A new poll from the conservative Manhattan Institute shows strong support for marijuana legalization, European Union experts meet to ponder what do to about drug trafficking, and more.

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Marijuana Policy

Manhattan Institute Poll Has Adults Overwhelmingly Opposing Marijuana Criminalization. The conservative-leaning Manhattan Institute has released a poll in which 73 percent of respondents supported some form of marijuana legalization and only 12 percent believe "the possession and sale of marijuana should be illegal under all circumstances."

The poll found that 57 percent believed adults should be able to consume marijuana absent risk to others, 69 percent believe adults should be able to consume marijuana in their own homes, and 65 percent believe people 21 and over should be able to buy, possess, and consume marijuana products.

But the polling also suggested Americans want some limits: 56 percent opposed pot smoking in parks or other public places.

The polling is in line with numerous other polls in recent years that have consistently shown strong majority support for legalization. It is also consistent with the partisan breakdown in other polls, with majorities of Democrats and independents supporting it, while Republican support remains under 50 percent.

Pardons and Commutations

New Jersey Governor Pardons Dozens, Including Drug Offenders. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced pardons for three dozen people with older convictions on Monday. Most of the pardons -- 26 out of 36 -- were for drug convictions. Thirty-three people will receive pardons and three will have their sentences commuted.

It was the first time Murphy, who is nearing the end of his second term, has used his pardon power. A hint he would do so came in June when he established a Clemency Advisory Board to determine who might be eligible for relief.

"Today, we rededicate ourselves to ensuring that New Jersey is the state for second chances," he said on Monday. "I am proud to announce that through our historic clemency initiative, 36 individuals will be granted legal relief… It is my honor as Governor to recognize the efforts each of them have made to prove that, in this country, redemption is achievable."

All the clemency recipients had nonviolent convictions and had gone at least ten years without another arrest. In addition to drug offenders, they included people who had received particularly harsh sentences or were victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, or sex trafficking.

Advocates said the move was a good start.

"This is exactly who should be prioritized for pardons -- people targeted by the drug war and who received sentences that were vastly harsher than what they would receive today," said Jenna Mellor, executive director of the New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition. "We are repairing the harms of the drug war, and we need to keep going."

"While this is exciting news, we can and must do more," said Marleina Ubel, senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective. "The governor has the ability to do what’s called 'categorical clemency.' It means [issuing] a pardon or clemency for a category of people. So all people who are incarcerated for nonviolent drug offenses should receive clemency, instead of picking individuals."

International

Europeans Meet to Figure Out What to Do About Drug Trafficking. A European Union group of experts met Wednesday in Strasbourg, France, to work on developing a strategy to confront ever more complex and sophisticated drug trafficking organizations. The Joint Expert Group in Developing Policy Guidelines on Combating Organized Crime Related to Drug Trafficking consists of three experts designated by the permanent correspondents of the Pompidou Group (the Council of Europe International Cooperation Group on Drugs and Addiction), three experts from the intergovernmental committees of the Council of Europe, as well as two independent experts from academia. The Group will be supported by four Secretariat members from the Pompidou Group and the Steering Committee for Human Rights.

The first meeting involved group members reviewing the terms of reference for their mandate and conducting a background study on the current landscape and the existing legal frameworks aimed at combating organized crime related to drug trafficking.

In future meetings, the group will seek to make recommendations to the Committee of Ministers on combating organized crime linked to drug trafficking. The mandate does not include a brief for considering non-prohibitionist approaches to illicit drug trafficking.

Australia's New South Wales Agrees to Drug Checking Trials at Festivals. Amid calls for drug decriminalization from experts, the state government of New South Wales announced Thursday that it will undertake a year-long trial of drug checking at music festivals where concert-goers can take a small drug sample to a health professional to test it for purity, potency, and adulterants.

"No parent wants to be given the news that something has happened to their child at a music festival, and that they are now in an emergency department or worse," said the state premier, Chris Minns. "The trial has a clear purpose -- to reduce harm and save lives."

Queensland became the first Australian state to offer drug checking earlier this year, establishing two permanent -- not trial -- clinics for people to take their samples.

The Minns government had rejected renewed calls to introduce drug checking after two men died at a music festival last fall, but apparently heeded the call of drug reform advocates for checking at the state's second drug summit last month.

"As I've always said, there are no silver bullets here but if there are any further steps we can take to keep young people safe this festival season we’ll listen to the experts and the evidence," said state health minister, Ryan Park.

But the state minister for police and counterterrorism made it clear that police would still enforce laws against drug sales: "Police will not change their approach to drug suppliers at these trial sites," said minister Yasmin Catley. "Anyone attempting to supply drugs can expect to be targeted by a police operation and brought before the courts."