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Introduction
My name is John Daniel. I don't believe prohibition of Marijuana works any more than prohibition of alcohol worked. It was a policy with its genesis in racism and a waste of time and money.
Mexican President Surprised to Learn That the Drug War is Super Violent
Does Felipe Calderon even know what he's doing?MEXICO CITY (AFP) â President Felipe Calderon Friday acknowledged the country's drug war is bloodier and tougher than he thought when he first took office in 2006, but vowed to eradicate the "cancer" that is consuming Mexico. Really? That's odd because this has gone exactly as I expected and I havenât been to Mexico in 20 years. He's the president. Why is he struggling to understand the basic dimensions of his own drug war?If he admits that he didn't know it would get this bad, one wonders what else he doesnât know. There were 6,000 people killed in Mexico's drug war last year alone and things appear to be getting worse, not better. Even Calderon's updated assessment may be proven horribly naïve.  How much longer can the leaders of the drug war continue feigning surprise when their policies fail?
Man Uses Fake Money to Buy Fake Drugs
Via DrugWarRant:ERWIN, Tenn. -- A man was been arrested after police said he used counterfeit money to purchase fake OxyContin pills from an undercover officer.Unicoi County Sheriff's deputies arrested a 21-year-old man on Tuesday and charged him with criminal conspiracy with schedule II drugs, forgery and criminal simulation. [Pantagraph.com]It's almost funny, except the part where this poor bastard goes to jail for some drugs that never even existed.
Former Drug Warrior Now Lives With his Parents
The power shift in Washington isnât looking favorably on the folks who ran Bush's drug war. Oh, the irony:Justin Rand, 24, formerly a "confidential assistant" in the White House's drug policy office, exited right before the election to work on John McCain's campaign -- so, he hoped, he could remain at the White House. After McCain's loss, Rand could no longer stay in Washington because, among other reasons, he couldn't find a job. He has since moved in with his parents in Jacksonville, Fla. [Washington Post]So basically, this guy got hooked on anti-drug propaganda and let it take over his whole life. He was doing it five days a week and surrounding himself with some of the best-known suppliers. Now he's unemployed and lives with his folks. Parents, please don't let your kids end up like Justin. There are some warning signs that your loved one may be addicted to the drug war, such as lying about drug use statistics and hanging out with sketchy people like David Murray.They'll usually try to rationalize the behavior ("I'm just doing my job"), but the truth is that supporting the drug war is associated with impaired judgment and prolonged exposure can turn you into an insufferable jerktard.
Medical Marijuana Raids are Officially Over
In a press conference intended to celebrate a series of DEA raids on Mexican cartels operating in the U.S., Attorney General Eric Holder was asked about the medical marijuana raids. He said this:What's particularly delightful about this is that DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart was standing right next to him. It would have been nice if the cameras had turned to capture Leonhart's expression as her new boss announced the termination of the vicious campaign for which she bears great responsibility.Although we've known this was coming for some time now, it's particularly gratifying to watch the Attorney General's mouth form the words we've waited 10 years to hear. So many have sacrificed so much to get us to this point. There were so many times when this fight looked hopeless to everyone but us, which is worth keeping in mind the next time someone tells us we're asking for too much.As a decade of bad policy is brushed aside with scarcely a whimper, it's becoming clear how fictitious and contrived this debate has been from the beginning. One can scarcely overstate how ridiculously unfounded the fears of our political culture have proven to be. It's amazing to think that our government remained invested in this preposterous crusade for so long not because our leaders necessarily believed in it, but often because they simply lacked the courage to consider a change of course.As sad as that sounds, there's a lesson here in that the best arguments for reform will often have more to do with politics than policy.
NJ Senate President Embarrasses Himself With Bad Pot Joke
The New Jersey Senate passed a medical marijuana bill on Monday, prompting State Senate President Richard J. Codey to utter one of the worst pot jokes I've ever heard:Dude, you're not Jay Leno. Sadly, it's hard to imagine what threshold must be crossed before sick and dying patients can receive protection under the law without having to endure the completely banal, sophomoric comedy stylings of some of America's least funny people. Too many public officials, news anchors, and journalists still think pot jokes are a free ride to funnytown, and we'll usually give them a pass on it, even as they unleash one sorry groaner after another. But the line ought to be drawn on the senate floor, when seriously ill patients are in the room. That is just basic professional courtesy. Fortunately, FOX at least picked up the story and acknowledged the controversy that this type of childish behavior provokes. Hopefully, we are moving towards a point when legitimate medical marijuana patients are left alone, not only by police, but by bad amateur comedians in all sectors of public service.
Colombia Threatens Obama With Cocaine Crisis if he Doesn't Give Them Money
Dear President Obama,Please give us lots of money or we will bury you in cocaine.Yours truly,Colombia BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia is confident Washington will keep providing multimillion-dollar aid to fight the drug trade in the Andean nation because any cuts would mean more cocaine reaches U.S. cities, the defense minister said on Saturday. This is what's called an empty threat (although you could also call it extortion). I mean really, how much more cocaine could they possibly produce? Eradication doesnât work, so nothing bad will happen if we stop doing it. How can you argue about results like this:Critics say Plan Colombia has failed to stop the spread of coca cultivation in recent years and point to steady cocaine output in the world's No. 1 producer of the drug.According to U.N. figures, Colombian coca crops covered some 244,600 acres at the end of 2007 -- 27 percent more than the previous year.But Santos said he expected the strategy to be maintained because it was backed by both Democrats and Republicans. He called it "the most successful bipartisan U.S. foreign policy of recent times."â¦If by successful you mean that people keeping funding it. It's hard to imagine how much worse this program would have to perform before its benefactors became embarrassed by it. I swear, Colombian cocaine production could increase tenfold in a year and these guys would look you right in the eye and tell you Plan Colombia has never worked better.This is nuts and Obama has zero excuses for even thinking about funding this crap. It is the definition of a failed policy and we are in the midst of an unfathomable economic crisis. There has never been a better time to tell our friends in Colombia that this game of make-believe is over.
Kellogg's Stock Takes Big Hit After Phelps Bong Controversy
I'm no expert on the stock market, but this doesnât look good for Kellogg's:Kellogg Co. Stock -- February 2009:As the chart shows, the company's stock took an immediate dive following its decision to drop Michael Phelps over the infamous bong hit photo. What began as a coordinated boycott by drug reform organizations quickly escalated into a full-blown media frenzy as major news outlets picked up the story. Pot-friendly websites like Digg.com began directing massive traffic to news coverage that was critical of Kellogg's anti-marijuana posturing, thereby increasing the campaign's visibility among likely supporters. The cumulative impact of all this negative publicity is helpfully illustrated by The Vanno Reputation Index, which monitors the public image of leading corporations:Out of the 5,600 company reputations Vanno monitors, Kellogg ranked ninth before it booted Phelps. Now it's ranked 83. Not even an industry-wide peanut scare inflicted as much damage on the food company's reputation. [Business Insider]In the current economic climate, it would be silly to think we're solely responsible for Kellogg's falling stock. Still, the Vanno data clearly shows that we've dealt a substantial blow to the company's reputation at the worst possible time. Whether or not we actually had a considerable impact on Kellogg's bottom line is beside the point. What matters is that we sent an unprecedented message to corporate America that reefer madness is bad for business.For far too long now, the drug war has been sustained by a corporate culture that embraces anti-drug propaganda at every turn. Just as our press and politicians have struggled to come to terms with evolving public attitudes about drugs and drug policy, corporate America has remained enslaved by the tired mindset that a healthy public image is best secured through hardline anti-drug posturing. The Phelps saga may soon be regarded as the moment when all of that changed, the unforeseeable, yet inevitable moment when the invisible hand of America's marijuana culture finally became a fist.Update: Many have pointed out, and I agree, that Kellogg's falling stock is much better explained by the economy than the boycott. I thought I did a sufficient job of drawing this distinction in the post, but I can understand how the title and tone of the overall post might lead some to conclude otherwise. So for the record: the point of the post is not that the marijuana reform community crashed Kellogg's stock. I don't believe that to be true. The point is that our message gains much better traction at a moment like this. The last thing Kellogg's wants is a highly publicized boycott in the middle of an economic crisis. I've been skeptical of previous boycott proposals that have circulated among reformers in the past, but this effort has been a massive success. In terms of media coverage and the subsequent slaughter of Kellogg's corporate reputation ranking, we couldn't have asked for a more visible impact than we've managed to achieve. Just because Kellogg's hasn't formally surrendered to us somehow doesn't mean we didn't kick their ass. I'm sure they are utterly stunned by the backlash they received, and that's what matters.
Cops Going to Prison for Botched Drug Raid That Killed Elderly Woman
Justice was finally served in the case of Kathryn Johnston, as three officers were sentenced to prison today for their role in the botched drug raid that took her life.These officers crossed the often all-too-thin line that separates drug cops from common criminals, and they will pay for what they did, as well they should. We can only hope that today's outcome serves as a reminder to others in uniform who've forgotten what it means to protect and serve. Alas, this comment from the judge suggests that Atlanta's problems with rogue cops are far from solved:A federal judge who sent three fallen cops to prison for a notorious drug raid that left an elderly woman dead said Tuesday that Atlanta Police Department performance quotas unduly influenced the officersâ behavior."It is my fervent hope the Atlanta Police Department will take to heart what has happened here," U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes said. At the close of an emotional two-day hearing, Carnes sentenced former officers Gregg Junnier, Jason R. Smith and Arthur Bruce Tesler to between 5 and 10 years in prison.At the hearing, Teslerâs lawyer provided examples of other Atlanta police officers breaking the rules or violating the law and said a disturbing culture of misconduct pervades the force. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]Thus, even in its finest hour, our justice system remains crippled by the enemy within. There is nothing unique about Atlanta's police culture that brought this tragedy to life. Everywhere the drug war is fought, you will find police who have become indifferent to the very laws they've sworn to uphold.
Disabled Iraq Vet Loses Home Because of Marijuana Arrest
Scott West lost his legs fighting in the Iraq War and now he's lost his home thanks to the war on drugs:Newlyweds Scott and Samantha West drove their SUV through the gate of the exclusive housing community, winding upward to an empty cul-de-sac that offers commanding views of the surrounding valleys.For months, the young couple visited this site and dreamed of their bright future, ever since a charity that serves wounded veterans announced last year it was building a house for Scott at no charge.â¦In January, just two days after the couple had returned from their honeymoon, the charity took back its gift after learning that Scott West had been arrested on marijuana charges in 2007 and pleaded guilty in December to a felony of possession with intent to distribute. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]West maintains (believably, in my opinion) that the marijuana was for personal use and he's never sold any. His lawyer convinced him that he'd be better off pleading guilty than fighting the charges, so that's what he did. My guess is that large doses of marijuana were helping him cope with the pain of getting his damn legs blown off in Iraq.Of course, the war on marijuana is predictably evil, but what about the charity that took West's house away? They didn't have to do that. Surely, they have a strong explanation:Homes for Our Troops founder John Gonsalves did not respond to several requests for an interview.Oh. Well, I'm not terribly surprised that they couldnât find the words to defend passing judgment on wounded soldiers for which medicines they use to cope with their condition.Someone should start a charity that gives free homes to medical marijuana patients who get their lives destroyed by the drug war.
Is a "Grow Your Own" Marijuana Policy Better Than Legalization?
Mark Kleiman has an interesting post observing the rapidly evolving political climate surrounding marijuana policy reform. He points to recent polling data and observes correctly that we're entering new territory in terms of public attitudes and political opportunities.Of course, this is a Mark Kleiman post, so there's guaranteed to be something in there that I can't quite wrap my head around. Kleiman condemns the alcohol model, which he says "would provide a strong incentive for the marketing effort to aim at creating and maintaining addiction." He estimates that rates of marijuana addiction would double if it were sold like alcohol, so he proposes this instead:So I continue to favor a "grow your own" policy, under which it would be legal to grow, possess, and use cannabis and to give it away, but illegal to sell it. Of course there would be sales, and law enforcement agencies would properly mostly ignore those sales. But there wouldn't be billboards.That beautifully-crafted policy has only two major defects that I'm aware of: it wouldn't create tax revenue, and no one but me supports itâ¦Well, I'd favor this over our current policy without hesitation, but is Kleiman serious that he only sees two significant flaws in his plan? What about the fact that marijuana would still be sold by criminals? It's the biggest cash crop in America and its distribution (absent for medical use in some states) occurs exclusively on the black market. Even under a "grow your own" model, marijuana entrepreneurs will proliferate. And when their door gets smashed down in the middle of the night, they still wonât know if it's an armed robbery or the DEA. People will still get shot and killed over an otherwise completely non-lethal drug.Can anything be done about that, Mark?
BREAKING: New Jersey Senate Approves Medical Marijuana Bill
The New Jersey State Senate this afternoon approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act (S 119) by a vote of 22-16. The measure now goes to the state Assembly, where it faces a committee vote and then a floor vote. If it passes the Assembly, Gov. Jon Corzine (D) has indicated he would sign it. The bill would remove state penatlies for marijuana possession, use, or cultivation for patients suffering a qualifying medical condition who have a physician's approval. Qualifying conditions include chronic pain, cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and Crohn's Disease. Patients could grow up to six plants and possess up to one ounce. They would register with the state Department of Health, as would any designated caregivers. âThe bill is very conservative," siad Ken Wolski, RN, head of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, which is leading the campaign. "No medical marijuana state has a smaller plant limit or possession amount. Still, it will help a tremendous number of patients here. We applaud the senators who supported this bill.â
Breaking: California Legislator Files "Tax and Regulate" Marijuana Legalization Bill in Wake of Poll Showing Majority West Coast Support
A bill to tax and regulate the production and sale of marijuana will go before the California legislature. At a press conference at his San Francisco offices -- going on right now -- California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano announced he was introducing legislation to do just that. The bill comes as the state is in the grip of a strong economic downturn and a severe fiscal crisis. Estimates of tax revenues that could be generating by regularizing the status of California's leading cash crop range from $1.5 billion to $4 billion a year. A poll by Zogby International, released last week, found majority support on the west coast for the proposed reform. I am currently at the press conference, and will post a more detailed report later today. Phil's report, including pictures from the press conference, is online here. Check back Friday morning at the same URL for a full-length Drug War Chronicle feature story.
buy out kelloggs for a buck
How about everyone that smokes, send a buck to Mike. I'm sure that he'd make more, not have to do any crazy demoralizing crappy commercials and cheesey appearances.
Lecture China on human rights? The USA, âincarceration nationâ, holds no high moral ground.
With Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in China, human rights groups are upset that she is not taking China to task for human rights violations.
Study: Marijuana Users Less Likely to Get Injured Than Non-Users
A new study from Switzerland looked at substance use among people admitted to the hospital with injuries. Not surprisingly, people who'd been drinking alcohol were more likely to get hurt than those who had not. But what about marijuana use?Conversely, cannabis use was associated with significantly lowered risk of injury. Whereas the risk for injuries associated with the use of less than a pipe or jointâs worth were not significantly different from the on associated with no use, relative risks decreased with increasing levels of use⦠[BioMedCentral]Not only were marijuana users less likely to be injured than non-users, but risk of injury actually decreased with larger doses. It's incredible. But my point here isnât that the more pot you smoke the safer you'll be (although that is what the data suggests). It was a small sample and I kind of doubt that continued research would confirm a massive reduction in risk of injury among marijuana users.What matters here is that marijuana clearly doesn't raise your risk of doing something stupid and busting your head open or whatever. What better indication of this could there be than the fact that people who show up all bloody at the emergency room are disproportionately not high on pot?The researchers note that marijuana use may sometimes take place in safer environments than alcohol use and that marijuana users as a group might be more careful to avoid risks while under the influence. I'm sure both of these points are correct, but to really sum all this up: marijuana just doesnât make you do dumb shit.The widely-disseminated notion that marijuana leads to impaired judgment is simply false. Thus, I'm tempted to conclude that much of the propaganda aimed at associating marijuana with risk-taking behaviors has been motivated by cynicism on the part of our opposition, namely to the effect that they recognized -- and sought to preemptively obscure -- the relative safety of the drug.One thing that never ceases to amaze me in the marijuana debate is the extent to which anti-pot propaganda is not only false, but is in fact often the precise opposite of the truth.
Police Raid Innocent Couple Because Their Son Had a Misdemeanor Marijuana Charge
Radley Balko has the details of yet another ridiculously excessive drug raid, this time in Carroll County, MD. From the victim:After reviewing the search warrant I was horrified to realize these "hut-hut" men came in with M-16s in the middle of the night because my son had been arrested for a misdemeanor marijuana charge. The affidavit filed for the search warrant stated that "it had been the officerâs experience that persons who are arrested with illegal drugs continued to use, abuse and/or distribute illegal drugs". This was the probable cause. As awful as that sounds, itâs actually worse. The kid a) didnât even live there anymore, and b) had already been to court for the marijuana charge. What they were they doing raiding his parents? Itâs just absurd. Whoever signed that warrant should be fired, if not jailed for reckless endangerment.And if thatâs not enough, it appears that Carrol Countyâs judges have been signing warrants like this routinely. Sounds like a good reason to pass legislation requiring better documentation of drug raids in Maryland.
Maryland Legislation Seeks to Address Out-of-Control SWAT Raids
Following the botched drug raid death of his two dogs, Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo has gone from drug war victim to hero of justice. His dreadful experience â and dignified response â has inspired two Maryland legislators to introduce a bill that will improve data collection on aggressive police raids:All the bill does is require each local police department to submit a monthly report of any SWAT activities, with details of time, place, evidence seized, arrests, and any injuries. "This bill is an important first step that doesnât restrict [SWAT] use," Calvo said. "It merely brings transparency." Transparency should be the least the public demands with regard to the use of potentially deadly force. [Examiner]Donât be at all surprised when law enforcement interests in Maryland bitterly oppose any effort to document their activities. They are going to completely freak out about this. You know why? Because police in Maryland conduct unnecessarily violent drug raids all the time, endangering innocent people routinely and without consequence. Naturally, they would prefer that such conduct not be scrutinized.
Drug War Protestors Block Traffic Along Mexican Border
Sandwiched between violent cartels and a brutal military occupation force, the Mexican people are understandably running out of patience: Hundreds of people in Mexico have blocked key crossings into the US in protests against the deployment of the army fighting drug traffickers.Traffic was brought to a halt on a number of bridges in several border towns in northern Mexico.The protesters accused the army of abuse against civilians. [BBC]