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- What's So Funny About the War on Drugs?
For all the progress that's been made towards bringing the drug policy debate into the political mainstream, there remains a tragic tendency among many in the press to burst out laughing at the idea of fixing our disastrous drug laws. The latest embarrassing example comes courtesy of Al Kamen in The Washington Post:read more - US AZ: Column: Our Buddy Jan
Tucson Weekly, 26 Jan 2012 - Is It Possible That Brewer and Horne Are Actually Acting Wisely Regarding MMJ? Now she's really gone and done it. By "she," I mean Arizona's fine and esteemed Gov. Jan Brewer, and by "it," I mean launched the state toward full implementation of the voter-passed Medical Marijuana Act. Now that two judges--one federal, one Superior Court--have scolded Gov. Jan into doing what we told her to do more than a year ago, she has decided to start taking applications from hopeful MMJ dispensary operators. - US CO: Column: Putting An End To War On Drugs Would Solve A
Glenwood Springs Post Independent, 26 Jan 2012 - What do we really want? Mary Boland "Prohibition is an attempted cure that makes matters worse for both the addict and the rest of us." - -- Milton Friedman Now the right-wing Cato Institute has just added its voice to the many from all parts of the political spectrum calling for an end to the Drug War. - US CA: Column: As We Grow, Our Kids Go To Pot
The Press Democrat, 26 Jan 2012 - Marijuana is good, compassionate medicine, it's often said. In hard financial times, pot's a godsend as a homegrown cash crop. And for social users, it's a gentler, healthier alternative to alcohol. - US CA: Packed With Heroin, Burrito Had Bite
Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan 2012 - Records Reveal How an L.A. County Sheriff's Department Task Force Used a Lunchtime Sting to Target Smuggling of Drugs Behind Bars. The young woman sat by herself in a hallway of the bustling courthouse, nervously clasping a brown paper bag. Inside was a warm bean and cheese burrito stuffed with 24 grams of black tar heroin. - US NY: Editorial: GPS and the Right to Privacy
New York Times, 26 Jan 2012 - The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Monday that the police violated the Constitution when they hid a Global Positioning System tracking device on the car of Antoine Jones and monitored his movements for 28 days. It put law enforcement on notice that most GPS electronic surveillance will be suspect without a judge's warrant. As welcome as the ruling was, the court left too many questions unanswered. It did not say how long this kind of surveillance can go on before requiring a warrant or what types of crimes justify GPS monitoring. It did not say what the rule would be if the police had tracked Mr. Jones with a technology not hidden on his car. - Medical Marijuana Initiative Campaign Rolling Out in California [FEATURE]
A broad coalition of California advocates has filed a statewide medical marijuana regulation initiative aimed at ending the years-long confusion over what is and what is not allowed under state law by explicitly allowing sales and legalizing dispensaries statewide absent affirmative local popular votes to ban them. Pending approval of the measure's title and summary by state officials, the campaign is planning to roll out a signature-gathering and fundraising campaign early next month in a bid to put it before the voters in November.
- The GOP Candidates on Drug Policy -- And Why Now is the Time to Discuss It
The battle for the Republican nomination has moved to Florida, which also happens to be a key battleground in an entirely different fight: the $15bn war on drugs. - Why is MMA OK and smoking dope isn’t?
There seems to be little sense in which risks people find praiseworthy, and which we condemn, writes Dan Gardner Last week, a physicians’ group called on governments to make helmets mandatory for both children and adults on ski slopes. Lots of people support that. They feel that skiers should not be permitted to decide for [...] - US FL: Tour Promoting Medicinal Pot Legalization Among Seniors
Sun-Sentinel, 25 Jan 2012 - A 69-year-old former drug smuggler has launched The Silver Tour to recruit fellow seniors at South Florida retirement communities as advocates for legal medicinal marijuana use. Next tour stop: Temple Shaarei Shalom west of Boynton Beach, where an estimated 300 seniors are expected Sunday.
