as a New York man dies fleeing through a third-floor apartment window while police raid his apartment.
A Tulsa, Oklahoma, man has died after being shot by police officers during at drug raid at his home. The as-yet-unnamed man becomes the 12th person to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year.
More jail guards gone wild! Smuggling dope, smuggling meth, cooking marijuana butter. Plus, a Customs officer winks at semis full of weed blowing through his lane, a crooked Chicagoland cop agrees to rat out his buddies, and more.
Medical marijuana dominates the drug policy news today, plus a legalization bill is filed in New Jersey, welfare drug testing advances in a pair of states, the Russians halt anti-drug cooperation with the US, and more.
Richard Branson speaks out on California drug policy reforms, a leading anti-drug group gives up the ghost on fighting marijuana legalization, the Canadian government is under attack from a couple of directions, and more.
Legalization initiatives get ready to advance in Oregon and Washington, DC, decrim bills move in Illinois and are filed in Pennsylvania, as do medical marijuana bills in Illinois and Maryland, another mass drug sweep in Detroit, and a world ayahuasca conference is set for the fall, and more.
Things are about to get harder for opiate users in Crimea, the former Ukrainian province now annexed by Russia. While Ukraine has embraced a harm reduction approach to hard drug use, Russia rejects such an approach and has some of the most repressive drug laws in the world.
Oberleitungsbusbahnhof in Simferopol (user Cmapm via Wikimedia)
Russia does not support efficient programs for preventing HIV and Hepatitis C among its drug using population, and harm reduction measures like needle exchanges and opiate substitution therapy (
OST), of which methadone maintenance is a subset, are illegal.
Now, the concrete consequences of Crimea's reincorporation into the ample bosom of Mother Russia are coming home for drug users there. On Wednesday, Russian "drug czar" Viktor Ivanov -- one of 31 allies of Pres. Vladimir Putin sanctioned by the US government this month -- announced that Russia will ban the use of methadone in Crimea. That comes after vows a week before that he would move away from harm reduction practices in general in Crimea.
"Methadone is not a cure," Ivanov claimed. "Practically all methadone supplies in Ukraine were circulating on the secondary market and distributed as a narcotic drug in the absence of proper control. As a result, it spread to the shadow market and traded there at much higher prices. It became a source of criminal incomes," he said.
Whatever Ivanov says, cutting off methadone for an estimated 800 patients will be a disaster, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance warned. And the threat of a broader rejection of harm reduction measures puts an estimated 14,000 Crimean injection drug users at risk.
"When the supply of these medicines is interrupted or stopped, a medical emergency will ensue as hundreds of OST patients go into withdrawal, which will inevitably lead to a drastic increase in both acute illness as well as increases in injecting as people seek to self-medicate," said the alliance's Ukraine director, Andriy Klepikov.
"Any interruption to harm reduction programming is a disaster for health, human rights and the HIV epidemic in the region and we urge the authorities in Crimea to step in and ensure that critical supply chains are not disrupted and lives not put at risk as a result of territorial politicking," Klepikov added.
Ukraine has practiced methadone maintenance (or OST) therapy in Crimea since 2005. Patients in Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, Eupatoria, Feodosia, Kerch and other cities receive daily treatment at local healthcare facilities.
The AIDS alliance is not the only group raising the alarm. The International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD) has issued an urgent appeal to UN rapporteurs on the Crimea "calling upon you all to issue a public statement making clear the imminent risk that this population faces of losing access to essential medicines, we are requesting that you raise the issue with the Russian government urging them not to close down the currently running opiate substitution programs; and we are calling upon you to raise the issue with utmost urgency with the Human Rights Council with a view to ensuring continued access to the programs."
When it comes to drug policy and harm reduction, Crimea would seem to be worse off as part of Russia than as part of Ukraine. As the AIDS alliance's Klepikov put it:
"The Russian Federation has extremely repressive drug laws and its punitive approach to people who use drugs means that it now experiences one of the highest rates of new HIV infections in the world. Injecting drug users represent nearly 80% of all HIV cases in the country."
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Whew! Busy, busy, busy at the statehouse, with both traditional medical marijuana bills and newfangled CBD medical marijuana bills getting lots of attention. And more. Let's get to it:
AlabamaLast Friday, the Alabama legislature unanimously passed a CBD medical marijuana bill. Senate Bill 174 now goes to the governor's desk.
Arizona
Last Friday, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled that marijuana extracts are legal for medical marijuana patients. Judge Katherine Cooper rejected the view of state Health Director Will Humble that the 2010 voter-approved law allows patients to smoke or otherwise consume only pieces of the actual plant. Cooper said nothing in the initiative backs that contention.
Arkansas
Last Friday, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel rejected the ballot title for a medical marijuana initiative. He rejected the wording for an initiative from Arkansans for Medical Cannabis, but another initiative, from Arkansans for Compassionate Care, has already been approved and is in the signature-gathering process.
California
On Tuesday, the Martinez city council voted to limited person medical grows to six plants. The 3-2 vote was a first vote; a second and final vote is set for April 2. The council voted for the restrictions over the objections of all but one speaker at the well-attended meeting.
Also on Tuesday, Fresno County supervisors fined two people $73,000 for growing marijuana plants at their homes. Under the county's new cultivation ban, which took effect in February, the county can fine residents $1,000 per plant. A man from the Kerman area was fined $30,000 for planting marijuana in his garage. A woman who lives west of Sanger was fined $43,000 for each plant found at her mother's home. Her mother also can be on the hook through a property lien.
Also on Tuesday, Sonoma County supervisors rejected a proposed Santa Rosa dispensary. They said the proposed Sonoma County Collective dispensary was too close to a residential area and two school bus stops, but the collective claimed supervisors were just using zoning rules to prevent such businesses from opening.
Florida
On Monday, a CBD medical marijuana bill passed a Senate committee. The measure passed through the Senate Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Monday. Senate Bill 1030, sponsored by Sen. Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island), Sen. Aaron Bean (R-Fernandina Beach), and Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) would only allow patients to use extracts containing at least 15% CBD and less than 0.5% THC. The House companion bill, House Bill 843, differs in several ways. The two measures would have to be reconciled if both pass their respective chambers.
Georgia
Last Thursday, a CBD medical marijuana bill died as the legislative session ended. House Bill 885 fell victim to parliamentary maneuvering as the session neared an end. After it passed the House, Senate leaders tied it to a favored autism bill and approved that, but the House never voted on the merged bill. Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon), the bill's sponsor, vowed to try again next year.
Illinois
On Tuesday, a bill to let minors and epileptics use medical marijuana was approved by a Senate committee and now heads for the Senate floor. Filed by Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), the measure is Senate Bill 2636.
Iowa
Last Wednesday, a bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution for a legislative study of medical marijuana. The lawmakers, five Republicans and five Democrats, cosigned Senate Resolution 112, which seeks an examination on establishing a medical use of cannabis program in Iowa. Actual medical marijuana bills have gone nowhere in the Hawkeye State.
Kentucky
Last Wednesday, a CBD medical marijuana bill passed the House Judiciary Committee. It would allow the use of CBD cannabis oil for children suffering seizures passed the House Judiciary Committee last week and now heads for a House floor vote. Senate Bill 124 has already passed the Senate.
Maryland
On Tuesday, a medical marijuana expansion bill passed the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. Senate Bill 923 was amended in committee to remove a cap on the number of growers in the state and include a study on how to best provide medical marijuana to veterans. It has already passed the House and now heads to the Senate floor.
New York
On Wednesday, advocates for medical marijuana rallied in Albany. Dozens of patients, caregivers and healthcare providers traveled from all corners of New York to call on the Senate to pass the comprehensive medical marijuana proposal known as the Compassionate Care Act. The bill has passed the Assembly four times, was included in the Assembly's budget proposal, and has strong bipartisan support in the Senate. But senate leaders have refused to let the bill come up for a vote.
Oregon
Last Wednesday, the Oregon Health Authority released draft rules for dispensaries that bar the sale of edibles. Although medical marijuana will be available at the dispensaries, the agency wants to ban sweets containing the drug because they could be attractive to young people. But dispensary advocates say patients who take the drug orally need the sweetened pot products. They say a little sugar helps the bitter medicine go down.
South Carolina
Last Thursday, a CBD medical marijuana bill advanced to the Senate floor. The Senate Medical Affairs Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 1035, but only after it was amended to only include clinical trials testing federally approved drugs.
Tennessee
Last Wednesday, supporters of a medical marijuana bill pronounced it dead. The Koozer-Kuhn Medical Cannabis Act died without action in the Senate. House Bill 1385, sponsored by Rep. Sherry Jones (D-Nashville) also got no respect in the House, where the Health Subcommittee heard unscheduled testimony opposing it from the Department of Health and the hearing ended without Jones being able to present an amendment to the bill and get a vote on it.
Utah
Last Friday, Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed a CBD medical marijuana bill into law. The law will allow children with severe epilepsy to obtain a medical marijuana-derived extract they say helps with seizures. The bill is House Bill 105.
[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]
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A Yonkers, New York, man fell to his death attempting to escape police serving a drug search warrant Friday night. The as yet unnamed man becomes the 11th person to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year.
According to
The Lower Hudson Journal News, citing a police news release, the 45-year-old man attempted to flee through a third-floor window of an apartment as officers executed a drug search warrant.
Police then observed the man on the ground floor of the building with a head injury and summoned medical assistance. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was shortly pronounced dead.
In addition to the drug search warrant, police already had a drug arrest warrant for the man from New York City. Police said they found drugs, packaging materials, a scale, and an unspecified amount of money in the apartment.
The Yonkers Police Department Internal Affairs Division and the Westchester County District Attorney's Office are investigating the incident.
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A Tulsa, Oklahoma, man has died after being shot by police officers during at drug raid at his home. The as-yet-unnamed man becomes the 12th person to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year.
According to
The Tulsa World, citing police sources, the 27-year-old was shot Tuesday afternoon as Tulsa Police Department narcotics and gang squad officers were serving a drug-related search warrant in a predominantly black area of the city.
"When officers arrived, they entered the residence, there was five to six people inside the residence," Officer Leland Ashley said. "Officers gave commands to the individuals. At some point, in one of the bedrooms, officers confronted a subject... An officer was forced to use deadly force."
Officer Ashley did not specify whether or not the dead man was armed.
Several other people in the home were handcuffed and taken in for questioning, but it was not clear if they were charged with anything. Nor is it known what, if anything, police seized at the home.
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More jail guards gone wild! Smuggling dope, smuggling meth, cooking marijuana butter. Plus, a Customs officer winks at semis full of weed blowing through his lane, a crooked Chicagoland cop agrees to rat out his buddies, and more. Let's get to it:
In Andalusia, Alabama,
an Andalusia police sergeant was arrested last Wednesday on somewhat murky drug and prostitution charges.
Sgt. Jason Curry is charged with distribution of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances, and promotion of prostitution. Curry's father also faces drug distribution charges. Authorities are being tight-lipped, so details are limited, but Curry has bailed out of jail on $165,000 bond. He's been relieved of his duties, but not fired yet.
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, four Kent County sheriff's jail guards were arrested Saturday for making large amounts of marijuana butter. They went down after postal inspectors alerted the Kent Area Drug Narcotics Enforcement team about a suspicious package sent to one of them, which was found to contain marijuana. Sgt. Tim Bernhardt, a 22-year veteran of the department, is charged with the delivery and manufacture of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver and manufacture; Officer Mike Frederick, a 24-year veteran, is charged with delivery and manufacture of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver and manufacture, as well as possession of a controlled substance; Officer Todd VanDoorne, a 22-year veteran, iis charged with possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a drug house; and Officer Brian Tennant, a 20-year veteran, is charged with delivery and manufacture and possession of a controlled substance.
In Honolulu, a former Halawa Correctional Facility guard pleaded guilty last Tuesday to smuggling methamphetamine into the prison. James Sanders III, 31, admitted distributing meth to a confidential informant and taking $5,000 for his efforts. He pleaded guilty to one count each of meth distribution and bribery. He's looking at up to 50 years in prison when sentenced in June.
In Chicago, a former Schaumburg police officer pleaded guilty last Friday to participating in a police drug ring and agreed to testify against his former colleagues. Former tactical officer Terrance O'Brien copped to possession of a controlled substance, official misconduct, burglary and armed violence. O'Brien and his partners allegedly forced drug informants and dealers to sell drugs on their behalf and went down after a man arresting for drug-selling in a nearby Chicago suburb told police Schaumburg cops had forced him to sell the dope. O'Brien is looking at up to 38 years behind bars, but will probably get about 12 because of his cooperation.
In Salinas, California, a California state prison guard was sentenced last Friday to three years in prison for smuggling drugs and cell phones into the prison. Cruz Aguirre, 28, had been convicted of bribery for smuggling the contraband in exchange for cash.
In San Diego, a former US Customs officer was sentenced Monday to 7 ½ years in federal prison for letting at least 66,000 pounds of marijuana move undetected though his Customs inspection lane. Former officer Lorne "Hammer" Jones, 50, was convicted of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States and attempted importation of marijuana. He had been dirty for at least a decade, beginning by waving cars and vanloads of immigrants through his lane, and later tractor trailers.
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Medical marijuana dominates the drug policy news today, plus a legalization bill is filed in New Jersey, welfare drug testing advances in a pair of states, the Russians halt anti-drug cooperation with the US, and more. Let's get to it:
Cannabis oil is a hot item in traditionally unfriendly legislatures (wikimedia.org/Stephen Charles Thompson)
New Jersey Legalization Bill Introduced. State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden) introduced a marijuana legalization bill today. The bill is not yet available online, but Scutari said it is modeled on the laws in Colorado and Washington state. "Anybody that looks at the facts, knows that the war on marijuana has been a miserable failure," Scutari said in a press release. "We're not delusional about how simple the effort would be, but I think from a standpoint of moving this state and this country forward on its archaic drug laws, I think it's a step in the right direction."
Medical Marijuana
Arizona Judge Okays Use of Medical Marijuana Extracts. A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled Friday that using marijuana extracts is legal under the state's medical marijuana law. The state Health Department had argued that that the law only allows patients to consume parts of the actual plant, but Judge Katherine Cooper said nothing in the law backs that conclusion.
Arkansas Attorney General Rejects Initiative Language. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has rejected the popular name and ballot title of a proposed medical marijuana initiative. The initiative is sponsored by Arkansans for Medical Cannabis. Another Arkansas initiative, from Arkansans for Compassionate Care, is already in the signature-gathering phase.
Iowa Lawmakers Introduce Resolution for Medical Marijuana Study. A bipartisan group of 10 Iowa lawmakers have introduced a resolution seeking a legislative interim study of the feasibility of legalizing medical marijuana in the Hawkeye State. Senate Resolution 112 now goes to the Iowa Legislative Council, which meets in June to consider requests for interim studies, which are typically completed prior to the next legislative session.
Oregon Health Authority Says No to Edibles at Dispensaries. The Oregon Health Authority last week released draft rules for dispensaries that do not allow medical marijuana edibles to be sold there. The authority said it feared edibles would be attractive to young people, but advocates said some patients need to take the drug orally.
Tennessee Medical Marijuana Bill Dead. A bill to allow for the use of medical marijuana in Tennessee is dead after sponsors reported no possibility of action on it in the state Senate. House Bill 1385, sponsored by Rep. Sherry Jones (D-Nashville) also got no respect in the House, where the Health Subcommittee heard unscheduled testimony opposing it from the Department of Health and the hearing ended without Jones being able to present an amendment to the bill and get a vote on it.
Alabama CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Passes Legislature. A bill to authorize and fund a $1 million University of Alabama study of the effectiveness of CBD cannabis oil in treating seizures has passed the Alabama legislature. Senate Bill 174 now goes to the governor's desk.
Georgia CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Dies. A bill to allow the use of CBD cannabis oil for epileptic seizures died in the legislature last week. House Bill 885 fell victim to parliamentary maneuvering as the session neared an end. After it passed the House, Senate leaders tied it to a favored autism bill and approved that, but the House never voted on the merged bill. Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon), the bill's sponsor, vowed to try again next year.
Kentucky CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Passes House Committee. A bill to allow the use of CBD cannabis oil for children suffering seizures passed the House Judiciary Committee last week and now heads for a House floor vote. Senate Bill 124 has already passed the Senate.
South Carolina CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Advances, But With Restrictions. A bill that would allow children with epilepsy to use CBD cannabis oil won a Senate committee vote last week and now advances to the Senate floor. The Senate Medical Affairs Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 1035, but only as part of clinical trials testing federally approved drugs.
Utah Governor Signs CBD Medical Marijuana Bill. Gov. Gary Herbert (R) has signed into law House Bill 105. The measure allows children with epileptic seizures to use CBD cannabis oil and allows their families to bring it back to the state with a neurologist's consent.
Drug Policy
Massachusetts Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Would Consider Decriminalizing Drug Possession, But… Democratic gubernatorial candidate Juliette Kayyem said last week she would consider decriminalizing some drugs, including cocaine, in an effort to treat nonviolent drug offenders differently within the criminal justice system. "Decriminalization of marijuana has been important. I think we should consider it for other drugs, or create more drug courts so that people do not fall into the criminal justice system," Kayyem said. But she later clarified that she meant drug users should be sent to treatment, not jail.
Harm Reduction
Georgia 911 Good Samaritan, Naloxone Bill Passes Legislature. A bill that would provide a "medical amnesty" to people seeking medical attention for overdose victims has passed the Georgia legislature. House Bill 965 was also amended to include allowing for the distribution of the overdose reversal drug naloxone. It now heads for the desk of Gov. Nathan Deal (R).
New Jersey EMTs to Carry Overdose Reversal Drug. The office of Gov. Chris Christie (R) announced last week that emergency medical technicians will be able to carry and administer the overdose reversal drug naloxone. The move required a waiver of state EMT rules, which do not cover the use of naloxone. "Allowing first responders to administer Narcan [naloxone] will save lives," Christie said in a statement. "We want to encourage people to seek medical assistance when a drug overdose occurs."
Drug Testing
Georgia Food Stamp Drug Testing Bill Passes Legislature. A bill requiring food stamp recipients to undergo drug tests if state officials have "reasonable suspicion" they are using drugs has passed the state legislature on the last day of the session. House Bill 772 now goes to the desk of Gov. Nathan Deal (R) for a signature.
Michigan Senate Passes Welfare Drug Testing Bill. A bill that would require drug testing for welfare recipients if state officials suspect they are using drugs has passed the state Senate. It would set up a pilot program in three counties. The bill is part of a package of welfare drug testing bills that are still under consideration in the House.
Methamphetamine
Illinois Pseudoephedrine Prescription Bill Gets Hearing. A bill that would require prescriptions to obtain cold medications containing the meth precursor pseudoephedrine got a hearing before a Senate panel last week. Senate Bill 3502 is supported by law enforcement, but opposed by OTC drug manufacturers.
Sentencing
New Jersey Supreme Court Committee Report Urges Major Bail Reforms. The state Supreme Court has released a report from its Joint Committee on Criminal Justice calling for significant changes to the current bail system in New Jersey and enactment of speedy trial legislation. Click on the links for more details.
International
Russians Warn US Sanctions Will Halt Anti-Drug Cooperation. Russia's anti-drug agency said Friday US sanctions imposed over the Crimea crisis would wreck its cooperation with the US. "The U.S. administrations' arbitrary and ill-considered decision will, in one day, destroy our unique experience of cooperation," the agency said.
Canadian Court Rules Medical Marijuana Patients Can Keep Growing Their Own. A Canadian federal court judge has issued an injunction exempting patients already licensed to possess or grow medical marijuana from the Conservative government's new rules attempting to restrict such grows to commercial facilities. The federal government announced its plans to overhaul the production of medical pot last year, arguing the current system had grown out of control and was rife with problems ranging from unsafe grow-ops to infiltration by criminals. The injunction is only good while a lawsuit filed by patients works its way through the courts.
Bermuda Marijuana Reform Report Coming Next Month. A final report detailing local opinions on cannabis reform is to be handed in to the government by April 17, according to the Cannabis Reform Collaborative (CRC). The group has canvassed views through seven focus groups, targeting different age groups. Bermuda's marijuana laws are being appraised following a call last year by National Security Minister Michael Dunkley for a public discussion on decriminalizing the drug.
Bermuda Has Near Majority for Marijuana Decriminalization. The Bermuda National Household Survey on Drug Consumption and Health is out, and it shows that nearly 49% support marijuana decriminalization, with 41% opposed and 9% undecided.
Australian Government Toughens Penalties for New Synthetics. The Australian government said it has added four substances marketed as "synthetic LSD" to its list of drugs that attract the most serious penalties. Under the move, importers will face a minimum of two years in jail. Currently, importers pay only a fine set a three times the value of the product. The substances are derivatives of phenethylamine marketed under names like "N-Bomb."
(This article was published by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also shares the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)
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Richard Branson speaks out on California drug policy reforms, a leading anti-drug group gives up the ghost on fighting marijuana legalization, the Canadian government is under attack from a couple of directions, and more. Let's get to it:
Richard Branson speaks out again on drug policy reform (David Shankbone/wikimedia)
Drugfree.org Gives Up on Anti-Marijuana Ad Campaign. The people who brought you "this is your brain on drugs" and similar anti-drug advertising campaigns have given up on fighting marijuana legalization. Formerly known as the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the group and its CEO, Steve Pasierb, say they have rejected a request to launch a campaign against marijuana legalization because legalization "is happening in America." Here is the interview in Advertising Age where Pasierb speaks out.
Colorado Supreme Court Says Lawyers Can Work With Marijuana Businesses. The Colorado Supreme Court approved a rule change Monday that will eliminate the threat of ethics sanctions against attorneys who work with marijuana businesses. Lawyers "may assist a client in conduct that the lawyer reasonably believes is permitted by these constitutional provisions and the statutes, regulations, orders, and other state and local provisions implementing them," Chief Justice Nancy Rice wrote in the updated rule.
Delaware Poll Has Majority for Legalization, Two-Thirds for Decriminalization. A Public Policy Polling survey commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project finds that a narrow majority (51%) support legalizing marijuana, while an overwhelming majority (68%) support decriminalization of the possession of small amounts.
Illinois Decriminalization Bill Has Hearing Today. A bill to decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana gets a hearing today in the House Restorative Justice Committee. The measure, House Bill 5708, was introduced by Rep. Kelley Cassidy (D-Chicago).
Medical Marijuana
Florida CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Senate Committee Vote. A bill to legalize a special strain of low-dose medical marijuana passed through the Senate Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Monday. Senate Bill 1030, sponsored by Sen. Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island), Sen. Aaron Bean (R-Fernandina Beach), and Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) would only allow patients to use extracts containing at least 15% CBD and less than 0.5% THC. The House companion bill, House Bill 843, differs in several ways. The two measures would have to be reconciled if both pass their respective chambers.
Illinois Bill to Add Seizure Disorders Gets Hearing Today. A bill that would add seizure disorders to the list of diseases and conditions for which medical marijuana is approved gets a hearing today in the Senate Public Health Committee. Filed by Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), Senate Bill 2636 will be supported in committee by testimony from Kurt Florian, president of the Epilepsy Foundation of Chicago, as well as a family practitioner and parents of two children suffering from seizure disorders.
Drug Policy
Richard Branson Op-Ed Urges Support for California Drug Reforms. Virgin Airlines head and Global Drug Policy Commission member Richard Branson has penned an op-ed calling for support of an initiative campaign to decriminalize drug possession in California. Click on the title link to read the op-ed. Branson is also appearing this afternoon at an event in San Francisco, where Sundog Pictures will hold a special screening of its drug war documentary "Breaking the Taboo." That's at 5:30 pm at the New People Cinema on Post Street.
Law Enforcement
Pennsylvania Man Sues Philly Narcs for 13 Years of False Imprisonment. Philadelphia resident Kareem Torain has filed a lawsuit against a trio of current and former Philadephia narcotics officers, in which he claims they falsified evidence that led to him being convicted on drug charges and spending 13 years in prison. In addition to the individual narc, the lawsuit also targets the city of Philadelphia for "systemic deficiencies and deliberate indifference" that "have caused police officers, including defendant police Officers Monaghan and Reynolds, and former police Officer Walker in this case, to believe that they can violate the rights of citizens, with impunity, including the use of fraud and falsehood, without fear that their actions will be investigated." In recent years scores of drug cases have been dismissed by Philadelphia courts, and several lawsuits have been filed, claiming that narcotics officers routinely planted evidence and lied in court to secure convictions.
International
Russian Drug Czar Calls for New Plan to Combat Afghan Drug Threat. Viktor Ivanov, head of the Russian anti-drug agency, has called for the UN Security Council to address "planet scale" drug production in Afghanistan and for interested countries to create a global alliance for alternative development in Afghanistan through "forced industrialization." Ivanov is one of the Russian political leaders sanctioned as a result of the Crimea crisis, and last week, he suggested that the US was using the crisis to deliberately destroy the international anti-drug cooperation in order to hide its responsibility for the drug crisis in Afghanistan.
Canada Blocked Support for Harm Reduction at UN CND Meeting, Observers Say. Canadian diplomats in Vienna for the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) meeting blocked harm reduction health approaches abroad that are widely practiced at home, said Canadian Drug Policy Coalition director Donald MacPherson, who attended the conference. "Historically, Canada had been a leader in this area," MacPherson noted. "A substantial amount of the scientific research validating harm reduction measures was done right here in Vancouver, and we've implemented quite robust harm reduction policies at the provincial level across Canada. It's hypocritical for us to oppose adoption of these strategies internationally, especially since this is a matter of life and death in many countries with high levels of injection drug use and HIV." Similarly, Richard Elliot, executive director of the Toronto-based Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, described the position adopted by Canada in Vienna as "profoundly stupid."
Canada Court Hearing Request for Injunction to Allow Prescription Heroin This Week. The Vancouver-based Pivot Legal Society and Providence Health Care will be in court this week to argue that participants in the SALOME study (The Study to Assess Long-term Opioid Maintenance Effectiveness) should receive an exemption from recent amendments to federal drug laws that prohibit doctors from prescribing heroin to patients for whom other treatment options have been ineffective. Pivot is representing five patients whose condition improved while in the SALOME study, operated by Providence Health, and who can no longer access the treatment now that their time in the study is over. Click on the link for more details.
Mexican Lawmakers Hit DC, NYC to Discuss Their Marijuana Reform Proposals. Legislators from the Mexican Congress and the Mexico City Assembly will be in Washington, DC, and New York City to discuss the bills they introduced to decriminalize the consumption and purchase of marijuana for personal use in Mexico City and to legalize medical marijuana countrywide. Mexico City Senator Mario Delgado and Mexico City Assembly member Vidal Llerenas, both from the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), will be in DC on March 24 and 25 and in NY on March 26 to discuss the aims of the marijuana reform proposals in Mexico. Click on the link for more details.
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Legalization initiatives get ready to advance in Oregon and Washington, DC, decrim bills move in Illinois and are filed in Pennsylvania, as do medical marijuana bills in Illinois and Maryland, another mass drug sweep in Detroit, and a world ayahuasca conference is set for the fall, and more. Let's get to it:
Marijuana PolicySurvey Finds Marijuana Legalization Popular, Initiatives Will Drive Voters to Polls. A new George Washington University Battleground poll finds that Americans strongly support medical marijuana (73%) and support decriminalization (53%), and that more than two-thirds (68%) said having a marijuana initiative on the ballot would make them "more likely" to vote. The poll did not ask a straight legalization question.
Survey Finds Americans Are Okay with Marijuana Sales, But Not So Much in Their Backyard. A new CNBC All-America Survey finds that 56% of Americans would be okay with a marijuana-selling business in their town or city -- if it were legal in their state -- but that support declines to 48% when asked about a pot-selling business "in or near your neighborhood." Click on the link for more details.
DC Legalization Initiative Ballot Language Approved by Board of Elections. The DC Board of Elections approved ballot language Tuesday for a proposed initiative to legalize marijuana. The board two weeks ago approved the initiative itself. It's not quite signature-gathering time for the DC Cannabis Campaign's initiative; the finalized ballot language will be published in the DC Register on Friday, and then there's a 10-day challenge period during which any DC registered voter can file a lawsuit in DC Superior Court objecting to the board's decision. If there's no legal challenge, the board will meet again to approve language for initiative petitions, which is expected to be nearly identical to the ballot wording. The initiative needs to gather 25,000 valid voter signatures by July 7 to qualify for the ballot.
New Approach Oregon Legalization Initiative Prepares to Start Signature-Gathering. No one has filed a legal challenge to the newest version of New Approach Oregon's legalization initiative. That means they can soon complete the paperwork allowing them to begin gathering the 87,213 signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot. An earlier version had been delayed by a ballot challenge. These aren't the only Oregon legalization initiatives; click here to read our feature story on the Oregon scene from last week.
Illinois Decriminalization Bills Win House Committee Vote. Two bills that would eliminate the possibility of jail time for small-time marijuana possession offenses passed the House Restorative Justice Committee Tuesday. House Bill 5708, is sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy and would remove all criminal penalties and any possible criminal record for possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana. The other bill, House Bill 4299, is sponsored by Rep. Christian L. Mitchell and would also significantly lower penalties for a possession charge of up to 30 grams. While it would prevent arrests and jail time, a criminal offense would remain on a person's record.
Pennsylvania Decriminalization, Expungment Bills Introduced. State Sen. Mike Stack (D-Philadelphia) announced at a news conference today that he had introduced two marijuana reform bills. Senate Bill 1307 will reduce possession of less than an ounce of marijuana to a summary offense for the first two offenses and provide discretion to District Attorneys for third and subsequent offenses, and Senate Bill 1308 will make it easier for former offenders to find a job by making expungement easier. The bills are not yet available on the legislative web site.
Medical Marijuana
Illinois Bill to Add Seizure Disorders, Allow Kids to Use Wins Senate Committee Vote. A bill that would let minors and those suffering from epilepsy to use medical marijuana in Illinois has won the approval of a state Senate committee. Filed by Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), Senate Bill 2636, the bill now heads to the Senate floor.
Advocates Rally for New York Medical Marijuana Bill. Today, dozens of patients, caregivers and healthcare providers traveled from all corners of New York to call on the Senate to pass the comprehensive medical marijuana proposal known as Compassionate Care Act. The bill has passed the Assembly four times, was included in the Assembly's budget proposal, and has strong bipartisan support in the Senate. But senate leaders have refused to let the bill come up for a vote.
Maryland Medical Marijuana Bill Advances. A measure to reform Maryland's medical marijuana law work was approved by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Tuesday. Senate Bill 923 was amended in committee to remove a cap on the number of growers in the state and include a study on how to best provide medical marijuana to veterans. It has already passed the House and now heads to the Senate floor.
Drug Testing
Minnesota Bill to Repeal Welfare Drug Testing Law Advances. A bill that would repeal a 2012 law requiring counties to drug test welfare recipients if they have a felony drug conviction in the last 10 years passed the Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Committee Monday. Senate File 1738, introduced by Sen. Jeff Hayden (D-Minneapolis) now heads for the Senate Rules Committee.
Mississippi Governor Signs Welfare Drug Testing Bill. Gov. Phil Bryant (R) has signed a welfare drug testing bill. The new law, House Bill 49, requires drug testing for welfare recipients whom state officials suspect are likely to be using drugs. The new law will help people who are "trapped in a dependency lifestyle," the governor said.
Law Enforcement
Detroit Cops Do Another Mass Drug Sweep. Police in Detroit Tuesday swept through troubled East-side and Northwest neighborhoods targeting drug sales. Operation Order March Madness, which also included state and federal law enforcement, hit drug houses and other locations where drugs are sold. It is only the latest mass drug sweep of Detroit neighborhoods in the last few months. The Detroit Police Department said the operation was an example of its "relentless pursuit to rid our streets of its criminal element and drive our city into prosperity."
New Synthetic Drugs
Nebraska Synthetic Drug Bill Advances. A bill that would ban new forms of popular synthetic cannabinoids and stimulants advanced in the legislature Tuesday. Legislative Bill 811, sponsored by Sen. Ken Schilz (R-Ogallala), won first-round approval on a 33-0 vote. It's part of Attorney General Jon Bruning's annual legislative package.
International
World Ayahuasca Conference Set for Ibiza in September. The 2014 World Ayahuasca Conference is set for Ibiza on September 25-27. Organized by the Fundación ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service Foundation), the conference will bring together distinguished scientists, jurists, professionals, environmentalists, and other experts in the field of ayahuasca. It will take place in Spanish and English, with simultaneous translation. Click on the link for more details.
Ayahuasca Dialogues Needs Field Researchers in South America. The Ethnobotanical Stewardship Council's Ayahuasca Dialogues program is seeking field researchers to interview ayahuasca stakeholders in in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. They pay, too. Click on the title link for more information.
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