The federal government of Canada is currently considering Bill S-10, which proposes legislative amendments that, among other things, would introduce mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain drug-related offenses. Research clearly demonstrates that mandatory minimum sentences are extremely expensive to the taxpayer and do not meaningfully improve public health and safety nor reduce drug use or crime in communities.
The Urban Health Research Initiative is inviting concerned health practitioners, scientists, researchers and academics in Canada to join it in supporting evidence-based drug prevention and treatment initiatives and opposing the introduction of costly and ineffective mandatory minimum sentencing legislation. Please see the sign-on letter at http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6452/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4894.
I enjoyed watching this, although what we get from Ann Coulter here is pretty much what you'd expect from your average kneejerk drug-hating authoritarian. Though obnoxious at times, keep in mind that you're watching a perfectly civil conversation about legalizing drugs on a FOX program. That's awesome.
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Miami Herald has a great profile of Irv Rosenfeld, one of four medical marijuana patients who still receive a monthly supply from the federal government. Yeah, you read that right. He gets a tin full of joints sent to him in the mail each month by the U.S. government. Irv's story has received some good coverage in the past, and you can bet that he'll continue making noise until everyone knows the truth.
