Skip to main content

Latest

Blog

Montel Williams Calls on Connecticut's Governor to Sign Medical Marijuana Bill

Montel Williams, who suffers with multiple sclerosis, continues to crusade for medical marijuana, this time with a letter to Connecticut's governor, Jodi Rell (R), published on Alternet. Writes Montel:
Medical marijuana has allowed me to live a productive, fruitful life despite having multiple sclerosis. Many thousands of others all over this country -- less well-known than me but whose stories are just as real -- have experienced the same thing.
Now it's up to Gov. Rell to show if she is a reasonable, compassionate leader, or a heartless political hack. Montel at a 2005 press conference with Rep. Maurice Hinchey
Blog

New York Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Assembly Vote

The late-breaking news today is that the New York Assembly has passed a medical marijuana bill -- 92-52, according to an email from MPP. Richard Gottfried (D), who has been supporting the issue for years, was the sponsor. Last I checked on Google News, the vote had not made any of the news stories, but I'm sure that will happen anytime now. One encouraging report I gleaned from the articles is that Gov. Spitzer, who opposed medical marijuana during the campaign, says he's rethought the issue. Next stop, the State Senate, probably next week...
Blog

Bruce Willis Finally Figures it Out

Last year, Bruce Willis was advocating scorched-earth warfare against the cocaine trade:
"I'm talking also about going to Colombia and doing whatever it takes to end the cocaine trade. It's killing this country. It's killing all the countries that coke goes into…And I think that's a form of terrorism as well." [UGO]
Yikes! Fortunately, Bruce has been reading some books or something, because he's come all the way around on this:
Bruce Willis has hit out at America's war on drugs, insisting it would be more productive for politicians to tackle the social problems that lead people to take narcotics in the first place.
…

"We fight it the wrong way. The war on drugs is a joke." [Star Pulse News]
Maybe he could start Celebrities for Sensible Drug Policy. Of course, CSDP is already taken.

Event

Beyond Prohibition Coalition Workshop

We believe that it is important for people who care about drug policy reform and who want to see a change from prohibition to regulation to work together in formulating what regulation might entail. While there are groups locally and internationally developing regulatory drug strategies, we want to host occasions in which we might engage in such discussions ourselves, to deepen our understanding of the issues involved and learn together what regulatory control would involve.
Event

Beyond Prohibition Coalition Workshop

We believe that it is important for people who care about drug policy reform and who want to see a change from prohibition to regulation to work together in formulating what regulation might entail. While there are groups locally and internationally developing regulatory drug strategies, we want to host occasions in which we might engage in such discussions ourselves, to deepen our understanding of the issues involved and learn together what regulatory control would involve.
Chronicle
Event

Beyond Prohibition Coalition Workshop

We believe that it is important for people who care about drug policy reform and who want to see a change from prohibition to regulation to work together in formulating what regulation might entail. While there are groups locally and internationally developing regulatory drug strategies, we want to host occasions in which we might engage in such discussions ourselves, to deepen our understanding of the issues involved and learn together what regulatory control would involve. Please join us at our first workshop on June 19th. We will begin with a presentation by Mark Haden on some of the various dimensions of regulation. This will provide us with a common language and framework for considering the specifics of a regulatory strategy. Of course, there will be lots of time for discussion, so bring your ideas, suggestions and questions. Please RSVP to Dave Diewert, E: [email protected], if you plan to attend so we can determine the size of the group. We look forward to an exciting time of discussion and learning together.
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
In The Trenches

Europe: One-fifth of MEPs support decriminalisation of cannabis

[Courtesy of EURODRUG] A wide-ranging survey of Members of the European Parliament - including Britain's representatives - has revealed strong support for the decriminalisation of cannabis across Europe. The team from The Universities of Manchester, Aberystwyth and the London School of Economics also revealed controversial attitudes to abortion, crime, defence and immigration among members. Professors David Farrell from The University of Manchester, Simon Hix from the London school of Economics and Roger Scully from the University of Aberystwyth, contacted all 732 MEPs of whom 272 responded. The study - carried out in summer 2006 - found that one-fifth of the MEPs felt marijuana should be decriminalised. One-third of British MEPs -- much higher than the average -- supported decriminalisation, though Dutch MEPs were the most liberal at 83 per cent. Other results included: * Half of the MEPs (51%) think there should be more harmonisation of national immigration policies. The British figure, however, is less than one-third at 32%. * Just short of three-quarters of MEPs (70%) think that women should be free to decide on abortion, though only 20% of Irish MEPs agree. * Three-quarters (73%) of MEPs think there should be EU-wide arrest warrants for serious crimes. 54%of British MEPs agree. * 40% of MEPs think that the EU rather than NATO should be responsible for European defence, though only 29 % of British MEPs agree. * 40% of MEPs think that EU foreign policy should be a counterweight to the US. In the case of French MEPs, the figure rises to 64%. * 68% of MEPs think the EU should no longer meet in Strasbourg, though only 7 per cent of French MEPs agree. Professor Farrell, Head of the School of Social Sciences at The University of Manchester, said: "For much of its life, the European Parliament could have been justly labelled a 'multi-lingual talking shop'. "But this is no longer the case: the EP is now one of the most powerful legislatures in the world both in terms of its legislative and executive oversight powers. "The views of MEPs as shown in this survey may very well have a direct impact on policy and therefore on all citizens in the EU. "So the public should sit up and take notice of what their representatives are saying." Professor Simon Hix from the London school of Economics added: "Our work also shows that politics in the European Parliament is becoming increasingly based around party and ideology. "Voting is increasingly split along left-right lines, and the cohesion of the party groups has risen dramatically, particularly in the fourth and fifth parliaments. "So there are likely to be policy implications here too." NOTES FOR EDITORS The survey will be officially launched at the Brussels European Parliament headquarters of the European Parliament on June 13, 2007. A more comprehensive data sheet is available. UK National Centre for Social Research designed the web-site on which the survey was hosted. Each MEP was contacted personally by letter (translated into their mother tongue), and invited to participate in the survey online. Professors Farrell and Hix are available for comment For more details contact: Mike Addelman Media Relations Officer Faculty of Humanities The University of Manchester 0161 275 0790 07717 991 567 [email protected]
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle
Chronicle