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Legal or Not, Synthetic Marijuana is Here to Stay

Spice was destined to become a phenomenon. For decades, magazines like High Times have advertised famously fake pot products that apparently sold well enough to support a robust marketing campaign, despite being completely useless. Anyone could have predicted that a legal marijuana substitute capable of producing the familiar buzz of pot itself would be massively successful. That's exactly what happened, and regardless of the pending federal ban announced this month by the DEA, there's good reason to believe this drug is here stay.

Flex Your Rights on Freedom Watch with Judge Napolitano

Steve Silverman and I appeared on yesterday's episode of Freedom Watch on FOX Business Network to discuss our latest film, 10 Rules for Dealing with Police. The movie has gotten a lot of attention this month, and it was a blast appearing on a show that I've praised in the past.

Colorado Collects Millions in Marijuana Tax Revenue

Opponents of marijuana legalization are habitually dishonest and wrong about all sorts of things, but one of their most recklessly fraudulent claims is that legal marijuana won't generate significant tax revenue. This isn't even a matter of speculation. It's already happening.

Learning the Wrong Lesson From Prop 19

This post at PoliceOne.com epitomizes the narrow-minded satisfaction with Prop 19's failure that we knew to expect from drug war supporters.

Geraldo Lashes Out Against Moustache Profiling in the War on Drugs

[image:1 align:right]Geraldo Rivera isn’t a big fan of the latest TSA procedures, which resulted in this rather surprising comparison:

Surprise! DEA Boss Opposes Marijuana Legalization

Obama's nomination of Michele Leonhart to head the DEA is generating a lot of discussion about how horrible she is. In particular, this exchange from yesterday's Senate hearing is raising disturbing questions about what she'll do with the vast, unchecked drug war powers the President seeks to bestow upon her:

How Not to Legalize Marijuana

Believe me, I understand as well as anyone the frustration that often gets stirred up in the fight for marijuana reform. Watching as our opponents lie relentlessly, as innocent lives are lost, as another opportunity for peace and justice slips by each day this vicious war rages on, I can completely sympathize with anyone who's more than a little upset about it. But whatever you do, make sure it isn’t this:

Dishonest Prosecutor Claims an Ounce of Marijuana Can Make 1,000 Joints

Here's another example of the absurd and deceitful tactics that inevitably characterize any argument against reforming marijuana laws:

A Cop's Advice on Dealing with Cops

Neill Franklin from LEAP has an awesome piece in The Huffington Post today on the importance of knowing your constitutional rights during police encounters. It includes a cool slideshow of all the rules from 10 Rules for Dealing with Police. Check it out.

Medical Marijuana Stops Spread of Breast Cancer

It's amazing how many groundbreaking treatments can be derived from a Schedule I drug with no medical value.

AZ Medical Marijuana Vote in Closest Split

(Update: It's down to just 724 votes behind, as of Friday afternoon, and I was mistaken before, counting goes on till Tuesday.

These "Stoners Against Legalization" Fools Should Have Opposed Steve Cooley, Not Prop 19

On November 2nd, I was walking through Oaksterdam with Steve Silverman, when we happened across a group of misguided young pot-grower types clad in "No on 19" t-shirts flyering the neighborhood with anti-legalization propaganda. "Are you seriously out here defending marijuana prohibition?" Steve asked, to which their spokesman replied, "I like things the way they are now." I suggested that if he really cares about medical marijuana, maybe he should stop worrying about Prop 19 and put his time and energy into defeating Steve Cooley. His response was classic: "Who the hell is Steve Cooley?"

Mother Tests Positive for Poppy Seeds, Cops Take Her Newborn Baby

With all the recent discussion of marijuana legalization, it's easy to forget how many other ways the drug war is ruining innocent lives. This disturbing story from Pennsylvania is another example of how inaccurate and irresponsible drug testing practices are creating nightmares for innocent families.

Mark Your Calendars for Drug Policy Reform in LA

Mark your calendars. The International Drug Policy Reform Conference will convene in Los Angeles on November 2-6, 2011. Should be awesome.

Josh Marshall Opposes Marijuana Legalization for Ridiculous Reasons

Josh Marshall is a very popular lefty blogger/pundit, and his comments on Prop 19 are a healthy reminder that liberals aren't always on board when it comes to marijuana reform:

Why Prop 19 Didn't Pass (And Why We'll Win Next Time)

Despite its defeat on Tuesday, Prop 19 has been widely hailed as a watershed moment for the marijuana reform movement, and I'm happy to concur. We didn't win, but we didn’t lose very badly either, and we sure as hell gained more ground than our opposition. For anyone surprised or disappointed by the outcome, let me break down why I think the vote turned out the way it did, and why we have a lot to look forward to.