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Latin America: Mexico Moves to Decriminalize Drug Possession -- So It Can Concentrate on Drug Traffickers

by psmith, February 16, 2007, 09:22am, (Issue #473)
Mexico's ruling party is pushing through a bill that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs for first time offenders and "addicts" -- but may really be designed to facilitate that country's drug war by allowing state authorities to get more involved in it and lengthen sentences for traffickers.

Hemp: Ron Paul Introduces Industrial Hemp Bill in US Congress

by psmith, February 15, 2007, 09:59pm, (Issue #473)
A Texas Republican has reintroduced his bill that would legalize hemp farming in the United States. This time, a Democratic Congress will consider the measure.

Marijuana: Colorado Judge Resigns to Protest City's Tough New Ordinance

by psmith, February 15, 2007, 09:29pm, (Issue #473)
A Colorado town wants to increase the penalties for simple marijuana possession, but a local judge's public stand has thrown the move into doubt.

First Pictures from Coca Land

by psmith, February 13, 2007, 09:30pm
Mana coca foods (and other foods) store
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Off to Ayacucho and the Valleys of the Apurimac and Ene Rivers

by psmith, February 13, 2007, 04:33pm
Oh, my situation is fluid.

With Baldomero Caceres in Miraflores

by psmith, February 12, 2007, 02:09pm
I´ve spent the last few hours with Baldomeo Caceres, the Peruvian psychologist and coca expert, walking around central Lima and talking about the politics of coca.

Pot Prisoners Cost America $1 Billion A Year

from Alternet, February 11, 2007
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In Lima, the Cocaine is Cheap, High Quality, and Easily Available

by psmith, February 10, 2007, 06:53pm
Well, that didn't take long.

Law Enforcement: Atlanta Narcs to Be Indicted for Murder by State -- Federal Investigation Could Be Hurt

by psmith, February 08, 2007, 09:45pm, (Issue #472)
The Fulton County DA plans to indict three Atlanta undercover narcs for murder in the death of 92-year-old Katherine Johnstone during a botched drug raid. But will his move thwart an ongoing federal investigation?

Feature: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -- 2008 US Federal Drug Control Budget

by psmith, February 08, 2007, 09:12pm, (Issue #472)
The Bush administration released its 2008 federal budget Monday, and when it comes to drug policy, it looks a lot like more of the same.

Feature: Arkansas Law Punishing Mothers Whose Newborns Test Positive for Drugs Accomplishes Little, Study Finds

by psmith, February 08, 2007, 07:40pm, (Issue #472)
As legislators in several states ponder legislation making drug use by pregnant women or the presence of drugs in the blood of their newborns a crime, an Arkansas report on that state's experience is sobering reading.

Atlanta Police Officers to Face Murder Indictment; Fulton DA Seeks Charges in Shooting of Elderly Woman in Her Home

from Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 08, 2007
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Drug Use: Baby Boomers Most Likely to Have Shot Up

by psmith, February 07, 2007, 11:41pm, (Issue #472)
Who shoots drugs? Teenage black junkies? Middle-aged white guys? You might be surprised.

Bad Bills: Drug Tax Dies in Virginia Legislature

by psmith, February 07, 2007, 10:42pm, (Issue #472)
A bill that would have imposed a tax on illegal drugs and required possessors to obtain it within 48 hours has died a timely death in the Virginia legislature.

Hemp: North Dakota Issues First Licenses to Grow Industrial Hemp, but DEA Roadblock Remains

by psmith, February 07, 2007, 08:55pm, (Issue #472)
North Dakota's Agriculture Commissioner signed the first two licenses for farmers to grow hemp on Monday, but they must still win approval from the DEA. Don't hold your breath.

The Drug War Chronicle Andean Coca Tour 2007 is about to get underway

by psmith, February 07, 2007, 02:47pm
Friday night, I will be bedding down in Peru, after a day-long flight from Sioux Falls to Denver to Houston to Lima.

7 slain in Mexico police stations. The two Acapulco attacks are carried out by gunmen dressed as soldiers. Authorities see a link to drug cartels.

from Los Angeles Times, February 07, 2007
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Africa: Proposed Draconian Drug Law in Namibia Runs Into Intense Opposition

by psmith, February 06, 2007, 10:50pm, (Issue #472)
A proposed draconian new drug law in the southwestern African nation of Namibia is running into intense opposition at public hearings this week. Some people think 20 years in prison for possessing a joint is too much.

Law Enforcement: Atlanta NAACP Calls for Tight Restrictions on "No-Knock" Searches

by psmith, February 06, 2007, 09:57pm, (Issue #472)
In the wake of the killing of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston during a "no-knock" drug raid gone bad, the Atlanta NAACP is calling for tight restrictions on such raids, as well as other police reforms.

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by psmith, February 06, 2007, 09:53pm, (Issue #472)
What a cornucopia of corruption the drug war generates. Week in and week out, law enforcement officers fall prey to the temptation to share in prohibition-generated illicit drug profits. This week is no different.

[Rhode Island] Medical Marijuana Act Up for Inspection

from Brown Daily Herald, February 06, 2007
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Medical Marijuana: Bills Introduced in Minnesota, Moving in New Mexico

by psmith, February 05, 2007, 12:15am, (Issue #471)
A medical marijuana bill has been introduced for the third year in a row in Minnesota, and for the third year in a row, New Mexico advocates hope to get the bill there over the top. They're off to a fast start.

Sentencing: No Relief for Louisiana's Heroin Lifers

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 11:50pm, (Issue #471)
Louisiana's "heroin lifers" got no relief from the state Supreme Court last week when it ruled a 2001 law cutting sentences did not apply retroactively. But they still have one more avenue of redress.

Feature: The Conviction That Keeps On Hurting -- Drug Offenders and Federal Benefits

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 10:37pm, (Issue #471)
For millions of drug offenders, punishment by the criminal justice is only the beginning. Drug offenders also lose access to a number of federal benefits thanks to laws a growing number of organizations are calling inhumane and counterproductive.

More on the Meth Conference

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 05:28pm
The 2nd National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV and Hepatitis wrapped up Saturday in Salt Lake.

Southwest Asia: British Conservatives Call for Afghan Opium to Be Licensed, Converted to Pharmaceuticals, Not Destroyed

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 03:29pm, (Issue #471)
Britain's Conservative Party has joined the call to license Afghan opium. The move comes just days after the British Medical Association called for it to be converted into diamorphine (heroin) for use by the National Health Service.

Law Enforcement: Jacksonville Narcs Kill Two Men in Separate Incidents Eight Days Apart

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 03:15pm, (Issue #471)
Narcotics officers in Jacksonville, Florida, shot and killed two men in separate incidents during undercover drug operations in late January. Both men were black, neither was a drug dealer, and calls for an investigation are increasing.

Methamphetamine: Epidemic, What Epidemic? Meth Use Down, SAMHSA Says

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 03:07pm, (Issue #471)
Despite the meth mania rampant in the media and among law enforcement and politicians, official numbers show meth use levels stagnant in recent years and beginning to decline in 2005.

Second National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV, and Hepatitis Underway in Salt Lake City

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 03:01pm, (Issue #471)
The 2nd National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV and Hepatitis got underway in Salt Lake City Thursday. Here's a report from the first day.

The Salt Lake Methamphetamine Conference Gets Underway

by psmith, February 04, 2007, 02:55pm
EDITOR'S NOTE: I tried to post this Friday morning from the Hilton in Salt Lake City, but due to some mysterious problem with the internets, it didn't get through. The

I'm hitting the road, heading for Salt Lake City

by psmith, January 30, 2007, 01:51am
I'll pull out of South Dakota just after dawn, headed across the Northern Plains to Denver tonight, then over the high passes of the Rockies and on to Salt Lake City Wednesday night, so I can get up b

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by psmith, January 30, 2007, 01:05am, (Issue #471)
This week, we have a prison guard busted for smuggling drugs OUT of a jail, along with more typical drug-smuggling guard cases, a teenage military policeman in trouble, a retirement age former cop busted, and another Nashville police officer found guilty of drug corruption charges.

My Letter to a Crime-Beat Reporter

by psmith, January 26, 2007, 03:05pm
I've been brooding about an article in the Gary (Indiana) Post-Tribune about a drug raid where a police SWAT team badly

This Judge Is An Idiot

by psmith, January 26, 2007, 02:26pm
At the end of a Michigan murder case in which the victim was a marijuana dealer gunned down during a home invasion robbery, the judge railed against the "urban myth" that marijuana is harmless.

Canada: Vancouver Mayor Calls for Large-Scale Methamphetamine, Cocaine Maintenance Trials

by psmith, January 25, 2007, 09:15pm, (Issue #470)
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan has called for stimulant maintenance trials for more than 700 hard-core methamphetamine and cocaine users as part of a broad plan to improve the quality of life in the city before the 2010 Winter Olympics.

HEA: UC Berkeley Student Senate Approves Bill to Provide Scholarships for Students Denied Aid Because of Drug Convictions

by psmith, January 25, 2007, 08:39pm, (Issue #470)
The UC Berkeley student senate Wednesday night passed a measure that will provide $400 scholarships for students denied federal aid under the Higher Education Act's drug provision because they were convicted on drug charges.

Law Enforcement: SWAT Team Flash-Burn Grenade Assault Injures Drug Suspect

by psmith, January 25, 2007, 08:04pm, (Issue #470)
More SWAT team madness -- this time, Indiana cops doing a small-time drug raid manage to inflict serious burns on their man when they fired a flash-bang grenade into his home -- business as usual, according to their leader.

Feature: In Mexico, Now It's Calderon's Drug War

by psmith, January 25, 2007, 07:40pm, (Issue #470)
Mexico's new president, Felipe Calderon, has unleashed a vigorous attack on that country's powerful and violent drug cartels. Washington is happy, but Mexico analysts wonder if it's just another bit of poltical theater.

Feature: Drug Policy Reform Group to Partner with State of New Mexico in Federally-Funded Meth Prevention Education Program

by psmith, January 25, 2007, 05:53pm, (Issue #470)
In a first for a drug policy reform organization, the Drug Policy Alliance's New Mexico office has been selected to administer a $500,000 federal grant to develop comprehensive methamphetamine education and prevention strategies aimed at youth in the state.

Europe: Moscow Mayor Calls for Harsh Drug Laws Including Death Penalty

by psmith, January 24, 2007, 09:52pm, (Issue #470)
Moscow's mayor called for Russia to adopt harsh, Singapore-style drug policies in a speech to Russian narcs this week.

Europe: British Cannabis Confusion Continues as Policing Policies Evolve

by psmith, January 24, 2007, 09:48pm, (Issue #470)
Amidst confusion and uncertainty among police, politicians, and citizens alike, British police announced new arrest policies for marijuana possession this week. But a study just released says police are a big part of the problem.

Latin America: Mexican Narco-Saint On the Move

by psmith, January 24, 2007, 09:41pm, (Issue #470)
A Mexican folk saint who supposedly protects outlaws and drug traffickers as well as the poor and defenseless has a new shrine in Mexico City.

Medical Marijuana: Vermont Bill to Expand Therapeutic Use of Cannabis Advances

by psmith, January 24, 2007, 09:37pm, (Issue #470)
A compromise version of a bill that would expand Vermont's two-year-old medical marijuana law has passed its first legislative hurdle.

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by psmith, January 24, 2007, 09:22pm, (Issue #470)
Prison and jail guards gone bad! Evidence gone missing! Narcs gone to prison! Busy, busy, busy.

Is the Bush Administration Getting Nervous About Afghan Opium Licensing Schemes?

by psmith, January 24, 2007, 02:50pm
When the European drug policy and defense think-tank the Senlis Council in late 2005 unveiled its proposal to deal with illicit Afghan opium

Tyrone Brown is one step from freedom, and you can help today!

by psmith, January 22, 2007, 12:18pm
Last month, the Chronicle featured the story of Tyrone Brown,

Mayor proposes 'revolutionary' plan for addicts; Sullivan wants city exempted from federal narcotics laws

from Vancouver Sun, January 22, 2007
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Colombia "good model" for Afghan drug war, US says

from Reuters, January 20, 2007
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Medical Marijuana: Washington State Group Raided

by psmith, January 18, 2007, 08:37pm, (Issue #469)
Local drug enforcement agents raided the offices of CannaCare, an Everett, Washington, medical marijuana support and advocacy group this week, accusing of it providing marijuana to patients.

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by psmith, January 18, 2007, 07:53pm, (Issue #469)
It's been relatively quiet on the corrupt cop front this week, but we've still got a Newark police officer who made a bad choice of boyfriends, and the requisite pair of crooked jail guards.

Feature: DEA Makes Major Move Against Los Angeles Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

by psmith, January 18, 2007, 07:45pm, (Issue #469)
The DEA was at it again Wednesday, raiding 11 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County, including five in West Hollywood. City council members there had only the night before introduced an ordinance to permanently regulate the dispensaries, and they aren't happy.

Feature: New Study Rips Canadian "Tough on Drugs" Policy, Funding

by psmith, January 18, 2007, 03:57pm, (Issue #469)
Even as Canada's Conservative government works on a tough, law enforcement-heavy new national drug strategy, a study released Monday says such approaches have failed.

Treatment Not Jail: California Governor Proposes Cutting Proposition 36 Drug Treatment Funds

by psmith, January 17, 2007, 11:21pm, (Issue #469)
In his new state budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has under-funded for the popular and successful treatment-not-jail program Proposition 36. He's in for a fight.

Law Enforcement: Florida County Will Pay for Manhandling Men in Errant Drug Bust Caught on Videotape

by psmith, January 17, 2007, 11:17pm, (Issue #469)
A video camera captured the brutality of a pair of wrongful arrests in a case of mistaken identity in Pinellas County, Florida. Now the county gets to pay up.

Europe: Scottish Labor Politician Fights for Harm Reduction as Party Turns Hard-Line on Drugs

by psmith, January 17, 2007, 11:13pm, (Issue #469)
The Scottish drug debate heated up this week as a Labor Party MSP attacked her party for heading in the wrong direction, and more than 250 senior police, health officials, academics, and others interested in drug policy pondered the future.

Medical Marijuana: Bills Introduced in Michigan, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont and Soon in New Mexico

by psmith, January 17, 2007, 11:08pm, (Issue #469)
Medical marijuana is currently legal in 10 states, but that number could nearly double with bills already introduced in a handful of states this year.

Marijuana: Decriminalization Bills Filed in Massachusetts, New Hampshire

by psmith, January 17, 2007, 11:04pm, (Issue #469)
No marijuana decriminalization bill has passed since the 1970s, but legislators in Massachusetts and New Hampshire are ready to try this year.

Finally, Someone is Getting Serious About Marijuana

by psmith, January 16, 2007, 02:05pm
Why screw around arresting pot smokers when you can get to the root of the problem by simply eliminating marijuana?

US Weapons Fueling Mexican Drug Violence

from Arizona Republic, January 16, 2007
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Ending an Opium War; Afghan Poppies and Recovery Can Both Bloom

from Washington Post, January 16, 2007
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Ecuador's divided loyalties; Both fighter and front in the drug war, it chafes at U.S. presence on its soil.

from Los Angeles Times, January 15, 2007
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The West Should Buy Afghanistan's Opium Crop

from The Sunday Herald (UK), January 14, 2007
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Law Enforcement: Faced With Rising Murder Rates, Newark and New Orleans Turn to Repressive Drug War Strategies

by psmith, January 11, 2007, 08:58pm, (Issue #468)
Faced with rising crime and murder rates, city officials in Newark and New Orleans are blaming drugs and using more of the same old same old to try to crack down.

Feature: More Cops Died Directing Traffic Than Waging the Drug War Last Year

by psmith, January 11, 2007, 07:54pm, (Issue #468)
Police portray themselves as up against dangerous criminals as they fight the war on drugs, but you might be surprised...

Law Enforcement: DEA Lax on Handling Seized Cash, Audit Finds

by psmith, January 11, 2007, 03:03pm, (Issue #468)
DEA agents seize hundreds of millions of dollars a year in drug busts, but a Justice Department audit finds the agency is pretty lax in its handling of all that cash.

Europe: European Union Funds Dialogue With Civil Society on Drug Policies

by psmith, January 11, 2007, 02:57pm, (Issue #468)
The European Parliament has budgeted $1.3 million to promote a dialog with civil society over its continent-wide drug policy review set for next year.

Report: Lies Involved in No-Knock Warrant [Kathryn Johnston killing]

from Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 11, 2007
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Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by psmith, January 10, 2007, 11:13pm, (Issue #468)
Hiding marijuana inside cannoli, taking cocaine from a murder scene, and peddling cocaine are all on the radar this week. So is an investigation into drug smuggling at a US Air Force base in England.

Latin America: Mexico Considering Creation of "Drug Czar" Post

by psmith, January 10, 2007, 11:10pm, (Issue #468)
Early in his presidential term, Mexican leader Felipe Calderon has already called out the army to fight drug traffickers. Now, his government is pondering the creation of a "drug czar" to coordinate the fight.

Law Enforcement: Woman Arrested Over Flour-Filled Condom Wins $180,000 in Suit Settlement

by psmith, January 10, 2007, 08:53pm, (Issue #468)
Bryn Mawr coeds apparently liked to squeeze condoms filled with flour to fend off stress over final exams, but when one student tried to take one home for the holidays, she ended in jail for three weeks charged as a drug trafficker. Now the city of Philadelphia gets to pay for its mistake.

Medical Marijuana: Colorado Case Will Test State's Law

by psmith, January 10, 2007, 08:46pm, (Issue #468)
The arrest of a pair of registered Colorado medical marijuana patients last fall is setting off a legal battle that will help clarify the state's medical marijuana law. But if they lose, they face up to six years in prison.

Law Enforcement: Small-Time Drug Possessors No Longer Charged as Felons in Wichita -- Cops Grumble

by psmith, January 10, 2007, 08:39pm, (Issue #468)
Police in Wichita are no longer charging small-time hard drug possession as a felony -- less than a quarter-gram of meth or coke, and all you get is a misdemeanor paraphernalia charge, and you don't even go to jail!

South America trip back on again, and maybe a visit to the meth conference, too.

by psmith, January 10, 2007, 01:08pm
As readers of this blog know, I had to postpone my trip to Peru and Bolivia to report on coca doings because the Bolivian government announced on New Year's Day that US citizens would need visas to en

Judges Look to New Congress for Changes in Mandatory Sentencing Laws

from New York Times, January 09, 2007
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DEA selective in medical marijuana arrests; Raids on two high-profile dispensaries elicit criticism that agency is only targeting sellers who live affluent lifestyles

from Los Angeles Times, January 09, 2007
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Owners of Medical Marijuana Dispensary Arrested

from KESQ News Channel 3, January 09, 2007
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Mexican Drug Cartels Move into Peru; Worry Spreads As Their Presence Increases Coca Production, Violence

from Dallas Morning News, January 08, 2007
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The message in Calderon's war on drugs; some view his use of military as a way to quickly gain support, show security a priority

from Houston Chronicle, January 07, 2007
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Tijuana Police Force Ordered to Turn In Guns

from San Diego Union-Tribune, January 05, 2007
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Drug War Chronicle's South America trip postponed

by psmith, January 05, 2007, 03:37pm
I decided today to postpone my long-awaited trip to Bolivia and Peru because of uncertainty surrounding the situation with Bolivian visa requirements.

Feature: Afghan Opium Dilemma Sparks New Calls for Alternative Development, "Normalizing" the Poppy Crop

by psmith, January 04, 2007, 10:20pm, (Issue #467)
While the US using tried-and-failed eradication schemes on the Afghan opium trade, others including the UN and World Bank are calling for smarter alternative development. Others are going even further.

Hemp: DEA Has Spent $175 Million Eradicating "Ditch Weed" Plants That Don't Get You High

by psmith, January 04, 2007, 05:27pm, (Issue #467)
The DEA has spent $175 million in the past two decades to eradicate "ditch weed" plants that don't get anybody high. Your tax dollars at work.

Medical Marijuana: California's Booming Market Offers Substantial Tax Revenues, Report Finds

by psmith, January 04, 2007, 04:13pm, (Issue #467)
The California medical marijuana market could be a substantial source of tax revenues for the state, according to a new study, but it isn't happening yet.

Drug Prohibition: Vermont Prosecutor Calls for "Peace Talks" in War on Drugs, Consideration of Public Health Approach

by psmith, January 04, 2007, 03:41pm, (Issue #467)
A Vermont prosecutor is calling for "peace talks" in the war on drugs. It is time to debate alternative approaches, he says.

"Magic Mushrooms" May Ease Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Study Finds

from Transworld News, January 04, 2007
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Latin America: Mexican Soldiers Occupy Tijuana in Fight Against Drug Trade

by psmith, January 03, 2007, 09:05pm, (Issue #467)
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has sent thousands of soldiers and federal police into Tijuana in a bid to stamp out the drug trade in the border city where more than 300 died in prohibition-related violence last year.

Latin America: Colombian Senator Calls for Drug Legalization Debate

by psmith, January 03, 2007, 04:01pm, (Issue #467)
A Colombian senator is calling for a debate on legalizing the drug trade. His father, a leading presidential candidate, was assassinated by Medellin Cartel hit men in 1990.

Marijuana: Judge Throws Out Religious Defense in Arizona Marijuana Case, Says Defendants Lack "Sincere" Belief

by psmith, January 03, 2007, 03:56pm, (Issue #467)
The leaders of a religious group arguing that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protects them from prosecution under the federal marijuana laws were shot down in federal court when the judge ruled their beliefs were not "sincere."

Europe: Support for Marijuana Legalization Low

by psmith, January 03, 2007, 03:49pm, (Issue #467)
A survey conducted by the European Commission finds low levels of support for marijuana legalization in Europe. The Netherlands and Spain poll highest.

Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

by psmith, January 03, 2007, 03:45pm, (Issue #467)
Continuing fall-out from the Henry County, Virginia, sheriff's office bust in October, another Tennessee cop running interference for drug dealers, a long-time fugitive INS officer caught, and, of course, a couple more jail guards bringing goodies to the prisoners.

I've Got Those Mean Old Bolivian Visa Blues

by psmith, January 02, 2007, 10:11pm
With my departure for South America set for 10 days from now, the Bolivian government has put a hitch in my plans.

Put Drug Laws on the Day One Docket

from Albany Times-Union, January 02, 2007
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Colombian Slum Turns Into Cocaine War Zone

from Associated Press, January 01, 2007
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Senator son of slain Colombian cartel fighter proposes drug legalization

from Associated Press, December 29, 2006
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Rebels Boosting Poppy Business in Myanmar

from Indo-Asian News Service, December 28, 2006
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Afghan Heroin's Surge Poses Danger in US; the World's Purest Form Can Kill More Addicts, As Seen in LA County

from Los Angeles Times, December 26, 2006
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Most Europeans Reject Marijuana Legalization

from AngusReid Global Monitor, December 24, 2006
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Ex-Cop Gives Tips on How to Hide Drugs; Former Texas Drug Cop Makes Video Titled "Never Get Busted Again"

from Associated Press, December 24, 2006
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Monitoring the Future Annual Report Warns of Prescription Drug Use

by psmith, December 22, 2006, 09:36pm
The annual Monitoring the Future survey of drug use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders was released Thursday.

Feature: Marijuana is America's Number One Cash Crop, Study Finds

by psmith, December 21, 2006, 07:35pm, (Issue #466)
A new study using federal government statistics and conservative estimates illustrates the extreme failure of prohibitionist policies.

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