Two harm reduction bills, one allowing pharmacists to dispense unlimited numbers of syringes without a prescription and the other allowing them to dispense the overdose drug naloxone, have passed the California legislature. They now go to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown.
A bill that would eliminate the crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity in California has passed the state Assembly. It is now only a Senate concurrence vote away from heading to the governor's desk.
There will be no statewide regulation of medical marijuana in California this year. An effort to pass a regulation bill died yesterday in the Assembly.
Alarm bells should be ringing in Anchorage as a new poll shows the marijuana legalization initiative narrowly losing. The numbers could be skewed, but...
ProCon.org is a series of in-depth web sites presenting information and views from on current issues, several with relevance to drug policy. The Chronicle is currently running a series of info items from ProCon.org -- this one from sportsanddrugs.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.
There will be no medical marijuana initiative in Oklahoma this year, Jeb Bush comes out against Florida's medical marijuana initiative, San Diego patients are trying a novel tack in their battle with the city, and more.
Florida deputies get suspended in an excessive force investigation, a Miami sergeant gets popped for perverted play with a teen boy, and a couple of jail guards get caught doing what they always get caught doing.
A bill to end the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity is close to becoming law in California, the US Sentencing Commission still has work to do on mandatory minimums, the 50th anniversary of America's first pot protest will be commemorated this weekend, and more.
The California legislature acts on harm reduction, but kills medical marijuana regulation, Jeb Bush takes a stand on medical marijuana, New Hampshire bans a kind of synthetic cannabinoid, and more.
SWAT teams are in the news, the RAVE Act gets critiqued as counterproductive, there will be no medical marijuana initiative in Oklahoma, but it looks like there will be a decriminalization initiative in Santa Fe, and more.
Big money for TV ads in Oregon, another Maine city will vote on marijuana legalization, a good bill goes bad in California, and Saudi Arabia executes four hash smugglers.
An unsettling poll in Alaska, Minnesota medical marijuana mom gets busted, there's money to be made in drug testing, Maryland SWAT teams have been busy, a West African meeting on drugs is underway, and more.
With the Golden State's legislative clock ticking down toward session's end, two harm reduction measures have been approved this week. One would expand access to sterile syringes; the other would expand access to the overdose prevention drug naloxone.
Yesterday, the Assembly gave final approval to
Assembly Bill 1743, sponsored by
Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), which would allow pharmacies to sell an unlimited amount of syringes without a prescription. The bill has already passed the Senate and came back to the Assembly for a final concurrence vote.
"Syringes can be bought over the counter in nearly every state because the policy saves lives without taxpayer expense," said Ting. "Mountains of research and the medical community stand squarely behind this bill. We are not innovating, we are playing catch up. By signing the bill, the Governor can put California in step with the rest of the nation."
"This bill is an exciting breakthrough," said Laura Thomas, Deputy State Director for the Drug Policy Alliance. "Pharmacy syringe access is a proven and cost-effective way to save lives by reducing the spread of HIV and hepatitis. It has taken years of advocacy to receive such strong support for sterile syringe access inside the State Capitol."
Under a current law that expires at the end of this year, pharmacies can sell up to 30 syringes without a prescription. Without passage of a new syringe access law, only pharmacists in the 15 counties and 4 cities that have declared injection drug-related public health emergencies would be able to continue dispensing syringes without a prescription.
Also yesterday, the Assembly gave final approval to Assembly Bill 1535, sponsored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Los Angeles). The bill would allow pharmacists to provide naloxone without a prescription. The measure had already passed both houses and came back to the Assembly for a final concurrence vote.
"The bipartisan support of the legislature is gratifying and will directly help many California families," said Assemblymember Bloom (D-Santa Monica). "As the bill heads to the Governor's desk, I am committed to continuing our efforts to stop the epidemic of overdose deaths."
"This bill reaching the Governor is a triumph for all Californians who love someone at risk of an overdose," said Meghan Ralston, Harm Reduction Manager for bill cosponsor the Drug Policy Alliance. "California has thousands of pharmacies, and lives can be lost in the minutes waiting for a police officer or ambulance to arrive with naloxone to reverse an overdose. This would make it easier for caregivers and family members to keep naloxone on hand for use in those critical moments."
Both bills now go to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown (D).
back to top
The California Assembly today approved the Fair Sentencing Act, which would remove the legal disparity in the treatment of crack and powder cocaine offenders under state law.
California Fair Sentencing Act sponsor Sen. Holly Mitchell (senate.ca.gov)
The measure,
Senate Bill 1010, has already passed the state Senate. It goes back to the Senate for a pro forma concurrence vote, and then on to the desk of
Gov. Jerry Brown (D).
The bill would remove not only sentencing disparities, but also disparities in the guidelines for probation and asset forfeiture in cases of possession of cocaine for sale. The disparities have resulted in a pattern of racial discrimination in sentencing and imprisonment in the state.
People of color account for over 98% of persons sent to California prisons for possession of crack cocaine for sale. From 2005 to 2010, blacks accounted for 77.4% of state prison commitments for crack possession for sale, Latinos accounted for 18.1%. Whites accounted for less than 2% of all those sent to California prisons in that five year period. Blacks make up 6.6% of the population in California; Latinos 38.2%, and whites 39.4%.
"Same crime, same punishment is a basic principle of law in our democratic society," said Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), chair of the Black Caucus and member of the Senate Public Safety Committee. "Yet more black and brown people serve longer sentences for trying to sell cocaine because the law unfairly punishes cheap drug traffic more severely than the white-collar version. Well, fair needs to be fair," she said as she introduced the bill in March.
"Whatever their intended goal, disparate sentencing guidelines for two forms of the same drug has resulted in a pattern of institutional racism, with longer prison sentences given to people of color who are more likely than whites to be arrested and incarcerated for cocaine base offenses compared to powder cocaine offenses, despite comparable rates of usage and sales across racial and ethnic groups," she added.
Legislative analysis suggests the bill could save the state roughly $11 million a year in lowered incarceration costs, which would be only slightly offset by increased probation costs and decreased asset forfeiture revenues.
"The current disparities in our drug laws amount to institutional racism," said Lynne Lyman of the Drug Policy Alliance. "The Fair Sentencing Act will take a brick out of the wall of the failed 1980's drug war era laws that have devastated communities of color, especially Black and Latino men. The time has long come."
The bill has broad support not only from civil rights, racial justice, and criminal justice reform organizations, but also the endorsement of the district attorneys of the counties of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Clara.
back to top
A controversial bill that would have imposed statewide regulations on California's multi-billion dollar medical marijuana industry died yesterday in Sacramento. The bill, Senate Bill 1262, was blocked by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and the effort to impose some order on the industry is now dead for another year.
Steve DeAngelo at Oakland's Harborside dispensary. It and thousands more will remain unregulated at the state level. (leap.cc)
The bill sponsored by Sen. Lou
Correa (D-Santa Ana) was supported by law enforcement and the state's municipalities, as well as by some elements of the state's medical marijuana community. But it was also strongly opposed by other elements of the medical marijuana and drug reform communities.
Under the status quo, access to medical marijuana is largely determined by geography. Conservative areas of the state have tended to impose not only bans on dispensaries, but also bans on cultivation, sometimes even for personal amounts. It was not clear that SB 1262 would ameliorate that situation.
The bill also ran into problems trying to determine what entity would govern medical marijuana in the state. A competing bill from Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) would have had the state Department of Alcohol Control regulate medical marijuana, but that bill was defeated earlier.
The Correa bill originally gave control to the Department of Public Health, but was then amended to give control to the Department of Consumer Affairs. But Consumer Affairs seemed distinctly uninterested in the task; its representatives didn't bother to show up for any stakeholder meetings.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee also balked at the cost of the bill, which was estimated at $20 million to start the program. That figure, which was just released Monday, came as a bucket of cold water on bill supporters.
Now, it's back to the drawing board.
back to top
The people trying to legalize marijuana in Alaska are in for a tough battle, if the most recent Public Policy Polling survey is any indicator. That poll, taken at the end of July and the beginning of this month, has the marijuana legalization initiative trailing, 44% to 49%.
That's a reversal from PPP's last poll on the topic in
May, which had the initiative leading by a margin of 48% to 45%.
Neither set of numbers is likely to lead to smiling faces at the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska, the group behind Measure 2. The conventional wisdom among initiative experts is that they should be polling 60% or better when the campaign begins.
Support for legalization is strong among very liberal (70%), liberal (67%), and moderate (54%) Alaskans. The problem is that Alaska is not a very liberal state. Only 24% of those polled described themselves as liberal or very liberal, while 43% described themselves as conservative or very conservative. Only a third (33%) of conservative voters support the initiative, and only a sixth (16%) of very conservative voters did so.
That sentiment appears to extend to a demographic that generally supports marijuana legalization: young people. While, nationally, around two-thirds of voters 18 to 29 support legalization, in the PPP Alaska poll that figure was only 48%.
But, as Firedog Lake's Jon Walker pointed out, Alaska is a relatively tough place to poll accurately because of its small population, economic diversity, and geographic size. Measure 2 supporters are going to have to hope that those difficulties mean that these poll results are an artifact, not an omen. But they will be doing more than hoping as the campaign heads for its final couple of months.
back to top
Did you know why (supposedly) athletes are allowed to use some drugs but not others? Read the details on sportsanddrugs.procon.org, part of the ProCon.org family.
Follow Drug War Chronicle for more important facts from ProCon.org over the next several weeks, or sign up for ProCon.org's email list or RSS feed.
Read last week's ProCon.org "Did You Know" Chronicle blurb here.
ProCon.org is a web site promoting critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan primarily pro-con format.
back to top
There will be no medical marijuana initiative in Oklahoma this year, Jeb Bush comes out against Florida's medical marijuana initiative, San Diego patients are trying a novel tack in their battle with the city, and more. Let's get to it:
MMJ leaf and stethoscope KY ODCP_145.jpg
Last Tuesday, Madera County supervisors adopted a revised cultivation ordinance that will dramatically increase fines for violating it. All grows must be in an enclosed 120-square foot building. The current fine is $250 for growing "outside" the ordinance; the revised ordinance increases the fine to $250 per plant.
Last Wednesday, eight San Diego patients filed a complaint against the city and the mayor charging that the city's harsh land use and other restrictions on dispensaries and collectives violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The complaint charges the city with violating state law with its restrictions. The complaint seeks to suspend enforcement of the city's ordinance until it is resolved.
On Tuesday, California advocates raised the alarm on an amended medical marijuana bill. A bill intended to force law enforcement to return unlawfully seized medical marijuana has been amended in the Assembly Appropriations Committee to gut that language, and that has Americans for Safe Access raising the alarm. Senate Bill 1193 has been turned from a good bill into a bad one, the group says, and is asking sponsor Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) to pull it. Click on the link to add your two cents.
Florida
Last Friday, Jeb Bush came out in opposition to the state's medical marijuana initiative. Former Republican state governor and potential 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush has come out against Amendment 2, the state's medical marijuana initiative. "Florida leaders and citizens have worked for years to make the Sunshine State a world-class location to start or run a business, a family-friendly destination for tourism and a desirable place to raise a family or retire," Bush said. "Allowing large-scale, marijuana operations to take root across Florida, under the guise of using it for medicinal purposes, runs counter to all of these efforts," he added. Bush appears to be out of step with Florida voters, who are supporting the measure in the 85-90% range, according to recent polls.
Hawaii
On Monday, advocates announced medical marijuana events this weekend. The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii (cofounders of the Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawaii) have announced three free public events on medical marijuana policy next weekend. "Policy Perspectives on Medical Marijuana" will take place in Oahu and Hilo, while a talk session will be held in Kona. Click on the link for more details.
Iowa
Last Thursday, the state announced public hearings about its new CBD cannabis oil law. Iowans who have something to say about the state's new law decriminalizing the possession of low-THC, high-CBD cannabis oil for epileptics will get a chance at a series of public hearings. They will be held in six cities: Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Mason City, Ottumwa, and Sioux City. Click on the link for times and dates, as well information on submitting comment via email or snail mail.
Minnesota
On Tuesday, a Minnesota mom has been arrested for giving her son cannabis oil too soon. Although the state this year passed a law allowing for the use of some forms of medical marijuana, it doesn't go into effect until next July. That's too long to wait for Angela Brown, who traveled to Colorado to obtain cannabis oil for her 15-year-old son. Now she is facing two criminal misdemeanors, including child endangerment. The family says it is now considering moving to Colorado so the boy can get his medicine without his mom facing prosecution.
Oklahoma
Last Saturday, organizers conceded that their initiative signature-gathering campaign would fall short. There will be no medical marijuana initiative in the Sooner State this year. Saturday was the deadline for handing in signatures, and organizers concede they don't have enough valid signatures. They vow to be back at next year.
[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]
back to top
Florida deputies get suspended in an excessive force investigation, a Miami sergeant gets popped for perverted play with a teen boy, and a couple of jail guards get caught doing what they always get caught doing. Let's get to it:
In Ocala, Florida,
five Marion County sheriff's deputies were suspended without pay Monday while authorities investigate whether they used excessive force while arresting a suspect in a drug raid. The sheriff's office said a videotape made during the raids showed officers using force "which appeared to be potentially excessive" in the arrest of Derrick Price. Price's booking photos show a large bruise under his left eye. The deputies were part of a SWAT team, the Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team.
In Miami, a Miami-Dade police sergeant was arrested last Wednesday on charges he got a 15-year-old boy high on drugs and alcohol and then groped him and masturbated in front of him. Sgt. James Edwards III, a 27-year veteran of the force, allegedly gave the teen "honey whiskey," marijuana, and ecstasy and took an ecstasy tablet himself, then turned on a porn video and started groping the kid. Edwards has reportedly confessed. He is charged with lewd and lascivious behavior and exhibition.
In Greer, South Carolina, a Spartanburg County jail guard was arrested last Wednesday after he got caught selling drugs to an undercover officer. Robert Bolick is accused of peddling suboxone sublingual films and alpazolam. Bolick allegedly said he sold the drugs to earn money. He is charged with three counts of possession of a Schedule IV drug with intent to distribute.
In Tucker, Arkansas, a state prison guard was arrested Saturday for allegedly bringing drugs and contraband into the prison. Xzraier Clark got caught with rolling papers, marijuana, and assorted pills stuffed down his underwear while trying to clear security at the prison. It's not clear what the precise charges are.
back to top
A bill to end the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity is close to becoming law in California, the US Sentencing Commission still has work to do on mandatory minimums, the 50th anniversary of America's first pot protest will be commemorated this weekend, and more. Let's get to it:
There's action on sentencing on a couple of fronts today. (supremecourt.gov)
50th Anniversary of First Pot Protest to Be Commemorated at Seattle Hempfest This Weekend. On August 16, 1964, a lone crusader named Lowell Eggemeier marched into the San Francisco Hall of Justice, fired up a joint, and puffed it in the presence of the police inspector. "I am starting a campaign to legalize marijuana smoking," he announced, "I wish to be arrested." He was promptly hauled off to jail for marijuana possession, at that time a felony. California NORML will lead a commemoration of Eggemeir's historic first step Saturday at the Hempfest in Seattle.
National Council of State Legislatures to Consider Marijuana Reform Resolution Next Week. The council's Law and Criminal Justice Committee will consider a resolution encouraging prohibiting the federal government from enforcing federal marijuana laws in states that have authorized either medical marijuana or adult marijuana sales and use. Click on the link to read the resolution.
Medical Marijuana
Public Hearings Set for Iowa's New CBD Cannabis Oil Law. Iowans who have something to say about the state's new law decriminalizing the possession of low-THC, high-CBD cannabis oil for epileptics will get a chance at a series of public hearings. They will be held in six cities: Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Mason City, Ottumwa, and Sioux City. Click on the link for times and dates, as well information on submitting comment via email or snail mail.
Harm Reduction
Federal Overdose Prevention Act Text Now Available Online. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) filed the bill, Senate Bill 2755, on July 31, and the text is now available online. The bill would create a task force to come up with ways to reduce overdose deaths. Click on the link to read the bill.
Sentencing
US Sentencing Commission Includes More Work on Mandatory Minimums As Part of Next Year's Priorities. The Commission today approved its list of priorities for the coming year and includes "continued work on addressing concerns with mandatory minimum penalties." The Commission said it would "once again set as its top priority continuing to work with Congress to implement the recommendations in its 2011 report on federal mandatory minimum penalties, which included recommendations that Congress reduce the severity and scope of some mandatory minimum penalties and consider expanding the 'safety valve' statute which exempts certain low-level non-violent offenders from mandatory minimum penalties.
California Fair Sentencing Act Passes Assembly. The California Assembly today approved the Fair Sentencing Act, which would remove the legal disparity in the treatment of crack and powder cocaine offenders under state law. The measure, Senate Bill 1010, has already passed the state Senate. It goes back to the Senate for a pro forma concurrence vote, and then on to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown (D). The bill would remove not only sentencing disparities, but also disparities in the guidelines for probation and asset forfeiture in cases of possession of cocaine for sale. The disparities have resulted in a pattern of racial discrimination in sentencing and imprisonment in the state.
International
British Drug Minister Calls for Legalizing Medical Marijuana. British Drug Minister Norman Baker is calling for new drug laws that allow the use of marijuana to treatment certain medical conditions in a letter he will send to Health Minister Jeremy Hunt. Baker is a Liberal Democrat, the junior partner in the Conservative-led government. Lib Dems have a significantly softer drug policy line than the Tories, as was evidenced yet again when the Tories immediately slapped down Baker's proposal.
back to top
The California legislature acts on harm reduction, but kills medical marijuana regulation, Jeb Bush takes a stand on medical marijuana, New Hampshire bans a kind of synthetic cannabinoid, and more. Let's get to it:
Jeb Bush comes out against Florida's medical marijuana initiative. (wikipedia/gage skidmore)
California Medical Marijuana Statewide Regulation Bill Dies. A controversial bill that would have imposed statewide regulations on California's multi-billion dollar medical marijuana industry died yesterday in Sacramento. The bill, Senate Bill 1262, was blocked by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and the effort to impose some order on the industry is now dead for another year. The bill sponsored by Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) was supported by law enforcement and the state's municipalities, as well as by some elements of the state's medical marijuana community. But it was also strongly opposed by other elements of the medical marijuana and drug reform communities.
Jeb Bush Joins Opposition to Florida Medical Marijuana Initiative. Former Republican state governor and potential 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush has come out against Amendment 2, the state's medical marijuana initiative. "Florida leaders and citizens have worked for years to make the Sunshine State a world-class location to start or run a business, a family-friendly destination for tourism and a desirable place to raise a family or retire," Bush said. "Allowing large-scale, marijuana operations to take root across Florida, under the guise of using it for medicinal purposes, runs counter to all of these efforts," he added. Bush appears to be out of step with Florida voters, who are supporting the measure in the 85-90% range, according to recent polls.
Harm Reduction
Overdose Prevention, Syringe Access Bills Pass in California. Two harm reduction bills, one allowing pharmacists to dispense unlimited numbers of syringes without a prescription and the other allowing them to dispense the overdose drug naloxone, have passed the California legislature. The bills are Assembly Bill 1535 (syringes) and Assembly Bill 1743 (naloxone). They now go to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown.
New Synthetic Drugs
New Hampshire Declares State of Emergency Over "Smacked" Synthetic Marijuana. Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) yesterday declared a state of emergency to quarantine a synthetic cannabinoid product marketed under the name "Smacked." Her action comes after 44 people reported overdosing on the stuff after smoking or ingesting it. No deaths have been reported. Officials have revoked the business licenses of three Manchester stores where the stuff has been found.
International
BC Court Rules Ban on Medical Marijuana Edibles Unconstitutional. The BC Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that it is unconstitutional to ban licensed medical marijuana users from possessing medical marijuana edibles or other products, such as creams or salves. The court ordered parliament to redraft the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to allow for such uses of medical marijuana. The case is Regina v. Owen Smith.
Colombian President Endorses Medical Marijuana Bill. President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday he was endorsing newly introduced legislation to allow for the medicinal use of marijuana. The bill was introduced last month by a member of the governing coalition.
WOLA Brief on Ecuador Drug Policy. The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) has released an issue brief, "Reforms and Contradictions in Ecuador's Drug Policy." The brief comes as a sweeping new penal code reflecting some drug reforms goes into effect and examines the complexities and contradictions of implementing the new law.
back to top
SWAT teams are in the news, the RAVE Act gets critiqued as counterproductive, there will be no medical marijuana initiative in Oklahoma, but it looks like there will be a decriminalization initiative in Santa Fe, and more. Let's get to it:
Demonstration in support of Barcelona's cannabis clubs (fac.cc)
Santa Fe, New Mexico, Decriminalization Initiative Qualifies for Ballot. The Santa Fe city clerk has determined that an initiative to decriminalize marijuana possession in the city has qualified for the November ballot. Now the city council must either vote to change the city ordinance or send the measure to the voters. This measure will eliminate jail time for the possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia for personal use and will result in no more than a simple $25 fine, as well as make marijuana possession the lowest priority for the Santa Fe Police Department.
Medical Marijuana
Oklahoma Initiative Effort Will Fall Short, Organizers Concede. There will be no medical marijuana initiative in the Sooner State this year. Saturday was the deadline for handing in signatures, and organizers concede they don't have enough valid signatures. They vow to be back at next year.
Hawaii Medical Marijuana Events Slated. The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii (cofounders of the Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawaii) have announced three free public events on medical marijuana policy next weekend. "Policy Perspectives on Medical Marijuana" will take place in Oahu and Hilo, while a talk session will be held in Kona. Click on the link for more details.
Law Enforcement
Georgia County Won't Pay Medical Bills for Toddler Injured in SWAT Raid. Habersham County, Georgia, says it will not pay the hospital bills for Bounkham "Baby Boo Boo" Phonesavah, the 19-month-old toddler severely burned when a SWAT team executing a drug arrest warrant threw a flash-bang grenade into his home during a May drug raid. The person the police were looking for wasn't there. Look for a civil lawsuit.
Tampa Police Review Finds No Problem With SWAT Team Killing of Man in Minor Marijuana Raid. SWAT team members acted appropriately when they shot and killed 29-year-old Jason Westcott during a May drug raid, a Tampa Police internal review has found. Police entered the residence where Westcott and a roommate were sleeping, then encountered him with a handgun in the bathroom, where they shot and killed him. Police seized less than $2 worth of marijuana at the scene. There are problems with the investigation that led to the raid, too; click on the May drug raid link to read more.
New York Governor Candidate Randy Credico Arrested, Jailed for Making Video of Cops Arresting Black Man in Subway. Randy Credico, challenger to incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo in next month's Democratic primary, was arrested and jailed for videotaping undercover transit police aggressively arresting a black man Friday afternoon. He is charged with menacing a police officer, obstructing government administration and resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Credico has been arrested more than 20 times, mostly for civil disobedience actions or videotaping police activities.
Justice Department Ups the Ante on FedEx with New Money Laundering Charges. Federal prosecutors in San Francisco unveiled a new indictment against FedEx last Thursday that adds money laundering to a list of charges alleging that the delivery company knowingly shipped illegal prescription drugs from two online pharmacies. The company was already facing 15 conspiracy and drug charges and is looking at a fine of up to $1.6 billion if found guilty. UPS paid the feds $40 million last year to settle similar charges.
RAVE Act Has Done More Harm Than Good, Study Finds. The 2003 RAVE Act (Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act) has not reduced the drug's popularity, but has instead endangered users by hampering efforts to protect them. The law held club owners and produces criminally responsible for drug use at their events, and that made them disinclined to provide harm reduction services -- providing free bottled water of allowing groups like DanceSafe to do informational flyering or drug testing -- because that could be used as signs they were aware of drug use. "There were a lot of groups like that, and there was a lot of educational information about drugs being made available," study author University of Delaware sociologist Tammy Anderson said. "Today, clubs and promoters are reluctant to take those precautions because it could be used as evidence against them. The RAVE Act is a relic of the War on Drugs," she said. "It never worked in the past, and it's not working now." Her research was presented Sunday at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in San Francisco.
International
Vietnam Sentences Six to Death for Heroin Trafficking. A court in northern Vietnam sentenced six people to death last Thursday for trafficking Laotian heroin destined for China. The six were convicted of trafficking 240 pounds of the drug. Under Vietnamese law, the death penalty can be imposed for offenses involving as little as 3.5 ounces of heroin.
Barcelona to Shut Down Dozens of Cannabis Clubs. The city of Barcelona moved quietly last week to shut down about a third of the city's 145 cannabis clubs, citing "deficiencies" in management at nearly 50 of them. Those "deficiencies" included the illegal sale of marijuana, trying to attract non-members to their premises, and creating problems for the neighborhoods where they operate. Under Spanish law, the clubs can operate as members-only establishments where participants share their collective crops. The Spanish Federation of Cannabis Associations has asked for better regulations to avoid illegal practices.
(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.)
back to top
Big money for TV ads in Oregon, another Maine city will vote on marijuana legalization, a good bill goes bad in California, and Saudi Arabia executes four hash smugglers. Let's get to it:
Marijuana Policy South Portland, Maine, to Vote on Legalization Initiative in November. The city council Monday night approved putting on the November ballot an initiative that would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. The move comes after advocates collected enough voter signatures to force the issue. Neighboring Portland, Maine's largest city, passed a similar initiative last year.
Oregon Legalization Initiative Will Buy $2.3 Million in TV Ads. New Approach Oregon, the group behind the state's marijuana legalization initiative, said Monday it will buy $2.3 million worth of TV ads. The first ad will feature Richard Harris, the former head of addictions and mental health for the state Health Authority, who says that marijuana is "a pretty benign drug" and that criminalizing it has been a policy failure.
Medical Marijuana
California Advocates Raise Alarm on Amended Medical Marijuana Bill. A bill intended to force law enforcement to return unlawfully seized medical marijuana has been amended in the Assembly Appropriations Committee to gut that language, and that has Americans for Safe Access raising the alarm. Senate Bill 1193 has been turned from a good bill into a bad one, the group says, and is asking sponsor Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) to pull it. Click on the link to add your two cents.
International
Saudi Arabia Executes Four Hash Smugglers. Four members of the same family were executed by Saudi authorities Monday for attempting to smuggle "large quantities" of hashish into the kingdom. The executions came despite protests from family members that the men had been tortured into confessing during interrogations. The killings are part of a surge of executions in the kingdom lately, with 32 people executed this year and 17 in the past two weeks alone. Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty to a number of crimes, including drug trafficking and apostasy, as well as murder and rape.
back to top
An unsettling poll in Alaska, Minnesota medical marijuana mom gets busted, there's money to be made in drug testing, Maryland SWAT teams have been busy, a West African meeting on drugs is underway, and more. Let's get to it:
Marijuana Policy Alaska Legalization Initiative Trails in Poll. The people trying to legalize marijuana in Alaska are in for a tough battle, if the most recent Public Policy Polling survey is any indicator. That poll, taken at the end of July and the beginning of this month, has the marijuana legalization initiative trailing, 44% to 49%. That's a reversal from PPP's last poll on the topic in May, which had the initiative leading by a margin of 48% to 45%. Neither set of numbers is likely to lead to smiling faces at the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska, the group behind Measure 2.
Washington Attorney General Files Brief in I-502 Lawsuit. Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a brief in a lawsuit filed by would-be marijuana business operators seeking to overturn local bans on such businesses. The brief argues that nothing in the state's voter-approved marijuana legalization law overrides the authority of local governments to regulate businesses, including marijuana businesses. In other words, the attorney general is supporting the localities against the marijuana business people.
Stoner Arrested for Growing Pot. Sorry, we couldn't resist (and it's a slow news day). Charlottesville, Virginia, resident Paul Stoner has been arrested by the Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force for allegedly growing $10,000 worth of marijuana. He is charged with manufacturing marijuana and possessing a handgun while in possession of more than a pound of pot.
Medical Marijuana
Minnesota Mom Busted for Giving Son Cannabis Oil Too Soon. Although the state this year passed a law allowing for the use of some forms of medical marijuana, it doesn't go into effect until next July. That's too long to wait for Angela Brown, who traveled to Colorado to obtain cannabis oil for her 15-year-old son. Now she is facing two criminal misdemeanors, including child endangerment. The family says it is now considering moving to Colorado so the boy can get his medicine without his mom facing prosecution.
Drug Testing
Big Bucks to Be Made in the Drug Testing Industry, Report Says. The drug testing industry racked up $2.8 billion in sales last year and is expected to continue to grow, according to a new report from industry watcher Kalorama Information. The report, Drugs of Abuse Testing Markets, says the market is expected to crack the $3 billion mark next year. "Continued demand for testing in the workplace in sports and in government and demand for fast reliable new tests and technologies will be the catalyst for sustained growth" said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information."New drugs are also a factor."
Law Enforcement
More Than 6,500 SWAT Raids in Maryland Since 2010. According to data from the Maryland Statistical Analysis Center, which is required to be reported under a state law passed in the wake of the infamous Prince Georges County SWAT raid that killed the dogs of Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo, SWAT teams in the state have been deployed more than 6,500 times in the past four fiscal years. That's 4.5 SWAT raids per day. Prince Georges County (suburban DC) carried out by far the most raids, accounting for 31% of all state SWAT raids. About 90% of SWAT deployments were to execute search warrants, but less than half of those warrants were for violent crimes. The available data doesn't separate out drug offenses.
International
Kofi Annan, Olusegun Obasanjo Meet With Ghanaian President on Drug Policy. The chairman of the West African Commission on Drugs, Olusegun Obasanjo, and its most prominent member, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, are meeting today with Ghanaian President John Mahama to discuss regional approaches to the illicit drug trade in the region. The commission earlier this summer called the drug trade a threat to West African institutions, public health, and development and urged regional governments to reform their drugs laws, including by decriminalizing drug possession.
back to top
