Thursday, March 2, 2006

Harry Browne, R.I.P. Harry Browne former Libertarian Presidential Candidate, died yesterday. And on his first day in office, he would pardon all non-violent drug offenders... 7:27:33 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Weeds on iTunes The first season of the delightful Showtime series "Weeds" is now available on iTunes (the entire 10 episode series is $19.90). 11:26:48 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Interesting Google tricks and more on lost promise (updated) OK, the story so far. In time honored Google tradition, we spread the word about Vigil for Lost Promise.org - a site that countered the hypocritial DEA's .com site. And sure enough, Vigil for Lost Promise.org got to the top of the list for several searches. Today, magically, Vigil for Lost Promise.org had different results in searches. In search for "Vigil for Lost Promise" it dropped from #1 to #17 In search for "Lost Promise" it dropped from #1 to #97 Clearly this isn't a case of the DEA site getting more link value, or the two sites would have just exchanged places. My vigil site suddenly lost google value. Who knows, maybe it's something I did wrong with it. Update: I'm hearing from others that the ranking hasn't changed for them. Google has all sorts of unknowable search algorithms that could be in play, so I'm just going to wait and see how this works (thanks for the quick responses). Just a reminder -- because I can't say it often enough given how some people make assumptions -- the loss of life to drugs is obviously something about which we care greatly and deeply. A vigil to remember their lives is a fine and noble thing. What I, and others, find to be the ultimate in shameless audacity, is for the DEA to be sponsoring it. Not only are their tactics directly responsible for the deaths of innocents, and the harassment of sick people in pain (and their doctors), but they also are part of the prohibition engine that increases the risk of death to those who use illegal drugs. And they're fine with that. They're not interested in harm reduction. They're interested in enforcement. And why is the prohibition establishment responsible for contributing to drug deaths? Prohibition puts drug distribution in the hands of criminals, who care little for the welfare of users. Prohibition also makes criminal drug trade extremely profitable. In fact, prohibitionists are the drug traffickers best friends. Without them, the drug dealers would be out of a job. Prohibition adds a stigma to drug abuse that often prevents people from seeking help. It is easier to get friends to help you quit smoking cigarettes, or attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, than to ask for help in kicking an illegal drug habit. Stigma also interferes with seeking medical attention in the case of an overdose or severe reaction. Someone who would not hesitate to rush a friend with alcohol poisoning to the emergency room may wait a fatally long time considering what to do with a friend who has overdosed. The current lack of any regulation of drugs increases the risk of tainted drugs and uncertain potency, which can lead to overdoses and death. The resistance to providing clean syringes to drug addicts increases AIDS and other fatal blood-born diseases. Current law in many cases prevents organizations and individuals from pursuing other harm-reduction activities, such as providing ecstasy testing kits to make sure people don't take an unexpected and fatal mixture. Illegal drug dealers want to hook clients in order to obtain future profits. With prohibition, since the drug purchaser is put into a situation of dealing with criminals, he or she is much more likely to be involved in violent and dangerous situations. Prohibition creates vast profitable criminal enterprises that settle their problems through violence, and innocent victims get caught in the crossfire. I once heard former drug czar William Bennett mention that one thing drug legalizers couldn't answer is what would they say to the parent of someone who died from drugs. Well, I would say: Let me introduce you to Mr. Bennett, who is partially responsible for your child's death, through the policies he promoted. I've only gotten one "opposition" letter so far regarding Vigil for Lost Promise, and I don't even know what the person is opposing. The call came this morning at 8:30 am, a couple who attend our parent support group had turned off the life support to their son. He was 18, started on marijuana then alcohol and then the cornicopia opened. In the end it was xanax and oxy chased with booze...a lifetime of promise lost replaced by a lifetime of grief for those left behind....if you think there is a difference between kinds of loss when it comes to substance abuse...you really don't have a clue You're right, I don't have a clue. Who are you angry at? And why? You want to do something about it? Change the laws that put drugs distribution in the hands of criminals. Turn drug abuse into a medical problem rather than a police problem so we can help people. Save future lives. 9:23:12 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

U.S. Government lying to itself as usual U.S. Government: Washington -- Steadily increasing cooperation among nations led to "significant successes" in reducing international drug trafficking and criminal activity in 2005, the U.S. State Department declared in releasing the 2006 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) March 1. However, included in the report: Bolivia: "Overall coca cultivation increased 8 percent from 2004 to 2005, to 26,500 hectares." Peru: "The USG estimates there are 38,000 hectares of coca cultivation in Peru, including 4,000 hectares in new areas." This represents a stunning 38 percent increase from 2004 to 2005. The combined one-year increase in Peru and Bolivia was 12,400 hectares, or 24 percent. Ecuador: "Ecuadorian security forces located and destroyed about 36,160 cultivated coca plants in small, scattered sites in 2005. While not commercially significant, the extent of cultivation was about double that of 2004. Together with the discovery of a small, partially harvested opium poppy plantation, they suggest that growers are testing the feasibility of drug crop cultivation in Ecuador." Colombia's coca-cultivation estimate for 2005 has not yet been made public, and probably will not be for a few more weeks. If it ends up revealing that eradication failed to reduce coca cultivation in Colombia last year -- as was the case in 2004 -- then official U.S. statistics will show a 7.5 percent increase in coca cultivation throughout the Andean region. Such a result would be a stark admission of failure, since Washington has spent more than $6 billion on counter-narcotics in the Andes since :"Plan Colombia" began in 2000. Oops. 1:59:10 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []