Category: marijuana legalization

Czech President Signs Medical Marijuana Bill; US Congress Warming up to Marijuana Policy Reform

President Vaclav Klaus signed into law Friday a bill that legalizes medical marijuana in the Czech Republic.

The bill had heavy support from both ruling political parties. It was overwhelmingly passed by the Czech Senate last month by a 67-2 vote after already passing the Lower House of Parliament in December.

The Czech Republic has some of the most liberal drug laws in the world, and is one of the most marijuana-friendly countries in Europe. Possession of up to 15 grams of marijuana, 1.5 grams of heroin, 1 gram of cocaine and 4 tablets of ecstasy and cultivation of up to 5 plants are a misdemeanor offense since January 2010.

Bipartisan group of Congressional members seek to reclassify marijuana for medical use, allow for ‘fair’ trials

It used to be that congressmen Barney Frank and Ron Paul, both now retired, had pretty much the monopoly of drug policy reform in the US Congress, working together on a number of stillborn legalization bills. On the heel of the November marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington, and as polls reveal strong support for state rights to decide their own marijuana policy, overwhelming support for medical marijuana and majority support for outright legalization, Congress appears to be finally catching up with its constituents. More than a dozen Members of Congress co-introduced legislation on February 14, that would reclassify marijuana for medical use and provide federal defendants the right to use state law compliance as evidence in medical marijuana trials, a right they’re currently denied.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced H.R. 689, the “States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act,” that aims to reschedule marijuana, allows states to establish production and distribution laws without interference by the federal government, and removes current obstacles to research. H.R. 689 co-sponsors include Representatives Cohen (D-TN), Farr (D-CA), Grijalva (D-AZ), Hastings (D-FL), Honda (D-CA), Huffman (D-CA), Lee (D-CA), Moran (D-VA), Nadler (D-NY), Polis (D-CO), Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Schakowsky (D-IL). “Nineteen jurisdictions have passed laws recognizing the importance of providing access to medical marijuana for the hundreds of thousands of patients who rely on it, it is time for the federal government to respect these decisions, and stop inhibiting safe access,” said Congressman Blumenauer.

Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) introduced the “Truth in Trials Act,” which seeks to overturn the prohibition on medical marijuana evidence in federal court.

Both bills were introduced in anticipation of the National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference, “Bridging the Gap Between Public & Policy” on February 22-25 in Washington, D.C. The conference will highlight medical and legal experts, Members of Congress and other policymakers. Monday, February 25 will be a lobby day with hundreds of patient advocates meeting their Members of Congress and asking for reform.

The move is part of a scheduled flurry of congressional activity from the expanding marijuana reform supporters in Congress. Representative Blumenauer had previously introduced on February 6 “The Marijuana Tax Equity Act” that would create a taxation framework for marijuana similar to that in place for tobacco and alcohol. On the same day, Representative Jared Polis, (D. Colorado) introduced the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, that would call on the federal government to regulate marijuana much like it does alcohol.

While most of these bills are probably a long shot, they definitively heat up the debate and build up momentum for future battles. Even if President Obama is not likely to sign anytime soon a medical marijuana bill, not to mention recreational, the climate for marijuana policy reform has definitively changed on the banks of the Potomac, warming up considerably since last November.

As for the Obama administration, it has remained remarkably silent on the topic since November, which would actually be the best possible strategy if Obama had any genuine interest in marijuana policy reform. In the currently highly-charged and partisan climate that still prevails in the US Congress, the Obama administration would be well-advised to stay on the sideline and let Congress assume the initiative on such a charged issue. The issue even has some nominal bi-partisan support, which would most likely evaporate if Obama was to take a firm position on it.

Obama is the first US president who has the potential to really understand the issues of illegal drugs in a very personal and intimate way. While he consistently appeared reform-inclined prior to his election, his positions have been far more ambiguous since taking office. Was he careful not to be labeled as soft on drugs? By cracking down on marijuana dispensaries, did he intend to bring the War on Drugs to the Caucasian community? After all, if Caucasians were targeted even half as much as African Americans, the War on Drugs would most likely be over pretty soon.

There is little doubt that Obama truly gets the futility of criminalizing users as well, probably, as small time dealers; is he ready to concede the inanity of prohibitionist policies altogether? Drug policy activists generally expect some substantial changes during his second term. His administration’s response, or the continued lack of it to the Washington and Colorado legalization will undoubtedly give a clear indication of his deep-rooted intentions.
Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”
www.world-war-d.com
“World War-D” on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/0984690409/
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/worldward
Twitter:@JDhywood
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jdhywood

 

Czech Republic President Signs Bill Legalizing Medical Marijuana

President Vaclav Klaus signed into law Friday a bill that legalizes medical marijuana in the Czech Republic. The bill had heavy support from both ruling political parties.

The bill was overwhelmingly passed by the Czech Senate last month by a 67-2 vote after already passing the Lower House of Parliament in December.

The Czech Republic is one of the most marijuana-friendly countries in Europe. Although marijuana remains illegal,  lawmakers removed all penalties for possession of up to a half ounce and cultivation of five or fewer plants in 2010.

Read more: http://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/15553/czech-republic-president-signs-bill-legalizing-medical-marijuana/

 

 

Marijuana legalization debate at the US Congress

Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Federal marijuana legalization bill.

Based on a legalization measure previously pushed by former Reps. Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Ron Paul of Texas, the bill would regulate marijuana like alcohol at the federal level. Growers would have to obtain a federal permit in states that legalize pot and it would be illegal to bring marijuana in states where it is illegal. Oversight of marijuana would be removed from the Drug Enforcement Administration and given to the newly renamed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms. The measure would impose hefty excise taxes and licensing fees.

While the bill is still quite a long shot, it is one of many planned to be introduced to the US Congress in 2013 and is indicative of the growing momentum for marijuana policy reform on both sides of the aisle. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell last week came out in support of hemp legalization in his home state of Kentucky, and U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., is expected to introduce legislation allowing states to set their own marijuana policy. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., announced in December plans to hold a hearing on the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws and has urged an end to federal “mandatory minimum” sentences that lead to long prison stints for drug crimes.

Read more:  http://www.salon.com/2013/02/04/dems_move_to_change_federal_pot_laws/singleton/

Colombia, Uruguay, Guatemala: Drug Policy Reform on the Move in Latin America

Colombia: Creation of an Advisory Commission on Drug Policy

Colombia’s drug legislation is being re-assessed in an attempt to tackle drug use, trafficking and other drugs-related issues that have plagued the country at all levels of society for the past 30 years. To that effect, the justice minister, Ruth Stella Correa, launched on January 29 the first meeting of the Advisory Commission on Drug Policy (Comisión Asesora de Política de Drogas). The commission includes Former President Cesar Gaviria and former director of the National Police, General Oscar Naranjo Trujillo, as well as a number of experts and academics. It will evaluate the results and impact of the strategies on drugs that have been implemented over the past ten years, consolidate the progress and achievements in different areas, and make recommendations for a new anti-drug strategy.

Cesar Gaviria was president of Colombia (1990-94) and secretary general of the Organization of American States (1994-2004). He is founder and Board-member of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy and the Global Commission on Drug Policy. He is an outspoken advocate of drug policy reform.

General Oscar Naranjo Trujillo was director of the National Police from May 2007 to June 2012. As member of counter-intelligence and special forces, he was involved in all major operations against the powerful Colombian drug cartels since the 1980s, including Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel. He has been credited with reducing the violence in Colombia during the 1980s and 1990s. He is special advisor on security issues in the government of newly elected Mexican President Pena Nieto.

The Justice Minister said in her Twitter account “We decided to form this Commission to guide us in the design of public policy with a holistic approach. We believe that the drug policy debate should take place within the framework of scientific and empirical evidence”. She further noted that the world drug problem requires that countries seek alternative public policies to properly confront the issue.

Speaking after the meeting with the commission, the justice minister introduced a new drug bill to legalize synthetic drugs such as ecstasy. The proposal would replace current laws, which ban cocaine and marijuana, although possession of small amounts is decriminalized. Stella Correa pointed out that the Constitutional Court had already spoken against the criminalization of possession for personal use of marijuana and cocaine.

Critics say the inclusion of synthetic drugs will only confuse the debate.

Uruguay to launch a broad national debate about the Marijuana legalization project in February:

The Uruguayan government introduced in June 2012 a project of legalization of marijuana under state control. The government has struggled to gain popular support for this project, with opposition still at around 64%. Last December President Mujica decided to slow down the project, originally scheduled to be sent to vote in the Parliament in December, and announced that he would allow more time for education and debate on the issue. In order to achieve greater consensus, the secretary general of the National Drug Board, July Calzada, announced On January 28 the launch in February of a broad debate on the issue in coordination with lawmakers.

We just wish that the US government would follow the lead of its Southern neighbors!

Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina: A man on a mission

Ever since taking office in January 2012, Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina, a retired general, has been on a mission: to look for alternatives to drug prohibition and the failed war on drugs, and to start a debate about drugs regulation. From the OAS in April 2012, to the UN in September, to the Davos Summit on January 23-25 and then the Latino-European summit on January 26-27, Perez Molina has been unrelenting in promoting his initiative. Under existential threats from narco-warfare following decades of military dictatorship and right-wing militia violence that brought his country to the brink of disintegration in the 1990s and early 2000s, and deeply committed to his country reconstruction, Perez Molina is acutely aware that he may not have another option. He now needs to get firm support behind his initiative. Read more http://www.world-war-d.com/2013/01/29/president-perez-molina-leadership-for-drug-policy-reform/

Drug Policy Reform: 2013 in progress 2013-01-29


A brief presentation of the major trends and events in the Drug Policy Debate in 2013. Latin America is taking the lead with Colombia setting up an Advisory Commission on Drug Policy, Uruguay launching a national debate on marijuana legalization, and Guatemala taking the lead of the global drug policy debate.

Meanwhile, the US Federal Government seems to take an hands-off approach to marijuana legalization while more states are lining up to legalize medical or recreation use.

Drug policy on the move: 2013 as it unfolds

2012 appears increasingly as a turning point in the drug policy debate, and the trend seems to be accelerating as we move into 2013. I prepared a presentation of the major events of 2013 in the world as they unfold. The presentation is in reverse chronological order to highlight the most recent developments, and is followed by a recap of the major milestones of 2012 and the events that led to these major breakthroughs. I will keep updating it as we go.

Please let me know if I missed anything. Feel free to add your own events in the comments. And of course, like and share on social networks.

Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer,
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”

Download a free 50-page excerpt: http://www.world-war-d.com/.

“World War-D” on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984690409/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/worldward
Follow me on Twitter: @JDhywood
Become a better informed activist and support global drug policy reform!
Order your own copy of “Word War-D”

  • The reference book on the War on Drugs and prohibitionism
  • A guide to psychoactive substances and substance abuse
  • A blueprint for global drug policy reform and controlled legalization

Media inquiries- book reviews – speaking engagements: contact promo@world-war-d.com

Reforma de la politica de drogas: Un repaso al 2012

2012 fue un año crucial y un momento crítico para la Política Global de Drogas. Un repaso de los eventos mayor de 2012 desde las declaraciones del Presidente de Guatemala Otto Perez Molina hasta la victoria por la legalización de la marijuana en Colorado y Washington.

Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer,
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”

Download a free 50-page excerpt: http://www.world-war-d.com/.

“World War-D” on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984690409/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/worldward
Follow me on Twitter: @JDhywood
Become a better informed activist and support global drug policy reform!
Order your own copy of “Word War-D”

  • The reference book on the War on Drugs and prohibitionism
  • A guide to psychoactive substances and substance abuse
  • A blueprint for global drug policy reform and controlled legalization

Media inquiries- book reviews – speaking engagements: contact promo@world-war-d.com

 

Drug policy reform moving forward after holidays pause.

Support for marijuana legalization gaining momentum in the US

In the aftermath of the decisive victories for marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington, recent polls conducted since then reveal a rapidly widening support for medical marijuana as well as full legalization, and this support is now reaching into the Southern states that have traditionally been strongly opposed even to medical marijuana.

A recent survey conducted in Hawaii, birthplace of president Obama and land of the “Choom Gang” and its “choomwagon”, reveals a stunning 78% support for a “tightly regulated dispensary system” and 57% support for controlled legalization. Hawaii is on a short list of states that might consider the state legislature route to marijuana legalization.

In New Hampshire, a state scheduled to legalize medical marijuana in 2013, support is 68% to 26% opposed, while support for full controlled legalization is 53 to 37 http://www.mpp.org/states/new-hampshire/2013NewHampshireResults.pdf

In Arizona, where the voters approved state’s MMJ program has been under siege from the start, support for MMJ stands at 59% while support for controlled legalization is 53 to 44. Arizona is expected to have a marijuana legalization initiative on the 2014 or 2016 ballot, although it would probably be a long shot.

More interesting, voters in North Carolina and West Virginia seems to be warming to the idea of medical marijuana, 58 to 33 in North Carolina, and 53 to 40 in conservative West Virginia.

Lawmakers in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont have already promised to introduce marijuana legislation in 2013, and other are expected to follow, including  Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia. Most of the proposals are likely to never even make it to a vote, and others will be defeated or vetoed; still, 2013 is likely to deliver a few more controlled legalization states, while the block of medical marijuana states will most certainly pass the 20 count and may even reach 25, at which point a majority of the US states would have legalized medical marijuana. A Medical Marijuana Bill was introduced in Kansas on January 16.

Meanwhile, on December 19, the National Institute on Drug Abuse released the results of the 2012 Monitoring the Future Survey, which indicate a continued rise in teenage use of marijuana with daily use at 6.5% among high school seniors and last month use at nearly 23 %. The survey also notes a continued decrease of alcohol and tobacco use, which seems to indicate that marijuana is displacing these substances among high-school students. Whether or not this is positive trend is of course a matter of debate, as alcohol is often viewed as more harmful than marijuana. It shows nonetheless that prohibition is failing to curb teen use and alternatives are long overdue.

Update on drug policy reform in the world

Bolivian president Evo Morales set an important international precedent on Friday January 11, 2013, when his country rejoined the United Nations’ 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs with reservations, as the U.N. recognized the traditional use of the coca leaf and Bolivians’ right to chew the coca leaf in their territory.

In Guatemala, President Molina is meeting with Amanda Feilding of the Beckley foundation who will present the Beckley’s report “Paths for Reform”, containing “the Beckley Foundation’s suggestions regarding the steps which the Guatemalan government might now take to maintain the momentum of the President’s initiatives. It complements the report Illicit Drug Markets and Dimensions of Violence in Guatemala, which analyses Guatemala’s situation under the current policies.“

President Molina has been pushing since taking office as year ago for alternatives to the current prohibitionist policies. Guatemala, together with its neighbor Honduras and El Salvador have been taken over by Mexican drug cartels and turned into a battleground between the brutal and much feared Zetas and the Sinaloa cartel fighting for the control of key transit routes to the US.

In Mexico, narco-violence keeps spreading even if the body count may have stabilized or even somewhat decreased with a relative normalization of the Ciudad Juarez territory where the Sinaloa cartel seems to have gained the upper hand. Regions that had been relatively spared until now are being affected  and violence is reaching Mexico City where 22 bodies were discovered on January 12-13 and another 16 bodies in nearby Toluca. Newly inaugurated President Enrique Pena Nieto has said that reducing violence in Mexico is one of his government’s top priorities and has set an ambitious agenda that may stay “letra muerta” (dead words) unless he can get the cooperation of state and local authorities. His position on the War on Drugs and drug policy reform is as fuzzy as ever. The debate may be starting though, as the PRD opposition party is presenting a legalization proposal that stands very little chance of approval but will certainly bring up the debate to the governmental level.

In the UK, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform issued a report on January 14, recommending sweeping changes to current drug policies and decriminalization of all drugs with legalization of the least dangerous ones. The report was promptly rejected by Prime Minister David Cameron, claiming that the current approach to drugs in the UK is “the right one and is working”, making one wonder what he has been smoking lately. Meanwhile, his Deputy Prime Minister and partner in the ruling coalition, Nick Clegg, declared that the “drugs war is lost” and “current drugs policy have not been delivering for a while”.

On January 16, The British Medical Association, a professional association and registered trade union for doctors, published a comprehensive report on drug policy in the UK making clear the role they feel medical practitioners should play, not only in improving care of problem drug users, but also in becoming involved in the political debate over drug policy. http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2013/01/16/doctors-make-themselves-heard-in-the-drug-policy-debate/

In France, 150 to 200 marijuana social clubs (clubs of growers for personal use) decided to come out of the closet in February and apply for official registration. Cannabis social clubs have been legal in Spain for quite some time already.

Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer,
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”

Download a free 50-page excerpt: http://www.world-war-d.com/.

“World War-D” on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984690409/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/worldward
Follow me on Twitter: @JDhywood
Become a better informed activist and support global drug policy reform!
Order your own copy of “Word War-D”

  • The reference book on the War on Drugs and prohibitionism
  • A guide to psychoactive substances and substance abuse
  • A blueprint for global drug policy reform and controlled legalization

Media inquiries- book reviews – speaking engagements: contact promo@world-war-d.com

 

What to expect from the 2016 special UN session on global drug policy?

3 years to shift the balance of power from the drug prohibitionist camp to the reformist camp at the UN

On November 27, the UN General Assembly adopted a Mexican proposal to hold an emergency drug policy summit, scheduled for early 2016 after an intensive preparatory process that will begin next year.

The proposal was first introduced to the UN general Assembly by Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala on September 26, joined by Honduras, Costa Rica and Belize on November 12. It was then backed by the majority of Latin American governments, as well as those of Spain and Portugal at the Ibero-American Summit in Cadiz, on November 17.

While all the backers of the proposal share a common concern about the calamitous drug-trafficking situation in the region, they are far from agreeing on a common approach and seem to be all over the spectrum on the issue. Uruguay is on the verge of becoming the first country in the world to legalize marijuana under state control. Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina has been the most vocal advocate of legalization since taking office in January, while neighboring Honduras led by Porfirio Lobo, is a hard-line prohibitionist, with most other countries spread between these two extremes.

The two key regional players, Colombia and Mexico have voiced rather ambiguous positions. Colombian President Santos has repeatedly expressed his support for legalization, if the rest of the world agrees, a big if indeed, but has refused so far to take the lead of a drug policy reform alliance. He may be getting closer to assuming this role for which he is particularly suited. In his foreword to the report “Governing The Global Drug Wars” published in October by the Transnational Institute, President Santos declared: “The time has come to take a fresh look and we invite world leaders, scientists and experts to start an open, serious and honest debate about this war. The time has come to think outside the box… This is a global problem that demands a global solution, and therefore a new international consensus is needed.”

The Mexican position has been even more puzzling since Calderon took office in 2006 and started a brutal confrontation with the Mexican drug cartels that left over 60,000 casualties, 25,000 disappeared and over 200,000 displaced. Internally, Calderon defended fiercely his hardcore War on Drugs policies, while abroad, he has repeatedly admitted that “market-oriented approaches” should be considered. He even declared on September 24, 2012, at the Council on Foreign Relations: “ Let’s be honest, I don’t see any [solution] other than the regulation of drugs in the global marketplace, starting here, in the United States.” (“Seamos honestos: no se me ocurre otra que no sea la regulación de las drogas en el mercado global, empezando por aquí, por Estados Unidos”). It should be noted that the last two former Mexican Presidents, Vicente Fox and Ernesto Zedillo are both active drug policy reformists.

Mexican president Felipe Calderon term ended on December 1st, and the position of his successor Enrique Peña Nieto is still unclear. Peña Nieto was invited at the White House on November 27, and the recent legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington was on the agenda, even is nothing transpired. While he reiterated his personal opposition to legalization, in a Time interview published on November 27, Peña Nieto acknowledged that it may be time to reassess the War on Drugs and called for a hemispheric debate on its effectiveness. According to Peña Nieto, state legalization “creates certain distortions and incongruences, since it’s in conflict with the [U.S.] federal government… That will impact how Mexico and other countries in the hemisphere respond.” He even raised the possibility that Mexico itself may legalize marijuana.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Portugal and Spain have some of the most liberal drug policies in the world. Portugal, where all drugs have been decriminalized in since 2000, is held as the poster-boy of drug policy reform, while cannabis clubs are legal in Spain, with the blessing of the Spanish Supreme Court.

So, what does the prospect of a UN summit on drug policy means for the drug policy reform movement, and what can be expected from it? There have been after all quite a few similar events since the Adoption of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Will 2016 be the year when reality finally sinks in within the international community that drug prohibition has failed and that it is time to look for more sustainable alternatives? There are good reasons to believe so.

The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances set lofty goals of complete eradication of drug use, toned down to a 50% reduction within 10 years in 1988, a goal reiterated in 1998, but abandoned altogether in 2008 amidst growing restlessness within the UN community. Furthermore, the “soft on drugs” label is rapidly losing its stickiness as the political risk of drug reformist positions is plummeting rapidly. Drug policy reform may even start turning into political asset in some circumscriptions, as was the case in Washington this November, when most of the Democrat political establishment lined up behind the legalization initiative.

As the consensus behind the War on Drugs starts crumbling, and as countries start breaking ranks and rejectthe dominant approach to drug policy altogether, the international community will see reduced opportunities for reprisals and sanctions. Uruguay’s intention to legalize marijuana under state control has been met with rather muted UN opposition so far. Sanctions against Uruguay will be hard to justify if similar sanctions are not imposed on Washington and Colorado, a prospect not even remotely likely, and may just galvanize regional rancor. Other Latin American countries might emulate the Uruguayan model, with neighboring Argentina a real potential candidate.

In the US, the number of medical marijuana states is likely to reach 20 in 2013 as proposals are set to be presented to several state legislatures, including New Hampshire, Illinois and New York. Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts, as well as Oregon and Montana may also try to adopt full marijuana legalization through their legislatures, while a legalization initiative is already on the drawing board in California. The battle has even been brought to the US Congress, with a bipartisan bill that would enable the states to make their own marijuana laws. The bill is probably still symbolic at this stage, and stands very little chances, but it may be a harbinger of things to come.

Embroiled in a deep economic and financial crisis, Europe is staying relatively on the sidelines on drug policy issues, even though (or maybe because), European drug policies are generally leaning on the liberal side and drug abuse is substantially lower there than in the US.

Ultimately, the fate of the 2016 special session lies most likely in Washington DC. The US has been the initiator, main architect and chief sponsor of the prohibitionist approach for over a century, and has over the years imposed her prohibitionist policies to the rest of the world. All current international treaties on illicit drugs having been produced and backed by successive US administrations over the past 50 years, a complete U-turn seems unlikely. But with 18 states and the district of Colombia in oblique violation of the international treaties and Colorado and Washington now squarely confronting them, the “tough on drugs” stance is increasingly untenable. Unless it reverses its attitude and draws the lessons from a century of failed prohibitionist rule, the US will be increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place and her prohibitionist-in-chief posture will become more and more indefensible.

I have argued for quite some time that drug policy reform will be achieved by cracking the US prohibitionist backbone through the combined internal pressure from the states and external pressure from the US allies, principally, in Latin America. In a truly historic year for drug policy reform, the pieces of the global drug policy reform puzzle appeared to be falling into place one by one in 2012, and the US resolve seems to be faltering. The Obama administration appears hesitant after the decisive victories for marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington. By intensifying the crackdown on medical marijuana over the past few years, Obama brought the War on Drugs to the Caucasian community, which may have further galvanized support for legalization. Whether hidden agenda or law of unintended consequences, it clearly narrowed the administration’s margins of maneuver and crackdowns on the newly legalized marijuana states may backfire even more, further stiffening support for legalization.

While the 2016 special session could easily be derailed, if drug policy reformists, especially in Latin American and within the US, use the next three years to keep resolutely pushing for reform, we may see the emergence of a global coalition and a new global consensus on drug policy. This is an opportunity that reform activists cannot afford to waste.

Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer,
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”

“World War-D” on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984690409/

www.world-war-d.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/worldward
Twitter: @JDhywood
jd (at) world-war-d.com

Further readings

http://www.sre.gob.mx/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1756:the-un-general-assembly-adopts-mexicos-resolution-on-international-cooperation-against-drugs&catid=27:archives&Itemid=64

http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/un-debate-global-drug-policy

http://www.druglawreform.info/en/un-drug-control/item/3980-governing-the-global-drug-wars

Turning a corner in the War on Drugs

The decisive victories for marijuana legalization in Washington and Colorado on November 6th transform the global drug policy debate

After declaring in 1971 “We must wage total war against public enemy number one in the United State, the problem of dangerous drugs”, President Richard Nixon prematurely claimed victory On September 11, 1973, “We turned the corner on drug addiction in the United states. Drug addiction is under control.” Almost 40 years later, we might indeed be turning a corner in the war on drugs, though not quite the corner envisioned by Nixon, as 2012 is poised to enter the history books as a turning point in the failed war on drugs, and will hopefully signal the beginning of its unfolding.

Discontent about the failed war on drugs policies has been brewing for quite a while, especially in Latin America, but outside of that region, the debate rarely reached much beyond academic and activist circles. Things changed in June 2011 when drug policy reform grabbed the headlines across the world for the very first time with the publication of the Global Commission on Drug Policy Report. The report was signed by an impressive slate of prestigious individuals including seven former heads of state and the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and was a seminal event for drug policy reform. Another important event, The Merida Declaration on December 6, 2011, went virtually unnoticed by the media and drug policy experts alike. Issued at the Tuxtla Dialogue and Agreement Mechanism in Yucatan, Mexico, the declaration was signed by eleven heads of state and high-level representatives of Central America and the Caribbean, including Mexico, Colombia and Chile, and asked “consuming countries … to explore possible alternatives …, including regulatory or market oriented options.”

2012 started with a bang when retired right-wing general Otto Perez Molina, newly elected president of impoverished Guatemala, rattled the world and instantly placed his country on the map by declaring the war on drugs a failure and forcefully advocating legalization. Recently emerged from a decades-long brutal civil war, Guatemala is one of the world’s worst-hit countries by narco-violence, together with its unfortunate neighbors, Honduras and Salvador.

Perez Molina has been unwavering ever since. He brought the drug legalization debate to the April Summit of the Americas, a gathering of all heads of state across the continent, from Canada to Tierra del Fuego, except Cuba (banned by the US). More recently, he brought the debate to the UN general Assembly and was joined by Mexico and Colombia, the two major US allies in the War on Drugs, for a call to revise the international treaties on illicit drugs.

As Perez Molina is actively trying to build a coalition for drug policy reform, he met in early November with newly re-elected Hugo Chavez with legalization on the agenda. Venezuela is a major entry-point on the transit route of cocaine to the US through its extremely porous frontier with Colombia, and has often been a safe haven for Colombian narco-traffickers. However, the relationship between the Chavez regime and his cumbersome guests seems to be turning sour as violence has escalated dramatically in the country. Leftish Chavez joining right-wing Perez Molina in a coalition for drug policy reform might mollify the other members of the leftish Latin American coalition that includes Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Left-leaning Argentina president Kirchner might join as well. Uruguay announced in June its intention to legalize marijuana under state control and the proposal is currently churning through the legislative process, with vote expected before Christmas.

The US being by far, the largest market for illegal drugs in the world, the decisive victories of the marijuana legalization initiatives in Colorado and Washington take special significance in such a context. It is noteworthy that the US Justice Department refrained from taking a position on these initiatives during the campaign despite being urged by legalization opponents.

November 6 was a watershed moment for marijuana legalization and drug policy reform. Both initiatives enjoyed wide support across the political spectrum ranging from the state democratic party to the GOP US Senate Candidate for Washington, Michael Baumgartner, or former GOP Congressman Tom Tancredo in Colorado. Sponsored by former US attorney John McKay and current City Attorney Peter Holmes, and with backing from the mayor and the entire city council of Seattle as well as the Seattle Times, the Washington initiative lined up the most impressive slate of main-stream backing and enjoyed double digits victory. Curiously, in Washington and Colorado, the staunchest opposition came from the medical marijuana communities. The Oregon initiative, placing no restrictions on cultivation for personal use, was generally considered too radical and was soundly defeated. The Massachusetts medical marijuana initiative provided the icing on the cake with a landslide victory and was another clear indication of the growing disconnect between politicians and the public on drug policy issues.

The marijuana legalization victories in the US will have momentous implications for Latin America and places the federal government in an awkward position, caught between internal and external pressure for reform. It certainly weakens its hands in its negotiations with its increasingly restive allies in the war on drugs. It might also give the needed impetus for the crystallization of a coalition of the willing and rally the support of the countries such as Costa Rica that have prudently stayed on the sideline until now.

The 22nd Ibero-American Summit, held on November 16 – 17 2012 in Cadiz, hosted by Spain and attended by Portugal and most Latin American countries provided a good test of the effects of marijuana legalization victories. Portugal and Spain have some of the most liberal drug policies in the world. Despite the economic crisis that has been shaking Southern Europe for the past few years, the summit offered a favorable environment for an open debate on drug policy reform and the final declaration called for an urgent UN debate on drug policy and an analysis of the potential consequences of legalization.

Colombian President is increasingly insistent in his call for global debate but remains reluctant to take a leading position. Meanwhile, the 5-months long relative power vacuum in Mexico will finally be filled when President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto takes office on December 1st. Peña Nieto will travel to Washington on December 4th and the recent legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington will be high on the agenda. While he reiterated his personal opposition to legalization, in a Time interview published on November 27, Peña Nieto acknowledged that it may be time to reassess the War on Drugs and called for a hemispheric debate on its effectiveness and even raised the possibility that Mexico itself may legalize marijuana. Colombia has long sought the support of Mexico in its pressure for drug policy reform, a support that Calderon could never offer openly. Peña Nieto’s positions have been ambiguous so far, but he might not have alternatives if he cannot contain the violence in Mexico, a prospect that seems highly unlikely. There is always, of course, the possibility that the PRI will broker a pax-narca, but the fragmentation of the cartels and the emergence of the brutal Zetas may very preclude this possibility.

In the US, the reaction of the federal government has been muted so far, cantoned to a reiteration of the supremacy of federal laws. The president’s options might be limited, especially as the solid victory in both Washington and Colorado and a landslide medical marijuana victory in Massachusetts diametrically reverse the political risk of marijuana legalization, with opposition to the issue becoming increasingly politically risky with youths and minorities, two key constituencies in the rapidly evolving electoral landscape.

Several states, including Illinois and New York are expected to push medical marijuana through their legislatures while New England states intend to move to the next step to legalize recreational marijuana. This would of course further weaken the Federal government hand in its negotiations with the states as well as with its Latin American allies. There is no doubt that the November victories will embolden the states to resist federal interference with their marijuana policies, and will dampen Latin American appetite for the hardcore prohibitionist policies of the past. A corner has most likely been turned in the War on Drugs on November 6, 2012, a corner towards legalization.

Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer,
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”

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Making sense of the fast-evolving drug policy debate

2012 has been quite an amazing year for drug policy reform and events are accelerating at breakneck pace after the historic marijuana legalization victories in Colorado and Washington. The domino effect is about to get started in the US, in Latin America and the rest of the world. A major global initiative will be launched on December 5, with the support of presidents Santos of Colombia and Perez Molina of Guatemala, as well as a dozen of ex-heads of states including Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.
If you want to make sense of the rapidly evolving global drug policy debate, “World War-D” gives you a global understanding of all the facets of the issue, bringing common sense and sanity to an issue often shrouded in misconceptions, preconceptions and taboos. More importantly, “World War-D” gives you in-depth analysis of practical, pragmatic and realistic alternatives to prohibition, alternatives that can eliminates the harm related to drug trafficking while managing and minimizing the harm related to drug abuse. As prohibitionism is starting to crumble at the edges, no other book offers such depth and breadth of understanding.
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Stay tuned and keep up the fight! Thank you for your continued support.

Jeffrey Dhywood
Investigative writer,
Author of “World War D – The Case against prohibitionism, roadmap to controlled re-legalization”
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My readers routinely comment that “World War-D” should be required reading for politicians and lawmakers and strongly recommend it to those who want to understand all the facets of the issue and grasp its global complexity. No matter where you stand on drug prohibition, you will get a much clearer understanding of the issue in all of its multi-faceted complexity and with a global perspective. See readers’ reviews: http://www.world-war-d.com/reviews/readers-reviews