While there have been studies showing that marijuana can shrink cancerous tumors, medical marijuana is essentially a palliative drug. If a doctor recommends marijuana to a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy, and it helps them feel better, then it's working. In the end, medical marijuana is a quality-of-life decision best left to patients and their doctors. Drug warriors waging war on noncorporate drugs contend that organic marijuana is not an effective health intervention. Their prescribed intervention for medical marijuana patients is handcuffs, jail cells, and criminal records. This heavy-handed approach suggests that drug warriors should not dictate health-care decisions. [continues 62 words]
in November Colorado and Washington Became the First States to Legalize Marijuana. Is California Next? When news broke on election night that Colorado was the first state to legalize marijuana, patrons at the trendy Casselman's Bar & Venue in Denver erupted in cheers, then hugged each other and cried. Organizers and friends of the state's Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol thanked everyone-elderly black women, young hipsters, business execs-and there were far more people in suits than in tie-dye that night. And nary a hint of ganja smoke inside the hip establishment. [continues 2944 words]
Colorado and Washington residents pushed marijuana out of the closet in 2012. Will California be the next state to legalize marijuana? When news broke on election night that Colorado was the first state to legalize marijuana, patrons at the trendy Casselman's Bar & Venue in Denver erupted in cheers, then hugged each other and cried. Organizers and friends of the state's Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol thanked everyone-elderly black ladies, young hipsters, business execs-and there were far more people in suits than in tie-dye that night. And nary a hint of ganja smoke inside the hip establishment. [continues 2934 words]
BLOOMINGTON - Medical marijuana is a proven pain reliever and its legalization won't turn thousands of Illinoisans into stoners, argue people who favor medical marijuana legislation that could be voted on next week in the Illinois House. "Medical marijuana has been shown in numerous studies to work," said Pete Guither, faculty adviser to the Illinois State University chapter of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. "Let's leave it up to the doctors and patients to work out what medicine brings pain relief." [continues 373 words]
FSU SSDP, NORML continue to advocate, educate on drug reform and cannabis law Don't invest in the stock of Goldfish and Cheetos just yet. At least that's what Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is suggesting to citizens in his state. The caution came after Colorado and Washington became the first and second states in the U.S. to legalize recreational use of marijuana for adults over the age of 21 on Tuesday, Nov. 6, while Massachusetts became the 18th state in the U.S. to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. [continues 694 words]
To the editor, If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal and there would be no medical marijuana debate. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best. White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched federal bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda. [continues 107 words]
The legalization of marijuana has made it onto the Arkansas ballot after years of heated debate. Now known by the signs reading "Vote Yes on Issue 5," the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act has been placed on state ballots for the 2012 Election. The Act is a comprehensive blueprint for establishing and regulating a medical marijuana program in Arkansas, run by the Arkansas Department of Health. While several Arkansas citizens are still torn on the issue, it wouldn't have made it on the ballot without the advocacy of several men and women across the state. [continues 1197 words]
Students at the University of Rhode Island are attempting to end the war on drugs. Students for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), is an international grassroots network of students who are concerned about the impact drug abuse has on our communities. The organization has over 100 chapters at universities on five different continents. This year, the URI chapter of SSDP was ranked the 9th best SSDP chapter in the country by High Times Magazine. The mission of the organization is to improve illicit drug regulations on three different level; campus, state and federal. SSDP aims to make sure that students on-campus are not losing their opportunity for a prosperous future due to a substance problem or wrong decision. [continues 833 words]
Sarah tied her honey-blonde hair into a disheveled bun. She caught the blue and tan swirled glass pipe in her fragile hands and sharply, yet smoothly inhaled the smoke, as if it were instinct. Her face slightly ballooned; she held in the smoke for about five seconds and then let it out with a soft hiss. She let out a sigh, and then loosened the grip on the back of her neck the pain was leaving. Sarah is one of approximately 136,000 marijuana users in West Virginia, according to a 2009 report by DrugScience.org. Of the sampled population, 81,000 reported marijuana use in the past month. [continues 1168 words]
According to drugwarfacts.com, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. According to the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy, the first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive. White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched federal bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda. [continues 96 words]
Deep-pocketed marijuana activists are pouring millions of dollars into legalization measures on the ballot in Washington and Colorado, but they are keeping their distance from a similar pot campaign in Oregon. Marijuana legalization advocates connected with billionaire donors George Soros and Peter Lewis say the Oregon measure doesn't appear as politically attractive as it is in two other states -- particularly in Washington where two recent polls show a majority favoring legalization. Oregon's Measure 80 has not polled nearly as well, which is a "cause for concern and a disincentive" to donate money, said Ethan Nadelmann, a prominent national opponent of the nation's drug laws. [continues 699 words]
Participants Present Their Cases For Pot Legalization A great cloud rose over the Boston Common Saturday, Sept. 15, as thousands of people from all over New England gathered for the 23rd Boston Freedom Rally. Bringing together speakers, musicians, and many different kinds of vendors, the rally serves as a yearly gathering point for marijuana legalization advocates to get together and protest the government's drug policy. Beginning at 12 p.m., people of all different sorts streamed into the Common. Although the college age cohort seemed to make up the majority of those in attendance, there were some Baby Boomers and Generation-Xers as well. Most people gathered in circles on the lawns near the two large stages to smoke. [continues 610 words]
After speaking before a crowd on the Boston Common at the 23rd Boston Freedom Rally, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank told The Daily Free Press that marijuana should be legal and smoking it is an individual decision. "I don't think anybody should be treated as a criminal for it," Frank said Saturday of smoking marijuana. Frank headlined the list of speakers at the rally, which also known as "Hempfest." The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, or MassCann, ran the rally, partnering with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. [continues 684 words]
The University of Connecticut is ranked first in the nation among marijuana activism and policy by High Times magazine. The ranking, which was released in August, grades universities across the country in terms of efforts to legalize cannabis, raise awareness and reform drug policy. The magazine lists the many efforts by UConn's Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) as the main reason for their ranking. According to High Times, "The Huskies of UConn SSDP have led the pack this year in reforming marijuana policy both on and off campus. Most notably, they played a huge role in helping pass medical marijuana legislation in Connecticut by hosting rallies, coordinating student-lobbying efforts and testifying before lawmakers." [continues 335 words]
Peterborough's drug task force hosting series of Pot Talks discussions with local youth (PETERBOROUGH) The local drug task force hopes to bring area youth to the table to talk pot this fall. During a series of planned discussions, dubbed "Pot Talks," Peterborough youth are invited to share their thoughts on policy surrounding the drug and it's use, as well as learn about potential health impacts. The move to engage youth in the debate is one of the many potential actions outlined in the Peterborough Drug Strategy, which was released earlier this year after two years of research. [continues 702 words]
Drug Paradox: State, Federal Discrepancy Threatens Legal Users Starting on Oct. 1, medical marijuana will be legal in Connecticut. Although our state's medical marijuana law was carefully designed to minimize the risk of federal invention, the legal reality is that the federal government can still prosecute anyone growing, selling or even using marijuana in compliance with state law. Our state leaders should act to protect Connecticut's citizens, and call on President Barack Obama to allow medical marijuana at the federal level. [continues 582 words]
Could Kansas City be next in Missouri to lighten up on lighting up? In 2004, Columbia residents passed a measure that greatly relaxed penalties for marijuana smoking and possession. The advocacy group Show-Me Cannabis Regulation said last week that it may soon mount similar efforts in Kansas City and Springfield. "We think those are incremental steps that could really help in getting a statewide measure passed," said Amber Langston, the group's campaign director and leader of the Columbia effort. [continues 1281 words]
On May 7, the Charlottesville City Council boldly recast the debate about marijuana policy in Virginia. The council adopted a resolution urging the General Assembly to give due consideration to decriminalizing, legalizing or regulating marijuana like alcohol. The council signaled that there is substantial support for changing marijuana laws in our community. This development undermines claims that marijuana legalization is a marginal issue in the commonwealth. When future sessions of the General Assembly debate this issue, our elected officials will need to give the issue a fair hearing. [continues 271 words]
In the Weeds A resolution that would have marked a shift in city policy toward prosecuting marijuana possession was ultimately passed by City Council last week as a watered-down request for the state to re-examine its drug policy, but that didn't keep the debate over legalization from raging on. At the May 7 council meeting, the chambers overflowed with citizens ready to argue for or against marijuana decriminalization. After hearing from recovering drug addicts, attorneys, students, and parents, council members discussed the resolution at length. The original draft consisted of two parts, the first encouraging the Charlottesville Police Department to deprioritize by reducing punishment for possession and focusing on other crimes. The final paragraph proposed that the city address the Virginia General Assembly about a statewide decriminalization. It was the only portion that passed. [continues 929 words]
Rick Doblin, founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics Studies, said the government and the National Institute on Drug Abuse has a "monopoly on marijuana research" at Suffolk University NORML's 2012 Cannabis Curriculum and Hemposium on Tuesday. "The only place in the country that has NIDA approval to grow marijuana for research is a government-run facility at the University of Mississippi," he said. "We have been in court for six years trying to get clearance." About 65 students and speakers gathered at Suffolk University for a forum that encouraged students to do research and projects on cannabis and its prohibition, in addition to providing a place for students to showcase their results. [continues 477 words]
There was more politicking than in years past -- and seemingly less marijuana smoking -- at Saturday's 41st annual Hash Bash on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. A swarm of marijuana buffs gathered as usual at what they call high noon on U-M's outdoor Diag plaza to cheer speakers with shouts of "Free the weed!" Some discreetly smoked pot while public safety officers stood a stone's throw away, making 13 arrests for marijuana possession, according to the U-M Department of Public Safety. [continues 452 words]
Students for a Sensible Drug Policy hosts member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Her best friend was raped and murdered by a drug gang while she was at college. Ten years later, retired Maryland State Police Captain Leigh Maddox would lose yet another close friend during a drug sting operation. Maddox -- now a special assistant state's attorney for Baltimore County and member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition -- spoke to nearly 30 students in Stamp Student Union Monday about the drug war's deadly consequences. [continues 579 words]
Appeals Court Rules to Bring Decriminalization to A Vote Decriminalization of the recreational use of marijuana might be on the ballot this November in Detroit, and perhaps statewide. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of The Coalition for a Safer Detroit in its lawsuit against the Detroit Election Commission on February 10. The coalition filed the lawsuit after the commission voted to exclude a decriminalization proposal from the 2010 ballot, despite a successful petition to include it. In the 2-1 decision, the court declared the decriminalization proposal should have appeared on the 2010 ballot. This ruling will force the proposal to appear on the next viable Detroit election ballot. [continues 728 words]
I appreciated the publication of "Cannabis activists are ready to say 'no Obama' " by Jim Greig (Feb. 29). Which candidate we vote for only matters come that day in November. Until then, I'm going to join Greig and just say "no" to President Obama. The drug war (and the marijuana issue is but a part of that) is ruining us. We have spent more than $1 trillion waging the drug war, and it has failed. If making pot illegal was meant to staunch its use, the law has failed. If it was meant to stop marijuana growing, the failure is off the chart - cannabis is now the nation's No. 1 agricultural commodity. [continues 73 words]
Matt, a 20-year-old student at Sacred Heart University, occasionally buys small amounts of marijuana. He has never been caught by police, but he said friends have, and they got lucky. Faced with two choices -- charging the users with a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and possible imprisonment or letting Matt's friends go after disposing of the pot -- the police chose the latter. "They didn't arrest them," said Matt, who asked that his last name not be published. "They just let them go." [continues 1828 words]
"...rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law,' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual." - Thomas Jefferson A movement in drug policy circles is afoot in this election season that so far has flown under the media's radar but holds the potential to be a game-changer. [continues 647 words]
Despite the Federal and County Crackdowns, Smartphone-App Business Is Still Smokin' Medical-cannabis patients are increasingly turning to their smartphones to easily find deals of the day, scan dispensary menus, and even schedule dispensary-provided services such as yoga. A tour of the Apple App Store and the Android Market reveals a rapidly advancing world of weed apps, even amid the crackdown by the U.S. Department of Justice. This makes sense, actually: Dispensaries ratcheted down visibility, pulling TV and print ads and even closing shops, but have turned to smartphone and tablet apps and email lists to roust business. [continues 688 words]
If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal and there would be no medical marijuana debate. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best. White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched federal bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda. Marijuana prohibition has failed miserably as a deterrent. [continues 94 words]
There's been an explosive growth in smartphone app usage, despite federal finger-wagging over marijuana. Medical cannabis patients are increasingly turning to their smartphones to easily find deals of the day, scan dispensary menus, and even schedule some dispensary-provided yoga. A tour of the Apple App Store and the Android Market reveals a rapidly advancing world of weed apps amid the crackdown by the US Department of Justice. Whether it's studying up on strains, finding a physician who specializes in the medicinal herb, staying informed, or ending prohibition, the needs of the medical cannabis industry are playing out on mobile technology. [continues 768 words]
A Gallup Poll in 2010 Showed Americans in Support of Legalizing Marijuana Outnumbered Those in Opposition Even those who support marijuana legalization admit this probably won't be their year in Iowa. At least one Iowa Senate Republican is calling on lawmakers to consider legislation to legalize pot for medical use, the measure will likely stall in the Legislature again this year. Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, who has supported legalizing medical marijuana for years, said conversation will keep the issue relevant, but any serious action will take some time. [continues 517 words]
Shortly before senior Kat Rodriguez's last home football game as a student, she was returning to a tailgate near Notre Dame Stadium when she tripped on a bicycle and gashed open her forehead. Blood and beer spilled to the ground as Rodriguez, who was of legal drinking age, fell to the ground. Senior Tom Burns and a friend saw Rodriguez fall and helped her to a Notre Dame Security Police (NDSP) officer. But before doing so, a thought crossed Burns' mind -- Would Rodriguez, or his friend who was intoxicated and underage, get in trouble? "For a split second, it crossed my mind," Burns said. [continues 1531 words]
The feeling is all too common -- an overwhelming sense of dizziness, compounded by an inability to place one foot in front of the other without stumbling. While this experience is typically induced by heavy drinking, students could mimic the effects of high blood alcohol content using special "beer goggles" at an event Friday sponsored by Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, Health Services and the Greek Council. On a given day, the 15 to 20 members of Brown's chapter of SSDP may be found on the Main Green passing out flyers about the negative effects of government anti-drug efforts, at the Rhode Island State House protesting decisions they believe unfairly discriminate against drug users or in the basement of the Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center educating students on the dangers of alcohol abuse. [continues 991 words]
As the race moves to a state with a big drug problem and controverisal laws to deal with it, here's a primer on an issue that has been largely absent from the campaign trail The battle for the Republican nomination has moved to Florida this week, which also happens to be a key battleground in an entirely different fight: the $15bn federally-waged war on drugs. Passed in July of last year, a controversial law requires the state's welfare recipients to submit to drug testing -- and to pay for the costs of the screening. Nearly 1,600 applicants refused to submit to the testing last year, while over 7,000 took the test and passed. Thirty-two of the applicants failed, the majority of whom tested positive for marijuana. [continues 1263 words]
Bill Would Enable Doctors to Prescribe Cannabis To Patients A bill that would enable doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to patients -- introduced in the House of Delegates earlier this month -- has attracted bipartisan support, moving Maryland closer to joining 16 states and Washington in legalizing the drug for medicinal purposes. Del. Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore City) drafted HB 15 -- also known as the Maryland Medical Marijuana Act -- which would allow doctors to prescribe the drug to patients suffering from severe pain and end-of-life ailments, as well as regulate the sale and growth of the drug in the state. Although opponents of the bill have argued that the legislation would lead to increased drug use, Glenn said prescriptions would only be used when "doctors have exhausted all other resources." [continues 487 words]
HEALTH / Activists Say Federal Omnibus Bill Will Put Drug Users, Prisoners at Greater Risk Local advocates for successful harm-reduction programs are arguing that the federal omnibus crime bill places drug users at a higher risk of contracting diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. They say that Bill C-10, reintroduced last September by the Conservative Party, has more consequences than simply being "tough on crime." It's a "regressive piece of legislation," says Sandra Chu, senior policy analyst at the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, noting that infection rates are 10 times higher for HIV and 30 times higher for hepatitis C in prisons. [continues 983 words]
Advocates Hope U. Senate Will Extend Good Samaritan Policy To Include Drug Overdoses For many student activists, winning the four-year fight to implement a Good Samaritan policy in March was only the first half of the battle -- they have officially begun the second round to extend the policy to include drug use. Undergraduate senators officially submitted a policy to the University Senate Nov. 18 to extend the Good Samaritan policy -- which protects dangerously drunk students from university sanctions if they call 911 for themselves or a friend -- so students are also protected if they overdose on drugs. Although students pushed for an all-inclusive policy when they first began lobbying for Good Samaritan legislation four years ago, they ultimately focused on only getting an alcohol-related policy passed first. With a formal extension proposal now in hand, they are setting their sights again on establishing the policy they had once envisioned. [continues 509 words]
Across Canada, protestors recently met to urge lawmakers not to "mess up like Texas." They were supposed to be sporting cowboy hats, but in Oshawa all they wore were expressions of dismay at the progress of a crime bill they feel the government has no grounds for. The protestors, though relatively few, were vociferous in denouncing the federal government's omnibus crime bill currently sitting in the House of Commons. C-10, as the bill is known, contains amendments to several sections of the Criminal Code. Minimum sentences for drug violations and more prisons were just two facets of the bill the protestors had come to decry. [continues 678 words]
Critics are having a hard time understanding why the Conservatives would draft crime legislation that will see teenagers sent to prison for sharing marijuana with their friends. It's like 'cracking a nut with a sledgehammer,' one tells CHRIS COBB. He's an 18-year-old the law defines as a man. He comes from a solid middle-class family. He's a smart, hardworking person with great potential and he's never been in trouble with the law. Like millions of Canadians teenagers before him, and at least a quarter of his contemporaries, he's going through a marijuana phase: something that reliable justice statistics show he will eventually grow out of, just as many police officers, politicians, doctors, teachers and lawyers grew out of. [continues 2771 words]
Federal Prosecutors Target Legal Marijuana Trade Despite Obama's Liberal Stance on Medical Use of Cannabis Steve DeAngelo doesn't have the luxury of worrying about a threatened US government crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries like the one he runs in Oakland, California. For him, the crackdown is already in full swing. As the head of the largest pot dispensary in the country, with more than 80,000 customers and annual revenues of more than $20m, DeAngelo always knew he would have a big target on his back if the federal authorities chose to challenge the state laws that allow him and thousands of other operators across the United States to sell marijuana on the open market. [continues 1277 words]
Dear Editor, Mexican drug cartels are no doubt thrilled with the Obama Administration's crackdown on voter-approved medical marijuana dispensaries. So much for change and 2008 campaign promises to respect states' rights. So much for jobs. The medical marijuana industry is one of the few job creators in the current down economy. If Obama succeeds in destroying the domestic medical marijuana industry, international drug cartels will move in to meet demand and reap the profits. This is basic economics. As long as there is a demand for marijuana, there will be a supply. Replacing domestic growers with organized crime groups that also sell cocaine, meth and heroin is not necessarily a good thing. Marijuana prohibition is a gateway drug policy. Students who want to help end marijuana prohibition should contact Students for Sensible Drug Policy at www.SchoolsNotPrisons.com. Sincerely, Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy [end]
Group Hopes Policy Will Extend Coverage to Drugs Members of Students for Sensible Drug Policy are gearing up for a familiar fight this semester -- pushing for a Good Samaritan policy that applies to those under the influence of drugs. After a three-year push from members of the university community -- including many in SSDP -- the University Senate approved an official Good Samaritan policy in March, which protects dangerously intoxicated students from university sanction if they call for help for themselves or a friend. While this is the first full semester it will be enforced, members of SSDP said they are already mobilizing different on-campus groups to extend the policy to students on drugs. [continues 450 words]
Nearly 1,000 people gathered on the steps and lawn of the state Capitol this afternoon to decry attempts to change the medical marijuana law passed by voters in 2008. With the distinct smell of marijuana in the air and signs declaring "Let My People Grow," and "Fight Criminals, not Sick People," the rally was one part "Hash Bash" and one part protest rally. Speaker after speaker decried the recent raids on medical marijuana dispensaries and efforts made by the legislature and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette to water down the law, which passed with 63% of the vote. [continues 209 words]
Drug use among college-age adults is increasing, driven largely by an increase marijuana use, a national drug-use survey has found. Nearly one in 10 Americans report regularly using illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants or prescription drugs used recreationally, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health made public today. The survey, sponsored by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), collects the data from interviews with 67,500 randomly selected people 12 years or older. [continues 745 words]
To the Castlegar News editor, Re: 'Police strike new charter with schools and community groups' (June 30). Again with the D.A.R.E. nonsense? How many times does a program have to fail before it is abandoned? The problem with most drug "education" aimed at young people is that it mostly consists of fear-mongering: "Don't! Or you will get in medical, social, or legal trouble!" Indoctrinations, certificates, slogans, promises and vows -- all of it has proven to be of little help and at least some harm. Don't believe me? Since D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) first started in the mid-1980s, drug use among Canadian teens has quadrupled! [continues 338 words]
The Proposed Bill Would Leave the Regulation of Marijuana to State Governments. HR 2306, the bipartisan bill known as Ending the Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011, was introduced into Congress on June 23 by D-Rep. Barney Frank with the support of R-Rep. Ron Paul. If passed, the bill would not legalize marijuana, but would remove regulation from the federal level and be left to the discretion of the states. The bill lists a number of sections in federal law where marijuana would be removed, essentially striking it from the federal list of "controlled substances." The states would then have the power to regulate, tax or prohibit them on their own terms. "A bill to limit the application of Federal laws to the distribution and consumption of marijuana, and for other purposes," the HR 2306 bill document said in its introduction. According to Politico, the bill is modeled after the 21st amendment, which repealed the alcohol prohibition. During an interview about the proposal, Paul said that the prohibition is a catastrophe. Kids are able to obtain marijuana more easily than alcohol and marijuana is beneficial for many cancer patients, he said. "The war against marijuana causes so much hardship and accomplishes nothing," Paul said. "We knew prohibition of alcohol was very bad, so this is just getting back to a sensible position on how we handle difficult problems." According to their website, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws [NORML] and their state affiliates, like Washington NORML, act with the intention to educate the public, lobby state and federal officials and gain overall support for the elimination of the criminal prohibition on marijuana. Kevin Oliver, the executive director of Washington NORML, said they need support for the bill. "Once the bill has been introduced and has a bill number, we should all begin asking our elected representatives in the House to co-sponsor the measure," Oliver said. Brady Irwin, the CFO for the WSU branch of Students for Sensible Drug Policy [SSDP] and NORML, said that this legislation would be a huge win for the anti-prohibition movement. He said he does not know if this bill will be the one, but it is a step in the right direction. [continues 290 words]
Friday marked the 40th anniversary of the U.S. "war on drugs," a policy of zero tolerance first declared by then-President Richard Nixon in 1971, but members of the MSU branch of Students for Sensible Drug Policy hope that this anniversary will be the country's last. MSU Students for Sensible Drug Policy, or MSU SSDP, held a candlelight vigil at 8:30 p.m. Friday outside the Capitol to protest what they consider to be failed prohibitionist drug policies and to remember the people who have died because of them. [continues 559 words]
June 17 will mark forty years since President Richard Nixon, citing drug abuse as "public enemy No. 1," officially declared a "war on drugs." A trillion dollars and millions of ruined lives later, the war on drugs has proven to be a catastrophic failure. The Drug Policy Alliance, the nation's leading organization promoting drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights, will host a press conference at 1pm on Thursday, June 16 at the Newseum in Washington D.C. [continues 618 words]
The war on drugs has failed. It's time to legalize marijuana, decriminalize other drugs, and implement science-based policies instead of fear-mongering. These are not the words of drug-reform advocates, but those of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, a 19-member panel made up of high-profile international experts. The panel's June 2 report declared the war on drugs a failure in no uncertain terms. If the drug war was supposed to accomplish anything, it was to decrease the consumption of drugs and limit access to them. Quite the opposite has happened. [continues 463 words]
LEGALISE CANNABIS marches were held in Dublin and Cork on Saturday. Large numbers of participants turned out from an alliance of groups including Cork Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Legalise Cannabis Ireland and the De Criminalise Illegal Drugs group. Participants in the fifth annual Legalise Cannabis marches have stressed that the money that is raised through the drugs trade would be better spent by the Government than by criminal gangs who currently control it. Roscommon-Leitrim TD Luke Ming Flanagan told attendants at the rally in Cork on Saturday afternoon that anyone who believed that legalising cannabis would lead to more people using hard drugs should listen to the facts from the Netherlands. [continues 207 words]
April 20 Is Valued in Cannabis Culture, and the Protest Served As a Way to Gather in Celebration. About 30 students gathered on the sky bridge between the Lighty Student Services Building and the Glenn Terrell Mall Wednesday. The smell of incense filled the air as students gathered with signs reading "Cannabis is safer than alcohol," "I love pot" and "End marijuana prohibition." Members of the WSU chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) met Wednesday to march from Lighty to Reaney Park. [continues 306 words]
