Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Hatch Action Orrin Hatch is one of the top drug warriors around. He's also apparently the one to know if you get in trouble. TalkLeft has the bizarre connection with one of the recent Bush pardons. The drug offender knew Carly Simon kid, and Carly Simon had recorded one of Orrin Hatch's songs, so... voila! And remember, it was Orrin Hatch who used his influence to spring record producer Dallas Austin from drug charges in the United Arab Emirates. So... maybe you want to introduce yourself. It couldn't hurt. 10:27:23 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

You can't make this stuff up Only in America can two men, who manufactured a fake penis, be charged with... conspiracy to defraud the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which administers federal workplace drug testing programs. And yes, they face up to 9 years in prison. The drug war is such a failure that the feds have to go after the Tommy Chongs and Whizzinators (not to mention grandma in her wheelchair), and legislators are constantly outlawing things like glass tubes and plastic bags and cold medicines and false compartments in cars and cash. The drug warriors should be hiding in abject embarrassment. But apparently, they feel no shame. [Thanks, DdC] 8:51:05 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Illusion Interesting lines in an OpEd by Ronald Fraser Advertised as an effective drug control policy, America's harsh drug laws only give the illusion of progress. [...] Perhaps the non-performing drug war programs are not really expected to deliver on their publicly stated goals, but continue because they serve a very different purpose. They give the politically useful illusion of "controlling" crime and allow morally righteous members of society to impose their values on the actions of others. Instead of ending the drug war, each year Washington drug warriors issue a new round of optimistic forecasts to keep the illusion alive, to justify another round of funding from American taxpayers. 8:39:47 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []