Indefinite Detention, Medical Marijuana, 420, War on Drugs, Mexico

Indefinite Detention

• White House drops veto threat of Defense authorization bill--After the House And Senate discussed it in secret.
• 'Indefinite detention' provision stirs online anger — and Jon Stewart
• Suspend habeas corpus and enact martial law?--"Americans seem ready to forfeit their most basic civil liberty -- actually, all their civil liberties -- without a whimper."
• US: Refusal to Veto Detainee Bill A Historic Tragedy for Rights
• Explaining to a 5-Year Old Why the Indefinite Detention Bill DOES Apply to U.S. Citizens on U.S. Soil

Medical Marijuana

• 77% of Americans believe marijuana should be legal for medical purposes--It seems that the overzealous government crackdown on marijuana has less to do with dealing with stoners but more to do with the threat Big Pharma sees to their business model by a cheap, natural solution that they have no control over.
• Study shows medical marijuana laws reduce traffic deaths--"A groundbreaking new study shows that laws legalizing medical marijuana have resulted in a nearly nine percent drop in traffic deaths and a five percent reduction in beer sales."
• Medical Marijuana: The Government’s View--Rafael Lemairte of NDCP says, "To date, the Food and Drug Administration has not found smoked marijuana to be either safe or effective medicine for any condition." But as a redditor points out: "It's illegal because we have not proven it safe and effective, but we haven't proven it safe and effective because it's illegal." Another notices the incessant mentions of "smoked marijuana". NYT
• Medical Marijuana Target of U.S. Prosecutors NYT
• Governors Ask U.S. to Ease Rules on Marijuana--"The governors of Washington and Rhode Island petitioned the federal government on Wednesday to reclassify marijuana as a drug with accepted medical uses, saying the change is needed so states like theirs, which have decriminalized marijuana for medical purposes, can regulate the safe distribution of the drug without risking federal prosecution." NYT
• My Mother-in-Law’s One High Day-"When my mother-in-law was in the final, harrowing throes of pancreatic cancer, she had only one good day, and that was the day she smoked pot." NYT
• L.A. Hospital Denies Liver Transplant to Medical Marijuana User Despite Prescription from Its own Doctor
• An embattled Orangevale medical marijuana dispensary is going out with a bong, er, bang.--"In response to federal and county efforts to shut down dispensaries, Magnolia Wellness is having a farewell party on Friday – its last day of business – with free pot for its customers."
• Wide range of medical marijuana users find relief in pot, despite government misgivings

420

• Colorado Democratic Rep. Jared Polis: The federal government should not be in the business of regulating marijuana use by Americans
• Majority of Massachusetts Voters Supports Marijuana Legalization
• Why Did Pot Become Illegal?--And it wasn't illegal until 1937.
• Man Can Get His Pot License Plate--"Nebraska has snuffed out a lawsuit by agreeing to issue a marijuana-themed personal license plate to an activist leading a legalization drive in the state. "
• Nassau officer cleared in fatal shooting of an unarmed man; family can only grieve

War on Drugs

• Pentagon's War on Drugs Goes Mercenary
• Police Officers Find That Dissent on Drug Laws May Come With a Price NYT
• War on drugs is a hoax: US admits to guarding, assisting lucrative Afghan opium trade
• America's shadow war on drugs--"US agents have crossed into grey areas to fight cartels. Why it's not working."
• Parents blame Eric Holder for son's death
• Ethics Panel Scorches Drug Court Judge--"The Commission on Judicial Qualifications accused Glynn County Superior Court Chief Judge Amanda Williams of 'tyrannical partiality,' making false statements, indefinitely incarcerating defendants, abusing court visitors and defendants, and nepotism."
• Legalization debate: first pot, now coke?
• A win-win on drugs? Fighting gangs by legalizing pot
• Portugal and the drug war--"The Portuguese drug decriminalisation and harm reduction model has been in place for a decade and is a proven success. It is a shining example to the world that the human values of dignity, respect and freedom can challenge and replace the inhumanity, incarceration and barbarity of the War on Drugs."

Mexico

• U.S. Drug Agents Launder Profits of Mexican Cartels NYT
• Mexico has seven million lost youth
• 26 bodies found in western Mexico