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Official: Ecuador won't break ties with Colombia

Medical Marijuana in New York

Presented by the Drugs and the Law Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 42 West 44th Street (off Fifth Ave.) Thousands of patients obtain and use marijuana under the laws of eleven states providing for its medical use. Except in the case of the handful of patients who obtain marijuana from the federal government, federal law prohibits any use, sale, or cultivation of marijuana. Join the Drugs and the Law Committee for a discussion of proposed medical marijuana legislation for New York and the growing body of cases addressing this conflict between state and federal law.

Afghan Heroin's Surge Poses Danger in US; the World's Purest Form Can Kill More Addicts, As Seen in LA County

Most Europeans Reject Marijuana Legalization

Ex-Cop Gives Tips on How to Hide Drugs; Former Texas Drug Cop Makes Video Titled "Never Get Busted Again"

Monitoring the Future Annual Report Warns of Prescription Drug Use

The annual Monitoring the Future survey of drug use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders was released Thursday. The news is mixed, the researchers report. Here's the opening of their press release:

Only One Commutation :) Ask for More!

According to the Associated Press, President Bush issued 16 pardons yesterday, including one sentence commutation. Six of them including the commutation were for drug offenses. (For those of you who are not familiar with this, a pardon can simply mean that an old offense is wiped off of one's record -- feels good, may help with employment and other matters, but the individual was already finished with any incarceration that was part of the sentence.) A commutation is when someone actually gets out early or finishes parole or probation early. According to the AP:

Bush also granted a commutation of sentence to Phillip Anthony Emmert of Washington, Iowa, whose case involved conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced Dec. 23, 1992, to 262 monthsâ imprisonment (reduced on Feb. 21, 1996) and five yearsâ supervised release. Bush directed that Emmertâs sentence expire on this coming Jan. 20, but left the supervised release intact.

Please contact the White House to let them know that: 1) We're glad he's releasing Phillip Emmert; 2) One commutation is nowhere near good enough. The president should release more nonviolent drug offenders this year! Just a few of the more well known ones: Weldon Angelos, Clarence Aaron, Lawrence & Lamont Garrison.