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DEA Secures Another Medical Marijuana Conviction by Lying in Court

by smorgan, August 05, 2008, 10:54pm
The highly controversial Charles Lynch trial has reached a disappointing conclusion:

Police Are Confiscating Cars for Minor Drug Crimes

by smorgan, August 05, 2008, 07:13pm

Taking people's cars against their will is, of course, not a crime when police do it:

Cop Acquitted After Killing Unarmed Mother and Shooting Her Baby

by smorgan, August 05, 2008, 06:09pm
Looks like there will be no accountability or apologies for one of this year's worst botched drug raids:

Marijuana Offers Hope For Battling Colon Cancer

by smorgan, August 05, 2008, 03:56pm
Marijuana's incredible medical potential becomes increasingly clear with every new study:

Hey Politicians, Reforming Marijuana Laws is Smart Politics

by smorgan, August 04, 2008, 08:26pm
Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO) signed on to Barney Frank's marijuana decriminalization bill because he thought it was the right thing to do.

Marijuana Laws Killed Two People This Week

by smorgan, July 31, 2008, 07:55pm
If we had a sensible marijuana policy in America, things like this wouldn't happen:

A routine marijuana check in Cass County, Michigan, turns deadly.

SWAT Team Kills Mayor's Dogs in Botched Drug Raid

by smorgan, July 31, 2008, 07:27pm
The mayor of Berwyn Heights, MD is the latest botched drug raid victim:

Drug-Sniffing Turtle Discovers Marijuana

by smorgan, July 31, 2008, 05:18pm
From The Washington Post:

Six More Drug War Disgraces

by smorgan, July 30, 2008, 09:53pm
Drug warriors crash the party when Barney Frank

U.S. Drug War Funding Supports Human Rights Violations in Mexico

by smorgan, July 30, 2008, 09:11pm
Only a month after President Bush signed a $465 million drug war aid package for Mexico, we're learning more about the types of brutal activities our tax dollars will be paying for:

Isn't it Already Illegal to Traffic Drugs in a Submarine?

by smorgan, July 29, 2008, 09:26pm
Joe Biden! Hello! I just read your new press release and I need help understanding what the hell you're trying to do:

Drug Raid: Police Shoot Man, Find Nothing But Codeine Syrup

by smorgan, July 29, 2008, 08:39pm
Yet another needlessly violent drug raid, this time in Louisiana:

Everyone Should Know the Story of Rachel Hoffman

by smorgan, July 29, 2008, 06:49pm
This 20/20 report on the death of Rachel Hoffman illustrates perfectly the greed and incompetence that too often chara

Concerned Citizen Launches "Drugs Bring Death" Campaign

by smorgan, July 29, 2008, 12:13am
A bold new anti-drug campaign has emerged in Lima, OH, the site of a shocking drug raid gone wrong in which the SWAT team

Drug Smugglers Use Hurricane For Cover

by smorgan, July 24, 2008, 06:30pm
Conditions that send everyone else running for shelter are actually appealing to drug traffickers:

Needle Exchange Saves Lives. Why Are We Still Arguing About It?

by smorgan, July 23, 2008, 09:43pm
AP has a good story reminding us of the plight of Bill Day, whose effort to reduce AIDS in San A

A Revealing Remark From the Deputy Drug Czar

by smorgan, July 23, 2008, 08:56pm
Deputy Drug Czar Scott Burns visited Arcata, CA last week to see "America’s grow house capitol" firsthand.

The Drug War Doesn't Reduce Drug Use. Drug Users Reduce Drug Use.

by smorgan, July 22, 2008, 11:18pm
Blogger and biomedical research scientist DrugMonkey asks drug war critics to explain decl

In New Orleans, You Can Get 5 Years in Prison for a Joint of Marijuana

by smorgan, July 22, 2008, 10:04pm
Drug war defenders are indeed fond of pointing out how hard it is to actually get ja

Police Kill Dog During Drug Raid, Find No Drugs

by smorgan, July 21, 2008, 10:57pm
No one is entitled to their opinion on the drug war unless they understand how often this happens:

Barack Obama Proposes "Shifting the Model" on the Drug War

by smorgan, July 21, 2008, 09:33pm
From a recent interview in Rolling Stone:

Journalists Lie About Marijuana Like it's Their Job

by smorgan, July 17, 2008, 08:30pm

Margaret Wente at The Globe and Mail writes:

McCain Supporter Says Drug Users Will Gain Access to Nuclear Facilities if Obama is Elected

by smorgan, July 17, 2008, 05:44pm

A crazy woman, Dr. Ada M. Fisher, was authorized to speak to the press on behalf of the McCain campaign at the NAACP convention.

Drug Testing Advocate Gets Busted For Drugs

by smorgan, July 16, 2008, 10:49pm
A dimebag of heroin - $10
A urine test - $30
A drug testing advocate busted for heroin distribution – priceless hilarious

U.S. Drug Warriors Interfere With Vienna Drug Policy Summit

by smorgan, July 16, 2008, 12:04am
Graham Boyd at ACLU has a fascinating

Former Staffer Accuses Drug Czar's Office of Faking Statistics

by smorgan, July 15, 2008, 09:15pm
There exists a gaping black hole where the Drug Czar's credibility used to be.

Opponents of Marijuana Reform Can't Keep Their Story Straight

by smorgan, July 15, 2008, 01:38am
If there's one thing we can count on in the marijuana debate, it is the ceaseless propensity of our opposition to say the first thing that pops into their head.

Threats of Violence in the Comment Section Will Not be Tolerated

by smorgan, July 14, 2008, 07:39pm
At StoptheDrugWar.org we work hard to expose and address abusive police practices, particularly the aggressive paramilitary drug raids that too often target the innocent.

The Link Between Sagging Pants Laws and the Drug War

by smorgan, July 12, 2008, 04:05pm
Radley Balko points out that police in Flint, MI have started

Prosecutors Spend Confiscated Drug Money on Margarita Machine, Win 'Best Margarita' at County Fair

by smorgan, July 11, 2008, 07:48pm
Drenched in tequila, the brave men who fight the war on drugs will be the first to tell you that our asset forfeiture laws are a vital resource for law-enforcement:

If Police Don't Find Anything During a Drug Raid, Should They Have To Fix the Damage?

by smorgan, July 10, 2008, 10:00pm
On Tuesday, I discussed the latest

"Clearly there's no LSD, and how long does it take to test a chocolate-chip cookie for marijuana?"

by smorgan, July 10, 2008, 07:54pm
Total pandemonium broke out this week after a young man doing community service delivered cookies

Do Pharmaceutical Companies Support Marijuana Prohibition?

by smorgan, July 09, 2008, 08:48pm
For most drug policy reformers, the answer is probably an exasperated "duh," but a

Police Refuse to Take Responsibility For Botched Drug Raid

by smorgan, July 08, 2008, 10:51pm
We have already grown accustomed to disappointing explanations from law-enforcement after they kick in the doors of innocent people, terrorize families, tear apart their homes, and then insist that su

Police Discover World's Most Expensive Marijuana

by smorgan, July 07, 2008, 10:26pm
During a routine traffic stop in Ohio, police discovered over 100 pounds of the most valuable marijuana ever documented:

Congressional Black Caucus Members Try to Ban Menthol Cigarettes

by smorgan, July 07, 2008, 06:45pm
Uh-oh. They're trying to take our minty-fresh menthols away. Not kool.

Drug Czar's Office Admits that Drug Enforcement Can't Be Proven to Work

by smorgan, July 03, 2008, 10:00pm
In a superb column at AlterNet on our nation's world-leading drug use rates,

With the World's Highest Drug Use Rates, Our Fraudulent Drug Policy is Fully Exposed

by smorgan, July 03, 2008, 09:55pm
What could more conclusively demonstrate the embarrassing failure of our drug war than this?

Drug Testing Pregnant Women Produces False Positives (And Kills Babies)

by smorgan, July 02, 2008, 10:56pm
A major and underappreciated problem with drug testing is that the stupid tests don’t even work. They say people took drugs when they didn’t.

Drug Czar Furious Over New York Times Editorial

by smorgan, July 02, 2008, 09:51pm
Just watch how the New York Times editorial board picks apart the Drug Czar's propaganda:

Lunatic Easily Convinces Police He's a Federal Drug Agent

by smorgan, July 01, 2008, 08:23pm
What happens when a crazy person tells local police he's a federal agent and offers to help them fight drugs?

Mexico's Drug War is Killing Innocent People

by smorgan, July 01, 2008, 05:50pm
The Drug Czar proudly announced yesterday that President Bush has signed the Merida initiative, which will spend

We Support NYPD's Plan to Use Written Consent Forms

by smorgan, July 01, 2008, 04:52pm
Since many of you may be skeptical of NYPD when it comes to matters of search and seizure, I'd like to clarify that this is a very good thing:

No Charges Filed Against Man Who Mistook A Cop For a Burglar and Shot Him

by smorgan, June 30, 2008, 10:21pm
Anyone who has followed the Cory Maye and Ryan Frederic

New Data: Going to Work Sober May Increase Risk of Workplace Fatality

by smorgan, June 30, 2008, 08:52pm
The Drug Czar's latest blog post, entitled Is Your Workplace Drug Free?

Nation's Mayors Take a Stand For Harm Reduction

by smorgan, June 26, 2008, 08:01pm
The United States Conference of Mayors has put saving lives ahead of drug war politics and rejected the Drug Czar's dangerous public policy ideas.

And the Winner of the War on Meth is…Cocaine

by smorgan, June 26, 2008, 05:46pm
Anytime you apply pressure in the war on drugs, the market just shifts to accommodate the new conditions.

Our Drug War Alliances in South America Are Crumbling

by smorgan, June 25, 2008, 08:50pm
Decades of drug war demolition tactics have taken their toll on our diplomacy in South America:

Trained Pigeons That Smuggle Drugs and Cell Phones Into Prison

by smorgan, June 25, 2008, 07:39pm
Honestly, I've been predicting this for years. It just makes sense.

They're Drug Testing Our Sewage

by smorgan, June 24, 2008, 11:46pm
I'll spare you the excrement jokes and just let this idea speak for itself:

Don Imus: Critic of Racial Profiling?

by smorgan, June 24, 2008, 09:43pm
Yesterday, everyone at our office was talking about what a jackass Don Imus was for making yet another racially charged remark. But his excuse is an interesting one:

George Will's Weak Defense of Our Embarrassing Incarceration Rates

by smorgan, June 23, 2008, 11:33pm
If you take George Will's word for it, you might come away thinking we're 2 million more prisoners away from ending crime in America once and for all.

Rising Coca Cultivation In Colombia Is Driving the U.N. Drug Czar Crazy

by smorgan, June 21, 2008, 03:45pm
No matter what happens in the drug war, the people in charge will always tell you that we're making great progress.

Some Items of Interest

by smorgan, June 19, 2008, 11:56pm

A Canadian man has been acquitted after killing a police office

Dutch Smoking Ban Could Improve Marijuana Quality

by smorgan, June 18, 2008, 05:34pm
Rumors of a smoking ban in the Netherlands have long threatened Amsterdam's popular coffeeshop scene, where customers can openly buy and smoke marijuana.

Drug Cops Shouldn’t be Paid With Confiscated Drug Money, But They Are

by smorgan, June 18, 2008, 03:19pm
A disturbing report from NPR illustrates that many police departments have become dependent on con

Increased Pot Potency Just Proves That Marijuana Laws Have Failed

by smorgan, June 17, 2008, 11:43pm

Everyday I read the Drug Czar's blog hoping that one afternoon I might happen upon something vaguely resembling an actual response to the reform movement's detailed and ongoing critiques of

Why You Shouldn't Try to Eat Your Marijuana if You're Pulled Over

by smorgan, June 17, 2008, 06:49pm

It's a popular tactic in an emergency, but it can easily backfire:

U.S. Government Stopped Research After Finding That Marijuana Slowed Cancer Growth

by smorgan, June 16, 2008, 10:15pm
NORML's Paul Armentano has a disturbing account of the history of government research regarding the benefits of THC as a potential cancer treatme

Mexican Drug War Analysis: It's Not Going Well

by smorgan, June 16, 2008, 08:18pm
Reuters offers a dismal assessment of the Mexican drug war entitled "ANALYSIS-Mexico's

Will John McCain Avoid Running a "Tough-On-Crime" Campaign?

by smorgan, June 12, 2008, 07:45pm
The prevailing wisdom among reformers has been that Obama's good positions on medical marijuana, needle exchange, and sentencing reform would draw fire from the McCain campaign.

World Record Marijuana Crop Gets Blown Up By Fighter Jets

by smorgan, June 12, 2008, 05:41pm

What do you do if you find the world's largest marijuana stash? Call in the airforce!

Two More Horrible Drug Raid Disasters

by smorgan, June 12, 2008, 05:02pm
Derrick Foster is the latest person facing prosecution after mistaking a drug raid for a robbery and firing on the intruders,

Bob Barr's Newfound Drug War Opposition Shows That Anything is Possible

by smorgan, June 11, 2008, 09:41pm
No drug warrior has played a greater role in the development of my own political identity than Bob Barr.

Vietnam Orders Police to Win the Drug War by August

by smorgan, June 11, 2008, 06:16pm
It's gonna be a busy summer over there:

The Prime Minister has declared a new campaign against drugs from the beginning of June rill the end of August.

Stop Making Excuses and Go Watch 'The Wire'

by smorgan, June 10, 2008, 09:56pm
It has come to my attention that many of you still haven't seen HBO's The Wire. This includes several people I otherwise generally admire and consider well informed.

Stop Making Excuses and Go Watch 'The Wire'

by smorgan, June 10, 2008, 08:52pm
It's come to my attention that many of you still haven't seen HBO's The Wire. This includes several people I otherwise generally admire and consider well informed.

People are Getting Themselves Arrested Just So They Can Sell Drugs in Jail

by smorgan, June 10, 2008, 06:27pm
From England comes yet another example of how drug prohibition has failed in more ways than we can even think of.

The Drug War is a War on Communities of Color

by smorgan, June 09, 2008, 10:13pm

On Thursday and Friday I attended the Breaking the Chains Conference in Baltimore, MD.

A Few Items of Interest

by smorgan, June 05, 2008, 11:44pm

Pete Guither points out a pair of good Supreme Court rulings dealing with money laundering.

New York Times Calls For Massive U.S. Investment in Mexico's Drug War

by smorgan, June 04, 2008, 08:39pm
Just last week, the NY Times delivered a dismal assessment of drug war progress

Reuters Should Stop Printing Mindless Anti-Pot Propaganda

by smorgan, June 03, 2008, 11:33pm

No one other than the Drug Czar publishes more misleading headlines about marijuana than Reuters news service.

Most Mexicans Think Drug Traffickers Are Winning the Drug War

by smorgan, June 03, 2008, 10:00pm
It seems Mexican President Felipe Calderon's aggressive drug war tactics are impressing American politicians<

Obama Supports Mexico's Drug War Crackdown

by smorgan, June 02, 2008, 09:41pm

Drug Tests Are Useless Devices That Don’t Even Work at Detecting Drugs

by smorgan, June 02, 2008, 07:12pm

The Drug Czar's blog was very excited on Friday. Why?

Barbara Kay Says Mean Things About Marijuana Users and the Reform Movement

by smorgan, May 29, 2008, 08:45pm
Barbara Kay's latest column on ma

Another Ryan Frederick Update

by smorgan, May 28, 2008, 10:21pm
Radley Balko has much more information from Ryan Frederick's preliminary hearing, w

McClellan: Bush Partied So Much, He Couldn't Remember Whether He Tried Cocaine

by smorgan, May 28, 2008, 09:59pm

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's new book is pissing off the

If the Drug War Reduces Violence, Please Explain What's Happening in Mexico

by smorgan, May 27, 2008, 09:39pm
The debate should be over now. All you have to do is look south to learn that the drug war is worse than a failure; it causes massive violence, corruption, and death.

Japanese Customs Hid 5 oz. of Marijuana in Passenger's Bag, Now They Can't Find It

by smorgan, May 27, 2008, 08:50pm
If you've flown through Japan recently, you might wanna double check your bags for an extra souvenir:

Ryan Frederick Formally Charged With First Degree Murder

by smorgan, May 27, 2008, 08:08pm
Radley Balko reports:

Rachel Hoffman's Family Issues an Urgent Call for Change

by smorgan, May 22, 2008, 11:36pm

The mother of slain drug war victim Rachel Hoffman has started the Rachel Morningstar Foundation to advocate legislation requiring legal counsel for prospective drug informants as well as decrimina

If You Write Bad Pro-Drug War Editorials, We Will Find Them and Embarrass You

by smorgan, May 22, 2008, 09:16pm

One of the many valuable services performed by Pete Guither at DrugWarRant is that of finding the most mind-numbingly absurd drug war editor

The Obama Campaign Responds to My Criticism of His Position on Marijuana Decriminalization

by smorgan, May 21, 2008, 07:42pm
Last week I discussed what I called The Obama Campaign's Poor Handling of the Marijuana Decriminalization Iss

Informant Identified in Fatal Maple Tree/Marijuana Mix-up

by smorgan, May 20, 2008, 09:56pm

Radley Balko reports that we might now know the identity of the confidential informant who

Virginia Senator Jim Webb Speaks Out Against Marijuana Laws

by smorgan, May 20, 2008, 09:11pm
Senator Webb is known for speaking his mind, which is a good thing since he's interested in reforming drug laws:

New British Drug Czar Supports Reducing Penalties for Ecstasy

by smorgan, May 19, 2008, 09:20pm
Marijuana doesn't cause mental health problems, but keeping track of the British drug policy debate just might.

Drug Czars Say the Darndest Things

by smorgan, May 19, 2008, 08:34pm

Deputy Drug Czar Bertha Madras delivered this gem in Colorado as she promoted random student drug testing to school administrators:

Dick Morris Tells John McCain to Propose Harsher Cocaine Laws

by smorgan, May 19, 2008, 07:48pm
I noted last week the tendency of our revered political strategists to find themselves stuck in the 80's

"You Don't Want This!"

by smorgan, May 19, 2008, 06:42pm

Tallahassee PD's Pathetic Response to Rachel Hoffman's Death

by smorgan, May 16, 2008, 12:38am
I've already discussed the shamelessness of Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones, who blamed Rachel Hoff

Attacking Obama for Supporting Medical Marijuana Isn't Going to Work

by smorgan, May 14, 2008, 10:44pm

As I'm constantly pointing out, political strategists always have the hardest time coming to terms with widespread public support for reforming marijuana policies.

The Obama Campaign's Poor Handling of the Marijuana Decriminalization Issue

by smorgan, May 14, 2008, 06:28pm
In February, Barack Obama reversed his past statements in favor of marijuana decriminalization.

The Assassination of Mexico's Top Cop Proves That the Drug War is Failing

by smorgan, May 13, 2008, 11:32pm
Anyone who thinks aggressive law-enforcement is going to solve the drug problem needs to look at what's happening in Mexico:

Police Entice Woman to Snitch, Get Her Killed, Blame Her for Her Death

by smorgan, May 12, 2008, 11:05pm
NORML reports on the death of Rachel Hoffman, another disgusti

Stop Saying Medical Marijuana is Politically Risky and Just Look at the Polls

by smorgan, May 12, 2008, 09:58pm
Karen Brooks at the Dallas Morning News blog badly misses the point i

Students for Sensible Drug Policy Responds to the Arrests at San Diego State

by smorgan, May 09, 2008, 06:31pm
Just watch the finesse with which SDSU's chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy responded to the

Drug Cops Raid Innocent Man, Shoot Him 5 Times, Then File Bogus Charges

by smorgan, May 08, 2008, 06:34pm
His name is Tracy Ingle and he's alive, but he needs help.

Mississippi Drug War Blues: The Case of Cory Maye

by smorgan, May 08, 2008, 06:20pm

Drew Carey's latest reason.tv video features the horrific story of Cory Maye, an innocent man who sits in prison after killing an

British Prime Minister Ignores His Own Experts and increases Penalties for Marijuana

by smorgan, May 07, 2008, 10:55pm

It's official.

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