Drug War Chronicle #713 - December 15, 2011
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Teens Rejecting Alcohol, Tobacco; Selecting Marijuana [FEATURE]
The annual Monitoring the Future survey of high school students find cigarette and alcohol use down, but marijuana use up.
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ALERT: Don't Let Congress Backslide on Needle Exchange
Republicans in Congress are pushing to reinstate a ban on use of federal AIDS funds for needle exchange programs. If they succeed, if won't reduce federal spending, but it will kill people. Please call today to tell Congress and the President to say no.
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New Offer for Donating Members: PBS "Prohibition" on DVD and Blu-ray
We are pleased to announce our newest offer for donating members, the recent Prohibition documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick made for PBS. These three disk sets include 90 minutes of bonus footage not available on the web site or shown on TV.
Spice and other synthetic cannabinoids and stimulants will be banned under the bill passed by the House (wikimedia.org)
US House Votes to Ban New Synthetic Drugs
As expected, the House of Representatives has passed a bill banning synthetic stimulants and cannabinoids. On the positive side, 98 members voted against responding to the drugs with a new prohibition.
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Medical Marijuana Update
Busy, busy, busy. Here's this week's medical marijuana news digest.
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Mexico Drug War Update
Mass murders in Ciudad Juarez and the Comarca Lagunera, and the army killed 11 cartel gunmen in Tamaulipas. Just another week in Mexico's prohibition-related violence.
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Marijuana Legalization Fares Well in Colorado, Massachusetts Polls
Marijuana legalization gets strong support in polls in Colorado and Massachusetts, but not enough for activists to rest easy.
No dispensaries for Arizona if Gov. Brewer has her way. (wikimedia.org)
Arizona Governor Asks Federal Judge to Void Part of Medical Marijuana Law
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has decided the state will argue in federal court that federal law preempts the dispensary provisions in the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law.
drug testing paraphernalia (wikimedia.org)
Federal Unemployment Benefits Drug Test Bill Introduced
A Republican congressman from Georgia has introduced a bill that would mandate drug screening assessments for unemployment applicants and drug tests for those assessed as having a "high probability" of being drug users. But he cited only apocryphal evidence for any need for such legislation.
the Basque parliament in Vitoria-Gasteiz (wikimedia.org)
Basque Country to Legalize, Regulate Marijuana
Spain's Basque County Autonomous Community is on course to legalize marijuana early next year.
This crack smoker could get treatment instead of jail under a new Polish law (image via wikimedia.org)
Poland "Treatment Not Jail" Drug Law Now in Effect
A new law allowing prosecutors to divert small-time drug possessors into treatment instead of prison went into effect Friday.
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California Man Killed in Drug Raid Shootout
A 24-year-old California man is dead after a shootout during an attempted drug bust, and a local gang is vowing revenge.
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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A Virginia sheriff gets raided, a sleazy Michigan cop gets busted, a New Jersey cop gets convicted, and several Oklahoma lawmen are headed to prison.
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This Week in History
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
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