Medical Marijuana: Illinois Bill Advances With Favorable House Committee Vote
An Illinois House committee has narrowly approved a medical marijuana bill. Now it's on to the next votes.
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Chronicle
Chronicle
Medical Marijuana: On the Move in Minnesota as Second Senate Committee Gives Okay
The effort to legalize medical marijuana in Minnesota is taking up where it left off last year. A bill has now passed two Senate committees, and action in the House is expected shortly. But the Republican governor is still threatening to veto it.
Chronicle
Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
It's jail and prison guards gone wild this week, and a veteran California cop whose pill problem got the best of him.
Chronicle
Feature: New York Assembly Passes Rockefeller Drug Law Reform Bill -- Fight Moves to the Senate
More than 35 years after their passage, New York's Rockefeller drug laws appear to be on their last legs. But it's not a done deal yet, and the battle over what the final reform package will look like continues in Albany.
Chronicle
Race: Blacks Arrested on Drug Charges in Wildly Disproportionate Numbers, Rights Group Charges
Observers of the drug war have long known about its racial disparities, but a new report from Human Rights Watch makes them glaringly obvious.
Chronicle
Europe: Dutch Mayors Say Border Coffee Shops to Close in Bid to Stifle Drug Tourism
The influx to Dutch border towns with cannabis coffee shops of tens of thousands of Europeans each week from countries with more repressive cannabis policies has led to myriad problems in those border towns. Now, mayors of two of them say they will simply shut them down.
Chronicle
Salvia Divinorum: Possession -- But Not Sale -- Now Banned in South Dakota
South Dakota has become the 14th state to ban salvia divinorum, based on little more than YouTube videos and the fear that somebody somewhere might be getting high for a few minutes.
Chronicle
Students: Intern at StoptheDrugWar (DRCNet) and Help Stop the Drug War!
Apply for an internship at DRCNet and you could spend a semester fighting the good fight!
Chronicle
Feedback: Do You Read Drug War Chronicle?
Do you read Drug War Chronicle? If so, we need your feedback to evaluate our work and make the case for Drug War Chronicle to funders. We need donations too.
Chronicle
Weekly: Blogging @ the Speakeasy
If Obama Supports Medical Marijuana, What About Hemp?," "Field Tests for Identifying Drugs Are Proven Wildly Inaccurate," "SWAT Raids on Innocent People are Bad," "How Come the Dutch Smoke Less Marijuana Than Americans?," "California DMV Agrees to Let Medical Marijuana Patients Drive," "Maybe a Quirky Folk Song Will Lead to Marijuana Legalization...," "Mexican President Surprised to Learn That the Drug War is Super Violent," "Man Uses Fake Money to Buy Fake Drugs," "Former Drug Warrior Now Lives With his Parents."
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Blog
If Obama Supports Medical Marijuana, What About Hemp?
On the heels of Obama's hugely popular decision to end the DEA's raids on medical marijuana providers, it's worth looking into some of the other absurd federal drug policies that interfere with states rights and common sense.
Hemp cultivation isnât technically illegal in the U.S., but you need a special permit from the DEA, and if you ask for one they'll call you a hippie and tell you to go f@#k yourself. Seriously, try it. I applied last year and this is the response I got:
That about sums it up. Honestly, I donât even get why this is an issue. Hemp isnât drugs. Why DEA gives a damn if people want to cultivate hemp is completely beyond me. Near as I can tell, they're relying exclusively on the argument that people will surreptitiously grow marijuana in their hemp fields, which is preposterous because you can't do that. Hemp will cross-pollinate and destroy any commercial marijuana in its vicinity. It's the anti-pot.
Thus, I tend to assume that DEA's animosity towards hemp is merely a symptom of the broader culture war surrounding marijuana in general. They'll concede nothing to the reform community, even when their intransigence requires them to obstruct legitimate economic activity based on flimsy reasoning.
Of course, now that we have a president with the guts to tell DEA when they're out of line, there's simply no reason this issue canât move forward. Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia have all passed laws authorizing hemp cultivation and eagerly await the federal go-ahead. Efforts to legalize hemp are also underway in Minnesota and in California, where a hemp bill died on the governor's desk (Schwarzenegger cited conflict with federal law as his reason for rejecting the legislation).
Hemp won't save our economy, but it can provide income for many good, hardworking people. We lead the industrialized world in the importation of hemp and it would make a great deal of sense to start producing it ourselves.
Hemp cultivation isnât technically illegal in the U.S., but you need a special permit from the DEA, and if you ask for one they'll call you a hippie and tell you to go f@#k yourself. Seriously, try it. I applied last year and this is the response I got:
Dear Mr. Morgan,
We have finished processing your application to "grow hemp so I can make cool snacks and rope and stuff." We regret to inform you that you are a hippie and you can go screw yourself.
Yours cruelly,
Michele Leonhart,
Acting Administrator
Drug Enforcement Administration
P.S. Your blog sucks and if you put this letter in your blog, we'll burn down the Chipotle next to your office.
That about sums it up. Honestly, I donât even get why this is an issue. Hemp isnât drugs. Why DEA gives a damn if people want to cultivate hemp is completely beyond me. Near as I can tell, they're relying exclusively on the argument that people will surreptitiously grow marijuana in their hemp fields, which is preposterous because you can't do that. Hemp will cross-pollinate and destroy any commercial marijuana in its vicinity. It's the anti-pot.
Thus, I tend to assume that DEA's animosity towards hemp is merely a symptom of the broader culture war surrounding marijuana in general. They'll concede nothing to the reform community, even when their intransigence requires them to obstruct legitimate economic activity based on flimsy reasoning.
Of course, now that we have a president with the guts to tell DEA when they're out of line, there's simply no reason this issue canât move forward. Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, and West Virginia have all passed laws authorizing hemp cultivation and eagerly await the federal go-ahead. Efforts to legalize hemp are also underway in Minnesota and in California, where a hemp bill died on the governor's desk (Schwarzenegger cited conflict with federal law as his reason for rejecting the legislation).
Hemp won't save our economy, but it can provide income for many good, hardworking people. We lead the industrialized world in the importation of hemp and it would make a great deal of sense to start producing it ourselves.
Blog
Final count for3/4/'09 6
I wake up this morning and the shooting count is 6.The police still don't get it and the public is all over the place.Everybody is a vigilante in waiting and everyone knows the answer ,which is,of cou
Chronicle
Mantenimiento con heroÃna: Estudio indica que Baltimore puede estar lista para programa piloto
Los programas de mantenimiento con heroÃna en Suiza y Alemania han producido resultados positivos por aquÃ. ¿Será que puede funcionar en EE.UU.? Peter Reuter, experto en polÃticas de drogas, echó un vistazo a las perspectivas de Baltimore.
Chronicle
Prohibición: ManÃa de salvia arrolla Asambleas estatales mientras vedas se difunden por todo EE.UU.
La <em>Salvia divinorum</em> debe ser potentÃsima. Está volviendo locos a legisladores por todo EE.UU. al paso que insisten en prohibirla simplemente porque alguien en alguna parte puede estar colocándose con ella.
In The Trenches
Drug Truth 03/05/09
The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network (Please note we can no longer afford the transcriptions... maybe soon, lo siento)
Cultural Baggage for 03/04/09, 29:00 Steve DeAngelo, CEO of Harborside Health Center, a medical cannabis dispensary in Oakland California gives us a tour of the facility + Official Govt. Truth with Winston Francis, the LEAP report from Terry Nelson & Doug McVay with Drug War Facts
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2320
Video of Cannabis Tour: http://youtube.com/?v=YHkoBDdQFZE
Century of Lies for 03/03/09, 29:00 Judge Michael McSpadden, one of sixteen Houston/Harris County judges who see the drug war as draconian..
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/2319
Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed, listen online at www.kpft.org:
- Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD
- Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: TBD
Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Now Australia! Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston.www.kpft.org
Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer
Dean Becker
713-849-6869
www.drugtruth.net
In The Trenches
LEAP on the Hill: Stories from the week of February 27, 2009
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Here is a non-typical response to one of my opeds. Brother Frosty gives me his space from time to time.
Envision a world where suddenly millions of previously imprisoned blacks are on the streets, jobless and raping White women. Thanks a lot Frosty. I'll advocate better parenting over hoards of angry monkies.
CPAC â the Conservative Political Action Conference: Every February for three days about 8-9,000 very conservative and energetic, young and old citizens gather to hear from their once and future leaders. This conference was my fourth and my, what a difference. In 2006 I was approached by about 40 persons and asked why cops want to legalize drugs. All but one disagreed with the LEAP message and I thought I was back in Texas in 1997. 2007 was better but not good. Last year, as a direct result of the Ron Paul Revolution, my shirt and message was overwhelmingly accepted WITH ENTHUSIASM! This year people were asking me how to help LEAP. What a change! A few stories to illustrate.
I agree with your shirt: A member of George W. Bushâs (43) cabinet for many years was walking by and stopped to read my shirt. He/she said forcefully, âI agree with your shirt.â And walked out of my life. I gave myself a silent âhigh five.â
Bill Bennett walked by a while later, read the shirt and said nothing. Oh well.
Lights, Camera, Action: Pajamas TV (do not laugh. They are important) was allowing attendees two minutes of time to present their issue and a course of action. The producer not only did not blink at my message, he agreed with LEAP. I must have passed the âauditionâ because next week they are taping me for 20 minutes in a studio in DC. NOTE: I will let you know when & how to access the two segments once they are on line.
God bless you and your work: A group of 6 college students asked me to sit with them at lunch & explain LEAPâs philosophy. 20 minutes later the person who invited me said my work was crucial and asked God to bless me and my work. May I say, THAT has never happened before.
End the Drug War and legalize all drugs: At a breakout session I was able to ask if the panel agreed that the US could no longer afford financially Modern Prohibition. Two of three did not hesitate and backed ending the drug war and legalizing drugs. The third person would only say big changes needed to be made because it was not working.
This is very close to what I said in the two minute clip on TV.-----
WAR on DRUGS! How is that working for us America?...... Is it reducing our crime?..Is it helping Mexico stay peaceful? Is it keeping drugs and drug dealers away from your kids? As a police officer I helped spend a trillion, a trillion of your tax dollars to make America âDrug Free.â The return on investment? Zero. Today drugs are cheaper, stronger and easier for our kids to buy than ever before. This has truly been a Bridge to Nowhere policy.
Drug policy should follow these 6 conservative principles:
1. Individual Freedom - As David Keane said this week: âThe modern conservative movement is based on a fundamental belief in the sanctity and freedom of the individual.â Amen!
2. Personal Responsibility
3. Property Rights â your body: not the governmentâs
4. Limited Governmentt âstay out of my house, Leave Me Alone
5. Cost effective government
6. States Rights
Now envision an America where there are no drug dealers on sidewalks selling drugs, and destroying neighborhoods. Imagine a world where all drugs are sold in a state-regulated store by a clerk making 12 dollars an hour. See a world where al Qaeda do not make billions selling drugs. Think of an America where crime is reduced by half.. Envision the positive outcomes of redirecting the 70 billion tax dollars currently spent chasing Michael Phelps and Rush Limbaugh. See a world where, if one day you or a loved has a drug problem, you see a doctor not a judge.
Join LEAP and the spirits of Milton Friedman and William F. Buckley and end this nanny-state, ultra liberal policy we call the war on drugs.
Howard
-------------
Officer Howard 'Cowboy' Wooldridge (retired)
Education Specialist, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com
Washington, DC
Hablo espanol, je parle francais, Deutsch auch
Howard J. Wooldridge
4619 Araby Church Road
Frederick, MD 21704
817-975-1110 Cell
[email protected]
The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery and Jim Crow.
LEAP cops in their own words: http://youtube.com/CopsSayLegalizeDrugs