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Huge Signature Gathering Success Sends Pot Legalization to Ballot

AlterNet broke the news that Tax Cannabis 2010 in California has gathered a surplus of ballot petition signatures, moving the state towards pot legalization.

Lack of Access to Medical Pot Is the Poor's Greatest Problem Ever!

by Joshua Holland, AlterNet

Silly straw-liberals.

Daybreak for Marijuana: Most Americans Support Legalization

by Jan Frel, AlterNet

New poll shows 53% support for legalization.

Inspiring, Kickass Drug Activist to Take on Chuck Schumer -- Meet Randy Credico

by Jan Frel, AlterNet

"My campaign slogan is going to be, 'Which candidate would you rather smoke a joint with? Credico or Schumer?’"

Why Are All the L.A. Times Columnists Using Medical Marijuana?

by Sara Libby, True/Slant

Is the Times really this hard up for story ideas that they need multiple columnists writing about their adventures getting pot?

Bong Water Counts as an Illegal Drug?

by Jan Frel, AlterNet

Oh vey. What was the Minnesota Supreme Court thinking?

Dept of Justice Eases Off Medical Pot

by John Nichols, TheNation.com

Holder: "It will not be a priority to prosecute patients with serious illnesses who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana."

Great Moments in Drug Enforcement

by BoRev, BoRev

Oh look: a high ranking U.S. drug official in Mexico also "served as a secret ally of traffickers while he was posted in Guadalajara."

Religious Right University Chaplain Busted for Painkiller Robbery ... for the 2nd Time

by PZ Myers, Pharyngula

Scott Ray, chaplain for Liberty University's men's basketball team and the Director of Convocation, caught on video.

More People Over 50 Are Smoking Pot Than Ever Before

by Jan Frel, AlterNet

Are your parents part of the new Boomer trend?

Congress Gets Its Act Together: Repeals Ban on Syringe Exchange Funding, Allows D.C. to Enact Medical Marijuana Program

Bill Piper, Naomi Long, AlterNet. December 17, 2009.
Washington, D.C. finally seems to be getting the message that the war on drugs has failed.

Former Police Chief Norm Stamper: 'Let's Not Stop at Marijuana Legalization'

Norm Stamper, AlterNet. December 14, 2009.
A new poll shows that most Americans are ready to legalize marijuana, but not drugs like cocaine or heroin. A 34-year police vet says it's time to legalize them all.

Medical Marijuana Apartheid: Different Rules Apply for Rich and Poor Pot Smokers

Joshua Holland, AlterNet. December 13, 2009.
A California hipster can hit the vaporizer without fear of harassment, but a lower-class person smoking a blunt may not be so lucky.

L.A. City Council Votes to Reduce Pot Dispensaries by 90%

Phillip S. Smith, Drug War Chronicle. December 11, 2009.
The vote to cap dispensaries is the latest in a twisted four-year effort to regulate the city's booming medical marijuana retail industry.

DEA Forced to Scrub Misleading Info on the American Medical Association's Position on Marijuana

Charmie Gholson, AlterNet. December 7, 2009.
Activists get the DEA to remove obsolete information from its website claiming that the American Medical Association (AMA) still opposes medical marijuana

The Secret to Legal Marijuana? Women

Daniela Perdomo, AlterNet. December 5, 2009.
Why women have signed onto marijuana reform -- and why they could be the movement's game-changers.

10 Signs the Failed Drug War Is Finally Ending

Tony Newman, AlterNet. December 4, 2009.
2009 will go down as the beginning of the end of America's longest running war. Here's 10 reasons why.

A Smart Way to Battle Drug Addiction and Save Lives: Harm Reduction

Melinda Tuhus, In These Times. November 30, 2009.
Harm reduction is a public health approach that stresses pragmatic solutions to social ills like substance abuse.

The Feds Are Addicted to Pot -- Even If You Aren't

Paul Armentano, AlterNet. November 30, 2009.
The government keeps pushing the BS that pot is addictive and has serious health consequences. And no wonder -- lying about pot is a lucrative business.

The War on Weed: Marijuana Is Basically Harmless -- The Monumentally Stupid Drug War Is Not

Jim Hightower, Hightower Lowdown. November 23, 2009.
The war on marijuana is insane; our officials keep sacrificing tax dollars, lives, civil liberties, and their own credibility in this misguided and losing effort.

When It’s Crunch Time at College, Students Turn to Adderall

Erik Hayden, Miller-McCune.com. November 17, 2009.
Can ADHD stimulants like Adderall be the answer for college students looking to increase academic performance? They think so.

Did LSD Make a Baseball Pitcher's No-Hitter Possible?

James Blagden, No Mas. November 16, 2009.
Perhaps the greatest athletic achievement while on a psychedelic journey, No Mas and artist James Blagden proudly present the animated tale of Dock Ellis' legendary LSD no-hitter.

In Historic Shift, the American Medical Association Sees Value in Marijuana

Phillip S. Smith, Drug War Chronicle. November 14, 2009.
The country's largest physician group, the AMA, has reversed its long-held position that marijuana has no medical worth.

The Relentless War on Drug Users Is Escalating Violence in the US: It's Time for Harm Reduction

Don Hazen, AlterNet. November 14, 2009.
Hundreds gather in Albuquerque to celebrate a new dawn of wider acceptance of drug reform, while still feeling a little nervous about the path ahead.

Drug Policy Alliance Conference Comes at a Crucial Moment for Drug Reform

Anthony Papa, AlterNet. November 12, 2009.
More people than ever grasp the need to shift from criminalization to a public health model -- the Drug Policy Alliance's conference leads the way on this discussion.

Why Are We Locking Up Traumatized Veterans for Their Addictions Instead of Offering Them Treatment?

Penny Coleman, AlterNet. November 11, 2009.
This Veterans Day, let's get past the bunting and ribbons and look at our returning troops' real needs.

Lies About Marijuana Drive People to a Much More Harmful Drug -- Booze

Steve Fox, AlterNet. November 9, 2009.
Anti-pot propaganda drives most people to drink alcohol instead. But booze is far more dangerous than marijuana.

Letting the Science, Not the Politicians, Decide About Marijuana

Jag Davies, AlterNet. November 4, 2009.
The federal govt. is still blocking the process that would allow the marijuana plant to be brought to market as a prescription medicine.

Pot Is More Mainstream Than Ever, So Why Is Legalization Still Taboo?

Steven Wishnia, AlterNet. October 29, 2009.
Obama's drug czar has said "legalization" isn't in his vocabulary. Here's why it should be.

The Case for Marijuana Legalization and Regulation

Paul Armentano, AlterNet. October 28, 2009.
An exclusive look at the historic testimony prepared for a special hearing on legalizing marijuana to the California Assembly.

Busted for Handing Out Clean Needles? Courageous Activists Pushed for Safe Access Despite Jail Time Risks

Phillip S. Smith, Drug War Chronicle. October 26, 2009.
Two passionate drug reformers are looking at serious jail time for trying to save lives.

President Obama And Gov. Paterson Get Love For Recent Drug Policy Reforms

Tony Newman, AlterNet. October 24, 2009.
We are obviously a long way from elected officials being honest and principled when it comes to dismantling the disastrous drug war. But the tides seem to be turning.

What Two Super-Jocks Can Tell Us About the Disastrous War on Pot

David Sirota, Creators Syndicate. October 23, 2009.
We have a double standard -- promoting the recreational use of alcohol and banning the similar use of marijuana.

New Crack-Cocaine Sentencing Reform Bill Leaves Thousands Behind Bars

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, New America Media. October 22, 2009.
The Fairness in Sentencing Act 2009 is anything but fair to the thousands of inmates serving time for drug crimes in federal prisons.

Is the Military Ignoring Its Heroin Problem in the Ranks?

Megan Carpentier, Air America. October 22, 2009.
Occupy the world's largest heroin producer in Afghanistan and it's no wonder the methadone clinics are overpacked -- but the military is mum on the subject.

How Are Some Middle-Class Families Coping with the Recession? Growing Pot

Susan Kuchinskas, Miller-McCune.com. October 22, 2009.
A financial stimulus for the recession-battered middle class: pot farming.

Major Blow to 'War on Drugs': Obama Tells Fed Prosecutors, Don't Waste Your Time with Medical Marijuana Arrests

Allen St. Pierre, NORML. October 19, 2009.
Department of Justice memo formalizes what marijuana advocates had been pushing Obama to do for some time.

Got Pot? It's Legal to Take It on the Plane in Oakland

Josh Richman, Oakland Tribune. October 19, 2009.
Oakland International Airport may be the nation's only airport with a specific policy letting users of medical marijuana travel with the drug.

Unprecedented Civil Disobedience For Hemp Legalization

Phillip S. Smith, Drug War Chronicle. October 16, 2009.
Hoping to focus the attention of the Obama administration on the DEA's bad policies, leading activists were willing to get arrested to make their point.

Why Is L.A.'s District Attorney Aiding and Abetting Mexican Drug Cartels?

Bruce Mirken, Daily News. October 15, 2009.
Attorney Cooley has sweeping plans to boost the profits of drug cartels, and increasing the slaughter these vicious gangs perpetrate on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

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The Drug Policy Alliance Network is the nation's leading organization promoting policy alternatives to the drug war that are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.

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The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws aims to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.

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Marijuana Policy Project is a nonprofit working to minimize the harm associated with the use and prohibition of marijuana.

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Drug Reform Coordination Network is a national network of activists and concerned citizens working for drug policy reform.

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The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) assists scientists to design, fund, obtain approval for and report on studies into the risks and benefits of MDMA, psychedelic drugs and marijuana.

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