Drug WarRant Wednesday, December 24, 2003 Happy Holidays I'll be away visiting family over the next few days. And while our drug czar has not taken a vacation from his lies, I don't feel like reporting his comments at this time. So I leave you with this tree and some reading suggestions. Feel free to browse through the site and check out some of the longer articles, if you haven't gotten to them yet, such as Why is Marijuana Illegal, War on a Plant, and Frequently Asked Questions. For something on the lighter side, check out my parody Increase in Burger Abuse Seen. For updates on any critical news regarding the drug war over the holidays, you can always check out TalkLeft. Finally, for a special holiday treat, check out Susan Wells' "A Drug War Carol." 5:34:38 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment [] Tuesday, December 23, 2003 No joy in Canada The federal law making possession of small amounts of marijuana illegal does not violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canada's top court says. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 6-3 Tuesday that jailing someone with small amounts is constitutional. This means that marijuana policy reform is going to be up to the government, which has batted around various plans for decriminalization for some time (over the vocal objections of the United States Minister of Drug Policy Disinformation John Walters). It all boils down to debates over what amount consists of decriminalized small possession (5-10-15 grams) and how much they're going to jack up the penalties for dealers and growers to "balance" the decriminalization - a far cry from the Senate's original call for legalization. Update: From a dissent in the ruling by J. Deschamps (text of decisions available here). The inclusion of cannabis in the schedule to the Narcotic Control Act infringes the accused's right to liberty without regard for the principles of fundamental justice. For the state to be able to justify limiting an individual's liberty, the legislation upon which it bases its actions must not be arbitrary. In this case, the legislation is arbitrary. First, it seems doubtful that it is appropriate to classify marihuana consumption as conduct giving rise to a legitimate use of the criminal law in light of the Charter, since, apart from the risks related to the operation of vehicles and the impact on public health care and social assistance systems, the moderate use of marihuana is on the whole harmless. Second, in view of the availability of more tailored methods, the choice of the criminal law for controlling conduct that causes little harm to moderate users or to control high-risk groups for whom the effectiveness of deterrence or correction is highly dubious is out of keeping with Canadian society's standards of justice. Third, the harm caused by prohibiting marihuana is fundamentally disproportionate to the problems that the state seeks to suppress. This harm far outweighs the benefits that the prohibition can bring. -- Keep Reading -- 9:05:12 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment [] Monday, December 22, 2003 Excellent article. Where's the Compassion by Doug Bandow at National Review Online. But the drug laws are the real dangerous threats to public health and safety. The only way to protect the public is to guarantee the right of the sick to use marijuana and to stop jailing pot smokers who just want to get high. The entire article is worth reading. A great overview of the current situation in the war, and the abject failure of the federal government. 6:02:51 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment [] Why is Marijuana Illegal? The most common Google search referral that I get is the phrase 'Why is marijuana illegal?' Not a day goes by without that search term at least once, usually many more times than that. I don't know if the prevalence of that search term is the result of class assignments, or simply a completely understandable bafflement at the idea of a logical world where marijuana use is subject to severe criminal penalties. Either way, I felt that it was time for this site to address the question. It's not a complete job - barely an overview - but it gives an introduction to the racist origins, the reign of Harry J. Anslinger, the farcical hearings of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, and the changing view toward federal police powers. Enjoy. Read Why is Marijuana Illegal?. 3:54:44 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []