Policy and Legislation
39 articles
Congress Says No Needle Exchanges Within 1000 feet of Schools, Parks and Libraries
Congress is set to restore funding to needle exchange programs so long as they are located at least 1000 feet from any areas where children might congregate (parks, schools, libraries, colleges etc.). Workers at needle exchange clinics say that the 1000 foot rule makes getting funding impossible.
Barack Obama, His Drug Use and the Drug War
The Clinton campaign again came under scrutiny after an influential supporter publicly raised the issue of Obama's past drug use - and voters this week had their own questions about his past, and future thoughts on drugs.
NY Passes Medical Marijuana Bill - Senate Approval Still Needed
Pending State Senate approval, New Yorkers prescribed marijuana for pain relief will be free from prosecution.
1 Positive Drug Test and Your Children Will be Taken? California Law Under Fire
A couple in LA have sued the County after their children were removed from the home after a single positive drug test result - a test they maintained, and ultimately proved, was wrong.
Obama Orders an End to DEA Raids on Legitimate Medical Marijuana Operations
Federal law prohibits the sale and use of marijuana without exception, but 14 states have independently legalized medical marijuana to those in need. Under Bush, medical marijuana providers still risked federal raids and prosecution – under Obama, that won’t happen anymore.
Pregnant Meth Users in Arizona May Face Involuntary Commitment
After passing through the State Judiciary Committee, a bill proposing to allow for the involuntary commitment and treatment of meth using pregnant women will face a vote on the Senate floor.
Kansas Politician Pledges a Fight against Legal Synthetic Marijuana Blends
Teens in Kansas are getting high on a legal synthetic marijuana-like blend.
Vancouver Safe Drug Injection Clinic Has US Cities Watching
Inner city Vancouver suffers a heroin epidemic. In a harm reduction effort, the province has funded a clinic for safe, medically supervised injection drug use. US municipalities are watching, but the idea remains controversial, even within Canada.
Dallas Debates the “War On Drugs”
Last week, the Dallas Morning News printed a column by the local CEO of Mothers Against Teen Violence - Joy Strickland, arguing that the “war on drugs” puts our children at risk and that national drug laws have failed to minimize the availability of illicit drugs.
California Gay Men The Target of New Anti-Meth Campaign
55% of California gay men have tried crystal meth, and it's causing increased rates of HIV infection.
Of the $468 Billion American Governments Spend on Substance Abuse, Only 2% Goes to Prevention
Although every dollar spent on prevention yields an eventual savings of up to $12, US governments remain reluctant to put real funding dollars where they might make a difference.
Californian NAACP Offers Support to Marijuana Legalization Measure
Calling this a civil rights issue, the California charter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has announced its support of a ballot measure that, if passed, could mean the legalization of up to an ounce of marijuana for personal consumption.
Congress Abolishes Unfair Crack Cocaine Sentencing Laws
If you get caught with 500 grams (more than a pound) of powder cocaine – you face a 5 year federal prison sentence, but if you’re caught with only 5 grams of crack cocaine, you also face a 5 year sentence…but maybe not for long. Congress has now approved the passing of a bill that will change this sentencing disparity that many consider very unfair and perhaps even racially discriminatory.
Jail Not the Answer for Offenders with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Says Canadian Bar Association
A Canadian legal group is calling for alternative to incarceration sentencing guidelines to better deal with offenders coming before the court with fetal alcohol syndrome.
Senator Orin Hatch Says That People Getting Unemployment Benefits Should Be Tested for Drugs
Senator Orin Hatch says that people receiving social assistance from the government need to prove that they won’t be spending that money on drugs. He’s calling for drug testing for each of the 15 million Americans receiving unemployment assistance or welfare.
Canadian Doctors Urge Federal Govt. to Drop Court Challenge against Insite Safe Injection Clinic
An article review of medical research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal states that Vancouver’s Insite safe injection clinic is doing what it is supposed to be doing and that it saves lives and increases access to treatment. Based on this medical evidence, the study authors ask that the federal government abandon a last-ditch Supreme Court challenge attempt to shut the clinic down.
Senator Chuck Schumer Calls for FTC Investigation into the Marketing of Alcoholic Energy Drinks
In a letter to the FTC, he says that alcoholic energy drinks are being marketed at teens while being made to look like regular energy drinks to mislead parents – marketing practices he calls, “at minimum, grossly irresponsible."
To Save Money, California Proposes Eliminating Funding for Methadone Treatment
In a bid to trim $53 million from Medical, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed, among other measures, to eliminate Medical funding for methadone treatment.
Researchers Show that Safe Injection Clinics like Insite Help Heroin Users Quit Injection Drug Use
Researchers in B.C. Canada say that heroin users who frequented Vancouver’s Insite safe injection clinic were more likely to quit injection drug use for at least 6 months, primarily as a result of getting into frequent contact with health workers and an increased likelihood of entering into an addiction treatment program
Most Americans Don’t Want Marijuana Legalized
Most Americans do not support legalization, but most do support medical marijuana.
Michigan Bans Alcoholic Energy Drinks – New York Considers Doing Likewise
The Michigan Liquor Control Commission has given retailers 30 days to get rid of their stocks of the now banned drinks, which can contain as much as 12% alcohol by volume.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to Life for Marijuana Offense
Small time Louisiana pot dealer gets life for 3rd marijuana arrest.
Connecticut Decriminalizes Real Marijuana and Criminalizes Fake Marijuana
In Connecticut, getting caught with up to a half ounce of real marijuana will get you no more than a ticket and a small fine. Getting caught with ‘legal-high’ fake marijuana type drugs or salvia divinorum, however, could land you in jail!
Four Loko: Alcoholic Energy Drink to Be Guzzled by Gas Tanks
The controversial drink Four Loko, is hitting store shelves with a new formula that keeps the high alcohol content but gets rid of the caffeine. As the new legal formula, which is caffeine-free, begins to stock up on store shelves, the old formula is being converted to fuel for consumption by automobiles.
World Leaders Call Drug War a Failure
A consortium of past and present world leaders and other influential figures call the drug war a total failure and say it’s time for the US to stop treating drug users like criminals and to open up to debate about other ways to handle the drug problem.
Retroactive Changes in Crack Cocaine Sentencing Laws Mean Early Release for 12,000 Federal Inmates
Changes to sentencing laws will effect 1 in 17 inmates in the entire federal corrections system.
Federal Government Denies Medical Marijuana Request – Says Pot Has No Medicinal Value
Nine years after being asked to consider the possible merits of medical marijuana, the DEA has ruled to continue classifying marijuana as a drug of abuse with no approved medicinal value.
NAACP Calls for an End to War on Drugs
On Tuesday, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) passed a strong resolution that calls for an end to the 40 year long war on drugs, citing grossly imbalanced application of drug laws on the African American community and the war’s total ineffectiveness as compelling reasons for a change.
To Reduce the Spread of HIV and Hepatitis C, Vancouver Will Supply Free Crack Pipes to Drug Users
Crack users in Vancouver will soon have access to new free crack pipes, courtesy of Vancouver Coastal Health which will hand out the crack pipes to those that want them in Vancouver’s notoriously drug plagued Lower Eastside neighborhood.
Only 2% of Florida Welfare Recipients Fail Drug Test – 98% Keep Benefit Payments
Although Governor Rick Scott had claimed that cancelling benefit payments to drug users on welfare would more than pay for the cost of the testing program – it looks like he was wrong.
For Violating Americans with Disabilities Act, Federal Government Sues Trucking Company Which Fired Alcoholic Driver
Old Dominion Freight Line in Arkansas is facing a federal lawsuit for violating the disability act rights of a driver they fired for being an alcoholic (the driver had never violated the company’s alcohol policies).
Medicare to Cover Alcohol Screenings and Behavioral Counseling
Medicare will extend coverage, at no additional cost, to provide screening services for depression and for alcohol abuse disorders and to provide behavioral counseling to Seniors with alcohol abuse problems.
Military Insurance to Cover Long Term Methadone and Suboxone Therapy
Defense Department to reverse an insurance coverage ban on long term methadone maintenance therapy for military personnel.
Addiction Doctors Protest Cameron Douglas’ 54 Month Drug Possession Jail Term Extension
Addiction doctors say that it’s not fair to imprison people for the actions of addiction, not provide adequate addiction treatment and then continue to penalize for drug use and possession.
US Drug Czar Calls for an End to Laws That Punish People in Recovery
In a speech at The Betty Ford Center, US Drug Car Gil Kerlikowske called for an end to laws and statutes that continue to punish people already striving for recovery.
Drug Policy Group Says ‘War on Drugs” Accelerates Spread of HIV
The Global Commission on Drug Policy says war on drugs style policies fuel the spread of HIV. The GCDP is a think tank comprised of 6 former world leaders, a former Canadian Supreme Court Justice, British entrepreneur Richard Branson and other notables.
N.J. Governor Christie Calls War on Drugs a Well Intentioned Failure
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie calls the drug war a failure and uses a pro-life argument to call for treatment instead of jail.
APA Says Regular Marijuana Use Is 'Bad for Teen Brains'
Though many perceive marijuana to be relatively harmless, researchers from the APA urge those considering legalization to keep cannabis away from underage consumers.
Recovering Alcoholic Michael Botticelli Nominated as Drug Czar
Michael Botticelli, the man now driving US drug policy, brings 25 years of recovery experience to his post.