• Jensen rejects Swedish fear of free cannabis

    Berlingske (Denmark)
    Thursday, November 22, 2012

    ha-denmarkCopenhagen mayor Frank Jensen rejects the Swedish concern about regulation of cannabis in Copenhagen. He emphasizes that the aim of the experiment is to remove the criminal gangs monopoly on the sale of marijuana. "We will eliminate a billion dollar business from organized crime. All figures show that the consumption of cannabis in Denmark has just risen and risen over the past several years, despite the fact that we have a ban in the area. Therefore, it is time to think of alternatives, and we have asked to be allowed to introduce a pilot scheme in Copenhagen."

  • Uruguay government aide defends marijuana plan

    The Seattle Times (US)
    Thursday, November 22, 2012

    planta-tu-planta-uruguayJuan Vaz, an Uruguayan activist and government aide who has been jailed for growing marijuana in his home, says it's time to end a contradiction that lets people in his country smoke pot but bans its sale or cultivation. The proposal formally introduced to Congress last week would create a National Cannabis Institute with the power to license people and companies to produce marijuana for recreational, medical or industrial uses.

  • Sweden urges city not to legalise cannabis

    Lawmakers in southern Sweden have breathed new life into a smouldering Danish debate over decriminalising marijuana
    The Copenhagen Post (Denmark)
    Thursday, November 22, 2012

    frank-jensen2In a letter to the mayor, elected officials from 19 local councils in southern Sweden told Jensen they “were against all measures that involve a relaxation of our attitude towards narcotics in the Øresund region”. Copenhagen mayor Frank Jensen and the City Council have pushed parliament to allow the controlled sale of cannabis as a way to wrest control of the drug trade from criminal gangs. (See also: Sweden 'self-sufficient' on marijuana: police)

  • Study shows legalizing pot could earn billions for B.C.

    UBC and SFU researchers find decriminalization would hobble organized crime and encourage less cannabis use
    The Vancouver Sun (Canada)
    Tuesday, November 20, 2012

    Legalizing marijuana in B.C. could generate $2.5 billion in government tax and licensing revenues over the next five years, according to a study published this month in the International Journal of Drug Policy. The information comes after Washington state and Colorado passed measures two weeks ago approving the legalization of marijuana for adult use under a strictly regulated system.

  • Dutch to classify super strong marijuana alongside heroin

    DutchNews (Netherlands)
    Tuesday, November 20, 2012

    coffeeshop2The Dutch government is planning to classify strong strains of marijuana and cannabis as a Class A drug alongside heroin and cocaine. Coffee shops will only be able to offer cannabis with a THC level of below 15%. More details of the government's plans to drop the controversial membership scheme for coffee shops were also explained. While coffee shops will only be open to people with official documents which show they live in the Netherlands, it will be up to local authorities to decide how to introduce the new rules. (See also: Cannabis pass abolished? Not really)

  • Drug sentences now make more sense

    The Sentencing Council's new guideline for drug offences praised for its clarity
    The Guardian (UK)
    Tuesday, November 20, 2012

    sentencing-council2The underlying aim of The Sentencing Council's new guideline for drug offences in England and Wales is to ensure sentences are consistent and the punishment proportionate. The guideline was launched in February 2012 and early results suggest it is beginning to have its desired effect. But achieving that consistency has involved a long process of research and careful testing of the results with judges, lawyers and the general public. (See also: Drugs, crime and punishment)

  • New England marijuana legalization bills coming

    Drug War Chronicle (US web)
    Tuesday, November 20, 2012

    marijuana-flag-usIn the wake of this month's marijuana legalization victories in Colorado and Washington, legislators in New England are ramping up efforts to be the next state to legalize. Representatives in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont have all signaled they will be filing legalization bills next year.

  • Time to end the war on drugs

    Katrina vanden Heuvel
    The Washington Post (US)
    Tuesday, November 20, 2012

    no-more-drugwarSince its launch in 1971, when President Nixon successfully branded drug addicts as criminals, the war on drugs has resulted in 45 million arrests and destroyed countless families. The result of this trillion dollar crusade? Americans aren’t drug free — we’re just the world’s most incarcerated population. We make China look like Woodstock. We’re also, according to the old definition, insane; despite overwhelming evidence of its failure, our elected officials steadfastly refuse to change course.

  • Marijuana legalisation in the US: Five burning questions

    This month, two US states voted to legalise, regulate and tax marijuana. From advertising and marketing to drugged-driving enforcement, we ask what's ahead
    BBC News (UK)
    Monday, November 19, 2012

    smoking-jointThe 6 November votes in Colorado and Washington left a lot of marijuana users happy and a lot of police officers nervous. And they set the two states up for a confrontation with the federal government, as marijuana is still illegal under federal law. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the US. Legalisation advocates say the recent votes mark the beginning of the end of the drug's prohibition. "It's a tipping point for sure," says Sanho Tree, director of the drug policy project at the Institute for Policy Studies.

  • Latin America looks to Europe for drug fighting models

    Reuters (UK)
    Saturday, November 17, 2012

    Latin American countries are turning to Europe for lessons on fighting drugs after souring on the prohibition-style approach of the violent and costly U.S.-led war on drugs. Until recently, most Latin American countries had zero-tolerance rules on drugs inspired by the United States. But now countries from Brazil to Guatemala are exploring relaxing penalties for personal use of narcotics, following examples such as Spain and Portugal that have channeled resources to prevention rather than clogging jails.

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