Thursday, June 12, 2008

Around the web Scott Morgan has the surreal posts: Vietnam Orders Police to Win the Drug War by August and People are Getting Themselves Arrested Just So They Can Sell Drugs in Jail Grant Smith at D'Alliance has a wonderful account of attending the drug testing summit held at the ONDCP HQ. I would have loved to be there. Radley Balko on the drug raid death of Gonzalo Guizan Transform notes Scotland looks to a new future of drug control '77 per cent of young people surveyed by the Forum were doubtful that Scotland would ever be drug free and only 45 per cent of respondents felt we should even be trying to become drug free.' 'There should therefore be a more honest approach to alcohol and drug policy, with the primacy of effort concentrating on prevention, harm reduction measures and treatment, supported by enforcement activities.' 7:04:00 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Award one point to the AP While the headline and overall tone of this AP article -- Study: Marijuana potency increases in 2007 -- is typical fear mongering and parroting of Drug Czar press releases, the Associated Press gets a point for at least talking about marijuana use titration and mild withdrawal of pot in the article through interviewing Dr. Mitch Earleywine. While the drug's potency may be rising, marijuana users generally adjust to the level of potency and smoke it accordingly, said Dr. Mitch Earleywine, who teaches psychology at the State University of New York in Albany and serves as an adviser for marijuana advocacy groups. "Stronger cannabis leads to less inhaled smoke," he said. [...] But there's no data showing that a higher potency in marijuana leads to more addiction, Earleywine said, and marijuana's withdrawal symptoms are mild at best. "Mild irritability, craving for marijuana and decreased appetite -- I mean those are laughable when you talk about withdrawal from a drug. Caffeine is worse." [Thanks, John] 6:51:01 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []