Drug Policy : 14 Oct 2004

“Proposals to punish people for drug-related speech reflect the desperation of government officials confronting a network of drug information that is more sophisticated, resilient, far-reaching, and self-correcting than ever before.” - “Open Secrets: How the government lost the drug war in cyberspace” by Michael Erard

“Two years ago a drug raid in Butte County, California, led to a three-hour standoff. It was not the sort of standoff you usually read about in the papers or see depicted on TV, pitting police against desperate criminals. It was a standoff between local and federal law enforcement officials, with implications that extend far beyond those of the typical drug bust. Deputies from the Butte County Sheriff’s Department and agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrived at Diane Monson’s home in Oroville with a common purpose: investigating marijuana cultivation. But once Monson explained that she was using marijuana at her doctor’s recommendation to treat the pain and muscle spasms caused by a degenerative spine disease, the deputies concluded her six plants were legal under California’s Compassionate Use Act. The DEA agents, by contrast, viewed the cannabis as contraband under federal law, so they still wanted to chop down the plants and take them away. Ultimately, that’s what they did, despite the intervention of Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey, who called U.S. Attorney John Vincent and asked the feds to back off.” - “Commercial Potential: How marijuana and wine can improve our balance” by Jacob Sullum

“Before the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban oversaw the production of 70 percent of the world’s opium poppies. Osama bin Laden administered their profits, laundering them through the Russian mob. He pulled in about 10 or 15 percent of the total, which gave him an estimated annual income of $1 billion, and that kind of money can buy a lot of flight lessons. This has been going on for a while. In 1984, the U.S. Justice Department estimated that Yasser Arafat’s PLO procured about 40 percent of its light weaponry by trading hash and heroin.” - “Tripped Up: Joel Miller’s Bad Trip kills the government’s anti-drug buzz” by Jeremy Lott

“Jonathan Magbie, a 27-year old quadriplegic medical marijuana patient, died while under the care of the DC court and jail. Magbie had been arrested for marijuana possession, and Judge Judith Retchin sentenced him to 10 days in jail, despite recommendations from officials against it. Her reason? There was a loaded gun in the car with him. But Magbie didn’t use the gun on anyone. And now I’ve learned it wasn’t even his. Things went haywire immediately after Magbie entered custody. He wound up getting sent back and forth between the jail and the hospital. His mother was not allowed to bring him his ventilator in jail, for two days. By the time the jail finally agreed to it, it was too late.” - “A Tragedy in the Capital” by David Borden

“The Bush administration’s war on drugs stretches deep into Asia and Latin America, yet one of its most crucial campaigns in the eyes of drug czar John Walters is being waged this fall among voters in Oregon, Alaska and Montana. In each state, activists seeking to ease drug laws have placed a marijuana-related proposal on the Nov. 2 ballot as part of a long-running quest for alternatives to federal drug policies they consider harsh and ineffective. If all three measures are approved, Montana would become the 10th state to legalize pot for medical purposes, Oregon would dramatically expand its existing medical-marijuana program, and Alaska would become the first state to decriminalize marijuana altogether.” - “Pot topic in upcoming elections: Three states want to ease laws on marijuana” by David Crary

“Law enforcement officials - many of whom are convinced that pot usage is rising significantly in southeast Michigan - are combating the new-wave techniques with some weapons of their own. They include helicopter surveillance of pot fields, increased use of drug-sniffing dogs, and Homeland Security cash to monitor illegal activities along the border with Canada. The results in Metro Detroit: the amount of pot being seized is rising significantly, and the number of arrests is up. For example, arrests in Oakland County involving marijuana increased 72.8 percent between 2001 and 2003. “If you�re in (the marijuana) business, you have to be innovative,” said Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel. “If you keep doing the same thing all the time, people will catch on.” The stakes in the game are particularly high these days with Michigan becoming a greater target for smuggling, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.” - “Metro cops tailor tactics to nab creative pot dealers: Cultivation, smuggling growth seen” by Jim Lynch

“California Attorney General Bill Lockyer sided with two medical marijuana patients Wednesday in their U.S. Supreme Court battle with the Bush administration, arguing that patients who use locally grown marijuana in states that allow it should be protected from federal drug enforcement. “The federal government has limited authority to interfere with state legislation enacted for the protection of citizen health, safety and welfare,” Lockyer’s office said in papers filed with the court on behalf of California, Maryland and Washington, three of the 11 states with medical marijuana laws.” - “State backs medical pot case before U.S. Supreme Court: Attorney general files brief supporting two Californians” by Bob Egelko

See Also : International AntiProhibitionist League - Chronology
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