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ON THE SPEAKEASY BLOG

Leila de Lima is Free!

We celebrate the release of former Senator Leila de Lima on bail, and hope for the speedy dismissal of her case.

12 comments

On International Human Rights Day, UN drugs body silences UN human rights expert on ground-breaking report

News release from our colleagues at the International Drug Policy Consortium:

39 comments

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. 22 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.

21 comments

Initiatives 2020 -- Legalization Sweep, Psychedelic Sweep, Medical Marijuana, Decrim

November 3rd was a good day for drug reform ballot initiatives. 13 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. 113 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. 41 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. 290 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. 40 comments

Save Marijuana Legalization

Jeff Sessions is trying to turn back marijuana legalization and medical marijuana. Don't let him do it. 4 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. 5 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. 3 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. 15 comments

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FROM THE CHRONICLE

NY Prisons Punished Inmates for False Positive Drug Tests, OH GOP Pols Plot Pot Changes, More... (12/1/23)

The feds want to add fentanyl to the current drug screening panel for truck drivers and safety-sensitive federal workers, Ohio Republicans are in a hurry to modify voter-approved marijuana legalization, and more. 1 comment

NY Regulators Clear Way to Breaking Pot Licensing Logjam, WA Cities Could See Psychedelic Reform Efforts, More... (11/29/23)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) says he is open to home grows but not just yet, Arizona regulators take the first steps toward clinical trials for psilocybin, and more. comments

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

IA small-town Indiana cop gets in trouble for a single pot plant, a Miami cop was enticed into ripping off what he thought were drug dealers, and more. comments

NH Governor Blows Up Legal Pot Plans, IN Committee Calls for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Pilot Project, More... (11/28/23)

The Ohio GOP is hard at work on coming up with ways to mess with the voter approved marijuana legalizaion initiative before it goes into effect next month, New Hampshire's GOP governor comes up with some last-minute must-haves that derail a move toward marijuana legalization, and more. comments

Federal Judge Blocks "Kansas Two-Step" Traffic Stops, Ecuador President Ends De Facto Drug Decriminalization, More... (11/27/23)

German marijuana legalization is headed for a final parliamentary vote this week, the Ukrainian medical marijuana bill is being blocked by hundreds of "spam" amendments, and more. comments

Mobile, AL, Cops Kill Black Teen in Pre-Dawn SWAT Raid That Netted 8 Grams of Weed, More... (11/22/23)

Sarasota, Florida, is moving to recriminalize pot possession after it decriminalized it three years ago, a deadly SWAT raid in Alabama is raising alarms, and more. 2 comments

Hawaii AG Unveils Pot Legalization Draft, Boston Settles Hair Drug Test Lawsuit with Black Cops, More... (11/21/23)

Ohio's GOP Senate leader is plotting changes to the marijuana legalization law approved by voters just weeks ago, the city of Boston pays out for using discriminatory hair drug tests on police officers, and more. comments

NY Governor Signs Trio of Reform Bills, SD Legal Weed Initiative Filed, More... (11/20/23)

New York governor signs bill to seal criminal records, a second South Dakota marijuana legalization initiative is filed, and more. 1 comment

PA Bill Allowing MedMJ Growers to Sell Direct to Patients Advances, Cartel Gun Bill Filed, More... (11/17/23)

The South African National Assembly has approved a marijuana legalization bill, a bipartisan federal bill to disarm cartels by blocking the flow of American guns south is filed, and more. comments

US and China Reach Accord on Fentanyl, MD Now Accepting Cannabusiness Applications, More... (11/16/23)

A Massachusetts bill would prioritize treatment over jail for probationers who fail drug tests, a new study finds no increase in crime near New York City's safe injection sites, and more. comments

Boston Leads the Way on Bringing Social Equity to the Legal Marijuana Industry [FEATURE]

The city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts have been forging the path toward effective social equity in the marijuana industry. 6 comments

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

An NYPD cop gets popped for slinging heroin and fentanyl, and more. comments

OH GOP Eyes Changes to New Legal Weed Law, National Drug Survey Data Released, More... (11/15/23)

New York advises drug treatment providers to quit testing for marijuana in most cases, Ohio GOP lawmakers want to modify the just-passed marijuana legalization initiative, and more. comments

LA Poll Has Majority for Weed Legalization, White House Pushes for Opioid Funding, More... (11/14/23)

The mayor of Washington, DC, declares an opioid public health emergency, red state Louisiana now has a majority for marijuana legalization, and more. comments

WI Psilocybin Research Bill Filed, German Pot Legalization Vote Postponed, More... (11/13/23)

A leading critic of former Philippines President Duterte's drug war has been freed from prison after being jailed for nearly seven years on bogus drug charges, Vietnam sentences 18 people to death for drug offenses, and more. comments

OR Leaders Visit Portugal for Look at Decriminalization, VA Could See Legal Marijuana Sales, More... (11/10/23)

President Biden remains steadfast in his opposition to federal marijuana legalization, Ohio's Republican governor calls for the legislature to amend the brand new marijuana legalization initiative before it goes into effect next month, and more. 1 comment

IN Supreme Court Rules for Jury Trials in Asset Forfeiture Cases, Sinaloa Cartel Hands Out Food, More... (11/9/23)

Florida Supreme Court justices were skeptical of the state's effort to keep a marijuana legalization initiative off the ballot, a Canadian Senate committee calls for an immediate psychedelic research program for veterans, and more. comments

Gallup Poll Has Support for Legalizing Pot at All-Time High, House Move to Block Weed Rescheduling, More... (11/8/23)

The Florida Supreme Court hears oral arguments over whether a marijuana legalization initiative will appear on the November 2024 ballot, a key House committee chair is moving to block marijuana rescheduling, and more. comments

Ohio Voters Legalize Marijuana [FEATURE]

With Ohio joining the ranks of the legal marijuana states, a majority of Americans now live with legalization. 2 comments

House Committee Blocks DC Legal Weed Sales, Colombia Hack Exposes DEA Agents, More... (11/7/23)

A New York assemblyman wants to ban marijuana billboards, Utah medical marijuana dispensary workers vote to unionize, and more. 1 comment

UN Says Afghan Opium Production Plummets, Raided Vancouver Magic Mushroom Shop Reopens, More... (11/6/23)

Sweden is moving to broaden access to the opiate overdose drug naloxone, one of three Vancouver magic mushoom shops raided by police last week has reopened and the other two will be reopening shortly, and more. 1 comment

House Legal Weed Bill Reintroduced, Peru Eradicates Coca Crops, More... (11/3/23)

Most Michigan state job seekers will not have to worry about pre-employment pot tests anymore, the Senate approves a bill that would allow VA docs to recommend medical marijuana for veterans, and more. 2 comments

CT Doubles Amount of Weed You Can Buy Legally, Bolivia Coca Cultivation Drops, More... (11/2/23)

Vancouver Police crack down on shops selling magic mushrooms, Pennsylvania lawmakers consider marijuana legalization -- including a state liquor store model -- and more. 1 comment

OH Polls Say Pot Initiative Will Pass Next Week, White House Urges Naloxone in Schools, More... (11/1/23)

A Colorado safe injection site bill gets pulled in the face of a gubernatorial veto threat, the New York Senate attempts to address issues hampering the rollout of the legal marijuana industry, and more. 1 comment

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. 1 comment

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. 1 comment

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. 23 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. 7 comments

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