Monday, May 25, 2009

Fighting for the Right to Chew Coca Like any independent country should have to fight for that right... Time Magazine has a pretty good article about the battle between the INCB/UN/US and the Andean nations who have used a natural and healthful plant for thousands of years -- coca. The latest affront, they say, is a recommendation this month from the UN's drug enforcement watchdog, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), that Bolivia and Peru criminalize the practice of chewing coca and drinking its tea. The move has provoked widespread anger and street protests in the two countries, especially among the majority indigenous populations. For them, coca has been a cultural cornerstone for 3,000 years, as much a part of daily life as coffee in the U.S. This is not bad for Time. While it gives more credulity to the INCB and the U.S. than they deserve, the article does point out the shortcomings in their arguments, and shows Peru and Bolivia as the reasonable ones in this debate. 11:02:34 PM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []

Oh, the horror. Look what happens when you decriminalize marijuana! Link The Dutch Justice Ministry reports it was forced to close down eight prisons, which will result in some 1,200 penal system staff members being laid off. During the 1990s, the Netherlands was faced with a lack of prison capacities, but now it has virtually no prisoners. Some 12,000 prisoners are serving their sentence at Dutch prisons, while there is room for 14,000, which is why deputy Justice Minister Nebahat Albayrak announced the closure of eight correctional institutions, saying that everyone who will lose their job because of this move would be taken care of. The Ministry assessed that the crime rates would continue to drop in the Netherlands and it is negotiating with Belgium regarding taking on a part of its criminals as it recorded an increase of crime rates. Those poor prison workers. Fortunately, here in the U.S., we have over 2 million prisoners, and lots of taxpayer supported prison jobs. 9:46:31 AM | drug policy | Related  | permalink | comment []