• Drug Policy - Hot Off The 'Net - International

    UN Expert Calls For A Fundamental Shift In Global Drug Control Policy

    At a press conference in New York on Tuesday 26 October, at the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly, one of the UN’s key human rights experts will call for a fundamental rethink of international drug policy.

    Anand Grover, from India, is the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right of Everyone to the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health, whose mandate is derived from the UN Human Rights Council. Mr Grover’s annual thematic report, to be presented on October 25/26, sets out the range of human rights abuses that have resulted from international drug control efforts, and calls on Governments to:

    * Ensure that all harm-reduction measures (as itemized by UNAIDS) and drug-dependence treatment services, particularly opioid substitution therapy, are available to people who use drugs, in particular those among incarcerated populations.

    * Decriminalize or de-penalize possession and use of drugs.

    * Repeal or substantially reform laws and policies inhibiting the delivery of essential health services to drug users, and review law enforcement initiatives around drug control to ensure compliance with human rights obligations.

    * Amend laws, regulations and policies to increase access to controlled essential medicines

    * To the UN drug control agencies, Mr Grover recommends the creation of an alternative drug regulatory framework based on a model such as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

    The report is the clearest statement to date from within the UN system about the harms that drug policies have caused and the need for a fundamental shift in drug policy.

    The report has been welcomed by the European Union in the EU statement on crime and drugs to the UN General Assembly.

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Drug Policy

    Re: Hard Drugs Are The Source Of B.C.’S Notoriety

    To the editor,

    Congratulations to Ethan Baron for recognizing that cannabis should be legally regulated, however, he needs to do his homework on illicit drugs and drug policy. ("Hard drugs are the source of B.C.’s notoriety," Oct 15.)

    The “hard drugs” Baron mentions; heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine, are also orders of magnitude less harmful than tobacco and alcohol when used as directed in a legally regulated environment.

    Meth is available by prescription, ecstasy (MDMA) is being clinically reconsidered for psychotherapy, pharmaceutical heroin, used as directed, in no worse than any other opiate, and coca tea is healthier
    than coffee and other caffeinated energy drinks.

    Most of the crime and violence we associate with hard drugs is made worse by, if not caused by, criminal prohibition. The three evidence-based pillars of our drug control regime; prevention, treatment and harm reduction, are fettered and grossly outspent by the fourth, drug law enforcement.

    The vast majority of drug users are not low-income, nor disadvantaged, nor under-educated, and consume drugs moderately and non-problematically. Most who become addicted are self-medicating
    preexisting psychological problems that cops, courts and criminalization exacerbate.

    The more harmful the substance, the less it makes sense to abdicate control of it to unaccountable criminals who sell drugs of unknown potency, purity and provenance, on commission, to anyone, of any age, any time, anywhere, no questions asked. We have more control over cat food than we do the so-called “controlled drugs and substances.”

    Matthew M. Elrod

  • Drug Policy - Question of the Week

    How many Americans use illegal drugs?

    Drug Policy Question of the Week – 10-9-10

    As answered by Mary Jane Borden, Editor of Drug War Facts for the Drug Truth Network on 10-9-10. http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3098

    Question of the Week: How many Americans use illegal drugs?

    In 1992, Congress established the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMSHA’s Office of Applied Studies collects, analyzes, and disseminates public health data including the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This survey, fielded since 1971, reports the prevalence of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the civilian, non-institutionalized US population aged 12 or older.

    The 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report was released in mid-September. Those quoting it should make note of its “Limitations on Trend Measurement” section that reads,

    “2002 and later data should not be compared with 2001 and earlier data from the survey series to assess changes over time.”

    Anyone who makes such comparisons is misrepresenting SAMSHA data.

    The Drug Usage Chapter of Drug War Facts now contains three tables based on post-2001 SAMSHA data.

    The first table displays the percentage change in use by substance from 2002 to 2006 (at the five year mark) and from 2002-2009 to reflect the most current trends. Overall illicit use has increased by almost 12% since 2002.

    The second table shows values for Estimated Lifetime use by substance from 2002 to 2009. Lifetime use means trying a drug at least once. About 119 million Americans have used an illicit substance at least once.

    The third table reflects the estimated number of individuals who have used an illicit substance at least once per month. Called “Current users,” an estimated 22 million Americans used illegal drugs at least once per month in 2009.

    These facts and others like them can be found in the Drug Usage Chapter of Drug War Facts at www.drugwarfacts.org.

    Questions concerning these or other facts concerning drug policy can be e-mailed to [email protected]

  • Drug Policy - What You Can Do

    Drug Regulation Survey

    There is a global movement towards recognizing that drug prohibition is a failed social policy. It is now time to explore how we will regulate the market for all currently illegal drugs. Specifically, what kind of models should we use in a post-prohibition world? This survey is intended to be a detailed exploration of this question.

    Enjoy / think / share.

    View the results so far.

    Take The Survey

  • Drug Policy - Feature - Focus Alerts

    #457: Common Cause

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #457 – Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

    Today the Los Angeles Times printed an OPED you may wish to forward
    to your conservative friends.

    You may forward this FOCUS Alert. You may also email any FOCUS Alert
    from this webpage http://www.mapinc.org/focus/

    Please also consider writing a letter to the editor about this OPED.

    Professor Miron’s Cato Institute study is on line at
    http://www.cato.org/pubs/wtpapers/DrugProhibitionWP.pdf

  • Drug Policy - Hot Off The 'Net

    The Budgetary Impact of Ending Drug Prohibition

    by Jeffrey A. Miron and Katherine Waldock

    State and federal governments in the United States face massive looming fiscal deficits. One policy change that can reduce deficits is ending the drug war. Legalization means reduced expenditure on enforcement and an increase in tax revenue from legalized sales.

    This report estimates that legalizing drugs would save roughly $41.3 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. Of these savings, $25.7 billion would accrue to state and local governments, while $15.6 billion would accrue to the federal government.

    Approximately $8.7 billion of the savings would result from legalization of marijuana and $32.6 billion from legalization of other drugs.

    The report also estimates that drug legalization would yield tax revenue of $46.7 billion annually, assuming legal drugs were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco. Approximately $8.7 billion of this revenue would result from legalization of marijuana and $38.0 billion from legalization of other drugs.

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Drug Policy - Question of the Week

    How many people are arrested for possessing marijuana?

    Drug Policy Question of the Week – 9-29-10

    As answered by Mary Jane Borden, Editor of Drug War Facts for the Drug Truth Network on 9-29-10. http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3083

    Question of the Week: How many people arrested just for possessing marijuana?

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation compiles arrest data through a system called the “Uniform Crime Reporting Program.” This system collects data for 29 different offenses as submitted to it by law enforcement agencies. The annual report generated from these data called “Crime in the United States – 2009” was released on September 15th.

    In 2009, there were an estimated 13.7 million arrests in the United States. This total was down by -2.3% over the same total for 2008. Over the 14-year span from 1996 to 2009, all arrests totaled more or less the same number.

    In 2009, there were an estimated 1.7 million arrests for drug abuse violations, representing the total arrests for all illegal drugs. This total, too, was down by -2.3% over the prior year and was more or less the same sum as fourteen years ago.

    In 2009, there were an estimated 858 thousand arrests for marijuana, including simple possession, trafficking, and sales. This total was up by +1.2% over the prior year. However, marijuana’s percentage of total drug arrests has grown from about a 40% to over 50% during the fifteen year 1995-2009 period.

    In 2009, 88% of marijuana arrests or 759 thousand were for simple possession, representing a jump from about a third to about a half of all drug abuse violation arrests over the last fourteen years. The fourteen-year average annual growth rate for marijuana arrests of +3.1% contrasts starkly to the negligible growth rates for total drug arrests and for all arrests.

    These facts and others like them can be found in the Marijuana chapter of Drug War Facts at www.drugwarfacts.org.

    Questions concerning these or other facts concerning drug policy can be e-mailed to [email protected].

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Drug Policy - Question of the Week

    Is today’s marijuana more potent?

    Drug Policy Question of the Week – 9-19-10

    As answered by Mary Jane Borden, Editor of Drug War Facts for the Drug Truth Network on 9-19-10. http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3070

    Question of the Week: Is today’s marijuana more potent?

    The DEA states on it’s website that,

    “Although marijuana grown in the United States was once considered inferior because of the low concentration of THC, advancements of plant selection and cultivation have resulted in higher THC contained in domestic marijuana.”

    A 2004 report called, “An Overview of Cannabis Potency in Europe,” from the EMCDDA [European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction] says that,

    “The information on which the claims have greatly increased cannabis potency have been made is not always clear.”

    To clarify the issue, officials in the United Kingdom have issued the “Home Office Cannabis Potency Study 2008.” It found that,

    “The mean THC concentration potency in sesamia samples was 16.2%” and that the “mean THC concentrations potency of traditional imported cannabis samples was 8.4%.”

    From the last 420 Drug War News show, we recall that the Dr. ElSohly of the University of Mississippi has been analyzing seized cannabis samples since 1985. Potency percentages from his 2009 report are currently listed as Fact #14 in the Drug War Facts Marijuana chapter.

    Using the data to reduce peaks and valleys, finds a three year average potency from 2005-2008 for sensimilla was 11.2% THC and for herbal marijuana, 5.8% THC. The three year average percentage change in cannabis potency was +3.9% for commercial marijuana and  –1.3% for sensimilla.

    That European Monitoring Centre Report explains the difference between the US and British data by concluding that,

    “It most be assumed that the quality of herbal cannabis consumed in the US more than 20 years ago was unusually poor but that in recent years, it has risen to levels typical of Europe.”

    These facts and others like them can be found in the Marijuana chapter of Drug War Facts at www.drugwarfacts.org.

    Questions concerning these or other facts concerning drug policy can be e-mailed to [email protected].

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Drug Policy - Law Enforcement & Prisons

    FBI Uniform Crime Report on Drug War Facts

    With the recent release of the FBI’s 2009 Uniform Crime Report numbers, the Crime and Marijuana Chapters of Drug War Facts have been updated with these additions:

    Fact 2. (2009, 2008, 2007, 1973 – drug arrests) “In 2009, arrests for drug law violations declined slightly (-2.3%) to 1,663,582. A small decrease also occurred in alcohol violations to 1,440,409 for Driving under the influence, 570,333 for liquor law violations, and 594,300 for drunkenness. Violent crime arrests in 2009 equaled 581,765, with 1,728,285 arrests for property crimes. Arrests for all offenses totaled 13,687,241, down -2.3% over 2008.”

    Fact 3. (1980-2009 – total, marijuana and drug arrests by year) “Although the intent of a “War on Drugs” may have been to target drug smugglers and ‘King Pins,’ over half (51.6%) of the 1,663,582 total 2009 arrests for drug abuse violations were for marijuana — a calculated total of 858,408. Of those, an estimated 758,593 people (45.6%) were arrested for marijuana possession alone. By contrast in 2000, a total of 734,497 Americans were arrested for marijuana offenses, of which 646,042 were for possession alone.”

    This aforementioned table lists Total Arrests, Total Drug Arrests, Total Marijuana Arrests, Marijuana Trafficking/Sale Arrests, Marijuana Possession Arrests, Total Violent Crime Arrests, and Total Property Crime Arrests by year since 1995 and including numbers for 1990 and 1980. All of these values have been validated against their source reports, with each of their URLs referenced in the citation … that’s with the exception of 1990 and 1980, which are only available by hard copy.

    Fact 4. (1995-2009 – marijuana arrests percent share of total drug arrests by year)  “The following table references the drug and marijuana arrests columns in the “US Arrests” table. It pairs “Total Marijuana Arrests,” “Marijuana Trafficking/Sale Arrests,” and “Marijuana Possession Arrests” against “Total Drug Arrests” to arrive at the percentage each has of the total for the respective years. This table shows the growing dominance of marijuana arrests among total drug arrests in the U.S., rising from a percentage of 39.9% of total drug arrests in 1995 to 52.6% of such arrests in 2009. Further, while arrests for sales and trafficking have wavered a few percentage points around 5-6% of total drug arrests, the numbers driving marijuana’s increased dominance of drug arrests are those for simple possession, jumping from 34.1% in 1995 to 45.6% in 2009. Arrests for marijuana possession have risen from about a third to about a half of all drug abuse violation arrests over the fifteen year 1995-2009 period.”

    The referenced table lists percentages calculated form the aforementioned “U.S. Arrests” table.

    Fact 5. (1996-2009 – drug and marijuana arrests percent change over prior year) “The following table references the total, drug, and marijuana arrest columns in the “US Arrests” table. It shows the percentage change over the prior year for “Total Arrests,” “Total Drug Arrests,” “Total Marijuana Arrests,” “Marijuana Trafficking & Sale Arrests,” and “Marijuana Possession Arrests.” Total Arrests in the United States have steadily hovered between 13.6 million and 15.3 million over the fourteen year period (1996-2009), with the annual percent change for that time span averaging -0.7%. Drug arrests have ranged between a low of 1.5 million in 1996 and a high of 1.9 million in 2006, with an average percent change over the fourteen year period of +0.9%. The percentage change values for marijuana arrests confirm their upward trend. Total marijuana arrests in 2009 (858,408) are +45.7% higher than those in 1995 (588,964). The year that the percentage growth in marijuana arrests peaked – 2003 – began a five-year upward trend largely driven by arrests for marijuana possession. For simple possession, the average annual percent change covering 1996-2009 equaled +3.1%; in contrast, that value for trafficking and sales was +1.3%.”

    This table, too, references the “U.S. Arrests” table.

    These FBI tables and reports document that marijuana has been THE target of the drug war. It is tragic to note that marijuana trafficking and sales arrests stood at their highest value ever of 99,815 for 2009, a +6% increase over 2008. The arrests for marijuana possession of 758,593 in 2009 represented the second highest value in their category.

    Source: “Crime in the United States 2009,” FBI Uniform Crime Report (Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice, September 2010), Table 29, and Arrest Table: Arrests for Drug Abuse Violations, .