Thursday, July 20, 2006

15 States and the District of Columbia arrested for marijuana It's estimated that over 17 million people have been arrested for marijuana since 1965. That's more than the combined populations of Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. [Via Regulate Marijuana in Nevada] 8:12:09 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Disconnect President Bush today, speaking to the NAACP: We want to help the addicted. We want to help the homeless. We want to help those who are trying to re-enter society after having been incarcerated. That's what we want to do. We want to help lives be improved. Saying it doesn't make it so. 7:29:11 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Who Would Jesus Incarcerate? Comedian John Fugelsang, host of ACLU Freedom Files: Drug Wars, writing over at Daily Kos Because what I learned from the bible as a child was that Jesus was a radical nonviolent revolutionary; a man who hung around with lepers, hookers and crooks; who never spoke English and wasn't an American citizen; was anti-death penalty, anti-capitalist, anti public prayer (Matthew 6:5, please remind them) but Never anti gay; and was a long haired, brown skinned (yes, it's in there), homeless, middle eastern Jew. And all he wants us to do is love people - especially the people we don't like. So I have a hard time believing that JC would advocate locking up sick people for smoking pot. Especially when his Father keeps on growing the stuff. [...] The drug war violates civil liberties, privacy rights, rights against search and seizure. It's led to out of control crime, corrupted law enforcement & business officials, and shown that the wealthy can get away with what the poor cannot - in short, it makes a mockery of any claim to be a free country. It has diverted resources from fighting other crimes, fostered racial profiling, and led to the imprisonment of millions - while the sick among us are cruelly prevented by illogical unscientific legislation from access to a plant given us by God that might reduce their suffering. I've read the bible. Show me anything, ANYTHING within the scriptures that justifies this prohibition. The war on drugs is a war on Americans. It's not even about race anymore , but class - and the only color that matters is lack of green. But we can't stop. You know why? We as a nation, a people, a tribe, are hooked. Like Caffeine, Oxycontin, fructose or Vicodin - we are addicted to the drug war. 7:01:02 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

LEAP event in Los Angeles next Thursday Link Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), an organization of current and former members of law enforcement who believe the war on drugs has failed, will hold an event, "Law Enforcement Indicts the War of Drugs" on Thursday, July 27 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Drug Policy Alliance's Los Angeles office, 610 Ardmore Ave. At the event, LEAP will offer a radical alternative to the failed war on drugs. The premier of LEAP's new 12-minute video will be followed by a panel of law enforcement and drug policy experts. The event comes on the heels of the recent passage of the West Hollywood Marijuana Resolution to make marijuana enforcement the lowest priority, and a similar measure in Santa Monica which is expected to qualify for the November election. Polling indicates the public is overwhelmingly in favor of both measures. "The drug war has arguably been the single most devastating, dysfunctional social policy since slavery," said Norm Stamper, the former Seattle Police Chief and LEAP member. LEAP, with over 3,000 members, was formed three years ago to give voice to law enforcement officers who believe the war on drugs has failed and who wish to support alternative policies that will lower the incidence of death, disease, crime, and addiction, by ultimately ending drug prohibition. LEAP is made up of former drug warriors -- police, parole, probation and correction officers, judges and prosecutors. "Over a thousand young people went to jail as a direct result of what I did out there as one undercover agent...something I'm certainly not proud of today," said Cole, a retired undercover narcotics officer for the New Jersey State. The event is sponsored by the Drug Policy Alliance, LEAP and Common Sense for Drug Policy. For more information, please call 213-201-4785. Update: Bill writes to say that the number of LEAP members in this release is probably considerably understated. The LEAP website shows a membership of over 5,000. Impressive. And an impressive organization. 6:50:55 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []