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Beyond Prohibition Coalition Workshop

We believe that it is important for people who care about drug policy reform and who want to see a change from prohibition to regulation to work together in formulating what regulation might entail. While there are groups locally and internationally developing regulatory drug strategies, we want to host occasions in which we might engage in such discussions ourselves, to deepen our understanding of the issues involved and learn together what regulatory control would involve.

Beyond Prohibition Coalition Workshop

We believe that it is important for people who care about drug policy reform and who want to see a change from prohibition to regulation to work together in formulating what regulation might entail. While there are groups locally and internationally developing regulatory drug strategies, we want to host occasions in which we might engage in such discussions ourselves, to deepen our understanding of the issues involved and learn together what regulatory control would involve.

Beyond Prohibition Coalition Workshop

We believe that it is important for people who care about drug policy reform and who want to see a change from prohibition to regulation to work together in formulating what regulation might entail. While there are groups locally and internationally developing regulatory drug strategies, we want to host occasions in which we might engage in such discussions ourselves, to deepen our understanding of the issues involved and learn together what regulatory control would involve. Please join us at our first workshop on June 19th. We will begin with a presentation by Mark Haden on some of the various dimensions of regulation. This will provide us with a common language and framework for considering the specifics of a regulatory strategy. Of course, there will be lots of time for discussion, so bring your ideas, suggestions and questions. Please RSVP to Dave Diewert, E: [email protected], if you plan to attend so we can determine the size of the group. We look forward to an exciting time of discussion and learning together.

ONDCP Staffer Makes Threatening Phone Call to SSDP Office

Mere hours after SSDP's Tom Angell posted this amusing letter from ONDCP noting that the agency will respond to his FOIA request in 200 years, ONDCP's Assistant General Counsel Daniel R. Peterson called SSDP's office to voice his objections.

Peterson, the author of this ironic typo, accused Tom of being childish and threatened to respond with similar tactics. Incredulous, Tom replied "so does that mean you guys are going to start mentioning us in your blog?" Peterson declined.

Now I've got to admit to some sympathy for the other side here. This was a simple mistake, the severity of which pales in comparison to numerous things ONDCP does deliberately. Tom has previously humiliated the federal government with FOIA requests, so the idea of scrupulously drafting responses to perceived harassment from him must surely frustrate and distract these busy bureaucrats from their book-cooking.

Unfortunately for ONDCP, the unintentional irony of the error makes for good fun in the blogosphere. Stalling, you see, has become a trademark of the federal drug war; a necessary tactic whenever facts come in conflict with the status quo. We've seen this with regards to ASA's Data Quality Act lawsuit, MAPS's marijuana research lawsuit, sentencing reform, needle exchange and marijuana rescheduling. Heck the entire federal drug war is really just a few agencies constantly stalling in the hopes that we'll eventually stop asking so many questions and learn to live with false promises and fake progress.

So when Daniel Peterson tells SSDP that he'll respond to their FOIA appeal in 200 years, it's a perfect Freudian slip. Once again, ONDCP's most truthful and candid remarks occur entirely by accident.
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