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The Caribbean: Jamaica Lawmakers Calls for Ganja Decriminalization
It has been eight years since Jamaica's National Commission on Ganja recommended decriminalization. Now, a leading lawmaker is trying to reactivate the debate.
Medical Marijuana: Wisconsin Bill Gets Public Hearing
The Wisconsin medical marijuana bill was only introduced last month, but Tuesday it got a joint hearing from the Assembly and Senate Health Committees. The Democratic legislative leadership and the Democratic governor are all on board, so it could move quickly.
Medical Marijuana: Congress Finally Lets District of Columbia Go for It
And then there were 14! The last congressional obstacle to the District of Columbia actually being able to implement its medical marijuana law has fallen. Now, DC bureaucrats and would-be medical marijuana entrepreneurs are scrambling.
Search and Seizure: Ohio Supreme Court Rules Police Need Warrant to Search Cell Phones
The Ohio Supreme Court has taken a stab at a largely yet-to-be-adjudicated area of Fourth Amendment law. In a ruling Tuesday, it held that police must obtain a search warrant to search an arrestee's cell phone.
Europe: Czech Government Announces Decriminalization Quantities -- Law Goes Into Effect New Year's Day
On New Year's Day, the Czech Republic will join Portugal among European countries that have decriminalized drug possession for personal use. The Czech cabinet Monday approved quantity limits on the amounts that will be decriminalized.
There's No Economic Crisis for the Drug Cartels
No matter how many people are captured, killed, or incarcerated, the drugs just keep flowing. You could fill a room with academics who take turns explaining how complex the problem is, but it's actually really, really simple:
It's hard to believe that anyone is still confused about why the drug war isnât getting us anywhere. And no, the solution is not to tell police to take more money from people's cars or pass new laws making it easier to do that. Innocent people have already suffered enough for our failure contain this mess.
The solution is to appoint more responsible people to distribute the drugs.
Though estimates vary, many federal law enforcement agencies and analysts believe that $25 billion in drug proceeds are smuggled out of the U.S. each year.
This compares to just $61 million seized over the past year â the $3 million blocked in banks through the Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act and another $58 million seized by border inspectors. That means authorities are halting just 25 cents of every $100 in cartel profits. [AP]
It's hard to believe that anyone is still confused about why the drug war isnât getting us anywhere. And no, the solution is not to tell police to take more money from people's cars or pass new laws making it easier to do that. Innocent people have already suffered enough for our failure contain this mess.
The solution is to appoint more responsible people to distribute the drugs.