Breaking News:Dangerous Delays: What Washington State (Re)Teaches Us About Cash and Cannabis Store Robberies [REPORT]

Mexican Drug War

RSS Feed for this category

Joint US-Mexico Statement on Fentanyl, AZ Psilocybin Research Bill Stalled, More... (4/14/23)

A bipartisan bill aims to lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization, Oregon naloxone access bills are moving, and more.

Oregon lawmakers are moving a pair of bills aimed at broadening access to naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug. (CC)
Marijuana Policy

Bipartisan Bill to Prepare for Federal Marijuana Legalization Filed. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) filed a bill to lay the groundwork for federal marijuana legalization Thursday. The Preparing Regulators Effectively for a Post-Prohibition Adult-Use Regulated Environment Act (PREPARE) Act would not legalize marijuana but would direct the attorney general to create a commission charged with making recommendations on a regulatory system for cannabis that models what's currently in place for alcohol. While passage of marijuana legalization appears unlikely in this Congress, but some members think this more incremental measure may be able to pass.

Psychedelics

Arizona Psychedelic Research Bill Stalled in Committee. A bill that would lead the way to the first state-sponsored controlled clinical trials of psilocybin mushrooms, House Bill 2486, is currently stalled in the House Appropriations Committee. The bill's fate depends on ongoing budget negotiations for the next fiscal year. The bill would award up to $30 million in competitive research grants through 2026 for Phase I, II, and III clinical trials using whole mushrooms. The Food and Drug Administration approved synthetic psilocybin as a breakthrough therapy in 2019 but has yet to approve any treatments with whole mushroom psilocybin.

Foreign Policy

US, Mexico Issue Joint Statement on Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities. With fentanyl and arms trafficking across the border on their minds, delegations of US and Mexican officials met and issued a joint statement Thursday on "new collaborative efforts to counter fentanyl trafficking and consumption and combat arms trafficking across North America." Both countries "committed to continue joint work to dismantle the fentanyl supply chain and the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on both sides of the border," the statement said, while Mexico highlighted "an April 12 presidential decree that permits the creation of a presidential commission to fight the trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, firearms, and ammunition." Officials from both countries "committed to increase cooperation to combat illegal firearms trafficking," with the US vowing "to target southbound firearms flows and working with Mexican counterparts to increase firearms tracing to identify and choke off the source of firearms flows into Mexico."

Harm Reduction

Oregon Senate Approves Bill to Fight Opioid Overdoses. The Senate on Thursday approved Senate Bill 1043, which would provide patients with a history of using opioids increased access to overdose reversal medications such as naloxone. Backed by Gov. Tina Kotek (D), the bill would mandate that hospitals and other care providers provide two doses of the medication when patients check out if those patients have a history of opioid use or a prescription to an opioid. The bill passed the Senate unanimously. It now goes to the House. A separate proposal, House Bill 2395, would make naloxone kits more widely available in different settings, including public buildings, schools and for first responders. It has already passed the House and is now before the Senate.

China Rebukes US on Fentanyl Crisis, Cleveland Mayor Will Seal Thousands of Cannabis Conviction Records, More... (4/7/23)

Michigan's former GOP House Speaker pleads guilty to marijuana bribery, a natural psychedelic legalization bill is filed in Uruguay, and more.

enough fentanyl to kill you (DEA)
Marijuana Policy

Indiana Democrat Forces Marijuana Legalization Vote: GOP Lawmakers Defeat It. After years of being unable to get the Republican-dominated state legislature to consider marijuana legalization, one Democratic lawmaker came up with a creative way to get the issue heard. Rep. Justin Moed filed an amendment to Senate Bill 20, which addresses rules for businesses that sell alcohol and hemp products, that would strike language defining hemp as cannabis containing no more than 0.3 percent THC. By removing that language, the bill would have effectively legalized marijuana, with the regulations for hemp applying to any cannabis product. That amendment was defeated, but not before six Republican representatives joined Democrats in supporting it, demonstrating a hint of bipartisan support for legalization.

Former Michigan GOP House Speaker Pleads Guilty to Taking Bribes from Marijuana Company. Former Republican House Speaker Rick Johnson was one of four people who pleaded guilty Wednesday to bribery in a case where a medical marijuana company seeking a license paid him more than $110,000 to ensure it got its license. The other three defendants were the owner of the company and two lobbyists working with yet another company. Johnson, who left the speakership in 2004, was chairman of the state marijuana licensing board at the time the scheme occurred.

Cleveland Mayor Plans to Expunge Thousands of Marijuana Arrest, Conviction Records. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb (D) announced Tuesday that the city will move forward with sealing thousands of marijuana records. The move comes after a state law allowing municipalities to process mass relief took effect. The mayor said there would be about 4,000 marijuana expungements for Cleveland citizens. Mayor Bibb sought to implement a mass marijuana clemency last year, only to be told by state officials that local officials did not have that authority. So he then worked with legislators to pass that state bill.

Foreign Policy

China Blames US for American Fentanyl Problem; Supports Mexico Against GOP Threats. In response to a letter from Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador seeking Chinese help in quelling the illicit fentanyl trade, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson placed the blame for the fentanyl crisis squarely on the US. "The root cause of the overdose lies in the US itself. The problem is completely 'made in USA, '"the foreign ministry's Mao Ning said at a press briefing Thursday. "The US needs to face up to its own problems, take more substantial measures to strengthen domestic regulation and reduce demand. It cannot relapse into the illness of 'letting others take the pill when it is sick,' she added.

In his letter, Lopez Obrador falsely claimed that the drug is produced in China and only transits through Mexico, but US officials and independent observers say precursor chemicals are sent from China to Mexico, where the fentanyl is then produced in underground laboratories. And that gave China an opening to deny a role in the crisis.

"There is no such thing as illegal trafficking of fentanyl between China and Mexico," Mao said. "We two countries have a smooth channel of counternarcotics cooperation, and the competent authorities of the two countries maintain sound communication. China has not been notified by Mexico on the seizure of scheduled fentanyl precursors from China," she added.

Mao rebuked the US for threats by GOP lawmakers to unleash military force against Mexican cartels in Mexico, but also called on Mexico to step up its anti-drug efforts. "China firmly supports Mexico in defending independence and autonomy and opposing foreign interference and calls on the elevant country to stop hegemonic practices against Mexico. At the same time, we hope the Mexican side will also take stronger counternarcotics actions," Mao said.

International

Uruguay Natural Psychedelic Legalization Bill Filed. Led by Sen. Juan Sartori, the National Party is getting behind a bill that would legalize natural psychedelics for therapeutic use under a psychiatrist's supervisions. The substances that would be legalized include psilocybin, psilocin, ibogaine, and DMT. The National Party, a center-right formation, is the current governing party in Uruguay.

GOP Pounding War Drums on Mexican Cartels, MN Legal Pot Bill Draws Near to Floor Votes, More... (4/5/23)

A Florida marijuana legalization initiative looks well placed to meet its signature gathering threshold, a pair of GOP senators introduce a bill designating Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, and more.

If reelected, former President Donald Trump is hankering for military action against Mexican drug cartels. (Creative Commons)
Marijuana Policy

Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative Two-Thirds of the Way There on Signatures. Supporters of a proposed marijuana legalization initiative in the form of a constitutional amendment are more than two-thirds of the way to coming up with enough valid voter signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot. According to the state Division of Elections, the campaign had 635,961 valid signatures as of Tuesday, with 891,589 needed to qualify. And it has until February 1, 2024 to come up with the remaining signatures.

Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Wins Senate Committee Vote. The Senate Rules and Administration Committee on Tuesday approved the marijuana legalization bill,  Senate File 73. The legislation, which has passed through more than 20 House and Senate committees, is now nearing floor votes. In the Senate, it must pass only two more panels before heading for a floor vote. Both the Senate and House bills have been amended numerous times throughout this process, with lawmakers working to incorporate public feedback, revise policies around issues like tax structures for the market and tighten up language.

Psychedelics

Massachusetts GOP Legislator Files Three Psychedelic Reform Bills. Rep. Nicholas Boldgya (R) has filed three bills aimed at loosening restrictions on various psychedelic substances. House Bill 3574 would allow prescription medications containing MDMA. House Bill 3589 would legalize psychedelics from natural plants and fungi. House Bill 3605 would legalize the therapeutic, spiritual, and medicinal use of psilocybin or magic mushrooms. "People are suffering from debilitating mental health issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, and depression. These psychedelic compounds and plant medicines are offering hope and healing to those that were once hopeless," Boldyga said. The war on drugs has had "disastrous consequences," he added, including deterring society from benefiting from medically useful substances.

Foreign Policy

GOP Senators File Bill Designating Mexican Drug Cartels as Terrorist Organizations. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in introducing the Ending the Notorious, Aggressive and Remorseless Criminal Organizations and Syndicates (NARCOS) Act of 2023 to designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. The legislation would also create a task force for the purpose of eliminating the threat that cartels and drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, pose to American citizens. By designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, the US government would have authority to prosecute individuals for drug and human trafficking. America could also use extraterritorial jurisdiction to target and prosecute foreign nationals involved with Mexican cartels or other transnational criminal organizations. The bill names the following groups as meriting the terrorist designation: the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the  Gulf Cartel, the Los Zetas Cartel, the Northeast Cartel, the Tijuana Cartel, the Beltray-Leyva Cartel, and La Familia Michoacana.

Donald Trump Seeking Plan to Wage War on Cartels in Mexico. The recently indicted ex-president, who is now campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, has been asking policy advisors for a range of military options for attacking Mexican drug cartels, including military actions not sanctioned by the Mexican government—which the Mexicans are likely to see as acts of war. He has been briefed on options that include US troop deployments on Mexican territory and unilateral military strikes. "'Attacking Mexico,' or whatever you'd like to call it, is something that President Trump has said he wants 'battle plans' drawn for," said one source close to Trump. "He's complained about missed opportunities of his first term, and there are a lot of people around him who want fewer missed opportunities in a second Trump administration."

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)

House, Senate Bills to Schedule "Tranq" Filed; KY MedMJ Bill Faces Crucial Votes Today, More...(3/30/23)

A State Department drug diplomat heads to Mexico City, the Missouri House gives initial approval to a therapeutic psilocybin study bill, and more.

Shops like this could be popping up soon in Kentucky if a medical marijuana bill passes today. (Creative Commons)
Medical Marijuana

Kentucky Medical Marijuana Bill Advances in House. A bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state, Senate Bill 47, that has already passed the Senate advanced in the House Wednesday just ahead of the final day of the legislative session today. To pass this session, the bill must now clear the House Licensing, Occupations & Administrative Regulations Committee and then pass a House floor vote today. If it does, the bill will go to the desk of Gov. Steve Beshear (D).

Psychedelics

Missouri House Approves Therapeutic Psychedelic Study Bill. The House has voted to approve House Bill 1154, which would require the state to conduct a study on using psilocybin for treating depression, substance use, or in end-of-life care. The bill still needs a final housekeeping vote in the House, but passed overwhelmingly this time. The bill would mandate that the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) provide grants totaling $2 million for the research, subject to lawmakers approving the appropriation. The state would work with a medical center operated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs or with a state university hospital.

Drug Policy

House and Senate Bills Filed to Schedule Xylazine. A bipartisan bill to schedule the animal tranquilizer xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance was filed in both the House and Senate on Tuesday. The drug, known colloquially as " tranq," is a powerful sedative and the subject of growing concern over its use by opiate and opioid users. While it has opioid-like sedative effects, it is not an opioid, so it does not respond to opiate overdose reversal drugs such as naloxone. It has been associated with soft-tissue wounds and necrosis that can lead to amputation. The DEA recently warned that "xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier."

Foreign Policy

Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs  Todd D. Robinson Travels to Mexico City. Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Todd D. Robinson will travel to Mexico City, Mexico March 28-31 to open the U.S.-Mexico Synthetic Drug Conference and meet with INL’s partners in justice and law enforcement. The conference, co-hosted by INL and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will take place March 29-30, and will be attended by Assistant Secretary Robinson and Ambassador Kenneth Salazar, with recorded remarks by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.  The conference will focus on strengthening U.S.-Mexico bilateral cooperation to counter the health and security threats posed by illicit synthetic drugs. While in Mexico, Assistant Secretary Robinson will also hold meetings with Mexican government officials to discuss shared security goals.

International

Suspected ELN Militants Kill 9 Colombian Soldiers Near Venezuelan Border. At least nine soldier were killed and nine more injured in an attack on a military post in the state of Norte de Santander Wednesday. The military said it believed leftist rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN) carried out the attack. The ELN is among a number of armed groups involved in the cocaine trade but has also been involved in peace talks with the government of left-wing President Gustavo Petro. If the ELN is shown to have carried out the attack, that could seriously complicate his effort to bring "total peace" to the country. Whoever carried out the attack is "absolutely far from peace and the people," Petro said. 

OK Senate Passes Bill to Rein In Illicit MedMJ Grows, Blinken Says Cartels Control Parts of Mexico, More... (3/22/23)

A Republican senator is calling on the banking industry to step up for a marijuana banking bill, the Oklahoma Senate moves to tighten up rules around medical marijuana grows, and more.

US Secretary of State Blinken agrees with Lindsay Graham that cartels control parts of Mexico. (state.gov)
Marijuana Policy                        

GOP Marijuana Banking Bill Sponsors Calls on Bankers to "Unleash An Army" of Lobbyists to Get It Passed. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the lead Republican sponsor of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, used a speech at the American Bankers Association Washington Summit Tuesday to call on the industry to "unleash an army" of lobbyists to push the bill through Congress. He said there "a chance" the bill could pass by going through the committee process. "This bill has been out there a long time," he said. "I think with each passing year, there’s a greater number of people who understand that the problem—forcing businesses to operate in all cash—is only getting worse. We need to be very clear: this is a public safety bill, and the longer we go without addressing this issue, the worse the situation on the ground becomes." He told the bankers he is "very thankful" for their support, adding that "we could unleash an army of you all in this room on Capitol Hill" to advocate for the passage of the cannabis banking bill.

Medical Marijuana

Oklahoma Senate Approves Bill Targeting Illegal Medical Marijuana Grows. The Senate on Tuesday voted 41-1 to approve Senate Bill 806, which seeks to crack down on illicit marijuana grows by limiting how many marijuana business licenses could use the same address for their applications. "Those who regulate our medical marijuana industry are running into problems when they raid a facility only to learn that there are numerous licensees who utilize that one address and all have product stored there," the bill’s author, Sen. Brent Howard, (R-Altus) said. "This makes it nearly impossible for law enforcement to know what product is actually illegal and to properly investigate the case. This measure would limit the number of licenses that can be listed under one address to help improve regulation and shut down illegal business activity." The bill was requested by Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBNDD) and the Attorney General’s Office. The bill now heads to the House.

Foreign Policy

Blinken Says Cartels Control Parts of Mexico. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday and was asked by ranking member Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) whether there are places in Mexico the government does not control, and he answered in the affirmative. "I think that's fair to say, yes," he replied. He also agreed with Graham "that fentanyl coming from Mexico is killing Americans by the tens of thousands." Graham also asked if the cartels should be declared foreign terrorist organizations. A House bill to do that has been filed, while a Senate bill has been threatened. "Yes we’d certainly consider that," Blinken replied. The exchange came after Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador largely blamed the United States for its drug problems and denied that Mexico was a source of fentanyl.

International

 

. Two Mexican soldiers and five gunmen from La Familia Michoacana were killed when a military unit was ambushed in the state of Guerrero last Friday. The military unit "was the target of an attack by approximately 18 armed civilians aboard two vehicles," the Mexican military said. The attack came in the mountain town of El Pescado, which has seen frequent clashes between cartel members and the authorities. La Familia Michoacana, once powerful, had been decimated by the arrest or killing of its leaders, but has been trying to stage a comeback. It is currently locked in combat with the Los Tequileros gang for control of the area. 

House GOP Members File Bill Designating Cartels as Terrorist Groups, Germany to Move Ahead With Legal Pot Proposal, More... (3/15/23)

A Kentucky medical marijuana bill faces a looming Senate deadline, Vermont lawmakers file a number of drug reform bills, and more.

The Rio Grande River. There be cartels on the other side, and the GOP wants to call them "terrorists." (C)
Medical Marijuana

Kentucky Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Senate Committee Vote, Must Pass Full Senate Tomorrow or Die. A bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state, Senate Bill 47, was approved by the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee on Tuesday. It must pass the Senate by Thursday, the last day of the session before the veto period, or it dies. If it passes the Senate, it would then go to the House, which returns for a final day of legislative action on March 30. The House has passed medical marijuana bills twice in recent years and is thought to still have support for it.

Drug Policy

Vermont Lawmakers File Four Different Drug Policy Reform Bills. Drug policy reform is on the agent in Montpelier this session, with four separate drug policy reform bills already filed. House Bill 423 would decriminalize the possession of personal use amounts of all drugs, as would Senate companion legislation, Senate Bill 119. The bills would also decriminalize "dispensing" drug amounts below the personal use threshold as well as establishing a pilot drug checking program.

Two other bills focus specifically on psychedelics. House Bill 439 would effectively legalize the possession of psilocybin, mescaline, and peyote by removing them from the states definition of hallucinogenic drugs, while Senate Bill 114, would remove only psilocybin from the state’s definition of hallucinogens.

The first three bills are destined for judiciary committees in the respective chambers, while the fourth bill is before the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. If any of them pass out of the legislature, they face possible vetoes from Gov. Phil Murphy (R).

Foreign Policy

House Republicans File Bill Designating Mexican Drug Cartels Terrorist Organizations. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and 20 House Republicans have introduced a bill designating four Mexican drug trafficking organizations as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). The four groups are the Gulf Cartel, the Cartel Del Noreste, the Cartel de Sinaloa, and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion. The Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act would also require the Department of State to issue a report to Congress within 30 days of enactment on the cartels listed above and any additional cartels that meet the criteria for designation as an FTO. For each additional cartel that meets the criteria of an FTO, the Department of State is required to designate each of those cartels as an FTO within 30 days after the report is submitted to Congress. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) has threatened to file similar legislation in the Senate but has yet to do so.

International

Germany to Move Forward with Marijuana Legalization After "Very Good Feedback" from the European Union. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Tuesday that the government would bring a revised marijuana legalization proposal before legislators "in the next few weeks" after receiving "very good feedback" from European Union (EU) officials. Germany has conditioned its advance of marijuana legalization on approval from the EU to ensure it would not put it in violation of international obligations. Lauterbach said some changes would be made to the bill to "take into account European regulations and what should or should not be notified," but did not specify what those changes would entail. 

DE House Approves Marijuana Regulation Bill, Federal Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Filed, More... (3/10/23)

Nevada lawmakers filed a bill to legalize magic mushrooms, bipartisan senators file a federal asset forfeiture reform bill, and more.

Mexican President Lopez Obrador flatly rejects calls from GOP lawmakers for US military force in Mexico. (Creative Commons)
Marijuana Policy

Delaware House Passes Legal Marijuana Regulation Bill. The House on Thursday voted 27-13 to approve House Bill 2, which would set up a regulatory framework for adult-use marijuana sales. The move comes just days after the House approved House Bill 1, which would legalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for adults. Last year, the legislature passed marijuana legalization, only to see it vetoed by Gov. John Carney (D). This year, however, HB 1 passed with a veto-proof majority, and HB 2 passed with one fewer vote with one member absent. That single vote is the difference between a veto-proof majority and a lack of one. The bills must now pass the Senate being going to the governor.

Psychedelics

Nevada Magic Mushroom Legalization Bill Filed. State Sens. Rochelle Nguyen (D) and Fabian Donate (D) filed Senate Bill 242 Thursday. The measure would legalize the possession of up to four ounces of fungi containing psilocybin or psilocyn, the hallucinogenic compounds in magic mushrooms. The bill would also allow a research facility to ask for state approval to study the therapeutic effects of magic mushrooms as well as MDMA for mental health conditions. The bill also has two joint sponsors in the lower chamber, Assemblymembers Max Carter (D) and Elaine Marzola (D). It is currently pending in the Senate Health and Humau Services Committee.

Asset Forfeiture

Bipartisan Federal Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Filed. US Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD)  and Tim Walberg (R-MI) on Thursday reintroduced the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act (FAIR Act), a comprehensive reform to our nation's civil asset forfeiture laws. The FAIR Act raises the level of proof necessary for the federal government to seize property, reforms the IRS structuring statute to protect innocent small business owners, and increases transparency and congressional oversight. Joining Walberg and Raskin as original co-sponsors of the FAIR Act are Reps. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Joe Neguse (D-CO). "The lawless seizure and ‘forfeiture’ of people’s private property by police officers is becoming standard operating procedure in many parts of the country," said Rep. Raskin. "We want to restore the presumption of innocence, fair judicial process, and the opportunity to be heard. I’m proud to introduce this important bipartisan legislation with my friend Rep. Walberg to rein in civil asset forfeiture and restore due process rights."

International

International Narcotics Control Board Warns on Marijuana Legalization. As it launched its annual report Thursday, the International Narcotics Control Board issued a press release emphasizing its concerns with marijuana legalization. "Moves by a small number of governments to legalize the non-medical use of cannabis have led to increased consumption without explaining the potentially serious health dangers that users face from the drug" the INCB warned. That is leading to "negative health effects and psychotic disorders," the drug watchdog continued. In all jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized, data show that cannabis-related health problems have increased," INCB said. It pointed out that between 2000 and 2018, "global medical admissions related to cannabis dependence and withdrawal increased eight-fold. Admissions for cannabis-related psychotic disorders have quadrupled worldwide."

Mexico President Tells GOP Lawmakers Urging US Military Force Against Cartels in Mexico to Take a Hike. Aiming directly at Republican lawmakers who have urged the Biden administration to unleash the US military against Mexican drug cartels on their own territory, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday flatly rejected the notion. "We are not going to allow any foreign government to intervene and much less foreign armed forces to intervene in our territory," López Obrador said, adding that he would ask Americans of Mexican and Hispanic origin not to vote for Republicans if their "aggression" continued. Lopez Obrador also downplayed Mexico's role in fentanyl production and said Americans needed to solve their drug problem on their side of the border. Pressure to do something about the cartels has only risen as the US overdose death toll has risen and was ratcheted up this week by the kidnapping of four Americans in Matamoros, two of whom were shot and killed by members of a Gulf Cartel-affiliated gang. 

MN Marijuana Legalization Bill Advances Again, WA Senate Approves Psychedelic Research Bill, More... (3/9/23)

Indiana marijuana reform bills appear dead in the water, Lindsay Graham will file a bill designating Mexican cartels as terrorists organizations, and more.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is ready to go to war with Mexican cartels. (senate.gov)
Marijuana Policy

Indiana Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana Bills Not Moving. Lawmakers filed both a marijuana legalization bill, House Bill 1039 and a medical marijuana bill, Senate Bill 237, in January, but neither of them is moving. The legalization bill has been referred to the House Committee on Public Health, and the medical marijuana bill has been referred to the House Committee on Health and Provider Services, but neither has seen any action and none is scheduled.

Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Wins Two More Committee Votes. The marijuana legalization bill, House File 100, has been approved by the House Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee, marking the 12th committee it has passed. Meanwhile, the Senate version of the bill, passed its ninth committee, bringing the bill ever closer to final floor votes in each chamber. Gov. Tim Walz (D) is pushing lawmakers to get it done this session, and lawmakers are confident it will happen.

Psychedelics

Washington Senate Approves Scaled-Back Psychedelic Research Bill. The Senate has approved Senate Bill 5623, which originally would have set a therapeutic psychedelic services regime similar to the one now in place in Oregon, but was amended to merely creating a task force to promote research into psilocybin and developing a path toward legal access to the drug. After being amended, the bill passed the Senate on a 41-7 vote, and now heads to the House.

Foreign Policy

Lindsay Graham to File Bill Designating Cartels as Terrorist Groups, Setting Stage for Military Force. Sen, Lindsay Graham (R-SC) said Monday that he plans to file a Senate bill that would designate Mexican drug trafficking organizations as terrorist groups, clearing the way for the US to use military force against the heavily-armed cartels. Appearing on Fox New in the wake of the killing of two Americans by apparent drug gang members in Matamoros last weekend, Graham said: "I would do what Trump did. I would put Mexico on notice. If you continue to give safe haven to fentanyl drug dealers, then you’re an enemy of the United States. Seventy to one hundred thousand people have died from fentanyl poisoning coming from Mexico and China and this administration has done nothing about it," he claimed falsely. Citing an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal last week by former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr, Graham unveiled his plan for the bill: "[Following Bill Barr’s idea,] I’m going to introduce legislation, to make certain Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law and set the stage to use military force if necessary to protect America from being poisoned by things coming out of Mexico." Barr's op-ed called for "a far more aggressive American effort inside Mexico, including a significant U.S. law-enforcement and intelligence presence, as well as select military capabilities."

DE House Approves Marijuana Legalization, Anti-Cartel Resolution Filed in House, More... (3/8/23)

The Oklahoma marijuana legalization initiative gets crushed at the polls, a bipartisan federal bill to ease the rescheduling of therapeutic psychedelics gets filed, and more.

A congressional resolution would authorize the use of military force against Mexican cartels on the Mexican side of the border.
Delaware House Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill; Marijuana Regulation Bill Pending. The House on Tuesday gave final approval to House Bill 1, which legalizes the possession of up to an ounce by adults. Bill sponsor Rep. Ed Osienski (D) is also sponsoring House Bill 2, which would set up a regulatory system for marijuana commerce. That bill has passed out of committee and is awaiting a House floor vote. Last year, Osienski took a similar bifurcated path, with the legalization bill passing but the regulatory bill failing. Gov. John Carney (D) then vetoed the legalization bill. This year, the legalization bill passed with a veto proof majority.

Hawaii Senate Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill. The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve a marijuana legalization bill, Senate Bill 669. The bill would legalize the possession of up to 30 grams, allow for the home cultivation of up to six plants, expunge past possession convictions, and reduce penalties for unlicensed cultivation and sales. The bill also contemplates the existing medical marijuana industry morphing into a full-fledged adult use marijuana market under the aegis of a Hawaii Cannabis Authority. The bill is now before the House.

Oklahoma Marijuana Legalization Initiative Defeated. Voters on Tuesday decisively defeated a marijuana legalization initiative, State Question 820 by a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent. See out feature story later today for full coverage.

Psychedelics-                                                                                          

Bipartisan "Breakthrough Therapies Act" Updated and Filed. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) on Thursday filed the "Breakthrough Therapies Act," which would streamline the federal rescheduling of drugs such as psilocybin and MDMA for therapeutic purposes. The bill would amend the Controlled Substance Act to create a pathway for current Schedule I drugs that could be deemed breakthrough therapies by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to qualify for a waiver under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and be moved to Schedule II, which is reserved for drugs with "currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions."

Missouri Therapeutic Psychedelic Bill Advances. The House Veterans Committee on Tuesday approved House Bill 1154, which would promote research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin. The bill passed out of committee on a unanimous vote. The bill now awaits a possible House floor vote, which is yet to be scheduled.

Foreign Policy

.Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) and Tim Walz (R-FL) on Monday filed a resolution, HJ Res. 18 "to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for trafficking fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance into the United States or carrying out other related activities that cause regional destabilization in the Western Hemisphere." The resolution is cutely titled "Authorization for the Use of Military Force to Combat, Attack, Resist, Target, Eliminate, and Limit Influence Resolution" or the "AUMF CARTEL Influence Resolution." The bill specifically lists nine Mexican drug trafficking organization to be targeted, including the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, and Los Zetas. 

BC Company Awarded License to Make and Sell Cocaine, Voting Underway for OK Pot Initiative, More... (3/3/23)

A Florida marijuana legalization initiative is about halfway home on signature gathering, Arizona politics is roiled by an unsubstantiated charge that the Sinaloa Cartel is bribing state and county officials, and more.

A BC company has been awarded a license to make and distribute cocaine. (Pixabay)
Marijuana Policy

Florida Marijuana Legalization Initiative Campaign Nears Halfway Point on Signature Gathering. Smart & Safe Florida, the group behind a marijuana legalization constitutional amendment, is nearing the halfway point in signature gathering, according to the state Division of Elections. The campaign had 420,000 valid voter signatures as of the end of February; it needs 891,589 valid voter signatures by February 1, 2024 to qualify for the 2024 ballot. That is, provided that the initiative passes muster with the state Supreme Court. In January, the campaign handed in enough signatures to trigger a Supreme Court review to ensure that the text does not violate the state's single subject rule and does not mislead voters. That analysis is still pending.

Early Voting Now Underway for Oklahoma Marijuana Legalization Initiative. Early voting is now underway for the State Question 820 marijuana legalization initiative. Election Day itself is next Tuesday. SQ 820 would allow people 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and eight grams of marijuana concentrates and grow up to six plants and six seedlings at home. It also protects parents from losing custody or visitation rights solely because of marijuana use and states that parolees and probationers cannot be punished for marijuana use. Nor could the odor of marijuana or burnt marijuana be used as probable cause for police to infer that a crime had been committed. And it includes a provision for the expungement of some past marijuana offenses.

Politics

Bizarre Charge That Arizona Governor, Other State Leaders Are Taking Bribes from Sinaloa Cartel. Last week, the Joint Elections Committee led by Republican election conspiracy theorist Sen. Wendy Rogers heard completely unsupported testimony from a local insurance agent that Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, Democratic Attorney General Adrian Fontes, and the Republican-led Maricopa County Board of Supervisors were among state officials taking bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel. Since then, even Republican officials have been distancing themselves from the charge, while Democrats are blasting Republicans for turning the legislature into a "circus show" that provides a forum for outrageous election fraud conspiracies. "It is dangerous," Hobbs said. "It makes the legislature, quite honestly, a laughing stock, and Arizona by extension, and I hope folks are held accountable for this."

International

Health Canada Issues License to British Columbia Company to Make and Sell Cocaine. Health Canada has issued a license to a British Columbia company, Adastra Labs, to produce, sell, and distribute cocaine. The agency said Adastra is licensed to use cocaine for "scientific and medical purposes only" and that it "cannot sell products to the general public." Last week, Adastra announced that it had received approval to "interact with" up to 250 grams of cocaine and to import coca leaves to manufacture and synthesize the drug. It said it is exploring "commercialization" of cocaine to provide a safe supply of the drug. But Health Canada said Adastra can only sell cocaine to other controlled drug dealer's license holders, such as pharmacists, practitioners, hospitals, or researchers. The province has decriminalized the possession of up to 2.5 grams of cocaine and other drugs, but BC's decriminalization does not envision legal cocaine sales. 

Drug War Issues

Criminal JusticeAsset Forfeiture, Collateral Sanctions (College Aid, Drug Taxes, Housing, Welfare), Court Rulings, Drug Courts, Due Process, Felony Disenfranchisement, Incarceration, Policing (2011 Drug War Killings, 2012 Drug War Killings, 2013 Drug War Killings, 2014 Drug War Killings, 2015 Drug War Killings, 2016 Drug War Killings, 2017 Drug War Killings, Arrests, Eradication, Informants, Interdiction, Lowest Priority Policies, Police Corruption, Police Raids, Profiling, Search and Seizure, SWAT/Paramilitarization, Task Forces, Undercover Work), Probation or Parole, Prosecution, Reentry/Rehabilitation, Sentencing (Alternatives to Incarceration, Clemency and Pardon, Crack/Powder Cocaine Disparity, Death Penalty, Decriminalization, Defelonization, Drug Free Zones, Mandatory Minimums, Rockefeller Drug Laws, Sentencing Guidelines)CultureArt, Celebrities, Counter-Culture, Music, Poetry/Literature, Television, TheaterDrug UseParaphernalia, Vaping, ViolenceIntersecting IssuesCollateral Sanctions (College Aid, Drug Taxes, Housing, Welfare), Violence, Border, Budgets/Taxes/Economics, Business, Civil Rights, Driving, Economics, Education (College Aid), Employment, Environment, Families, Free Speech, Gun Policy, Human Rights, Immigration, Militarization, Money Laundering, Pregnancy, Privacy (Search and Seizure, Drug Testing), Race, Religion, Science, Sports, Women's IssuesMarijuana PolicyGateway Theory, Hemp, Marijuana -- Personal Use, Marijuana Industry, Medical MarijuanaMedicineMedical Marijuana, Science of Drugs, Under-treatment of PainPublic HealthAddiction, Addiction Treatment (Science of Drugs), Drug Education, Drug Prevention, Drug-Related AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis C, Harm Reduction (Methadone & Other Opiate Maintenance, Needle Exchange, Overdose Prevention, Pill Testing, Safer Injection Sites)Source and Transit CountriesAndean Drug War, Coca, Hashish, Mexican Drug War, Opium ProductionSpecific DrugsAlcohol, Ayahuasca, Cocaine (Crack Cocaine), Ecstasy, Heroin, Ibogaine, ketamine, Khat, Kratom, Marijuana (Gateway Theory, Marijuana -- Personal Use, Medical Marijuana, Hashish), Methamphetamine, New Synthetic Drugs (Synthetic Cannabinoids, Synthetic Stimulants), Nicotine, Prescription Opiates (Fentanyl, Oxycontin), Psilocybin / Magic Mushrooms, Psychedelics (LSD, Mescaline, Peyote, Salvia Divinorum)YouthGrade School, Post-Secondary School, Raves, Secondary School