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Will Obama's second term see an end to the failed 'war on drugs'?
Marijuana legalisation ballots signal how public opinion is turning against the prohibition policy that needlessly filled US prisons
The Guardian (UK)
Friday, November 16, 2012
One of the more surprising results of last week's election was the decision by voters in Colorado and Washington state to legalize marijuana for adult use. The success of both these ballot initiatives has been welcomed by many as a signal that we are about to enter a more enlightened phase in the "war on drugs", which has criminalized drug addicts and recreational drug users, as well as drug dealers. In reality, however, there is little reason to believe that any fundamental change in government policy is in the works. -
DeGette files bill to require feds to respect marijuana law
The Denver Post (US)
Friday, November 16, 2012
In an effort to ensure new voter-approved amendments that legalize limited use of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington are not overrun by the federal government, Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to curtail such a scenario. "My constituents have spoken, and I don't want the federal government denying money to Colorado or taking other punitive steps that would undermine the will of our citizens." -
Denver joins Boulder in dropping prosecution of limited pot possession
The Denver Post (US)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Denver prosecutors will no longer charge those 21 and older for carrying less than an ounce of marijuana, and will review current cases that fit under the language of a recently voter-approved state constitutional amendment. District Attorney Mitch Morrissey and City Attorney Doug Friednash made their decision a day after Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett made headlines when he announced his office will dismiss any pending cases that deal with less than an ounce of marijuana. -
Uruguay lawmakers consider legalization of marijuana with goal of outselling pot dealers
The Associated Press
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Uruguay came one step closer to turning the government into the country’s leading pot dealer, as lawmakers formally introduced to Congress a framework for regulating the production, sale and consumption of marijuana. The proposal is much more liberal than what Uruguay’s government initially proposed months ago, when President Jose Mujica said only the government would be allowed to sell pot. (See also: Comparison between Uruguay marijuana proposal and new laws in Colorado, Washington state) -
INCB President voices concern
About the outcome of recent referenda about non-medical use of cannabis in the United States in a number of states
UN Information Service
Thursday, November 15, 2012
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The President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), Raymond Yans, has voiced grave concern about the outcome of recent referenda in the United States of America that would allow the non-medical use of cannabis by adults in the states of Colorado and Washington, and in some cities in the states of Michigan and Vermont. Mr. Yans stated that “these developments are in violation of the international drug control treaties, and pose a great threat to public health and the well-being of society far beyond those states”. -
Seattle police produce a user's guide to pot
The Seattle Times (US)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
When Washington state voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana on Nov. 6, Seattle police knew they'd be getting a lot of questions. And while many details surrounding the state's Dec. 6 decriminalization of pot remain, the department didn't shy away from answering what questions it could about Initiative 502, posting a funny, question-and-answer blog that has become a big web hit - having been viewed more than 120,000 times and shared more than 15,000 times on Facebook since it was posted Friday. The result was "Marijwhatnow? A Guide to Legal Marijuana Use In Seattle." -
Mexico lawmaker introduces bill to legalize marijuana
Reuters
Thursday, November 15, 2012
A leftist Mexican lawmaker on Thursday presented a bill to legalize the production, sale and use of marijuana, adding to a growing chorus of Latin American politicians who are rejecting the prohibitionist policies of the United States. The bill is unlikely to win much support in Congress since a strong majority of Mexicans are firmly against legalizing drugs, but may spur a broader debate in Mexico after two U.S. states voted to allow recreational use of marijuana last week. -
Gregoire awaits federal decision on new pot laws
Authorities in Washington DC have not yet decided how to respond to new laws in Washington state and Colorado legalizing marijuana
The Seatlle Times (US)
Tuesday, November 14, 2012
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said Tuesday the federal government still hasn't decided whether to take action to block new laws legalizing marijuana in her state and Colorado. Gregoire met with Deputy Attorney General James Cole in Washington, D.C. She told Cole she would prefer to know "sooner rather than later," because Washington state is getting ready to decriminalize pot, which is still illegal under federal law. -
Mexican president says marijuana legalization votes leave U.S. with no 'moral authority' for drug war
The Vancouver Sun (Canada)
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Mexican President Felipe Calderon says the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in two U.S. states limits that country's "moral authority" to ask other nations to combat or restrict illegal drug trafficking. Calderon says the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado represents a fundamental change that requires the rethinking of public policy in the entire Western Hemisphere. -
Leaders in Latin America call for review of drug policy after 2 U.S. states vote to legalize marijuana
The Associated Press
Monday, November 12, 2012
A group of Latin American leaders declared that votes by two U.S. states to legalize marijuana have important implications for efforts to quash drug smuggling, offering the first government reaction from a region increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-backed war on drugs. The declaration by the leaders of Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica did not explicitly say they were considering weakening their governments' efforts against marijuana smuggling, but it strongly implied the votes last week in Colorado and Washington would make enforcement of marijuana bans more difficult.
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