Pubdate: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 Source: DrugSense Weekly (DSW) Website: http://www.drugsense.org HOT OFF THE 'NET - ------------------ EMERGING FROM THE DRUG WAR DARK AGE LSD and Other Psychedelic Medicines Make a Comeback By Charles Shaw After a 40-year moratorium, credible research for treating illnesses and addictions with psychedelic compounds has made a miraculous comeback. http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/90958/ - ------------------ MEXICO: THE MERIDA INITIATIVE DISCUSSED Laura Carlsen is the director of the Americas program for the Center for International Policy, which advocates foreign policy based on demilitarization and a respect for human rights. She writes extensively on Mexico. Senator Patrick Leahy is a Vermont Democrat who heads the foreign operations subcommittee and is an advocate of the package. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/laplaza/2008/07/draft-merida.html - ------------------ UNCLE SAM'S PATENTED MARIJUANA MEDICINE By Jacob Sullum http://www.reason.com/blog/show/127475.html - ------------------ BIG PHARMA IS IN A FRENZY TO BRING CANNABIS-BASED MEDICINES TO MARKET By Paul Armentano While the the American Medical Association claims pot has no medical value, Big Pharma is busy getting patents for marijuana products. http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/90469/ - ------------------ DRUG TRUTH NETWORK Century of Lies - 07/08/08 - John Stossel ABC reporter John Stossel & DTN reporter Dean Becker spend the half hour discussing the drug war & Stossel's latest article at Townhall.com http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/1960 Cultural Baggage Radio Show - 07/09/08 - Ryan King Ryan King of the Sentencing Project + Terry Nelson with the LEAP report, Cannabis College ad. http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/1961 - ------------------ DISPATCHES FROM VIENNA By Graham Boyd, ACLU As I head to Vienna for a historic U.N. meeting on drug policy, I find myself reflecting on the pervasive influence of the United States on drug laws around the globe. The news of today, and of any given day, is permeated with tragedies and dramas that exist only because we, in the United States, have convinced ourselves and much of the world that prison and black markets are the best solutions to the human urge to ingest substances, despite (or perhaps because of) their powerful ability to alter brain chemistry. http://blog.aclu.org/category/drug-law-reform/ - ------------------ BC UNDER SMOKE: CANNABIS CULTURE THRIVES IN VANCOUVER Welcome to Vansterdam, where marijuana is as close to legal as it gets and cannabis culture has become mainstream. From the huge smoke-ins to cannabis-friendly establishments, it's clear that Vancouverites like their BC bud. http://www.vancouveriam.com/videos/bc43740930ad - ------------------ WHY CRACKDOWNS ON DRUGS IN PRISON COMPLETELY MISS THE POINT By Steve Rolles, Transform Drug Policy Foundation So another report on drugs in prisons, another outline of how bad the problem is, another list of how drugs get into prisons, and set of recommendations for a crackdown - based on, you guessed it, a new co-ordinated strategy, new technology and some new guidelines on best practice. http://drugsense.org/url/KwOE40o5 - ------------------ ADOPTING A HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED GLOBAL DRUG POLICY ACLU Statement to the United Nations http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/gen/35891res20080707.html - ------------------ WOULD LEGALIZING CANNABIS BENEFIT YOUR COMMUNITY? World Have Your Say, BBC World Service Dope on the ropes : two U.S states consider legalising cannabis for health, crime and economic reasons, you ask us... if it's the right time to take marijuana off the crime list... Would it spare police for bigger crimes, ease the pain of the sick and stop the dealers cashing in? Or will it just lead to people trying stronger drugs? http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/whys/ - ------------------ WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK - ------------------ Write A Letter Too Many Prisoners. A DrugSense Focus Alert. http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0374.html - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake