Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Is Now American Policy Attorney General Eric Holder in a press conference today about the arrest of members of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, with DEA head Michele Leonhart standing next to him, was asked about the medical marijuana raids and the fact that Obama had promised to end them during his campaign (scroll to the 25 minute mark in the video). His reponse: "What the President said during the campaign, you'll be surprised to know, will be consistent with what we'll be doing here in law enforcement. [...] He is formally and technically and by law my boss now, and so what he said during the campaign is now American policy." [thanks, Tom!] Note: This doesn't mean that there will be no more raids on medical marijuana dispensaries at all. Certainly, the State of California could conduct a raid on a dispensary that it claimed was violating state law (and any resulting cases would likely be tried in state court where you could mention state medical marijuana law). Also, theoretically, the State of California, believing that a dispensary was violating state law, could ask for help from the DEA, but I would imagine Holder would find that to be politically unpleasant and would ask why the state is incapable of doing it themselves. What does seem clear from Holder's statement is that there will be no more DEA raids of dispensaries that are operating legally under state law, but not under federal law. This should also mean no more Charlie Lynch trials. I hope the judge sentencing Lynch takes that important point into account. 11:59:16 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Make Calvina Fay cry Go to Taxing pot could become a political toking point Scroll down to: Anti-drug groups are anything but amused by the idea of California collecting a windfall from the leafy herb that remains illegal under federal law. "This would open another door in Pandora's box," said Calvina Fay, executive director of Save Our Society From Drugs. "Legalizing drugs like this would create a whole new set of costs for society." Next to it, you should see a poll: Should the state tax and regulate marijuana? You know what to do. 8:24:06 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

The INCB dinosaur and Dare to Act The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the "quasi-judicial control organ monitoring the implementation of the United Nations drug control conventions" (makes me queasy just writing it). It is also the most out-of-touch hard-core international drug warrior body out there. Unfortunately, it has, for way too long, had significant influence in determining international drug control efforts. However, its rabidly ridiculous approaches are getting more and more obviously irrelevant as time goes by. Eventually, there will be a clash as governments refuse to be taken in by this charlatanism. Well, the INCB has come out with its new report and it's the same garbage as always. Pages and pages of dreck, covering every country in the world, with such nonsense as: The Board is concerned that in the United States, the disagreement between the Government and several states regarding the use of "medical cannabis" continues. [...] The Board calls upon the authorities of the United States to continue its efforts to stop that practice, which is in contradiction to national law and is in violation of article 23 of the 1961 Convention. [not true, by the way] Or with the Netherlands: The Board has longstanding concerns regarding certain policies adopted by the Government of the Netherlands, in particular the policy that allows small amounts of cannabis to be sold and abused in so-called "coffee shops". Note the "abused" word. Of course, the INCB never addressed one very important question related to the coffee shops. A question asked by Dr. Frederick Polak. It's a simple question that he has asked the head of the UNODC (Costa) four times, and each time Costa refused to answer it. (I witnessed one of those times in New Orleans a little over a year ago.) Here's the question: How do you explain that in the Netherlands, where cannabis is legally available for adults, the level of cannabis use is lower than in most other EU countries and in the US? Good question, Mr. Costa. Why won't you answer it? Dr. Polak has now created a website -- Dare to Act -- based solely on asking this question, and giving you the opportunity to help him ask the question. Give it a shot. Ask the question. 8:16:26 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Radley deserves credit for the proper headline Tearful Atlanta Cops Express Remorse for Shooting 92-Year-Old Kathryn Johnston, Leaving Her To Bleed to Death in Her Own Home While They Planted Drugs in Her Basement, Then Threatening an Informant So He Would Lie To Cover It All Up 7:33:57 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []