Netherlands to Close Prisons Due to Lack of Crime

A headline I hope to one day read here in the states. Just imagine it. Treating drug use/abuse as a public health issue with experts in mental health creating the policies rather than law enforcement officials and politicians that think being "tough on crime" means overcrowding our prisons with non-violent offenders, spending valuable police resources on marijuana, and spending tax payer money without significantly reducing crime.

You can often hear opponents of marijuana legalization go on and on about how the Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular, are filled with crime and the reason for this is their toleration for the retail sale of marijuana in coffee shops.

In a country where new prisons and jails are being built every year - it's hard to imagine the U.S. actually having to close prisons, not because of budget crises, but because crime is down. But it looks like those wacky folks from the Netherlands, in all their supposed pot smoking glory, have done just that. In fact, they'll be closing 8 prisons due to lack of crime. Let me say that again. Lack of crime. It just sounds so nice to say.

I think it's just common sense. In Portugal where drugs have been decriminalized, we've seen reductions in not just crime but drug use! And it's important to mention that Portugal saw an increase in those seeking help for drug addiction. When you aren't stigmatized for having a problem - you're more likely to seek help for it.

Look at this recent comparison of crime and incarceration rates in New York and in California. While I don't want to make light of New York's drug laws (the Rockefeller Drug Laws have resulted in disproportionate numbers of African Americans making being incarcerated for drug offenses), the study done by Northwestern University School of Law provides even more proof that we can't just jail our way out of the drug problem.

New York's prison population declined by 9% between 1995 and 2007, while it's violent and property crime rates fell by 47% and 51%, respectively, during the same period, according to data in the report. California's prison population rose by 31% during that period, while the two types of crime declined by 46% and 38%, respectively, the report said. Northwestern adjunct professor Malcolm C. Young, the author of the report, attributes the dichotomy to the differences in the states' mandatory minimum sentences, incarceration policies and rehabilitation efforts.

"The data show that you can increase prisons and have less effect on crime than can be achieved in a state that chooses not to increase its incarceration," Malcolm said in an interview. "Treatment and rehabilitation are important, but what New York learned is that a lot of these people just don't need to be in the criminal justice system."

Lets get back to the core message of SSDP here: Education NOT Incarceration. College students that are convicted of drug possession, even first time possession of a joint, are denied federal financial aid for school.

Lets get smart about drugs. Its like Revenge of the Nerds. Sure, in the beginning the big strong jocks had muscles, cool cars and all the girls. But they were idiots and by the end it all fell apart for them and they had to make room for those that wanted change and weren't afraid to let people know about it. Policies like the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty and Marijuana Prohibition are like those jocks and SSDPers are like those awesome nerds jamming with Roland synthesizers, electric violins, and 80's hairdoos (except we wear suites and ties and engage in political process).

Feeding Your Children to Lions: The Only Way to Keep Them Off Drugs

Alright, alright. The title is a little misleading. But check this out - the D.A.R.E program of Brantford, Ontario requested $1,500 toward the $3,620 (U.S.) cost of a lion costume.

And look - they wanted to use this for 11-12 year olds. Are you kidding? If some asshole dressed as a lion came into my classroom when I was 12 years old to talk to me about the dangers of drugs - I'd probably want to do anything to not end up like him. And if that means using drugs - so be it. I'm not dressing up like a fucking lion for a living when my favorite rock stars and presidents have all admitted to trying drugs.

Luckily, the police services board realized this was a waste of money. "I like the idea of a real lion to scare the kids not to use drugs" joked one board member. Ahh yes, because drugs are more dangerous than putting your child in the same room as a lion - the king of the jungle.

Its true that the board did not approve funding for this yet and likely won't be doing so with the economy in the shape its in. But here is a concerning comment from the same board member that joked about using real lions:

"We don't want to send the message that we don't support D. A. R. E."

That comment likely means that had there not been a budget crisis at the moment this costume would have been approved. When is it ok to throw away money on stupid efforts that we know will not reduce drug use? We cannot base policies and funding on groups like D.A.R.E. simply because their intentions are good and we're afraid to send the message that we don't support them.

I'm all for reducing drug use/abuse among young people. But lions don't talk and they don't use drugs - so grow up and use your head when requesting to use thousands of tax payer dollars.

Or they could just get Stephen Seagal to teach kids about drugs and violence... The man that breaks people necks with the flick of his wrist.

Minnesota Governor Thinks Terminally Ill Medical Marijuana Patients Should be Arrested

Last week Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) vetoed a medical marijuana bill that would have protected terminally ill patients - despite the bill passing the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives

The bill was watered down to help ease concerns that the governor had about the bill. Ultimately, the House decided to narrow it down to only protect those that are terminally ill from being arrested for using marijuana to relieve pain and suffering.

Astonishingly, Pawlenty didn't think that even terminally ill Minnesota citizens should be spared from prosecution for using marijuana.

“While I am sympathetic to those dealing with end-of-life illnesses and accompanying pain, I stand with law enforcement in opposition to this legislation,” Pawlenty said in his veto letter.

Sympathetic? How could you be sympathetic and then decide that dying people should be arrested and even jailed just because law enforcement officials want to arrest them? This is some seriously pathetic stuff here folks. This isn't California's medical marijuana legislation. Again - this bill would have only protected terminally ill people from arrest.

Here is an example of the people that Minnesota law enforcement and Gov. Pawlenty feel should be arrested for using marijuana:

Joni Whiting, whose testimony of finding marijuana for her dying daughter brought tears to many legislators’ eyes, had harsh words for Pawlenty.

“The governor thinks I’m a criminal for allowing my daughter some comfort during the last months of her life,” she said. “I don’t know how he sleeps at night, but I do know I’m not giving up until others in my daughter’s situation are protected.”

The fight isn't over though. SSDP has started new chapters in MN this year and we expect to see even more come September.

“Since the governor has refused to listen to reason or to the overwhelming majority of Minnesotans, we have no choice but to bypass him and take this directly to the people through a constitutional amendment,” said Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing.

MN polls show that over 60% of MN residents supported the bill. Instead of allowing common sense legislation to take place - legislation that would have been the country's most restrictive medical marijuana bill - Pawlenty just made himself look like a heartless, nonsensical demagogue and I don't think it will be too long until we see medical marijuana in MN.

Kerlikowske vs. Walters

While the newest director of the ONDCP, Gil Kerlikowske, isn't likely to be advocating for legalization anytime soon - I think he may be taking us in the right direction - toward actually caring about substance abuse.

"Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country."

For the past 8 years the focus of the ONDCP has been honed on marijuana. And we've most certainly been at war with people that use drugs. Marijuana, then drug czar John Walters would say, is as dangerous as crack. He opposed state medical marijuana laws (again comparing it to "medical crack") and has spoken out against states making marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority. But Kerlikowske is different. In this interview with the Wall Street Journal, Kerlikowske was asked:

What's the number one drug problem?

Well [illegal] prescription drug use is rising and one problem I want to shout about. At the federal level it's easy to look at things nationally but drug issues are different depending on the geography. In some places meth may be far more serious, even though on a national scale it doesn't appear that way. In Appalachia Oxycotin may be far more serious. I want to look at things regionally and in a narrower focus than in a national focus.

Without a doubt, Walters would have answered marijuana to that question. He may have thrown meth in their too but not without claiming that marijuana leads to meth. Kerlikowske doesn't even mention marijuana. He states the truth - prescription drugs and their diversion are a serious problem. He's also smart to look at this regionally rather than create a blanket campaign against a single drug.

Check out this 2003 article from the Seattle Times concerning Seattle's lowest law enforcement priority ballot question. You'll see that Kerlikowske opposed the initiative for an almost sensible reason: Arresting people for possessing marijuana for personal use, says Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, is not a priority now. Officers aren't now bringing in everyone they see smoking a joint, he said.

Kerlikowske at least promises to take his job more seriously than Walters. He doesn't have to support legalization for me to get behind policies that make sense. Furthermore, I don't think full out legalization is necessary for us to make improvements with treating drug addiction (though it sure would help a lot) because as LEAP's Peter Christ says "Legalizing drugs is not the answer to our drug problem. Legalizing drugs is the answer to our crime problem." The drug problem, unfortunately, isn't going anywhere - its here to stay - legalized drugs or not. But we can stop throwing gas on the fire now.

If Kerlikowske is ready to put our money where his mouth is - we'll see a campaign from the ONDCP that shows needle exchange programs work to reduce disease transmissions and provide places where addicts can go to get help and eventually - off drugs. We'll see funding for law enforcement decrease and treatment funding increase (you'll see here that Obama's budget, while increasing treatment funding, also decreases prevention funding and unfortunately calls for more $$ for law enforcement). Talking dogs and flying aliens warning our kids about pot will be replaced with realistic drug education that focuses on America's real drug problems - not support for a witch-hunt of marijuana users.

Deprioritization is key at this point. We can't focus on marijuana anymore and I think our new drug czar knows this. At least that much leaves me optimistic.

FBI Director Gets Schooled on Marijuana

It seems like one congressman has had just about enough of marijuana prohibition. Congressman Steven Cohen of Tennessee wasn't taking any shit when he questioned FBI director Robert Mueller on whether he thinks the drug war has been successful - considering, well you know... the violence on the Mexican border, more 10th graders now smoking marijuana than tobacco, American voters supporting legalization, our newest drug czar calling drug abuse a public health issue, Olympic superstars smoking the ganj, 2 states introducing marijuana legalization legislation - that stuff.

Mueller: "Uh, I think there have been some success..."
Cohen: "You say some success. Do you have any statistics for those successes? The statistics I have show there are more people smoking marijuana."
Mueller: "All I can say is ask the parents of a child that has died from drugs."
Cohen: "Show me the parents of a child that had died from marijuana."
Mueller: "I can't"
Cohen: "That's right - because that hasn't happened."

Oh, just watch it for yourself.

Tancredo says Legalize Drugs!

Former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo said its time to consider legalizing drugs. The conservative is coming from this at a very common sense level - prohibition doesn't work. He realizes we have nothing to show for the wasted resources and lives that have resulted in a clogged criminal justice system and a prison overcrowding crisis. And as Tancredo says himself:

"It is now easier for a kid to get drugs at most schools in America that it is booze."

One person in opposition to Tancredo's stance gave the same ol' same ol' "what about the children?" excuse. "Kids will look at that and say,'Well, it must be all right because it's legal now."

I just gave a presentation to high school juniors and seniors in Oakland, CA. I asked the students a simple question: "If heroin or meth became legal today - how many of you would go out and use them?" Not a single hand went up and a few of them shouted "hell no!"

Ban on Needle Exchange Funding Stays

Last week it was revealed that President Obama will not be keeping his promise to lift the ban on needle exchange funding.

A White House spokes person assures that Obama is still committed to this change:
"We have not removed the ban in our budget proposal because we want to work with Congress and the American public to build support for this change," he said. "We are committed to doing this as part of a National HIV/AIDS strategy and are confident that we can build support for these scientifically-based programs."

The Huffington Post's Ryan Grim lets us know that the White House website no longer features the president's support of the program, however. See the before and after here.

Hmmm... I think LEAP's Tom Angell sums things up perfectly: "It's hard to imagine how removing mention of support for a proven lifesaving program from the White House website is part of a grand strategy to 'build support' for syringe exchange."

If Obama wants to build more support for lifting the ban he shouldn't be removing his own support from his website. He should have more information about needle exchange programs and their success at reducing the spread of HIV.

SSDP Week of Action Draws Attention to Mexico's Drug War Violence

When will we get our Tax Day?

I, like many others, found myself scrambling this week to get my taxes filed on time. My home state of North Carolina is one of about 22 states that have taxes on illegal drugs. Several other states have had their illegal substances tax laws struck down in court, mostly due to their violation of the Double Jeopardy clause of the Constitution. The Reason Foundation did a really cool report on this issue last year, and DRCNet has published some good analysis about illegal substances taxes in The Chronicle.

I'm not very familiar with other state laws, but North Carolina's law was overhauled in 1995 to comply with a 1994 Supreme Court ruling, Montana v. Kurth Ranch, which struck down Montana's tax on illegal drugs. Some of the changes include ensuring that the purpose of the tax is generating revenue and not punishment, revising the tax structure to ensure the tax is never more than the retail value of the drug, and creating a smaller tax rate for unusable parts of the marijuana plant such as seeds and stalks. If you're interested in a more detailed explanation, check out this PDF.

The changes to NC's tax law were good changes. They represent very commonsense elements that should be involved in drug taxes, except for one very crucial point. You must be arrested to be subject to this tax. It's a testimony to how absurd our public policy regarding drugs is when just about the only people in the country who actually ask to be taxed are given such strong legal incentive not to pay.

The ideal solution is to legalize all drugs and collect the taxes from the peaceful, legal transactions. Check out LEAP's report by Jeffrey Miron of Harvard University which estimates that the tax revenue from legal drugs combined with the no longer having to pay to enforce current drug laws, will create a gross increase of about 76.8 billion dollars a year. That is roughly equal to the Department of Health and Human Service's entire budget. With that money, we could double what we spend on treatment and prevention programs, and still have money left over.

Justice for Derek Copp!

Derek Copp, a student at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, was shot in the chest during a drug raid where police admit, only a small amount of marijuana was found. Copp, who was unarmed and alone in his apartment, was shot in the chest when he reportedly lifted his hand to sheild his eyes from an officer's flashlight.

SSDP chapters at Grand Valley State University, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, and Michigan State University protested the shootings and spread the word about the need for more sensible policies. Watch the video above to see SSDP members like Jonathan Beagly and Chris Chiles in action!

Thankfully, Derek is alive and recovering and is at home trying to get back to his studies. During a press conference after the shooting, Derek said "This isn't going to change who I am. I'm still the same person." "That's me. I'm Derek. That's all I can be."

To help Derek during this difficult time, SSDP is accepting donations to help cover some of Derek's medical or legal costs. You can make a donation at http://www.ssdp.org/derek