Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
The New York legislature has less than a week to get marijuana legalization done, a bid to open research on Schedule I drugs dies in the House, the Brazilian government appears to be suppressing a drug use survey that undercuts its war on drugs rationale, and more.
Mexico can produce about 100 metric tons of heroin a year from its opium poppy crop, the drug czar's office says. (UNODC)
Marijuana Legalization Inching Forward in New York. With the legislative session coming to an end next week, Assembly Democrats went into a closed-door conference Thursday evening seeking a path forward. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have also been discussing the bill these past two days, with those discussions deemed largely positive. Lawmakers have until next Wednesday to get it done.
Drug Policy
House Democrats Join Republicans to Defeat Ocasio-Cortez Amendment to Ease Research Barriers for Schedule I Drugs. A majority of House Democrats joined their GOP colleagues in voting down an amendment that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filed to expand research into the potential benefits of Schedule I substances. The amendment would have removed a longstanding budget rider that bars the use of federal funds for "any activity that promotes the legalization of any drug or other substance in Schedule I." Ocasio-Cortez had pointed to psilocybin and MDMA as examples of understudied drugs, but Schedule I also contains marijuana and heroin. Democrats voted against the measure after the Democratic leadership failed to give members a directive to support it. It was the only amendment not supported by the leadership.
International
Brazilian Government Accused of Suppressing Data That Could Challenge Its War on Drugs. Researchers familiar with a national drug use survey commissioned in 2014 are accusing the government of President Jairo Bolsonaro of suppressing its publication because it contradicts the government's assertion that drug use is a widespread and growing problem in the country. The government argues that the renowned Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) in Rio de Janeiro, which conducted the survey, didn't follow proper methodologies, a claim the foundation strenuously denies. "FIOCRUZ is proud of the work carried out by its researchers and ensures that [the survey] complied with what was proposed in the public notice, respecting all the methodological, scientific and ethical rigor pertinent to this type of study," says a statement released by the foundation on 21 May. Leaked data from the survey found that less than 1% of Brazilians reported ever using crack cocaine -- the main focus of the government's drug war.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
The war on psychedelics doesn't get much attention
but it's getting harder and harder to deny the extent of the harm their prohibition has done to psychotherapy and mental health. As with medicinal cannabis, there will be tears and tears when people understand all the unnecessary suffering they and their loved ones have gone through.
In reply to The war on psychedelics doesn't get much attention by newageblues (not verified)
Crying won't help
But you ARE a part of the problem, Newageblues.
Your consistent right-wing advocacy, your "both-siderism", your MAGA cult affiliation, your sick obsession with Nancy Pelosi, all pushes in the wrong direction. Those are all Republican tactics.
But you knew that, right? I mean, that's your goal: to advocate for right wing policies.
But marijuana legalization -- indeed, any meaningful drug policy reform -- will come from the progressive left (Democrats), not from the alt-right (Republicans) or the alt-right masters you serve, crybaby.
In reply to Crying won't help by Dain Bramage (not verified)
where does Pelosi stand on medicinal marijuana?
If you don't know, just fucking say so, instead of going off on your deranged punked out friendly fire.
I ain't obsessed with Pelosi, though she and her lieutenants really should make way for new blood, she's a liability. What I'm obsessed with is medical marijuana, and for good reason, there's people who can't wait for the law to change, they are out of time.
In reply to where does Pelosi stand on medicinal marijuana? by saynotohypocrisy (not verified)
Thanks for proving my point,
Thanks for proving my point, Numbnuts.
AOC ROCKS!She needs MORE
AOC ROCKS!
She needs MORE support, not less! Say it with me, Newageblues! "We love AOC!"
...or would that conflict with your alt-right views?
In reply to AOC ROCKS!She needs MORE by Dain Bramage (not verified)
...and there is something
...and there is something else I need to point out here.
AOC didn't get what she wanted from some of the Democrats. But she isn't going to betray her values by voting Republican, I goddamn guarantee it!! She is still a Democrat. One of the best.
As voters, we should follow her example. Negotiate amongst the Democrats; but remain united to hand the Republicans their collective ass in 2020!!
The Republicans have sold their soul to Moscow. And Saudi Arabia. And anybody else with a buck or two. They DON'T love America. America now exists only among the Democrats and the political left, where dialogue, compromise, and consensus may still yet be possible. I dearly hope so.
Payday is coming.
Register to vote now, progressives. It's your national call of duty! Payback time against the Republicans.
In reply to AOC ROCKS!She needs MORE by Dain Bramage (not verified)
I like most of what she's saying
but spare me your lockstep "We love AOC".
In reply to I like most of what she's saying by saynotohypocrisy (not verified)
Oh bullshit, MAGA man.
Oh bullshit, MAGA man.
Republicans Oppose Reform & Cannot Speak For The Cause
Republicans simply do not have the standing to speak for the cause of either marijuana legalization, or drug policy reform. They are, in effect, infiltrators; their objectives are inherently in conflict with the goals of drug policy reform.
Here's why:
1. The "reefer madness"/"alternative facts" split-brain lobotomy. Republicans will use logic and reason when opposing "reefer madness"; yet, they will gobble down, and shit back out, right-wing "alternative facts" without the slightest apparent cognitive dissonance.
In short, Republicans have no fucking integrity! I call it an intellectual lobotomy.
Republican politicians like Matt Gaetz and Cory Gardner memorize and regurgitate our legalization talking points, but then they display satanic levels of fascist loyalty to Trump, Putin, and their alt-right white-supremacist agenda -- which is, to put it mildly, fully incompatible with the objectives of drug policy reform.
2. Hard fact: The Republicans stoners and "intellectuals" (cough) who actually want marijuana legalization ONLY WANT IT UNDER A REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION. This means their first principle is loyalty to Republicanism, which is incompatible with principles of reform.
They had already sold out the cause of drug policy reform to their white supremacist ideologies before they joined it. They will continue to do so until they are ejected from positions of power.
Face the fact! Republicans' support for marijuana legalization is RENDERED VOID by their support for their FIRST PRINCIPLE, which is POWER for the Republican party, AT ALL COSTS -- TRUTH AND JUSTICE BE DAMMED! !
Is it not self-evident that these priorities invalidate a Republican's moral authority to speak for the marijuana legalization movement?
We face a choice
The marijuana legalization community faces a choice. We must either: a) fully and completely renounce Trump; or, b) abandon all principle and integrity, and ultimately, our credibility.
If the marijuana legalization community rejects the lies called "Reefer Madness" then it must also reject the lies called "alternative facts", or else it loses all credibility.
Conversely, if the marijuana legalization community does not stand united against Trump, Trump's "alternative facts", and the injustices that follow as a result, then the marijuana legalization community loses the moral authority to challenge the prohibitionists false claims and pseudo-science, and the injustices that follow as a result.
We cannot allow our credibility to depend on Trump's credibility, for he has none.
FUCK TRAITOR TRUMP AND THE FASCIST, FUCKWAD, NAZI REPUBLICANS!
The Marijuana Legalization Community Opposes Republican Treason
(From First Amendment at Daily Kos:)
Check out this shocking nugget—from a New York Times piece covering current U.S. cyber operations against Russia. Okay, not shocking...
Two administration officials said they believed Mr. Trump had not been briefed in any detail about the steps to place “implants” — software code that can be used for surveillance or attack — inside the Russian grid.
Pentagon and intelligence officials described broad hesitation to go into detail with Mr. Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction — and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials.
The Pentagon can’t trust this “president” for good reason. He’s Vladimir Putin’s puppet and he’s revealed classified information to Russia before, when he met with the Russian foreign minister in 2017.
This is what our government has come to—where our U.S Intelligence officials are actually defending the country from within, against a “president” who they believe will take issue with anything that has to do with Russia. They are rightly concerned that he could very well relay information to the Kremlin.
Intelligence officials are literally handling Trump like he’s a traitor. After watching Trump’s performance during his interview with George Stephanopoulos, it’s very easy to see why they would.
In reply to The Marijuana Legalization Community Opposes Republican Treason by Dain Bramage (not verified)
Maybe you should stick to trashing Dump
Instead of indulging your taste for friendly fire (probably what got you banned from Daily Kos). You did a good job of trashing pig Trump today
In reply to Maybe you should stick to trashing Dump by saynotohypocrisy (not verified)
No, I'm enjoying living
No, I'm enjoying living inside your head rent free, instead!
Friendly fire? That's what I am smoking on. Republicans are no friend to the American cannabis consumer.
Nice try separating Trump from the Republicans. But the Republicans support and protect Trump. That makes them evil shit stains, too, just like Trump.
Go fuck yourself, Republican whore.
In reply to No, I'm enjoying living by Dain Bramage (not verified)
maybe you should try living inside your own head, old chap
I didn't try to separate Trump from the Repubs, deranged one, I've been paying attention to their lockstep shtick.
Go find yourself some Republican to bash online, they're not hard to find, you're wasting your time and STDW's time here.
In reply to maybe you should try living inside your own head, old chap by saynotohypocrisy (not verified)
I say you're a liar.
I say you're a liar.
In reply to maybe you should try living inside your own head, old chap by saynotohypocrisy (not verified)
"STDW's"??!!??That's
"STDW's"??!!??
That's Trumpanzee-speak, isn't it? I knew you were from that shit hole country, Trumpistan.
The more you run your mouth, the more you give away your true agenda.
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