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Thousands Across Mexico Call for New Strategy in Drug Prohibition War

In early April, thousands of Mexicans poured into the streets in over 20 Mexican cities to raise their voices in a chorus of protest against the government's ineffective and increasingly unpopular military campaign against drug trafficking organizations. These mass mobilizations mark some of the most heated condemnation yet of violence and impunity associated with President Calderón's U.S.-supported "drug war." The day of protest has been described as a historic "sea change" in Mexican public opinion.
In The Trenches

Caregivers Under Attack -- Again (Action Alert)

Protect Patient Choice: 

Take Action Today!

Once again, the Colorado Health Department (CDPHE) has launched an attack on medical marijuana caregivers.

Hiding behind the Attorney General’s questionable legal interpretation, the CDPHE has rejected the proposed definition of "caregiver" as put forward by the CDPHE Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. After studying the issue, the Advisory Board concluded that providing education about medical marijuana was sufficient to meet the definition of "caregiver".  The CDPHE rejected that idea (and disbanded the Advisory Board!) and is now attempting to require caregivers to regularly assist patients with “activities of daily living” including transportation, housekeeping, meal preparation, and more. This ruling will limit patient choice and force patients to find caregivers who will not just provide quality medicine, but also provide additional, and often unnecessary,  services.

The CDPHE is taking public comment on the proposed rules until April 20th, 2011 at 5:00p. Please tell the CDPHE to amend their proposal to allow patients to choose what services their caregiver should provide! Send them an email here: [email protected]

DRAFT E-mail:

Dear CDPHE,

Hi my name is  _______________ and I am a medical marijuana patient advocate.  Please consider adopting the below amendment to the definition of "caregiver".  These changes will protect patient choice of provider.

“Significant responsibility for managing the well-being of a patient” means, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA, AND UPON REQUEST FROM THE PATIENT, REGULARLY assisting a patient with ACTIVITIES OF daily LIVING, including but not limited to transportation or housekeeping or meal preparation or shopping or making any necessary arrangement for access to medical care or NON-MEDICAL MARIJUANA services.”

Thank you,

­­­­___________________

**To support Sensible's work on behalf of caregivers click HERE.

Latest News

Odor of Marijuana Not Enough to Order Suspect Out of Car Says Massachusetts' Highest Court

The odor of burnt marijuana is no longer enough for police officers to order a person from their car, now that possession of less than an ounce of marijuana has been decriminalized in Massachusetts, the state's highest court ruled today. "Without at least some other additional fact to bolster a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, the odor of burnt marijuana alone cannot reasonably provide suspicion of criminal activity to justify an exit order," the court ruled in a decision written by Chief Justice Roderick Ireland.
Latest News

Portland Legislator Pushes Bill to Legalize, Tax Marijuana in Maine

Imagine walking into a neighborhood store to buy beer, wine, liquor and cigarettes. But on your way home you make one more stop – to buy marijuana, legally. That's the vision Rep. Diane Russell will outline at a press conference on Wednesday at Portland City Hall, when she introduces LD 1453: An Act to Legalize and Tax Marijuana.
Latest News
Latest News
Blog
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DrugCzar.png

Drug Czar Doesn't Want to be Drug Czar Anymore

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It's hard to imagine a worse job than defending the drug war every single day, and it looks as though Gil Kerlikowske has had about all he can take:

Chronicle
Prohibition's filthy lucre is too much for some to resist (Image via Wikimedia)
Prohibition's filthy lucre is too much for some to resist (Image via Wikimedia)

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

Cops stealing drug money, jail guards smuggling dope, deputies helping traffickers... and narcs gone wild in Peoria. Just another week in the drug war.
Latest News

Mexico's Orphans Are Casualties of Drug Prohibition War

"At least 12,000 children have lost one or both of their parents," said Gustavo de la Rosa, an official from Mexico's human rights commission. Those motherless and fatherless children, said de la Rosa, are a lasting and tragic legacy of Mexico's drug prohibition war. After witnessing the execution of a parent, the children -- even if physically uninjured themselves -- face a lifetime of emotional scarring.
Latest News

Proof of Insite's Value in the Numbers, Fatal Overdoses in Vancouver Have Been Reduced 35 Percent

With a Supreme Court of Canada case looming this summer that could decide its future, Vancouver's safe-injection drug site has received an extra shot in the arm from a new report that says it has helped reduce the number of fatal overdoses in the city by 35 per cent. The report, compiled by Canadian scientists from the Urban Health Research Initiative, the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and St. Paul's Hospital, goes on to argue that Vancouver's Insite - the country's first safe-injection facility - should be replicated in other North American cities where drug use is a common problem.
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Chronicle
Vancouver's Insite safe injection site on East Hastings Street (Image courtesy Vancouver Coastal Health)
Vancouver's Insite safe injection site on East Hastings Street (Image courtesy Vancouver Coastal Health)

Vancouver Safe Injection Site Saves Lives, Report Finds

A new study of Vancouver drug overdoses shows they have decreased dramatically in the Downtown Eastside since a safe injection site opened there.
Chronicle
Latest News

ACLU Urges Washington State Senators to Move Medical Marijuana Bill

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is urging state senators to ignore Gov. Chris Gregoire's threat to veto a bill that would set up a regulated medical marijuana dispensary system. The House and Senate have passed legislation to license dispensaries. After a warning from federal prosecutors of arrest liability for employees who break federal law, Gregoire said she'd veto legislation that requires state workers to implement a licensing system.
Chronicle
Marc Emery leading a rally in Calgary during happier times (image via wikimedia.org)
Marc Emery leading a rally in Calgary during happier times (image via wikimedia.org)

Marc Emery Denied Transfer to Canadian Prison

Canadian marijuana activist Marc Emery will not be allowed to do his time in Canada because of "the seriousness of the offense" and "law enforcement concerns."
Chronicle
Welfare recipients are the latest targets of Florida politicos. (Image via Wikimedia.org)
Welfare recipients are the latest targets of Florida politicos. (Image via Wikimedia.org)

Florida Welfare Drug Testing Bills Advance

Florida legislators want to make poor people take a drug test -- and pay for it -- before they can get public benefits.
Blog
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Why Do Cops Hate Hemp?

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The effort to legalize hemp farming in California is heating up again, and unfortunately, law enforcement interests are still doing everything in their power to stand in the way:

Chronicle
Gov. Schweitzer heeds the will of the voters, not the legislature.
Gov. Schweitzer heeds the will of the voters, not the legislature.

Montana Governor Vetoes Medical Marijuana Repeal

Montana's Republican legislature wanted to repeal the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law, but the Democratic governor struck it down with the veto pen.
Chronicle
Ontario marijuana grow (RCMP)
Ontario marijuana grow (RCMP)

Ontario Court Overturns Canada's Marijuana Law [FEATURE]

A court in Ontario has struck down Canada's marijuana law, saying it prevented patients from gaining access to their medicine. Now, the government has 90 days to respond before pot is legal in Ontario.
Chronicle
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This Week in History

Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.