In yesterday's Drug War Chronicle we reported that a deal seemed to be near for reform of New York State's infamous Rockefeller Drug Laws -- reform that appeared likely to eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing for many (though not all) of the state's drug defendants while allowing current Rockefeller prisoners to apply for commutations.
The deal now reportedly has been reached. Click here for the latest from the New York Times, and here for the NYT archive on the topic.
Tony Papa sent out the link for the following NYPost.com video about it too:
The legislation is not perfect, and it doesn't help everybody -- check back for details -- but we are optimistic that this will help a lot of people and that we are at an historical turning point in the issue.
Looking for the easiest way to join the anti-drug war movement? You've found it!
wow
someone ask Mr.Obama what is so funny about medical marijuana curing cancer as opposed to radiation chambers of chemotherapy killing people. Stop wasting our tax money on non violent weed dealers.
"In the early nineties we
"In the early nineties we had so many more murders than we do now", says Daniel Donovan, implying that they have been able to lower crime through the rockefeller drug laws. However, the rockefeller drug laws date back to the 70s, not the early nineties. Whatever reduced the crime from the early nineties to now must have been something else.
RESPOND to the Internet Meeting
http://pushingback.com/blogs/pushing_back/archive/2009/03/27/47106.aspx
Tell them what you think.I just did.
Angelo Caiazzo
Why still illegal? A thought.
Here:
# Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
# Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
# Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA)
# The Ad Council
# National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP)
# Drug-Free Communities Support Program
# International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)
# Pride Youth Programs
# Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
# National Families in Action (NFIA)
# Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
# Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
# Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
# U.S. Coast Guard
# Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
# National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
# American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
# National Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
# Drug Free America Foundation, Inc.
# National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD)
Just a sampling of the people who have something to lose be legalization. Read, THE ENEMY.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/angelocaiazzo
What really disturbs me about that list
Most of those organization have access to the REAL truth about cannabis, so why are they fighting its relegalization? The only answer is money. Money is far more important to them than the lives of the nearly one million people who are arrested for cannabis violations each year.
I'm pro-choice on EVERYTHING!
Making the drug war more palatable
While I appreciate the need to do something about New York's incredibly horrific laws at the same time I am concerned that these reforms simply make the drug war more palatable and less in need of ending the drug war policy as a whole.
We really do not need a more acceptable and less morally repugnant drug war. We need and end to the morally repugnant drug war. Period!
Eventhough it makes it more
Eventhough it makes it more palatable, I actually think it brings us closer to legalization. In Southeast Asia they think that if they don't kill people for selling drugs, society will collapse. If they were to have our laws, they'd be surprised that it doesn't. If we were to have Portugal's laws (decriminalization of all drugs), we'd be surprised that society functions just as well (and probably better). If Portugal was to legalize all drugs completely, they'd be surprised of how well society would function. Prohibition is maintained because people buy into the fear that society would collapse if drugs were legal, or that, in general, if you get soft on drugs, problems get worse. Small steps can help people realize that's not the case. Sure, it would be a hell of a lot better to just legalize all drugs and get it over with, but small steps do bring us closer.
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