A Wall Street Journal reporter wrote an informative article examining the consequences of our added border security. Similar to corner stores going out of business when the mega-stores move into the neighborhood, small-scale migrant smuggling operations are seemingly being replaced by large-scale drug cartels.
Drug Policy Alliance's Tony Newman provides an uplifting column to close this week's policy section.
]]>Our first female DEA chief is headed for a top spot in the company which pays for one of the DEA's traveling museums. Don't expect many changes as her likely successor will be just as zealous about enforcing our failed policies instead of looking for solutions.
Speaking of righteous solutions, a University of Texas reporter provided good coverage of LEAP's Executive Director's recent speech which included drug policy history, Mr. Cole's background and his current views.
]]>No serious injuries were reported after British police deployed a tractor to gain entry to a cannabis cafe. "This is not about recreational drug use on a minor scale. We are not talking about an individual having a quiet joint in their own home. We are talking about 30 or 40 people in one place, many of them from out of town."
Oregonians are testing tolerance as prosecutors in Montana get their priorities straight.
]]>While U.S. prohibitionists are still crowing their drug war (after all these years) finally caused the price U.S. consumers pay for cocaine to marginally rise, police in Queensland, Australia say they expect to see increases in the availability of the stimulant drug. A government study made the prediction this week, based on trends in "organised crime and bikie gangs".
Like their U.S. counterparts, Canadian jurors have the power to "nullify" laws they do not like by acquitting people who may have indeed broken laws, but when the law itself might be misguided, or unfairly applied in a given instance. The recent case of R. v. Krieger (2006) sheds some light on a Canadian precedent. The judge told jurors they must convict. But on appeal, the Canadian Supreme Court overturned it. Judges can no longer order jurors to convict. While defense attorneys are not permitted to tell jurors of their right to nullify laws (by refusing to convict), Canadian jurors are free to acquit or convict and needn't explain their choice to anyone.
And finally this week, the Bush administration requested another $1.4 billion "aid package to Mexico, to help the Mexican government fight narcotics traffickers." The aid will be spread out over the next three years and is earmarked for "the police and tools to dismantle drug cartels, including helicopters, surveillance planes, drug-sniffing dogs and software to track cases."
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