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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]
Legalizing Marijuana Doesnât Mean We Have to Legalize Horrible Crimes
Calls for legalization in the aftermath of the Michael Phelps media frenzy havenât met with much backlash, probably because the gold-medal winning bong-monger kinda breaks the mold as far as stoner stereotyping goes. So we should be grateful, if anything, for the few anti-drug zealots that are so unhinged, so consumed by reefer madness, that they feel compelled to speak even when doing so serves only to further expose and embarrass their crazy beliefs:The recent incident involving Michael Phelps getting caught smoking pot has caused the age long debate to rear its head again on whether or not we should legalize or at least decriminalize our drug laws. The idea in attacking the drug laws is that people should be free to make their own decisions. The problem with that line of reasoning is that you would never be able to draw the line on establishing any law. Everything would have to be legal, including armed robbery, murder, assault, etc. In essence, it would be anarchy. [Shreveport Times]Ok, I donât think you understand. We want to legalize marijuana, but not murder. Does that make sense? Armed robbery, etc. would still be illegal. No one will ever try to legalize violent crime, so shut up and stop worrying about that. Itâs a shame what marijuana does to some peopleâs brains.
Drug War Logic 101
Pete Guither and Dave Borden already mentioned it, but I just canât get enough of this quote from the Wall Street Journal:"If the drug effort were failing there would be no violence," a senior U.S. official said Wednesday. There is violence "because these guys are flailing. We're taking these guys out. The worst thing you could do is stop now."So let me get this straight. According to the U.S. government:No violence = drug war is failingIntense violence = drug war is going wellSo when do we win the drug war then? When everyoneâs dead?
Sheriff Lott Gives up on Charging Michael Phelps
Duhâ¦Lott said his investigators couldn't find enough evidence to charge anyone â including Phelps â who attended the party with any crime. [The State]Um yeah, itâs kind of hard to convict a guy of smoking a bong at a party 4 months ago. Thatâs just one of many reasons that literally everyone in the world thought this was a terrible idea. Lottâs press conference was supremely lame, as he played the role of a valiant public servant caught in an epic "damned if you do, damned if you donât" conundrum. As if anybody was going to give him a hard time for failing to launch a massive investigation against a misdemeanor marijuana suspect who couldnât even be legally extradited because the charge was so petty. Anyhow, itâs probably safe to say the Michael Phelps mega-controversy will likely begin fizzling out from here, unless he gets caught free-basing bubble hash on YouTube.
A Failed Drug Strategy Isnât the Only Way DEA Wastes our Money
Looks like someone forgot to tell DEA about the economic crisis:WASHINGTON â The head of the Drug Enforcement Administration spent more than $123,000 to charter a private jet to fly to Bogota, Colombia, last fall instead of taking one of the agency's 106 planes.The DEA paid a contractor an additional $5,380 to arrange Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart's trip last Oct. 28-30 with an outside company.The DEA scheduled the trip as the nation was reeling from the worst economic crisis in decades and the national debt was climbing toward $10 trillion. Three weeks later, lawmakers slammed chief executive officers from three automakers for flying to Washington in private jets as Congress debated whether to bail out the auto industry. [McClatchy]Of course, a DEA official assures us that this was all necessitated by a security threat:Brown said the administrator couldn't have taken a commercial flight because she and other officials who were traveling with her were under "specific" threat in Colombia at the time. He wouldn't reveal details about the threat, saying only that it was of a "sensitive law-enforcement nature." He added that the threat prompted him to conclude that "a government aircraft would provide a level of security not available on a commercial aircraft."Makes sense, butâ¦A U.S. official in Colombia, however, said that officials there weren't aware of any threat against Leonhart other than the general insecurity in the country due to the drug trade.Interesting. Seriously, how much longer is going to take the Obama Administration to replace Michele Leonhart? Crap like this is nothing compared to the medical marijuana raids, but it serves as yet another reminder that DEA is a rogue agency that just does whatever it wants all the time.
California Dispensary Prices Getting Better
It appears competition is bringing the price for medical marijuana down. Hopefully the changes in policy by President Obama will increase production so prices will keep going down.