Oregon pioneered all drug decriminalization in 2020. Now, an effort to reverse that is getting underway. 10 comments
ON THE SPEAKEASY BLOG
Our Work on Medical Marijuana at the UN
This post is the first of a series explaining our organization's current work and strategy. One part of that is work at the United Nations. 160 comments
The MORE Act has passed the House!
The MORE marijuana legalization with social justice act has passed the US House of Representatives! This is a big day for drug policy reform.
131 commentsInitiatives 2020 -- Legalization Sweep, Psychedelic Sweep, Medical Marijuana, Decrim
November 3rd was a good day for drug reform ballot initiatives. 64 comments 
Philippine Democracy and Human Rights Face a Critical Test This Week
Our ally Senator Trillanes is facing possible jailing, maybe as soon as tomorrow, for opposing Duterte's drug war killing campaign. 450 comments Trillanes Gets Reprieve, for Now
One of the few outspoken leaders opposing Rodrigo Duterte's mass murder campaign in the Philippine drug war, Senator Antonio Trillanes, is likely be jailed tomorrow. He will be the second opposition senator and Duterte critic suffering this fate. 202 comments EVENT: Human Rights Challenge: Judicial and Extrajudicial Drug War Killings, in a Time of Authoritarianism
The rise of authoritarian or authoritarian political figures has been accompanied by calls for both sanctioned and extra-legal government violence in their crime and drug policies. This event, held in association with the UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York, will focus primarily but not exclusively on the situation in the Philippines. We will also examine the ramifications of President Trump's call to administer the death penalty for drug trafficking. 670 comments VIDEO: Our Protest at the Philippine Embassy Today
There are nearly 40,000 v 102 comments Statement of ICC Prosecutor on Opening Preliminary Investigations in the Philippines and in Venezuela
The ICC is a long and uncertain road. But this is an important first step for stopping the drug war killings, restoring rule of law, and seeking justice. 123 comments Save Marijuana Legalization
Jeff Sessions is trying to turn back marijuana legalization and medical marijuana. Don't let him do it. 23 comments Action Alerts, #GivingTuesday, Issue 1000, Remembering Rep. Hinchey
As issue #1000 of the Drug War Chronicle newsletter approaches, we ask you to take advocacy actions, we ask for your financial support, and we stop to remember one of reform's best allies. 31 comments ALERT: Medical Marijuana Is Under Threat -- Tell Congress to Act!
For the first time since becoming law in 2014, the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment (formerly known as the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment) is in danger of not being renewed. 18 comments CONGRESS: Pass S. 1055 for Philippines Human Rights Accountability
This bill responds to the Philippines drug war killings, in which well over 10,000 people have been killed extrajudicially without trial by police and vigilantes. The legislation would place human rights conditions on law enforcement assistance to the Philippines. It would also fund positive public health programs for substance use issues, as well as the work of Philippine human rights defenders. 106 comments Against Jeff Sessions for Attorney General
The president-elect's nominee for Attorney General is a big-time drug warrior who could derail both sentencing reform and marijuana legalization. Please write your Senators in opposition to this nomination. 39 comments Read all Speakeasy Posts
FROM THE CHRONICLE
San Francisco Task Force to Charge Fentanyl ODs as Homicides, Peru Healer Stabbed, More... (10/30/23)
A Kansas poll has two-thirds support for marijuana legalization, a bipartisan group of lawmakers calls on DEA to deschedule marijuana, and more. comments NH Commission Holds Legalization Hearing, Vancouver Cops Raid Unsanctioned Drug Suppliers, More... (10/26/23)
A MAGA marijuana legalization bill gets refiled, German parliamentarians finally get around to debating marijuana legalization, and more. 3 comments OR Lawmakers Discuss Measure 110 Rollback, Cartel Kills 13 Cops in Mexico, More... (10/24/23)
New York is rolling out a drug checking program, Seattle begins a crackdown on public drug use, and more. 7 comments Hiccup for SAFER Banking Act Senate Vote, CA Governor Signs Social Media Drug Crackdown Law, More... (10/16/23)
Workers at Story Cannabis in Maryland's Mechansville are the latest in the industry to vote to unionize, Gavin Newsom signs a social media law that aims at cracking down on online drug sales, and more. 2 comments Rate of Black Men in Prison Has Dropped by Nearly Half, New Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug, More... (10/13/23)
Ohio's Republican Senate leader is threatening to mess with a marijuana legalization initiative if it passes, the Israel-Hamas war has caused a pause in Germany's march toward marijuana legalization, and more. 1 comment CDC Says ODs Hit Record High Last Year, CA Bans "Excited Delirium" As Cause of Death, More... (10/12/23)
More usual suspects come out against the Ohio marijuana legalization initiative, the FDA issues a warning about the home use of prescribed ketamine, and more. 1 comment OH Legal Weed Initiative Early Voting Starts, CA Psychedelic Research Initiative, More... (10/10/23)
The Canadian government issued a report on five years of marijuana legalization, medical marijuana is now one vote away in the Ukrainian parliament, and more.
[image:1 align:left caption:true]Marijuana Policy
Early Voting for Ohio Marijuana...
8 commentsCA Governor Vetoes Weed Labeling Bill, OR Supreme Court Rules on "Possesion with Intent," More... (10/10/23)
Some of the usual suspects line up against the Ohio marijuana legalization initiative, California's governor vetoes a "what about the kids?" marijuana labeling bill, and more. 5 comments CA Governor Vetoes Pot Shop Food and Beverage Bill, DEA Extends Telehealth Prescribing, More... (10/9/23)
Arizona pot shop social equity licenses are having a hard time getting their doors open, Kentucky's governor signs an executive order creating a medical marijuana working group, and more. 2 comments California Governor Vetoes Psychedelic Decrim Bill [FEATURE]
There will be no psychedelic decriminalization in California this year. Maybe next year. 7 comments BC Bill Would Criminalize Public Drug Use, MPP and NORML Merger Talk, More... (10/6/23)
MPP and NORML are in preliminary merger talks, Georgia will become the first state in the country to offer medical marijuana products in pharmacies, and more. 3 comments Pennsylvania Bill Imposing Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Some Fentanyl Overdose Death Passes Senate [FEATURE]
A contemporary crisis generates a tired, old response. 5 comments FDA Issues Guidance for Cocaine, Meth Treatments; US Sanctions Chinese Fentanyl Precursors, More... (10/5/23)
The DA in Oregon's most populous county weighs in on decriminalization, top US officials meet with their counterparts in Mexico on drugs and immigration, and more. 1 comment This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
Crooked jail and prison guards from Saginaw to South Carolina. 2 comments NY Governor Looks to Expand Legal Pot Market, Sinaloa Cartel Says No More Fentanyl, More... (10/4/23)
The Florida Supreme Court has set a date for oral arguments on a marijuana legalization initiative, New York's governor rolls out a plan to expand the legal weed market and crack down on the illicit one, and more. 2 comments US Lawmakers Call for Comprehensive Fentanyl Harm Reduction Strategy, Afghan Opium Drop, More... (10/3/23)
A House committee has again blocked an amendment to stop pre-employment marijuana testing for federal job applicants, a Michigan ban on pre-employment marijuana testing of most state workers has gone into effect, and more. 3 comments Philly City Council Bans Safe Injection Sites, OR Interim Legislative Committee on Drug Policy, More... (10/2/23)
The Dutch are set to embark on a pilot project of creating a legal supply for the country's famed cannabis "coffee shops," Gavin Newsom signs a bill clearing the way for the prescribing of MDMA and psilocybin once they are federally descheduled, and more. 2 comments Seattle Mayor's Executive Order on Public Drug Use, UT MedMJ Workers Unionize, More... (9/29/23)
A former Michigan medical marijuana regulator heads to prison for bribery, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office rejects cocaine field tests as "unreliable," and more. 7 comments House Passes Defense Bill with Psychedelic Research Amendments, FL Bans Tianetpine, More... (9/28/23)
A broad range of advocacy groups is calling on Congress to support a bill to allow temporary scheduling and testing of fentanyl analogs, Maine's largest city moves toward natural psychedelic decriminalization, and more. 2 comments Pushing for Social Equity as Pennsylvania Heads Toward Marijuana Legalization [FEATURE]
The push is on to legalize marijuana in the Keystone State, and black lawmakers want to make sure real equity measures get done. 2 comments SAFER Banking Act Heads for Senate Floor Vote, Scottish Safe Injection Site Approved, More... (9/27/23)
The US and Colombian governments lay out areas of agreement in drug policy, new research shows that drug decriminalization did not increase overdoses in Oregon and Washington--but did cause arrests to drop--and more. 1 comment House Dems Reintroduce Weed Legalization Bill, San Francisco Mayor Wants Forced Treatment for Benefits, More... (9/22/23)
Wisconsin Democrats roll out a marijuana legalization bill, a Pennsylvania medical marijuana expansion bill passes the Senate, and more. 7 comments NCAA Moves to End Marijuana Ban, Study Finds Mexican Cartels a Major Employer, More... (9/25/23)
A pair of Republican senators file a bill to require congressional approval to down-schedule marijuana, the House Rules Committee advances a pair of psychedelic research amendments to the defense spending bill, and more. 15 comments Effort to Recriminalize Drug Possession in Oregon Gets Underway [FEATURE]
Oregon pioneered all drug decriminalization in 2020. Now, an effort to reverse that is getting underway. 10 comments This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A Texas CBP officer goes to prison for 44 pounds of cocaine, a California jail guard gets caught with 40 pounds of drugs, and more. 10 comments Revised Weed Banking Bill Filed, Scottish Safe Injection Site Location Revealed, More... (9/21/23)
A House panel approves the CURE Act to protect past marijuana users from federal employment discrimination, the new Thai minister vows to roll back marijuana decriminalization, and more. 10 comments DHS Rolls Out Strategy for Combatting Illicit Opioids, UN Report Calls for Decriminalization, More... (9/20/23)
The Seattle city council voted to criminalize public drug use, the Czech drug czar suggests legalizing cocaine, and more. 9 comments San Francisco Drug Crackdown Sparking Violence, SAFE Banking Act Hits "Sweet Spot," More... (9/19/23)
A Kentucky company used court-ordered urine tests to defraud Medicare, Secretary of State Blinken addresses synthetic drugs at a UN side event, and more. 9 comments Narcan Maker Blocked OTC Sales to Boost Profits, AZ Weed Workers Strike, More... (9/18/23)
A proposed California initiative would warn fentanyl dealers they could be charged with murder in the event of an overdose death, clashes kill four Colombian soldiers ahead of scheduled peace talks with leftist rebels, and more. 4 comments SAFE Banking Act Committee Vote Coming Soon, BC Bans Drug Possession Near Parks, Playgrounds, More... (9/15/2023)
Fentanyl in stimulants like meth and cocaine is driving a fourth wave of opioid overdoses, Vancouver's pioneering safe injection site marks 20 years in service, and more. 5 comments 