Asthmatically Correct: decrimwatch

decrimwatched

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 14:31:03 GMT

When I first started this project in the fall of last year, I had hoped it would be temporary. The Mayor of Chicago had indicated marijuana decrim is no big deal, therefore I assumed there would be an interesting process to observe as new policy was implemented.

Sadly, the process stopped almost immediately, and I'm not sure when the discussion is going to be revived. A friend who knows someone who is supposedly close to the decision-making process on this issue tells me there are a handful of upper level Chicago police brass who have attempted to apply brakes to the process ever since it started. Those opponents seem to have successfully stopped the plan's momentum last month with another phony reform related to marijuana arrests.

So, at least until the momentum starts again, I am putting decrimwatch on official hiatus (as opposed to the unofficial one it's been on for the past several weeks).

In addition to the lack of news on the Chicago issue, and already excellent coverage of marijuana-related news comming from other blogs, I find myself becoming busier with other commitments. The most exciting: An independent publisher has contacted me about releasing a revised edition of Maximizing Harm, my book about the drug war. Nothing's been finalized yet, but if everything falls into place, a new version of the book should be available by this time next year. And, perhaps, there will be a new blog to go with the new book...

If you positively can't live without my regular commentary on prohibition issues, be sure to read DrugSense Weekly every Friday, which features me and my colleagues picking the top drug news stories from the past seven days along with analysis and all the latest details from the drug war.

My sincere thanks to everyone who visited decrimwatch, especially those who took time to leave comments and/or contact me. I'd also like to express my admiration for all the committed and energetic drug war bloggers listed to the left. I've been learning all I can about the drug war for nearly a decade, but I'm always pleasantly surprised by the insights and information that other concerned individuals like Pete, Libby, Jim, Scott, Loretta, M., Sister Geoff, Preston and the folks over at D'Alliance have to share. (Sorry if I missed anyone!)

Peace.

Pot arrests from squads pushed as reform in Chicago

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 13:53:14 GMT

Is the Chicago marijuana decrim proposal dead? News in the Chicago Sun-Times today makes me think it's on life support, at best.

As linked almost immediately by the U.S. Marijuana Party blog, the Sun-Times reports today on a pilot program in one Chicago police district which will allow officers to do paperwork for marijuana arrests from their squad cars. This is supposed to save the time needed to take arrestees down to the station, but one annonymous cop isn't impressed by the alleged efficiency of the plan:

One Shakespeare District cop, meanwhile, griped that he thinks the pilot program might actually waste more time than processing arrests in the police station. Only one officer can type the information into the computer, while the officer's partner waits.

When this plan bombs (it's not saving court time, it's not going to raise conviction rates, and it's not generating revenue for the city) maybe the city will think about decrim again, but I don't expect to see it mentioned again for a while.

No opposition to marijuana law changes in Texas

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:53:27 GMT

News over at Grits For Breakfast has awakened decrimwatch from a lengthy late winter slumber. Texas has been considering something like marijuana decrim. At a committee hearing yesterday, no one spoke against the bill. The law imposes more than just a slap on the wrist for those caught with less than an ounce; they will face a six-month suspension of their driver's license along with fines, but not jail time.

Interesting to me: no one offered vocal opposition, just as no one really presented vocal opposition to the proposed decrim law in Chicago. (Remember that? I almost forgot myself.)

Will the Texas bill collect dust like the Chicago proposal?

Somebody please wake me if anything happens.

Canada: Decrim is not enough

Fri, 25 Feb 2005 19:09:31 GMT

From an excellent opinion piece in the Toronto Star called "It's Time For Canada To Legalize Cannabis":

The use of cannabis is widespread and there is intermittent talk from the government of Canada regarding "decriminalizing," but not about legalizing, it. Cannabis has much in common with both alcohol and tobacco products. Each at various times has been demonized, banned, criminalized and targeted as a health risk. We can learn from these experiences.

What can we learn from alcohol? First, banning doesn't work. As attempts at prohibition proves, it turns this area of the economy over to criminals and gives ordinary citizens criminal records.

The "L" Word and the "D" Word

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 16:34:22 GMT

Here's a good essay about the language that surrounds drug policy reform. Of course, it's fine to say this, and indeed some do try to control the language - Chicago officials don't want to call proposed marijuana reform "decriminalization" (whatever happened to that anyway?)

But that's the shorthand the media (including lil' ol' me) uses to describe it.

Former Seattle Police Chief's Book Touts Decrim

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 14:19:30 GMT

That's according to an interview in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Ever since San Diego, Stamper has lamented the miserable failure of the so-called war on drugs and the need for decriminalization. In the book, he says he gets specific about how the obscene profits of illegal drugs make our current approach impossible.

For now, Stamper will say only that he talks to officials who are afraid if they support decriminalization they'll lose elections or the Bush administration will withhold funds.

The book, "Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Street-Smart Approach to Making America a Safe Place -- for Everyone," is scheduled to be published in June.

Recrim governor needs to check his facts

Sat, 19 Feb 2005 18:06:39 GMT

An opinion piece in the Fairbanks News-Miner says Gov. Frank Murkowski isn't being straight in making a case for harsher marijuana possession penalties in the state. Such penalties would clearly violate the state constitution, and indeed, such laws have been struck down.

The Alaska Supreme Court has clearly told Gov. Murkowski that there are two avenues to changing a constitutionally protected right such as Ravin: They can either sponsor a constitutional amendment or they can properly put forth a case to the Alaska Supreme Court proving that the facts are different than originally thought to be.
The state has had both of these legal remedies at its disposal for the 30 years since the Ravin decision became law. But instead of following the legal parameters defined by the court, the state has repeatedly attempted to violate state law, ironically while complaining about lawlessness.
Perhaps Mr. Murkowski fears that he cannot win an honest debate in the courts concerning the alleged dangers of cannabis.
Numerous governments have recently held lengthy committee hearings and researched volumes of evidence concerning the allegations of the harmful effects of marijuana use. The results included the United Kingdom's downgrading of marijuana use to a ticketable offense and a Canadian senate committee advising open, taxed, regulated sales for persons over the age of 16.

Two excessive displays in Springfield

Fri, 18 Feb 2005 14:47:31 GMT

I headed down to the state capital in Illinois yesterday to see a committee hearing on medical marijuana. Unfortunately, the bill did not get voted out of committee, so there it remains. Yet many interesting things took place; Pete at Drug WarRant has a complete report.

To me, the day was typified by the two incidents involving heavy security and seemingly harmless middle-aged white men.

One man was named John Walters; the other was named Irvin Rosenfeld. Both came from out of state to testify at the hearing.

John Walters, of course, is the federal drug czar. This political appointee flew in at taxpayer expense with a full entourage, including several serious-looking security people. The intense security detail was there, I suppose, to protect the czar from the good people of Illinois. Or, perhaps, to give an otherwise bland and unimpressive bureaucrat a sense of authority. Either way, it was unnecessary overkill.

Walters insisted he wasn't there to influence the legislative process - an obviously false cover story contradicted by his very presence (when else does he show up at a state level committee meetings?) and indicative of the sincerity of all his remarks.

Physically isolated by his security team, intellectually isolated by rigid ideology, I wonder if Walters even carries the capacity for recognizing the difference between a truth and a lie.

And, indeed, he and his allies did not want to acknowledge the truth of the other fellow who found himself surrounded by security at the state house.

Irvin Rosenfeld came to Illinois by himself from his home state of Florida and offered an unimpeachable, fact-based presentation on his experience with medical marijuana. One of the seven surviving patients in a federal medical marijuana program, Rosenfeld gets eleven ounces shipped to his pharmacy by Uncle Sam every 25 days. He's been smoking roughly 12 joints a day for 22 years. He and his doctors know that it helps relieve the pain from a rare bone disease called
multiple congenital cartilaginous exostoses.

He believes that the marijuana has not only extended his life, but made his disease bearable for all these years. He's had comprehensive physical examinations which have determined no ill effects from all those years of smoking.

"The government does give marijuana to patients. I'm living proof," he told reporters during a press conference. "I'm also living proof that it works well. I'm also living proof that the government doesn't want to know how well it works. If they want to do research, all they have to do is contact me."

He brought a tin can full of marijuana cigarettes that he picks up at his pharmacy each month and showed them to a room full of astonished state legislators during the hearing. Shortly after his presentation, he found himself surrounded by four burly state security officers. They wanted to ask him some questions, and they didn't want the press to follow, so some other reporters and I were barred from the elevator where he was hustled away.

Fortunately, one of the reporters had a good idea where they were taking him. I followed her and watched as Rosenfeld faced what seemed like an unofficial interrogation over his medicine (asked repeatedly whether Rosenfeld was under arrest or being detained, the security officers would only say, "No comment.").

I thought Rosenfeld was a hero before, but watching his grace under pressure amazed me. He was polite and cooperative with the officers, effectively educating them, while remaining firm about his rights and the limits of their intrusions (he was not going to let the tin can out of his sight, and I don't blame him).

He showed them many documents confirming his situation, and offered phone numbers for his pharmacy as well as a DEA agent with whom he is on friendly terms. Eventually they got confirmation they deemed acceptable and let him go, but not before an officer finally acknowledged that Rosenfeld was being detained, and he was removed from the sight from reporters. He was released shortly after that, and he said such things happen when he speaks up. Why does he continue to do it?

Because, unlike sicker patients who have more trouble with mobility, he can. And because citizens have the right to spread the truth in America.

So it goes in the drug war. If you're a private citizen, obeying the law and exercising clearly established rights, prepare to be hassled by security. If you are a political appointee engaging in legally questionable behavior and spreading false and defamatory insinuation as fact, then you are entitled to the best protection taxpayer money can buy.

In a more sane world, Rosenfeld wouldn't face any scrutiny from law enforcement, but Walters sure would.

Should this woman be arrested?

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 15:45:39 GMT

I finally got a copy of the Chicago Reader story I wrote about Julie Falco and her use of medical marijuana online, and my friends at MAP have posted it.

Illinois lawmaker wants to restrain drug dogs

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 14:22:12 GMT

Finally, a legislator with some common sense. According to a story in today's Chicago Sun-Times, State Rep. Monique Davis wants to keep a leash on drug dogs.

"In my opinion, this will lead to a police state," Davis said, subjecting "innocent motorists, college students and especially people of color to the harassing, frightening and embarrassing experience of a dog search."

Police need more evidence than "ear-piercing and dreadlocks" to pull a driver over and call in the dogs, she said. Davis cited protections in the U.S. and Illinois constitutions against searches and seizures that lack probable cause.

I love what Davis is saying, but she should know that the drug warriors aren't going to let little things like constitutional protections get in their way.

Drug WarRant is breaking news

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 17:26:42 GMT

After a little skullduggery, Pete offers some revelations about who's really sponsoring the "marijuana lecture."

Daryl Hannah: Legalize Marijuana (and more)

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 00:57:06 GMT

I don't know how reliable this source is, and it doesn't offer another source, but here's the story.

Actress DARYL HANNAH has urged politicians to legalise marijuana and magic mushrooms - because the drugs open people's minds.

The KILL BILL star has called for substances which are "derived from nature" to be made legal, because she believes they have educational values.

Hannah, 44, says, "I'm afraid of chemical-based drugs. But the ones derived directly from nature concern me less.

"Things like mushrooms, peyote, marijuana, shouldn't be illegal.

Kids and the dirtbags keeping us from Drug-Free America

Sat, 12 Feb 2005 14:12:08 GMT

Don't bag dirt up at recess at this Missouri elementary school. You may find yourself suspended for - well it's unclear, but it must have something to do with drugs - so watch out!

As Loretta at the U.S. Marijuana Party notes, "This kid got off easy. Distribution of an imitation controlled substance to a minor is a Class C Felony where I live."

Important questions at Power and Control

Sat, 12 Feb 2005 04:24:08 GMT

Starting with Who gains from torturing sick people?

Is there enough morality here to get the government to stop arresting sick people who use pot for relief?

Can we all agree that putting sick Americans in jail for wanting to feel better is wrong?

Any one with me on this? Anyone at all?

OK lots of you. Or some any way. So where are your voices? Why aren't you forcing this change down the government's throat?

If you live in Chicago...

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 20:41:08 GMT

...get a copy of the Chicago Reader today. I have a story inside about the medical marijuana bill that is moving through the Illinois legislature.

Unfortunately, the Reader doesn't put its stories online until one week after print publication. And then you have to pay $1.95 to see each story. I'm going to try and get a copy up as soon as I can, but it might take several days.

Defend home from thugs, go straight to jail

Wed, 09 Feb 2005 20:24:38 GMT

It's not the shooting, it's the marijuana plants in the house, according to this story in the Daily Herald.

A homeowner reacted in self-defense last week, fatally shooting one man and wounding another after the two broke into his Genoa home, police said.

Although the homeowner, Michael A. Mason, 32, won't face any charges in the shooting, he was jailed after Genoa police said they found 113 pounds of cannabis and more than $17,000 in his house.
Mason was arrested and charged by DeKalb County sheriff's police with possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver, police Sgt. Ty Lynch said.
Police continue to investigate the link between Mason and the two Schaumburg men, and haven't determined a motive for the break-in, Lynch said.

Switzerland to legalize...

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 22:04:21 GMT

...absinthe.

Three grams OK in Belgium

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 17:22:58 GMT

People found in possession of less than 3 grams of cannabis will now only recieve a verbal warning from police, and their stash will not be confiscated, according to this report.

If anyone is found with less than 3 grammes of cannabis or with a plant being kept to produce dope for personal use, they should receive the lowest form of punishment – a verbal warning.

The police will store the warning on computer and send all warnings issued to the magistrates’ court on a monthly basis.

The police will have no right to confiscate the drug from users if it does not exceed 3 grammes.

A person will only be dealt with more severely if he or she is using cannabis in a school or youth centre or nearby, or in a public place, or a prison.

The policy comes after a couple years of wrangling in court over a decrim policy enacted by the legislature. The new policy is apparently only temporary until a newer draft of the law is enacted.

Cannabis Use By Young People Down After UK Decrim

Fri, 28 Jan 2005 18:21:37 GMT

From CannabisNews comes this Guardian story which says arrests were down, but so was reported use by those in the age group from 16 to 24

The Home Office said the move to re-classify the drug from Class B to Class C had saved police an estimated 199,000 hours of work.

Cannabis is now ranked alongside anabolic steroids and some prescription anti-depressants, and its possession is generally not an arrestable offence.

But ministers insisted cannabis use by young people had remained stable and was "significantly down" since April 1998.
The Home Office's British crime survey suggested 28.2% of 16 to 24-year-olds used cannabis then, compared with 24.8% today.

Save young people - downgrade penalties!

Alaska gov wants to overrule constitution for recrim

Sun, 23 Jan 2005 14:27:54 GMT

CannabisNews picked up this story from the Anchorage Daily News, which decribes efforts by Alaska's governor to push the state legislature into recriminalizing home possession of small amounts of marijuana. He doesn't seem too worried about the Alaska Constitution, which led to the decrim policy. Others think the constitution will prevail.

William Satterberg, the Fairbanks lawyer who argued the case that toppled the state prohibition on at-home pot, said he doesn't think the courts will backtrack.

"Unconstitutional still remains unconstitutional no matter what the Legislature thinks," Satterberg said.

Let's hope so. Elsewhere in the world, recrim is also under discussion.

Legislator wants to punish city for backing decrim and MMJ

Fri, 21 Jan 2005 14:25:48 GMT

As Drug WarRant and Cannabisnews have already noted, Missouri Sen. Chuck Gross has introduced a bill that would force schools not to let their athletes compete in Columbia.

Those events and others would become political victims under an unusual bill filed yesterday by a state legislator irked by Columbia’s new marijuana laws. Sen. Chuck Gross, R-St. Charles, introduced a measure that would prohibit any public K-12 schools from participating in sporting events in cities that allow medicinal marijuana or limit penalties to $250 for misdemeanor possession offenses.

Other legislators quoted in the story recognize this for the grandstanding it is, but prohibitionists do have an interest in keeping people away from places that have enacted drug law reform, since those places haven't gone to hell as predicted.

Many Police Chiefs support decrim

Wed, 19 Jan 2005 14:56:46 GMT

A new survey released by The National Association of Chiefs of Police says that 28 percent of them support decrim for "soft drugs" like marijuana.

There's a disconnect here, however, as only 22 percent of them see the drug war as successful. Maybe the other 72 percent who don't support decrim support broader legalization.

Here's the revelvant summary:

War on Drugs: Forty-one percent of police commanders surveyed said they believe marijuana should be available for medicinal purposes and 68.9 percent said they've seen an increase in the abuse of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and other Schedule II drugs. Only 22 percent of police commanders believe the war on drugs has been successful, while 28 percent said they favored decriminalization of "soft drugs" such as marijuana.

Total drug decrim recommended by Polish health officials

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 00:06:16 GMT

That's what this alternative French Canadian news site says is happening.

Reefer Madness may not be dead

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:01:42 GMT

But an actress repsonsible for one of its most ridiculous portrayals is.

It sounds like Thelma White had quite a career, but she'll always be remembered by me as the leering stoner who goes more than one toke over the line in the film "Reefer Madness."

The Chicago Tribune obituary for White actually has lots of interesting details about the film, which was discovered by Keith Stroup and went to become the foundation of a major movie distribution company.

"Reefer Madness" was a low-budget propaganda film written by a religious group to broadcast the dangers of marijuana. It was relegated to the cinema waste heap for almost 40 years until 1972, when Keith Stroup, founder of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws discovered it in the Library of Congress archives and paid $297 for a print. He then screened it in New York as a benefit for the advocacy group, unwittingly launching it on the road to cult-film history.

The movie was seen by Robert Shaye, who recognized its appeal as a hilarious, if unintentional, parody. He re-released it through his then-fledgling company, New Line Cinema, holding midnight showings until the film became a high-camp hit, especially popular on college campuses. (Based on early successes such as "Reefer Madness," New Line grew into a force in the entertainment industry, responsible for "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and other hits.)

Arkansas County may be ready to legalize...

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 20:28:10 GMT

...alcohol.