Cannabis Law and Politics

Drug Czar of My Dreams Matt Elrod 18 December 2008 Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-elrod/d...s_b_152044.html For over 35 years America's war at home, the Drug War, has been raging. Owing in large part to drug war excesses, the United States now locks up more of its citizens than any nation on earth -- more than 2.3 million, with half a million of them behind bars for nonviolent drug offenses alone. That is more than Western Europe, with a much higher population, incarcerates for all crimes combined. The historic election of Barack Obama signals a unique opportunity to begin to heal one of America's worst open sores and end the drug war, but that is …

National Drug Threat Assessment 2009 The Wall Street Journal Market Watch Dec. 15, 2008 http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Nati...9433AABC470A%7D WASHINGTON, Dec 15, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of Justice and the nation's principal center for strategic drug intelligence, has released the National Drug Threat Assessment 2009, detailing drug trafficking and abuse trends within the United States. The assessment identifies the primary drug threats to the nation, tracks drug availability throughout the country, and analyzes trafficking and distribution patterns of illicit drugs wit…

New Jersey Senate committee to consider legalizing medical marijuana By BEN LEACH Staff Writer December 15, 2008 pressofAtlanticCity.com http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/186/story/346387.html A state Senate committee will discuss legislation today that would make New Jersey the 14th state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. If Senate Bill 119 eventually is signed into law, patients with debilitating illnesses, including cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis, would have access to marijuana to relieve their pain if prescribed by a doctor. The bill is sponsored by state Sens. Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Somerset, Middlesex, and Jim Whelan, D-A…

Cannabis Embarrasment for United Nations Drug-Czar Costa - VIDEO 13 December 2008 PRCannazine News http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/content/view/789/1/ Antonio Maria Costa, the Italian Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, is seriously embarrassed because of a solo-action by Amsterdam psychiatrist Fredrick Polak. In an open letter published today, Polak demands an answer to a simple question. Despite earlier promises the global drug czar has been dodging the question for exactly one year. “How do you explain the low level of cannabis use in the Netherlands compared to surrounding countries, despite its free availability in coffeeshops?” Home-Grown …

DEA Says it Has a Policy of Not Arresting Medical Marijuana Patients Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 12:25am http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2..._policy_of_not_ Months ago, Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-MI) sent a pointed inquiry to the DEA demanding an accounting of the costs and methodology behind the federal raids against medical marijuana dispensaries in California. DEA’s response (pdf) http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/Nelson080725.pdf recently became available and contains some interesting information, including this: DEA does not investigate or target individual "patients" who use cannabis, but instea…

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Crime pays as 500 prison guards cut in privatisation purge ANDREW WEST 9/12/2008 http://wingham.yourguide.com.au/news/natio...spx?storypage=1 UP TO 500 prison security jobs, including almost 200 in country towns, will be privatised in a move that could weaken security around dangerous criminals, argues the public sector union. The Government has confirmed it will outsource the Court Escort Security Unit, which transports inmates between courts, jails and police lock-ups, as part of its reform plan - "The Way Forward" - outlined in last month's mini-budget. The unit employs 500 officers, two-thirds of them in metropolitan Sydney. "The number of staff required by the …

Road Trip In this 1hr + film Jason and family go on a road trip to Vancouver to celebrate World Aids Day additionally to see some friends while in town. In this video we hear from a few guests while we introduce the heart of Vansterdam with a tour of the BC Marijuana Party Headquarters (BCMP). Special thanks to Michelle for the wonderful welcome and Medicinal Michelle T-Shirt. Michelle was real busy with mom there preparing for a serious operation. She bravely joked about always being so busy and showed no fear of the pending operation. Best wishes and prayers for Michelle, Jeff, & family during this trying time. What a strong and courageous woman! Jason inte…

Dear Sirs, As you can clearly see we have governments and their ministers breaking Australian law with complete knowledge they are doing so. Here under ; Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 Part I—Preliminary 6 Ministers etc. to have regard to Convention The Minister for Health, the Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce, the Secretary or the CEO shall, in exercising any power or performing any function conferred on him by this Act, have regard to the obligations of the Commonwealth under the Convention and to no other matter PREAMBLE The Parties, Concerned with the health and welfare of mankind, Recognizing that the medical use o…

Narcotic Drugs Act 1967 Part I—Preliminary 6 Ministers etc. to have regard to Convention The Minister for Health, the Minister for Industry, Technology and Commerce, the Secretary or the CEO shall, in exercising any power or performing any function conferred on him by this Act, have regard to the obligations of the Commonwealth under the Convention and to no other matter SA Legislative Council – Thursday, 27th November, 2008 – page 1052 The Hon. SANDRA KANCK MP: "The message is absolutely and abundantly clear that the signatories to this convention, despite problems that might be associated with narcotics, have an obligation to ensure availability of narcotic…

California Supreme Court Unanimously Limits Medical Marijuana Defense 25 November 2008 Drug Policy News http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/112508mentch.cfm Roger Mentch, a medical marijuana patient who provided medical marijuana and advice to several other medical marijuana patients was arrested in 2003 for distribution of marijuana. During his trial, he was not allowed to put forth a defense that his actions were protected as a primary caregiver under California’s Compassionate Use Act. Mentch was convicted and given three years of probation. He later appealed his case, but this Monday the California Supreme Court upheld the trial court’s original ruling in a 7-0 decisio…

Council adopts cannabis standards – 25 November 2008 The Arcata http://www.arcataeye.com/index.php?module=...amp;format=full ARCATA – When the new medical marijuana land use standards go into effect Dec. 19, Arcata’s many cannabis patients will have simple, legal options for meeting their medicine needs. And neighborhoods blighted by grow houses will have options, too. With a doctor’s recommendation, patients with a green thumb – or a caregiver with the knack – will be able to set up a home grow in up to 50 square feet. This might yield an ounce of cannabis per week – more than enough for most patients. Those with special needs may request more grow space. Or, the …

Creeping Jackboots, part two Marc Emery 1 December 2008 WesternStandard.ca http://westernstandard.ca/website/article....928&start=3 In part two of his continuing series on the ominous expansion of state power through the war against the peaceful pot culture, libertarian publisher Marc Emery looks at the use of seizure and confiscation laws that seek to financially wipe out marijuana producers. Marc Emery - December 1, 2008 “We’re really right now at the cusp of the exponential growth in the use of civil forfeiture as police services begin to use it in the way that precedents have set, now that Ontario’s highest court has ruled that it is constitutional.” – Ontario…

Swiss stub out cannabis decriminalisation bid 1 December 2008 AFP http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/artic...vJzsDfqE4AJRlvg GENEVA (AFP) — Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal to decriminalise cannabis by a clear majority in a nationwide referendum, Swiss news agency ATS reported. Switzerland is the heaviest user of cannabis in Europe according to a recent study but the proposal to decriminalise the drug failed to win popular support in the majority of cantons, ATS said. While national figures were not yet available, ATS reported that the strongest opposition to the proposal was in the canton of Neuchatel where 71.5 of voters said "no," while in Fribourg it…