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Jeff Sessions Makes False Link Between Marijuana and the Opioid Crisis
A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2014 found that the ten states that legalized medical marijuana between 1999 and 2010 saw significantly fewer opioid deaths compared to states that completely outlaw pot. And in a report published just this week by the RAND Corporation, the 2014 findings were confirmed — though the new study…
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ICC to examine Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ in Philippines
International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have opened a preliminary examination into Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs”, which has led to the deaths of thousands since it began in July 2016. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said on Thursday the examination was a review of whether crimes against humanity had been committed and whether the Hague-based court might have jurisdiction to…
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Time to think about decriminalising dope
We spend millions searching for and incarcerating people for growing and selling a bit of dope. Who are we to tell someone what they should or shouldn’t do with their lives, so long as they do not directly affect the lives of others? Why not spend all that money actually helping people if they have a drug problem? […]
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Safe drug injection sites in San Francisco expected to open in July, be first in nation
The San Francisco Health Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to support the opening of safe injection sites, which will offer intravenous drug users a clean spot to inject drugs, despite the fact that this drug use is against the law and could draw the ire of the Trump Administration. This vote comes after years of hard work from activists in the liberal city who…
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NZ: Cannabis bills both miss the point
In a continuing effort to stem the tide of male bovine excrement from its polluting effect on our stream of rational consciousness, let’s all understand that, regardless of what opposition politicians claim, neither bill legalises cannabis. They both merely add an exemption from prosecution. […]
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Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense for New York
There is no reason why New York, a global economic powerhouse, should not be able to provide its residents with the same opportunities that are being afforded to individuals in states that are generating millions of dollars in revenue from legalization. New York State has the potential to generate billions of dollars in all types of tax revenues from the…
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Nightfall in Philippine slum revives spectre of deaths in drugs war
Bullet-ridden corpses are found hours or even days later, often just a few minutes away, although police say there have been no illegal killings in their anti-drug campaign. Yet the frequent police operations and shadowy murders have hit the slum hard and those who live there say more blood has been spilled since Duterte was elected president on the promise to…
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Calls for use of medicinal cannabis for pain relief amid codeine restrictions
Doctors are concerned access to codeine – which is only available by prescription from today – has been cut off with no viable alternative. Canberra emergency doctor David Caldicott said the use of medicinal marijuana was an obvious solution for pain relief, which he believes is safer and more effective. […]
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Duterte’s police kill dozens just months after Philippine president promises less deadly war on drugs
Philippine National Police have killed nearly 50 people suspected of using or selling drugs in the past two months, just months after President Rodrigo Duterte’s promised a less deadly so-called war on drugs. […]
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US: Despite Liberalising Marijuana Laws, the War on Drugs Still Targets People of Colour
The continuing arrests are part of a long pattern. From 2000 to 2010, an astounding 7,216,000 arrests were made in the U.S. for simple marijuana possession. How many lives were ruined as a result? How many people lost their jobs? Their right to vote? How many of those people lost their college financial aid? […]