The Onion vs. The Drug War
The Onion wins by KO. Still, it's hard to laugh about this considering how often police actually do raid homes on suspicion of pathetically minor drug offenses.
DEA Official Announces Successful Drug Bust On Son's Room
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Confusing Legalization With Prohibition
No matter how hard you struggle to explain the basics of the black market drug economy to supporters of the drug war, they stare blankly back at you. Yet, the instant you propose legalization, they will predict the creation of a massive criminal empire, as though it never existed before:
If all of this sounds familiar, that's because it happened already. But it happened under prohibition, not legalization. It's as if our opponents have literally stolen all of our talking points and are now incoherently parading them around in a strange cynical attempt to confuse everyone. I guess that's not the worst strategy to deploy in a debate you've been losing for more than a decade.
For starters, California will become a legitimate shipping and marketing point for the deadly weed. Such legalization will spur many entrepreneurs in California to invest in marijuana production and distribution because of the big money to be generated. An oversupply of marijuana will force some of these legalized pot cartels to set their sights on other states as their customers, even though it is illegal in those states, as in Alabama.
Secondly, the crimes associated with marijuana use and efforts to dominate the market will flood not only California, but the surrounding states. [Montgomery Advertiser]
If all of this sounds familiar, that's because it happened already. But it happened under prohibition, not legalization. It's as if our opponents have literally stolen all of our talking points and are now incoherently parading them around in a strange cynical attempt to confuse everyone. I guess that's not the worst strategy to deploy in a debate you've been losing for more than a decade.
In The Trenches
Disenfranchisement News: Registered to Vote Before or After Conviction?
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Oxycontin to heroin and spread the gang culture around
Word from the pharmaceutical industry yesterday was that in response to complaints that there was too much abuse going on with the drug Oxycontin,the drug would be altered so that it would be harder t
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Drug Cartels Are Terrified of Marijuana Legalization, Part 2
Steve Chapman had an awesome piece last week that sent drug war nutjob Cliff Kincaid over the edge yet again:
Ed Brayton has a good response:
Right on, but I would take things a step further though and refuse to concede that cartel bosses would even made able to make that transition. Yes, the marijuana industry would go legit, but that doesn't mean we have to patronize or give business permits to anyone on an international most-wanted list. The genius of legalization is that we get to decide who our marijuana comes from.
"Mexico is the biggest supplier of cannabis to the United States," he writes. "Control of that market is one of the things that Mexican drug cartels are willing to kill for. Legalizing weed in this country would be their worst nightmare. Why? Because it would offer Americans a legitimate supply of the stuff."
What he fails to realize is the fact that the Mexican drug cartels have already infiltrated the U.S. and are growing the "stuff" in the United States. Hence, legalization could have the effect of making these criminals into "legitimate" businessmen.
Ed Brayton has a good response:
The obvious answer is: so what? Yes, it could make those currently peddling an illegal product into a legitimate company selling a legal product, just as ending prohibition allowed some bootlegging operations to become legit businesses (though more likely the distribution would be done by already existing companies, most likely tobacco companies). But the question is, why is this a bad thing?
Has Kincaid not noticed that having legitimate businesses competing on the basis of quality, service and advertising is a hell of a lot better than having rival gangs compete for territory through mass violence?
Right on, but I would take things a step further though and refuse to concede that cartel bosses would even made able to make that transition. Yes, the marijuana industry would go legit, but that doesn't mean we have to patronize or give business permits to anyone on an international most-wanted list. The genius of legalization is that we get to decide who our marijuana comes from.
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Refusing a Search Doesn't Give Police the Right to Detain You
Here's an Arizona case that illustrates why you should never give police consent to search your vehicle:
The state appellate court has overturned the cocaine-transportation conviction of a Canadian man passing through Flagstaff after ruling the search of his vehicle was illegal.
The reason: The Arizona Department of Public Safety officer who stopped Alvin J. Sweeney, 53, didn't have reasonable suspicion to search his vehicle. [AZDailySun.com]
The suspect refused the search, and although the officer detained him and ultimately searched the car anyway, the whole thing was ultimately thrown out in court. If he'd agreed to the search, the evidence would have been admissible and he'd still be in jail.
Something to keep in mind, even if you've never broken a law in your life. Unless you're the only person who's ever set foot in your car or house, how can you really be sure there's nothing that could get you in trouble?
In The Trenches
Press Release: Third Colorado City Legalizes Marijuana
For Immediate Release
April 7, 2010
Contact
Mason Tvert, SAFER executive director, 720-255-4340
Nederland Becomes Third City in Colorado to Remove All Penalties for Adult Marijuana Possession
Mayor who opposed measure ousted -- Boulder District Attorney says he's "paying attention to public sentiment"
Statement below from SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert
NEDERLAND -- On Tuesday, April 6, a majority of voters in Nederland approved a ballot measure that removed all local penalties for private adult marijuana possession, making the mountain town the third Colorado locality to "legalize" marijuana in the past five years. Denver voters adopted a citizen-initiative to do so in November 2005, and voters in Breckenridge approved a similar measure in November 2009.
More than 54 percent of Nederland voters supported the measure in what Town Clerk Christi Icenogle said was a high turn-out election. Voters also ousted incumbent Mayor Martin Cheshes, who had vocally opposed the measure and referred to it as "foolish," replacing him with Trustee Sumaya Abu-Haidar.
Prior to the announcement of the vote, the Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett told The Daily Camera: "I'll pay attention if it passes. Marijuana enforcement is a sensitive issue, and it's important to gauge public sentiment.â
"It's time for Colorado's elected officials to recognize that many -- and in some cases most -- of their constituents support an end to Marijuana Prohibition," said SAFER Executive Mason Tvert. "Those who fail to do so are the 'foolish' ones, and in some areas it could result in them losing votes.
"Nederland is not the first Colorado locality to express its opinion that marijuana should be legal for adults, and it certainly won't be the last," Tvert said. "More and more Coloradans are beginning to recognize the fact that marijuana is far safer than alcohol for the user and for society, and it's only a matter of time before they decide to stand up against irrational laws that drive people to drink by prohibiting them from making the safer choice."
Durango, which voted largely in support of the statewide initiative to legalize marijuana in 2006, will likely to vote on a similar local marijuana legalization initiative this November. A recent poll of likely Colorado voters found that 50 percent now support making marijuana legal for adults and regulating it like alcohol. In Denver, ground zero of the statewide movement to reform marijuana laws, polls find
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Has Jay Leno Ever Heard of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries?
Here's Jay Leno and Bill Maher discussing the effort to legalize marijuana in California:
Of course, it's a win just to have these kinds of conversations on The Tonight Show, and you can't look for perfect messaging from entertainers. But seriously, what the hell was Leno talking about with this:
Really, Jay? I wonder how far you'd have to walk from your studio in Los Angeles to find a dispensary selling marijuana in violation of federal law. Come on, man. We've moved way beyond that nonsense, and you don't have to be constitutional scholar to understand that state-level marijuana policies can be reformed dramatically by popular vote. All you have to do is read the LA Times any day of the week.
If the drug czar doesnât even know what the hell the feds would do about this, I can't fathom why Jay Leno thinks he's got it figured out.
Of course, it's a win just to have these kinds of conversations on The Tonight Show, and you can't look for perfect messaging from entertainers. But seriously, what the hell was Leno talking about with this:
Leno: Well, here's my thing, here's my thing. California, they spend all this money trying to get things on ballots. But federal law trumps state law.
Maher: Oh, Jay you're such a buzzkill.
Leno: Well, it's true. No matter what the state says, the federal government goes "sorry, it's a federal law. You lose."
Really, Jay? I wonder how far you'd have to walk from your studio in Los Angeles to find a dispensary selling marijuana in violation of federal law. Come on, man. We've moved way beyond that nonsense, and you don't have to be constitutional scholar to understand that state-level marijuana policies can be reformed dramatically by popular vote. All you have to do is read the LA Times any day of the week.
If the drug czar doesnât even know what the hell the feds would do about this, I can't fathom why Jay Leno thinks he's got it figured out.
In The Trenches
Drug Truth 04/06/10
Cultural Baggage * Century of Lies * 4:20 Drug War NEWS
Cultural Baggage for 04/04/10 29:00 Scott Bullock of Justice Institute on "Policing for Profit", Allison Holcom of ACLU, ABC interview of drug czar Gil, BBC report on heroin injection in Vancouver
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2844
TRANSCRIPT: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2844#comments
Century of Lies for 04/04/10 29:00 Jerry Epstein of Drug Policy Forum of Texas on why the drug war continues, Extract from Bill Moyers "Journal" + Russians bring out their dead, Courtesy BBC
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2845
TRANSCRIPT: TBD
4:20 Drug War NEWS, 04/05 to 04/11/10 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin -
Sun - Jerry Epstein, Drug Policy Forum of Texas 2/2 Sat - Jerry Epstein, one of the founders of Drug Policy Forum of Texas Fri - Scott Bullock with Institute for Justice 2/2 Thu - Scott Bullock with Institute for Justice on Policing For Profit Wed - US drug Czar courtesy ABC TV Tue - Allison Holcomb of Wash state ACLU re rights of MJ using employees Mon - Russians bring out their dead, Courtesy BBC
Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org
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Who's Next to "Face The Inquisition?": Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn of Clergy Against Prohibition
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