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Chronicle
Federal Budget: Economic Stimulus Bill Stimulates Drug War, Too
The economic stimulus bill will be stimulating the drug war, too. There's more than $3 billion in there for law enforcement, and much of that is destined for enforcing drug prohibition.
Chronicle
Methamphetamine: Bill Equating Meth Use with Child Abuse Passes New Mexico House
Does meth use equal child abuse? The New Mexico House thinks so.
Chronicle
Medical Marijuana: New Jersey Senate to Vote on Bill Monday
Is New Jersey poised to become the next medical marijuana state? The state Senate will vote on it on Monday.
Chronicle
Marijuana: Washington State Decriminalization Bill Wins Committee Vote
A marijuana decriminalization bill in Washington state was approved by a Senate committee Wednesday, but there has to be similar action in the state House by next week, or it's dead for the session.
Chronicle
Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
Uniformed cops, jail guards, narcs, and assistant police chiefs -- all gone bad this week.
Chronicle
Law Enforcement: Maryland Bill Would Require SWAT Team Monitoring
When a Maryland SWAT team raided an innocent mayor's house and killed his dogs, the outrage was palpable. Now, some Maryland legislators have filed a bill that would begin to hold SWAT teams accountable.
Chronicle
Weekly: This Week in History
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
Chronicle
Feature: INCB Calls for More of the Same on Global Drug Policy -- Critics Call for No More INCB
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) has released its latest annual report on the global drug situation. It calls for increased efforts against marijuana, warns of an increasingly violent drug trade, and worries about the Internet. Critics charge the agency is stuck in the last century.
Chronicle
Weekly: Blogging @ the Speakeasy
"Study: Marijuana Users Less Likely to Get Injured Than Non-Users," "Police Raid Innocent Couple Because Their Son Had a Misdemeanor Marijuana Charge," "Maryland Legislation Seeks to Address Out-of-Control SWAT Raids," "Drug War Protestors Block Traffic Along Mexican Border," "Legalizing Marijuana Doesn't Mean We Have to Legalize Horrible Crimes," "Drug War Logic 101," "Sheriff Lott Gives up on Charging Michael Phelps," "A Failed Drug Strategy Isn't the Only Way DEA Wastes our Money," "Ryan Frederick Update," "Increasing Violence in Mexico is Not a Sign of Progress in the Drug War."
Chronicle
Alert: Keep the Promise, President Obama -- Stop the Medical Marijuana Raids!
Bush administration holdovers are ordering raids on state-authorized medical marijuana clinics, despite President Obama's pledge to stop them. Please ask the new president and attorney general to take corrective actions sooner rather than later.
Chronicle
Drug War Chronicle Book Review: "Dope Menace: The Sensational World of Drug Paperbacks, 1900-1975," by Stephen J. Gertz (2008, Feral House Press, 219 pp., $24.95 PB)
"Dope Menace" is a visually stunning, very well-informed journey to the heart of America's mid-century obsession with pulp paperbacks, especially those with drug themes. If you have an interest in drugs and popular culture, you're going to want to check this one out.
Chronicle
Law Enforcement: DEA Spent $123,000 on Administrator's Flight to Colombia
The federal budget deficit is reaching astronomical proportions, and the DEA administrator took a $123,000 plane ride to Colombia?!?!
Chronicle
Marijuana: Zogby Poll Shows Majority Support for Taxing and Regulating Marijuana on the West Coast, Support Climbing Nationwide
There is majority support for legal marijuana on the West Coast, according to a new Zogby poll. The East Coast isn't far behind.
Blog
Study: Marijuana Users Less Likely to Get Injured Than Non-Users
A new study from Switzerland looked at substance use among people admitted to the hospital with injuries. Not surprisingly, people who'd been drinking alcohol were more likely to get hurt than those who had not. But what about marijuana use?
Not only were marijuana users less likely to be injured than non-users, but risk of injury actually decreased with larger doses. It's incredible. But my point here isnât that the more pot you smoke the safer you'll be (although that is what the data suggests). It was a small sample and I kind of doubt that continued research would confirm a massive reduction in risk of injury among marijuana users.
What matters here is that marijuana clearly doesn't raise your risk of doing something stupid and busting your head open or whatever. What better indication of this could there be than the fact that people who show up all bloody at the emergency room are disproportionately not high on pot?
The researchers note that marijuana use may sometimes take place in safer environments than alcohol use and that marijuana users as a group might be more careful to avoid risks while under the influence. I'm sure both of these points are correct, but to really sum all this up: marijuana just doesnât make you do dumb shit.
The widely-disseminated notion that marijuana leads to impaired judgment is simply false. Thus, I'm tempted to conclude that much of the propaganda aimed at associating marijuana with risk-taking behaviors has been motivated by cynicism on the part of our opposition, namely to the effect that they recognized -- and sought to preemptively obscure -- the relative safety of the drug.
One thing that never ceases to amaze me in the marijuana debate is the extent to which anti-pot propaganda is not only false, but is in fact often the precise opposite of the truth.
Conversely, cannabis use was associated with significantly lowered risk of injury. Whereas the risk for injuries associated with the use of less than a pipe or jointâs worth were not significantly different from the on associated with no use, relative risks decreased with increasing levels of use⦠[BioMedCentral]
Not only were marijuana users less likely to be injured than non-users, but risk of injury actually decreased with larger doses. It's incredible. But my point here isnât that the more pot you smoke the safer you'll be (although that is what the data suggests). It was a small sample and I kind of doubt that continued research would confirm a massive reduction in risk of injury among marijuana users.
What matters here is that marijuana clearly doesn't raise your risk of doing something stupid and busting your head open or whatever. What better indication of this could there be than the fact that people who show up all bloody at the emergency room are disproportionately not high on pot?
The researchers note that marijuana use may sometimes take place in safer environments than alcohol use and that marijuana users as a group might be more careful to avoid risks while under the influence. I'm sure both of these points are correct, but to really sum all this up: marijuana just doesnât make you do dumb shit.
The widely-disseminated notion that marijuana leads to impaired judgment is simply false. Thus, I'm tempted to conclude that much of the propaganda aimed at associating marijuana with risk-taking behaviors has been motivated by cynicism on the part of our opposition, namely to the effect that they recognized -- and sought to preemptively obscure -- the relative safety of the drug.
One thing that never ceases to amaze me in the marijuana debate is the extent to which anti-pot propaganda is not only false, but is in fact often the precise opposite of the truth.
Chronicle
Europa: Programa danés de mantenimiento con heroÃna empezará el mes que viene
Dinamarca está a punto de convertirse en el último paÃs europeo que va al grano y adopta el mantenimiento con heroÃna para los usuarios de polvo particularmente tercos.
In The Trenches
The LEAP Report: January/February 2009
January/February 2009 This issueâ¦
Did You Know� Did you know that LEAP's official YouTube channel was the #1 most-subscribed non-profit featured on YouTube for the month of January? Halfway through the month, we're ranked #3 for February⦠so if haven't already visited LEAP on YouTube, please check out the videos we've posted and make sure to click "subscribe" so you can be notified whenever we upload a new video.   Elsewhere on the web, LEAP speaker Norm Stamper has become a featured blogger for The Huffington Post. On February 6, Norm's article 'One Cop To Another: Don't Arrest Phelps for Bong Photo' was the #1 most-viewed article on the entire HuffPost site. In addition to the attention his blog has received, many media outlets are anxious to speak with Norm and hear his insight into President Obama's likely choice for drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, who was Norm's immediate successor as Seattle's chief of police. And make sure to stay up late tonight (or set your DVR) to catch Norm on the Fox News Channel's "Red Eye." The show airs at 3 AM EST, Friday morning, Feb. 20. By making a contribution, you can help LEAP gain visibility and make this a #1 issue in your community. Join LEAP's Rapid Response Team One thing that LEAP prides itself on is our ability to inspire and engage citizen volunteers; our cops can't do everything themselves! That's why LEAP is launching an all-new Rapid Response Team of people who will make themselves available to receive e-mail alerts every few days asking for a few minutes of time to help advance reform. For example, we may ask you to help build our movement for change by submitting comments on high-profile newspaper websites and blog posts, calling in to popular radio shows that are discussing the drug war, or voting in online polls asking about reform. If you would like to join the Rapid Response Team, please click here. The list will be totally separate from our normal newsletter and action alert list, and you can remove yourself at any time if you feel you're getting too many e-mails. LEAP Speakers: Education, Advocacy, Action Contributed by Barbara Humphrey, Speakers Bureau Assistant From rotaries to college campuses, Lions clubs to the halls of Congress, LEAP speakers are spreading the drug policy reform message, and it is making a difference.   An important role of the Speakers Bureau staff is to capture feedback from LEAP speaking engagements, allowing us to measure the impact of our efforts. In addition to finding out how many people attended presentations, we also strive to go beyond the numbers to determine the impact of the presentation on those present and to solicit ideas for how to improve the effectiveness of these presentations.   The following are examples of the kind of feedback provided to LEAP following speaker presentations. In January, veteran speaker Dean Becker addressed a Texas Lion's Club audience of 130+, including three sitting judges, municipal law enforcement officers, and a State elected representative.   What an incredible opportunity to affect change!  One of LEAP's newer speakers, Neill Franklin, spoke to supporters of the Tuerk House, a Timonium, Maryland drug/alcohol center, in early February. The host was appreciative that Neill was able to generate a lively discussion following his presentation, a good indication of how well the talk was received.  The next day, Neill spoke to 20 faculty members and students at the University of Maryland College of Law. The students were so impressed with the presentation that they have suggested a school-wide forum on the subject, while the faculty host described Neill as "awesome." In California, Judge James Gray spoke to more than 30 students at UCLA in February. The school's host described the presentation as inspiring, and she was aware of a number of students whose minds had changed that night as a result of Judge Gray's talk. LEAP's Executive Director, Jack Cole, is also one of LEAP's most effective speakers.  Jack made a presentation to a group of 30 Rotarians in Massachusetts recently. The club's host commented that "Jack made a real hit! His presentation was great and I'm sure a lot were converted."  The feedback from LEAP speaking engagements point to the important impact these speakers are making in the communities where they live and visit. They inspire us all to keep booking, keep talking, and keep following up. State By State El Paso, Texas was at the forefront of the drug war debate in January. When El Paso's city council unanimously voted to call for an open debate on ending drug prohibition, the mayor vetoed the resolution. The city council responded by calling for an override of the veto, and LEAP speaker Terry Nelson attended the meeting to give testimony before the council. Unfortunately, the mayor's veto was upheld; four of the eight council members who originally supported the resolution reversed their votes under significant federal pressure that threatened state and federal funding. If you haven't already done so, please visit www.DrugWarDebate.com to ask YOUR state and federal representatives to support a blue ribbon commission reviewing the efficacy of drug prohibition. Make The LEAP As drug prohibition-related issues like the Michael Phelps drug investigation, the imminent nomination of a new drug czar, and the El Paso City Council's efforts continue to make the news, LEAP's voice needs to be heard now more than ever. LEAP is committed to keeping the debate on war on drugs at the forefront until the day drug prohibition ends. Please support LEAP's efforts by making a tax-deductible contribution to ensure that our mission of education on the failures of drug prohibition can reach its fullest potential. We need YOUR help to continue doing all that we do. If you aren't already, please consider volunteering your time or donating to LEAP. Together we can End Prohibition Now! If this newsletter was forwarded to you from a friend, please click here to subscribe. LEAP Links LEAP Speakers Blog, click here. To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here. Questions or comments? E-mail us at [email protected]   LEAP is a nonprofit educational organization with Tax Exempt Status under United States tax code 501(c)3, Federal EIN: 16- 1645758. |
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In The Trenches
Joplin NORML Looking for Cannabis Revival 2009 Volunteers!
Joplin NORML is looking for volunteers who want to have a great time as well as assist in the largest marijuana law reform concert in the Midwest!
Chronicle
Marihuana medicinal: Comité del Senado aprueba proyecto de Minnesota
La marihuana medicinal vuelve a tramitar en Minnesota. Esta semana un proyecto de ley fue aprobado por un comité del Senado, pese a las declaraciones alocadas de larouchistas y conservadores cristianos.