This book review was originally posted in the Speakeasy Reader Blogs, http://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy/reader.
With thanks to Tripzine
'Psychedelic Horizons', by Tom Roberts
The Canadian federal government -- relatively hostile to harm reduction measures like safe injection sites since the Conservative Party took power in the last elections -- will not fund further research for Vancouver's InSite safe injection site, Health Ministry spokesman Eric Waddell told the Drug War Chronicle this afternoon. That was news to the site's operator, the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, whose spokesperson Viviana Zonacco said she had not been informed of that aspect of the ministry's decision.
Huron, South Dakota, is nothing special. It's a town of about 12,000 people on the plains of Eastern South Dakota. The biggest employers are the meat packing houses, the railroad, and the hospital. It's nothing special, but it's my home town--as much as anyplace is. I grew up there, I have family there, I own property nearby. I don't spend a lot of time there, bu it's where I register to vote and where I register my vehicle. It's where I was sent to prison for nearly three years over a quarter-pound of marijuana. It holds a special place in my heart.
Here are the links to the two DEA policy statements. I tried pasting them into this blog, but that crashed it. Sorry about that.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-14517.pdf
Many reformers are comfortable to say that they want to end drug prohibition. Why, then, are many major players in drug policy reform eager to avoid the big L word? Apprehension about legalization may be due in large part to the absence of a vision of our world without the drug war. But leaders and grassroots advocates can no longer blame this lack of vision on a scarcity of professional research and effective pro-legalization public outreach. There are great resources available to reformers today that will enable our movement to advance legalization and finally answer the great question: âand replace drug prohibition with what?â
What do you do when youâve been out of the workforce for quite awhile and potential employers wonât stop asking about your massive felony convictions?
Try being upfront about it.