Back in the U.S.A, some citizens are demanding their constitutional rights, even if those rights conflict with drug war ideology. A religious group from Oregon that ingests an illegal tea during ceremonies is pushing their case in court in order to legally use the drug. And, finally, in Georgia, a university takes a stand against free speech, but the local NORML chapter resists.
]]>Californian Assemblyman Tom Ammiano caused a media maelstrom last week when he introduced a bill that would tax and regulate cannabis in an effort to bail out his bankrupt state.
New Jersey moved closer to becoming the fourteenth state to legalize medical marijuana, as the state Senate voted 22 to 16 in favor of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which would require the state to issue registration cards to patients who have been diagnosed with debilitating medical conditions.
Mason Tavert, executive director of SAFER, weighed in on a free speech controversy in Georgia, where the NORML chapter at the University of Georgia produced a t-shirt featuring the school mascot smoking weed. "Why is it OK for UGA to put its logos on shot glasses and other alcohol-related paraphernalia ... but not OK for Georgia NORML to depict Hairy Dawg making the safer choice to use marijuana instead?"
]]>In Canada, U.S. champion swimmer Michael Phelps was "uninvited" from motivational speaking events in continuing fallout from a photo of the swimmer using a bong, the "widely publicized alleged use of marijuana." Phelps was replaced as a speaker by prohibitionist actor Martin Sheen.
It is time this year for officials from the South American nation of Colombia to make the pilgrimage to the north, to ask for money from the Americans. Potential threats to the pipeline of money from D.C. to Colombia were portrayed as "pulling the rug out" from the nation; a menace to American children. "A reduction means more cocaine ends up on the streets of U.S. cities," warned Colombian officials. Noted observers: "It's a tricky case to make, because they have to show progress... But if you claim too much progress, the question becomes, 'Why do you need such significant assistance?'"
Meanwhile in Europe, officials admit that the prohibition of cocaine is failing miserably - as cocaine prices continue to plummet, and this in the face of inflated currencies. Said to retail for little as little as UKP 20 a gram, officials in Europe are blaming body-packing African and Eastern European "drug mules" for the cocaine glut.
In the U.K., the government launches a 2.2 million pound ad campaign criticized for overstating negative claims about cannabis. The moves comes in the wake of government insistence that cannabis be re-classified, despite evidence presented by its own scientific advisors against such a move. We "do need to be assured that advice is evidence-based, that the authorities haven't just ignored the evidence and gone ahead anyway... public health messages have to chime with experience... when they don't, they are not simply a bit less effective: they discredit the promulgating authority."
And finally, from Canada this week, editorial after editorial used alleged gang violence to prepare Canadians to accept prime minister Harper's ready-made solution in the form of mandatory minimums for "drug crimes". Some went against the trend, like this piece from Ian Mulgrew in the Vancouver Sun. Time to end the "war on drugs" says Mulgrew: "we are discussing everything except the obvious solution -- an end to the continental prohibition on illicit drugs." Can't legalize in Canada for fear of offending the colossus to the south? Think again. "Those who continue to offer the hoary shibboleth that Canada can't consider legalization without offending Uncle Sam haven't kept up to date." Time to "end the drug prohibition. Drug use should be a medical issue, not a crime."
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