Weekly: This Week in History
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
Drug Testing: Missouri Bill to Test Welfare Recipients Passes House, But Faces Battle in Senate
Republican House members in Missouri convinced their colleagues to pass a bill mandating drug testing for welfare recipients and applicants, but Democrats are filibustering the bill in the Senate.
Hemp: Idaho Resolution Supporting Industrial Production Fails in Legislature
An effort to get Idaho to join the list of states endorsing the legalization of hemp production died on a tie vote Wednesday. Old myths and misconceptions die hard, and there is more work to do in the Gem State.
Feature: It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's... Methadone Man? Harm Reduction at the Vancouver Olympics
Look, up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Methadone Man? Harm reductionists are pulling out the stops, including calling on caped superheroes, to get their message out to the Olympic crowds in Vancouver as the Games get underway.
Feature: El Paso City Council Passes Resolution Criticizing Drug War, But Only After Killing Marijuana Regulation Language
In 1913, the El Paso city council became the first in the country to outlaw marijuana. Now, faced with the horrendous prohibition-related violence across the river in Ciudad Juarez, it has passed a resolution condemning current drug policies, but only after dropping language calling for marijuana regulation. It's got three years left until the century mark to get it completely right.
Weekly: Blogging @ the Speakeasy
"Synthetic 'Legal' Marijuana is Becoming Popular, So They're Trying to Ban It," "Police Put Warning Signs in Front of Drug Houses (Um, Isn't That Free Advertising?)," "Why Do We Even Have a Drug Czar?," "Various Interesting Links," "What's the Point of Asking Obama to Legalize Marijuana? I'll Explain."
Students: Intern at StoptheDrugWar.org (DRCNet) and Help Stop the Drug War!
Apply for an internship at DRCNet and you could spend a semester fighting the good fight!
Did You Know? Teen Marijuana Use Rates in Medical Marijuana States vs. Other States, on ProCon.org
MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org, part of the ProCon.org family, is an in-depth web site presenting information and views from a variety of perspectives on the medical marijuana issue. The Chronicle is running a series of info items from ProCon.org over the next several weeks, and we encourage you to check it out.
Europe: Anthrax Heroin Toll Rises as England Marks First Death
The European death toll from heroin apparently contaminated with anthrax has risen to 11 as England reported its first death Wednesday. There have been nine more in Scotland and one more in Germany, leading to fears the contamination is widespread. The official response is still mainly limited to telling users to stop.