Crucial New Campaign Needs Your Help

We have launched an important and unique new campaign, and I am writing to ask your help -- financial with a donation, activist through the involvement of your own organization, or both.

The campaign is a US-based coalition taking on international drug policy in the US and at the UN. It is the first coalition of its type in drug policy reform. We released our first statement -- a broad and groundbreaking one -- at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs Meeting in Vienna last week. The statement was distributed to the 200 national delegations and agencies in attendance. Over 50 organizations have endorsed the statement so far, some of them major.

This project is important for a number of reasons:

• Marijuana legalization challenges a provision of the UN drug treaties that calls for drugs to be criminalized.
• The treaties potentially threaten US legalization -- when the states of Oklahoma and Nebraska challenged Colorado's law in court, treaty obligations was one of the points they made. I don't believe that US courts will overturn state legalization or that they'll do so because of the treaties, but we can't be sure.
• The treaties deter many other countries that might be interested in trying out legalization from doing so. Having fewer countries to point to as examples in turn makes it a longer road for us here.
• Many other issues are affected by international drug policy as well -- human rights issues, public health issues, economic development, human security, access to medicine.

The reason I'm writing now is that circumstances have lined up to give hope that we can get something done. But those circumstances have also created a need to move further and faster than we can do with our current resources:

• The State Department has called for countries to have the flexibility to experiment with legalization, of marijuana or other drugs -- a 180 degree reversal from the US's longtime global drug warrior stance. But they have also opposed amending the treaties to match the stance.
• Last week the first country, Jamaica, announced it will work for reform of the drug treaties, a game-changer if they can get support from other countries. There needs to be a strong voice from the US supporting them.
• In May the UN in New York will hold a "Thematic Session," on drug policy, pushed for by the government of Mexico against tough resistance, their goal being an "open discussion." Congress is likely to take up its foreign affairs appropriations legislation in June, with hearings before then.
• In late June the UN will hold its annual "International Day Against Drug Abuse," and release its annual World Drug Report, an important moment in the debate on global drug policy. We need to be prepared to make our case in the media and to take part in global demonstrations being organized by reformers.
• All of these events lead up to the April 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS), the biggest major opportunity to engage drug policy at the UN since 1998. The UNGASS was originally to be held in 2019, but was moved up at the request of Latin American governments who stated they want to see change in drug policy.
• Last but not least, one of the most egregious human rights violations in the drug war, the death penalty for nonviolent drug offenses, has provoked outrage in several countries whose citizens face execution in Indonesia and has captured the attention of the media. There was passionate discussion of this in Vienna, and it's going to continue in New York. We need to press the UN and the US government to stop using our taxpayer dollars to fund work in these countries that can lead to executions.

For our coalition to take a forceful stand:

• We need to hire staff for it;
• We need to increase the amount of time that current staff can spend on it; and
• We need to contract for media relations help.

Donations to our tax-deductible nonprofit, DRCNet Foundation, and our non-deductible lobbying nonprofit, Drug Reform Coordination Network, both can be put toward this project and support those needs. Please visit http://stopthedrugwar.org/donate to donate by credit card or PayPal, or send your check or money order (made out to one of the two names listed above) to P.O. 9853, Washington, DC 20016. We also accept donations by stock -- the information to give your brokerage is Ameritrade, (800) 669-3900), DTC #0188, and account number 781926492 for tax-deductible gifts to DRCNet Foundation or 864663500 for non-deductible gifts to Drug Reform Coordination Network -- please contact us if you are donating in this way.

If your organization can endorse our statement (linked above), or you would like to consider it but need more information, please let us know by replying to this email or writing to [email protected]. I would also be happy to speak with potential endorsers or coalition supporters by phone as well.

Thank you for being a part of drug policy reform and for your support of our work. With your help we will succeed -- time, and the truth, are on our side!

Sincerely,

David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org
P.O. Box 9853
Washington, DC 20016
http://stopthedrugwar.org

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Medical Marijuana Update

There is now a House version of the federal CARERS Act, California regulatory squabbles continue, CBD cannabis oil bills move in the darndest places, and more.

On Monday, a House version of the federal medical marijuana bill was filed. Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Don Young (D-AK) introduced the House version of the CARERS Act filed two weeks ago in the Senate. Both bills would allow states to have medical marijuana without federal interference, reschedule marijuana to Schedule II, allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana, allow interstate commerce in CBD cannabis oils, and ease banking problems for the industry. The House version is HR 1538.

California

Last Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo city council approved an odor ordinance aimed at medical marijuana cultivators. After complaints from residents, the council amended the ordinance to apply to any offensive and persistent odors. The ordinance includes provisions specifying when enforcement actions could be taken. One more council vote is necessary for the measure to become law.

Last Friday, several Clearlake residents filed a lawsuit against the ban on cultivation in the city. The lawsuit was filed in Lake County Superior Court and says the recently adopted ban violates both the letter and the spirit of Proposition 215.

On Tuesday, Santa Cruz County supervisors voted to ban commercial medical marijuana production. Supervisors voted 3-2 to allow only limited personal grows. The county says there are 145 illegal pot grows there, up from 80 last fall. The new rules allow for only a 100-square foot garden per parcel. The ban is set to go into effect on May 30, after a second reading.

Last Friday, Upland patient advocates sought a court order to force a special election on dispensaries this year. The California Cannabis Coalition charges that the city council violated election laws when it decided to delay placing a dispensary ballot initiative on the ballot until the 2016 general election. They will get a hearing on the motion in May.

Georgia

On Tuesday, the Senate passed a CBD cannabis oil bill. The state Senate approved House Bill 1, which would allow the use of the oil for eight specified medical conditions. The bill has already passed the House, but because it was amended in the Senate, it has to go back for a final House vote. That was expected to happen today.

Idaho

Last Friday, two CBD cannabis oil bills were headed for Senate floor votes. A bill that would allow for the use of cannabis oil to treat severe forms of epilepsy passed the Senate State Affairs Committee and now heads for a Senate floor vote. The measure is Senate Bill 1106. Another cannabis oil bill that would only allow an affirmative defense, Senate Bill 1146, also awaits a Senate floor vote.

On Tuesday, the Senate approved one of those bills. The state Senate voted 22-12 to approve Senate Bill 1146, which would allow the use of the oil for children with severe forms of epilepsy. The bill had originally only offered an affirmative defense to prosecution, but was amended in the Senate to go further. The bill now heads to the House.

Louisiana

On Monday, a medical marijuana bill was pre-filed. State Rep. Dalton Honore (D-Baton Rouge) has pre-filed a bill that would allow for the use of marijuana for specified medical conditions, including seizure disorders, glaucoma, cancer, and the side effects of cancer treatments. The bill is House Bill 6. Last year, similar legislation failed to get out of committee in the face of opposition from law enforcement. The session begins April 13.

North Carolina

Last Thursday, North Carolinians rallied for a new medical marijuana bill in Raleigh. More than a hundred people rallied at the state capitol today in support of House Bill 317, which would allow for medical marijuana use by terminally ill patients. Rep. Kelly Alexander formally introduced it today.

Tennessee

Last Thursday, a Republican state senator said he would file a medical marijuana billl. State Sen. Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville) said today he is working on a bill that would allow for medical marijuana. He said he expected to have final details by Monday. A Democratic bill in the House has yet to make it out of committee.

Last Saturday, medical marijuana advocates rallied in Johnson City. Hundreds of people showed up for the Smoky Mountain Medical Marijuana Rights Rally and march in Johnson City Saturday. The rally comes as the state legislature considers a number of medical marijuana-related bills.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]

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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A DC FBI agent's heroin habit gets the best of him, a sticky-fingered Utah narc is in trouble, so are four Memphis jail guards, and crooked cops in San Francisco and Houston head for prison. Let's get to it:

In South Salt Lake, Utah, a Unified police detective was arrested last Friday on charges he stole more than $8,500 in drug buy money from the department. Sgt. Kenneth Calhoun, 49, went down after an audit earlier this year revealed discrepancies in the drug buy funds. The audit identified at least 46 cases where Calhoun submitted "chits" for drug buy funds, but never turned in any drugs. He is charged with misuse of public money and official misconduct. The 19-year department veteran is now on administrative leave.

In Memphis, four Shelby County corrections deputies were arrested Monday on charges they conspired to smuggle Oxycontin into the county jail. The four went down in a sting after the FBI's Tarnished Badge Task Force found "cooperating" inmates who agreed to ask them to smuggle the drugs into the jail. The sting included meetings between the jailers and people named by the inmates as intermediaries where fake Oxycontin pills and cash were given to them. The jailers then smuggled the pills into the jail, where the cooperating inmates turned them in to authorities. All four are now looking at up to 20 years in federal prison.

In San Francisco, a former San Francisco police undercover officer was sentenced last Wednesday to three years and three months in prison for stealing money and belongings from people during drug searches. Edmond Robles, 47, a 22-year veteran of the force, had been convicted in February of five counts -- conspiracy to violate civil rights, two counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit theft from a federally funded program (namely, the Police Department) and theft. Robles is the third San Francisco police officer to go down in the case, which targeted residents of the city's SRO hotels.

In Houston, a former Houston police officer was sentenced last Friday to more than five years in federal prison for agreeing to use his law enforcement position to provide security for a 10-kilogram drug deal. He agreed to provide security for a $2,500 payment. He had been indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine.

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Chronicle AM: DEA "Cold Consent" Searches, NYC Calls for Pot Legalization, KY Heroin Bills Collide, More (3/20/15)

An Ohio legalization initiative heads for signature-gathering, the NYC city council calls for decrim and legalization, the DEA's "cold consent" searches get critiqued, Kentucky pols can't agree on how to deal with heroin, and more.

A Justice Department OIG report criticizes the DEA's "cold consent" seaches. (justice.gov)

Louisiana Legalization Bill Pre-Filed. State Rep. Dalton Honore (D-Baton Rouge) has pre-filed a marijuana legalization bill. He submitted House Bill 117 yesterday. To go into effect, it would have to both pass the legislature and be approved by the electorate in the November 2016 election. Louisiana has some of the country's harshest marijuana laws.

Ohio Ballot Board Clears ResponsibleOhio Legalization Initiative. Backers of the ResponsibleOhio legalization initiative have cleared the final hurdle before beginning signature-gathering. The state Ballot Board agreed that the proposal amounts to a single constitutional amendment, so it's good to go. Backers will now need to gather more than 300,000 signatures by July to qualify for the ballot. The amendment would allow only 10 growing sites already promised to investors.

NYC City Council Calls for Decriminalizing and Legalizing Marijuana. This week, the New York City Council called for the state to pass legislation to both decriminalize and to tax and regulate marijuana. As part of the Council's State Budget and Legislative Agenda for the 2015-2016 legislative session, the council urged the state legislature to pass two marijuana policy reforms -- the Fairness and Equity Act and the Marijuana Regulation and Tax Act (MRTA). The Speaker of the City Council, Melissa Mark-Viverito had previously announced her support for marijuana legalization in November, but this marks the first time that decriminalization and legalization have been part of the Council's official legislative agenda.

Medical Marijuana

Georgia Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Senate Committee Vote. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved House Bill 1 yesterday. The measure has passed the House and now heads for a Senate floor vote.

Methamphetamine

New York Senate Approves Bill to Increase Meth Penalties. The Senate has passed Senate Bill 1150, which would increase penalties for meth possession and sale. Meth would be treated similarly to heroin and cocaine under the bill. The bill is now in the Assembly Codes Committee as Assembly Bill 5577.

Opiates

Kentucky Legislators Still Can't Agree on Heroin Bills. House and Senate negotiators met yesterday to try to reach a compromise on competing bills that address heroin use in the state, but mainly agreed to disagree. There are differences over increasing penalties for heroin dealers, whether to allow needle exchanges, and on how to protect people who report overdoses. There is now a chance legislators could agree on a compromise that simply omits the sentencing and overdose reporting provisions.

Asset Forfeiture

Sen. Chuck Grassley Investigating Asset Forfeiture Abuses in US Marshals Service. The Iowa Republican sent a letter Wednesday to the agency demanding documents after he received whistleblower allegations that the service's Asset Forfeiture Division had used asset forfeiture monies "to purchase extravagant office decorations such as custom wall paper and window treatments." He is also looking into allegations of favoritism in hiring at the agency.

Law Enforcement

Justice Department Report Criticizes DEA's "Cold Consent" Searches. In a new report, the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General details how the DEA's use of "cold consent" searches, where agents confront travelers at airports, bus, and rail stations and "ask" for consent to search them, may be racially profiling passengers and unjustly seizing their money. Click on the title link or read the report for lots more detail.

Reentry and Rehabilitation

Ex-Felon Federal Voting Rights Bills Filed. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) has filed S 772 to secure the federal voting rights of people who have served their time. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) has filed a companion bill, HR 1459, in the House.

Sentencing

Smarter Sentencing Act Picks Up More Cosponsors. The Senate version, S 502, now has nine cosponsors, with the latest being Sen. John Isaakson (R-GA). The House version, HR 920, now has 22 cosponsors, with six signing on in the past week. The bills would retroactively apply provisions of the Fair Sentencing Act and would reduce mandatory minimum sentences.

International

Canada Supreme Court Takes Up Medical Marijuana Edibles. The high court is hearing a case where plaintiffs charge that Health Canada violated medical marijuana patients' constitutional rights to life, liberty, and safety by barring any form of marijuana except dried plants. The government has lost at every step of the legal process so far, but continues to argue the case.

Zambia Opposition Party Joins Green Call for Marijuana Legalization. Zambia's second largest opposition party, the United Party for National Development, has joined the Greens in calling for the legalization of marijuana cultivation. "There is nothing wrong with cannabis. Just like you and me 'dear reader' Cannabis Sativa, the plant, was also created by God," wrote party vice-president for political affairs Canisius Banda. "Cannabis is a resource. Cannabis must be decriminalized the world over. Nonetheless, regulation, albeit wise, just as it exists for many other things ought to remain. Just like Zambia boasts of Copper, California boasts of Cannabis, the biggest cash crop, responsible for US$14 billion a year in sales. Zambia would do well, under decriminalized but controlled conditions, to start growing Cannabis, and at least, for now until we are a bit more civilized, only for export to countries that have made it legal."

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Chronicle AM: NM Legislature Passes Civil Asset Forfeiture Ban, No Jail for Junkies in WA County, More (3/23/15)

A ban on civil asset forfeiture passes the legislature in New Mexico, there was a legalization demo in New Jersey and a medical marijuana rally in Tennessee, a UN agency says the herbicide used to spray Colombian coca crops causes cancer, and more.

Snohomish County, WA, is not jailing heroin addicts for nonviolent, misdemeanor offenses. (wikimedia.org)

Massachusetts Attorney General Opposes Legalization. Attorney General Maura Healey said today that while she supported a successful decriminalization initiative a few years ago, she doesn't support legalization. "I supported the effort to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana a few years ago, and I appreciated the motivation behind that move and ultimately, the law," Healey told Boston Herald Radio. "What I oppose though now is full legalization of marijuana." She said her views were informed by discussions with her counterparts in Washington and Colorado, who told her they had not seen a drop in drug trafficking and that people came from out of state to buy marijuana. A legalization bill is pending, and the state could see two different initiative campaigns next year if the legislature fails to act.

New Jersey Legalization Advocates Smoke Out in Trenton. More than a hundred people showed up for the "Spring Smoke Out" rally at the statehouse in Trenton Saturday. Led by veteran Garden State pot activist Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion, the group toked up amid chants of "One, two, three four, smoke, smoke, smoke some more!" and demanded an end to pot prohibition.

Medical Marijuana

Idaho CBD Cannabis Oil Bill Heads for Senate Floor Vote. A bill that would allow for the use of cannabis oil to treat severe forms of epilepsy passed the Senate State Affairs Committee last Friday and now heads for a Senate floor vote. The measure is Senate Bill 1106. Another cannabis oil bill that would only allow an affirmative defense, Senate Bill 1146, also awaits a Senate floor vote.

Louisiana Medical Marijuana Bill Pre-Filed. State Rep. Dalton Honore (D-Baton Rouge) has pre-filed a bill that would allow for the use of marijuana for specified medical conditions, including seizure disorders, glaucoma, cancer, and the side effects of cancer treatments. The bill is House Bill 6. Last year, similar legislation failed to get out of committee in the face of opposition from law enforcement. The session begins April 13.

Tennessee Advocates in Smoky Mountain Medical Marijuana Rights Rally. Hundreds of people showed up for the Smoky Mountain Medical Marijuana Rights Rally and march in Johnson City Saturday. The rally comes as the state legislature considers a number of medical marijuana-related bills.

International

Bolivia Lashes Out at US Anti-Drug Report. The Bolivian government rejects the State Department's anti-drug report, released last week, which said the country is not complying with international anti-drug trafficking obligations."The report is unacceptable. The only thing it does is to put more obstacles to the hypocritical call to reestablish bilateral relations. This is the double standard policy that he US has and will always have," Government ministry spokesman Hugo Moldiz said.

Ten Killed in Mexico Cartel Attack on Police. Suspected drug gang members attacked a convoy of Mexico's newly militarized police force, the gendarmerie, in Jalisco state last Thursday, leaving five policemen dead, as well as three gang members, and two bystanders. It was one of the deadliest attacks on police since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office in December 2012.

UN Agency Links Herbicide Used to Spray Colombian Coca Crops to Cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a research arm of the World Health Organization, said last Thursday it had reclassified the herbicide glyphosate as a carcinogen. It cited what it said was convincing research showing that the herbicide creates cancer in lab animals and that it could cause non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in humans. Under a US-government supported program, Colombia has sprayed more than four million acres of land with the stuff in a bid to destroy coca crops. The Colombian government, however, expressed concern, but didn't say it was ready to stop the spraying. Eliminating cocaine "transcends" other concerns, said Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria.

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Chronicle AM: Second Maine Initiative, Federal Hair Drug Tests for Truckers Bill, More (3/24/15)

And now there are two Maine legalization initiatives, there is no decrim in New Mexico this year, Denver moves to restrict collective grows, truck drivers could face hair drug tests, the DEA's marijuana eradication program is lagging, and more.

The DEA is chopping down millions fewer pot plants these days. (DEA)

Alaska Marijuana Bill Moves. A bill to adjust the state's criminal codes to allow for legal marijuana passed the Senate Finance Committee Monday and now heads for the Senate Rules Committee before going for a floor vote. The bill, Senate Bill 30, creates crimes for possession of amounts greater than allowed for under state law, bans the delivery of marijuana for sale or barter, and bans marijuana commerce in the state's unorganized boroughs (although villages could opt back in). The bill no longer contains a controversial section banning marijuana concentrates after 2017.

Second Maine Legalization Initiative Campaign Gets Underway. The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) today unveiled its plan to legalize marijuana in the state next year. The MPP initiative would allow people 21 and over to possess up to an ounce and grow up to six plants, allow for retail sales with a 10% tax in addition to sales taxes, and limit the number of retail outlets until 2019. Another group, Legalize Maine, unveiled its initiative proposal last month. In the meantime, the legislature is considering a legalization bill from Sen. Diane Russell (D-Portland).

New Mexico Decriminalization Bill Dies as Session Ends. A bill to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana is dead after the session came to an end without the House taking it up. Senate Bill 383 had passed the Senate, but was languishing in the House Judiciary Committee when the session ended last Saturday.

Denver City Council Votes to Restrict Collective Gardens. The council voted Monday night to limit the number of marijuana plants that collectives can grow to 36. There are at least 60 collectives in the city, with some having thousands of plants. Marijuana attorney and advocate Rob Corry said that the ordinance violates Amendment 64 and that he'll sue to get it annulled.

Medical Marijuana

House Version of Federal Medical Marijuana Bill Filed. Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Don Young (D-AK) Monday introduced the House version of the CARERS Act filed two weeks ago in the Senate. Both bills would allow states to have medical marijuana without federal interference, reschedule marijuana to Schedule II, allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana, allow interstate commerce in CBD cannabis oils, and ease banking problems for the industry. The House version is HR 1538.

New Synthetic Drugs

Texas Senate Approves Bills Banning New Synthetics. The Senate passed one bill to make new synthetics controlled substances, one bill increasing the penalty for possession of the drugs, and one bill that would subject retailers who sell them to a fine of $25,000 a day. The bills are Senate Bill 172, Senate Bill 173, and Senate Bill 461. All three now go to the House, where they are expected to pass.

Drug Testing

Federal Bill Would Allow Hair Drug Testing of Truck Drivers. A bill filed last week by Rep. Eric Crawford (R-AR) would allow motor carriers to submit hair samples for their drivers' drug tests instead of urine samples. Hair testing can reveal drug use months earlier, while urine testing only catches recent drug use. The bill, HR 1467, is supported by several industry organizations.

Law Enforcement

DEA Marijuana Eradication Slowing Down. The DEA is uprooting and destroying far fewer pot plants than it did just a few years ago. According to DEA records, the agency destroyed 4.3 million pot plants last year and 4.4 million the year before. That's less than half of the 10.4 million eradicated in 2009. The slowdown is being blamed on states reducing their enforcement efforts because of the recession and states prioritizing other, more serious, drug threats.

International

Canada Parliament Passes Bill Aimed at Blocking Safe Injection Sites. Parliament has passed Bill C-2, the "Respect Communities Act," which supporters said would give communities a chance to have input on whether to allow safe injection sites. But opponents of the bill say it will only increase the number of hurdles such life-saving programs must surmount before they can operate. The Conservative government has been a staunch opponent of safe injection sites.

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Chronicle AM: CO Pot Arrests Way Down, GA & ID CBD Bills Move, KY Heroin Bill Stalled, More (3/25/15)

Who could have imagined? Marijuana arrests drop dramatically in Colorado, CBD cannabis oil bills move in Georgia and Idaho, Kentucky heroin bills are stalled, a leading Moroccan political figure calls for cannabis amnesty, and more.

Hashish. Leading Moroccan political figures are calling for amnesty for hash farmers. (DEA)

New Report Shows Massive Decrease in Colorado Marijuana Arrests. A new report from the Drug Policy Alliance finds that marijuana possession arrests have declined by more than 90%, cultivation arrests have dropped 96%, and distribution arrests are down 99% since the state approved legalization in 2012. But blacks continue to get charged with marijuana offenses at a rate 2.4 times that of whites, a figure unchanged from pre-legalization days.

Medical Marijuana

Georgia Senate Passes CBD Cannabis Oil Bill. The state Senate Tuesday approved House Bill 1, which would allow the use of the oil for eight specified medical conditions. The bill has already passed the House, but because it was amended in the Senate, it has to go back for a final House vote. That was expected to happen today.

Idaho Senate Approves CBD Cannabis Oil Bill. The state Senate voted 22-12 Tuesday to approve Senate Bill 1146, which would allow the use of the oil for children with severe forms of epilepsy. The bill had originally only offered an affirmative defense to prosecution, but was amended in the Senate to go further. The bill now heads to the House.

Heroin and Opiates

Kentucky Heroin Bills Stalled as Legislators Squabble. Legislators are scrambling to salvage legislation to address heroin and opiate use after a compromise effort apparently fell apart over the weekend. The deal had included funding for treatment, a 911 Good Samaritan clause, expanded use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone, and tougher penalties for heroin dealers. But now, it looks like either a watered-down compromise will pass, or nothing at all -- for the second straight year.

Law Enforcement

Arizona Congressional Delegation Files Bills Targeting Cartel Lookouts. Arizona Republican federal legislators have authored a pair of bills that would increase penalties for people acting as lookouts for drug smugglers crossing the US-Mexico border. The bills would impose a maximum prison sentence of 10 years for "unlawfully hindering immigration and border control." Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) introduced HR 1588 in the House, while Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) filed the companion bill, S 847, in the Senate.

International

Leading Moroccan Political Figure Again Calls for Amnesty for Marijuana Growers. The secretary general of one the country's major opposition parties, the Istiqlal Party, has called again for amnesty for pot growers. Morocco is a leading world producer of hash, much of which is destined for European markets. Hamid Chabat said nearly 80,000 growers are out on bail while "corrupt and money launderers enjoy amnesty." He also called for legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, saying it could be exported as well as used for "the health of the people."

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