BLOG

Join me at FireDogLake Today for a Discussion With Author Ryan Grim

I'll be hosting the FDL Book Salon this afternoon at 3:30 ET for an online discussion of Ryan Grim's excellent book This is Your Country on Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America. I'll be moderating and Ryan will be taking questions. It should be fun. Join us if you can.

Don't Worry, You're Going to Love Marijuana Legalization

Marcos Breton at the Sacramento Bee says he "might be wrong to oppose Proposition 19," and he's right about that at least. What follows is a frustrating editorial that offers some good reasons to support reform, before becoming overwhelmed by doubt and uncertainty.

Top 10 Reasons to Let Americans Grow and Sell Marijuana

This is our contract with America, which we humbly submit in the hope of working together to build a better marijuana policy.

Bill Bennett Blames 'Weeds' for Increasing Marijuana Use

Michael Whitney at FDL points out the latest crazy rant from former drug czar Bill Bennett, who co-authored a CNN piece today blaming drug use on everything and everyone except the people who choose to consume intoxicants.

The Marijuana Legalization Debate Gets Uglier (And Other News)

I've been traveling this week and missed a lot of crazy and/or interesting stories, so let's try to get caught up here.

Stop the Lies About Prop 19 -- It Will Help, Not Hurt, Medical Marijuana Patients

A small but loud group of medical marijuana businesses are in the media claiming that Prop 19, California's "tax and regulate" initiative to legalize marijuana, would make marijuana l

Awesome Video: SSDP Confronts Drug Czar About Legalizing Marijuana

A huge round of applause to SSDP activist Daniel Pacheco for his gutsy performance at the drug czar's press conference this morning. Just Say Now caught the whole thing on video.

Supporters of Marijuana Legalization Can't Be Stereotyped

For decades, the drug war's defenders have mocked calls for reform and arrogantly characterized our arguments as nothing more than the stoned fantasy of the idiot hippie fringe. But today, support for marijuana legalization can be found everywhere you look and our opponents can scarcely keep track of who they're debating anymore.

Why Reddit Loves Marijuana Legalization

Reddit just happens to be one of my favorite sites on the web, and I'm loving it even more after watching this interview with co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who discusses pot's popularity on the net and Reddit's own conflict with its corporate sponsor over the censorship of ads for the Just Say Now campaign..

Torturing Children to Protect Them From Drugs

Some would say there's a certain inherent fairness in "zero tolerance" drug policies that approach every situation with equal levels of panicked overreaction. But as this story shows, zero tolerance is nothing more than a prescription for unfathomable cruelty.

Drugs, Freedom, and Responsibility at Burning Man

Having just emerged from one of the most epic experiences of my life, I'd like to share a few thoughts before returning to my usual news-skewering routine.

The Right to Survive Overdoses

Our friends at the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, in honor of Overdose Awareness Day (August 31), have produced a new video, "Take Home Naloxone -- The Right to Survive Overdoses." There are many legal, political and attitudinal barriers that currently stand in the way of getting this life-saving medication to the people who need it, when they need it, and numerous lives have been needlessly lost as a result.

Nation's First Medical Marijuana TV Commercial

While some California TV stations are censoring pro-legalization-of-marijuana ads, a

We Are All Californians

[image:1 align:right caption:true]Norm Stamper, former police chief of Seattle, wants all of us to support California's Prop 19 initiative to legalize marijuana this November. He writes about it in The Huffington Post this week.

No Blogging from Me This Week

I've finally succumbed to the call of Burning Man and will be spending the next week in Black Rock City covered in dust and sweat. I'm excited and slightly terrified.I'll be returning to civilization on Sept. 7th and will do my best to resume blogging forthwith.

Facebook Censors Marijuana Legalization Ad

Facebook may be the nation's hottest social networking site, but the company is no friend to the nation's hottest political issue. A marijuana legalization ad from the Just Say Now campaign has been banned for its use of a pot leaf image, stirring controversy among Facebook's massive population of marijuana reform activists.