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The Drug Czar's Only Job is to Oppose Legalization (And He Sucks at It)
Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske is back in damage control mode again following Mexican President Felipe Calderon's call for a debate on legalizing drugs.
Trevon Cole, killed in his bathroom by a police officer, had just 1.8 ounces of marijuana
Coroner Probing Marijuana Raid Killing of Unarmed Man [FEATURE]
Just over two months ago, a Las Vegas narc killed Trevon Cole in a drug raid in his own apartment. The official story grows smellier and smellier, and the cop has shot people controversially before. But observers are still predicting the police shooter will be cleared this week.
Mapping the Legal Marijuana Industry
If California's Proposition 19 passes this Novemeber, plenty of moneymakers will want in.
Lawmakers in Mexico to Debate Drug Fight
President Felipe Calderón summoned legislators to participate later this week in his continuing discussions with all of Mexicoâs political establishment about how to win the war against the drug trafficking organizations. Is legalization on the table?
Drug Gang Hires 'pretty' Hitwomen
A suspected member of the vicious La Linea gang reports that his organization is hiring pretty young women to carry out killings in order to surprise its enemies. Around 30 women aged between 18 and 30 years have learned in recent months to carry out killings accompanied by hitmen, and most have already killed people.
Mexico Drug Prohibition Violence Also Hitting Churches, Prelate Says
Time for another unintended consequence of drug prohibition: Alarming reports are pouring in from all over Mexico -- priests are being constantly threatened, extorted and abused by drug traffickers.
Prof. Ian Gilmore
Top British Doctor and Lawyer Join Drug Decrim Chorus
The just-retired head of the Royal College of Physicians has joined a growing decriminalization chorus in Britain.
Doctors, Police Will Support Medical Marijuana in Pittsburgh (Press Release)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2010
Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana PA4MMJ
www.pa4mmj.org
CONTACT: Pittsburgh: Patrick Nightingale [email protected] 412-225-7959
Philadelphia: Derek Rosenzweig or Chris Goldstein [email protected] or 215-586-3483
Doctors, Police will support medical marijuana in Pittsburgh
Public hearings this week on Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana bill HB 1393 will feature powerful testimony in favor of legal access. The House Health and Human Services Committee will meet Thursday in Pittsburgh to address the topic. More info
The Committee will hear from medical doctors, retired police, a former Assistant District Attorney and medical professionals.
- Dr. Cyril Wecht, one of the nation’s most respected forensic pathologists, will testify at he hearing. Wecht said today, "I have personally performed approximately 17000 autopsies during my 50 year career as a forensic pathologist. I have reviewed, supervised or signed off on 36000 other autopsy reports, many of which have emanated from jurisdictions throughout the United States. I have never diagnosed as a cause of death ‘acute cannabinoid toxicity’, nor, in all the other cases that I have reviewed have I ever seen such a post-mortem diagnosis."
- Patrick Nightingale Esq. is a former Assistant DA in Pittsburgh. He is on the Board of directors at Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana PA4MMJ and co-founded PittsburghNORML. He commented today, “We are honored to add to the Legislative Record the testimony of such a renowned group of individuals.”
“We believe Dr. Wecht's testimony will provide compelling evidence that marijuana can and is used safely and does not pose the risks of overdose and death commonly associated with opiate based medications such as oxycontin, fentanyl, vicodin and percoset."
- Dr. Lester Grinspoon is Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Grinspoon has written extensively on medial marijuana including the book Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine. Grinspoon will appear at the hearing to testify via internet video conferencing.
- Jack Cole spent 26 years with the New Jersey State police. He worked for 14 years in narcotics, much of it undercover. Cole went on to found the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition LEAP and will testify in favor of medical marijuana.
- Sgt. Matt Rite is a 22-year-old Iraq war veteran. Ready to re-deploy with his unit, he was given a general discharge after testing positive for THC. The federal Veterans Affairs Administration recently addressed medical marijuana use. If vets are registered in a state authorized medical marijuana program they will face no internal sanctions.
In addition to the live testimony dozens of Pittsburgh area residents will submit written testimony to the HHS Committee.
Representative Mark B. Cohen introduced HB1393 and the first public hearings took place in Harrisburg last December.
A Franklin&Marshall poll conducted this year showed that 80% of PA residents support the medical marijuana legislation.
Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana (PA4MMJ) is a statewide non-profit advocacy group promoting passage of the bill.
PA4MMJ welcomes the opportunity to put legislators and the media into contact with local patients and cannabis experts.
CONTACT: Pittsburgh: Patrick Nightingale [email protected] 412-225-7959
Philadelphia: Derek Rosenzweig or Chris Goldstein [email protected] or 215-586-3483
German Lawmakers Ready to Approve Use of Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana will be available in Germany soon, with the center-right coalition preparing to make groundbreaking changes to drug laws.
Drugs Laws Around the World
There are different approaches to dealing with drugs around the world. Some countries place a greater emphasis on law enforcement - while others do not. Here is a snapshot of some of the systems in countries where the issue has prompted major public debates.