XPost: alt.drugs.psychedelics, alt.drugs.pot, rec.drugs.cannabis
From: bliss@mouse-potato.com

Drug War Chronicle, Issue #1081 -- 10/1/19
Phillip S. Smith, Editor, psmith@drcnet.org https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/1081

A Publication of StoptheDrugWar.org
David Borden, Executive Director, borden@drcnet.org
"Raising Awareness of the Consequences of Drug Prohibition"

Table of Contents:

1. WILL OREGON BE THE FIRST STATE TO DECRIMINALIZE ALL DRUGS? [FEATURE]
The groundwork is being laid to put a possible initiative on the 2020
ballot. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/30/will_oregon_be_first_state

2. HOUSE PASSES SAFE BANKING ACT
In a historic vote, the House of Representatives has approved a bill to
allow state-legal marijuana business access to financial services. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/26/house_passes_safe_banking_act

3. MEDICAL MARIJUANA UPDATE
New Hampshire patients will be able to grow their own, DC patients will
be able to use medical marijuana at school, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/25/medical_marijuana_update

4. THIS WEEK'S CORRUPT COPS STORIES
A rapey reserve officer is in hot water in Louisiana, an NYPD officer
who moonlighted as a bodyguard for El Chapo's wife gets nailed in a
sting, an Indiana hospital cop gets caught with his fingers in the pain
pill jar, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/25/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories

5. CHRONICLE AM: HOUSE MJ BANKING BILL VOTE NEXT WEEK, GUATEMALA NOW A
COCAINE PRODUCER, MORE... (9/20/19)
The House prepares to vote on a marijuana banking bill, New Hampshire
lawmakers override a veto to ensure patients can grow their own,
Guatemala concedes it is now a cocaine-producing nation, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/20/chronicle_am_house_mj_banking

6. CHRONICLE AM: SAFE BANKING ACT BATTLE, SD POT LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE ADVANCES, MORE... (9/23/19)
Battle over voting on the SAFE Banking Act, South Dakota marijuana
legalization initiative okayed for signature gathering, Dr. Bronner's
kicks in for Oregon psilocybin initiative, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/23/chronicle_am_safe_banking_act

7. CHRONICLE AM: MEXICO LEGALIZATION DEADLINE LOOMS, STATE AGS URGE
SUPPORT FOR FED MARIJUANA BILL, MORE... (9/24/19)
More than 20 state attorneys general have urged congressional leaders to
pass legislation to protect state-legal marijuana, Mexico faces a
deadline to legalize marijuana, Canadian researchers recommend providing prescription heroin to hard-core addicts, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/24/chronicle_am_mexico_legalization

8. CHRONICLE AM: MA WILL GET CANNABIS CAFES, AUSTRALIA'S CAPITAL CITY
LEGALIZES WEED, MORE... (9/25/19)
Massachusetts regulators approve cannabis cafes and home delivery, a key congressman pledges continuing support for broad marijuana reforms,
Australia's capital city legalizes pot possession, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/25/chronicle_am_ma_will_get

9. CHRONICLE AM: CDC WARNS ON THC VAPING, INDIANAPOLIS TO END SMALL
MARIJUANA PROSECUTIONS, MORE... (9/30/19)
The feds are homing in on THC products as the vaping crisis intensifies,
a Virginia poll shows a rapid increase in support for marijuana
legalization there, Indianapolis says bye-bye to small-time pot
prosecutions, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/30/chronicle_am_cdc_warns_thc

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================

1. WILL OREGON BE THE FIRST STATE TO DECRIMINALIZE ALL DRUGS? [FEATURE] https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/sep/30/will_oregon_be_first_state

The groundwork is being laid now for a possible effort to decriminalize
the possession of drugs in Oregon. Last month, a trio of drug reform
advocates quietly filed a decriminalization initiative, the Drug
Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act (http://oregonvotes.org/irr/2020/044text.pdf), with state officials.

That is only the first step in the long and complicated process of
getting the initiative on the November 2020 ballot and approved by
voters, but it is a first step. Between now and then, the Oregon
activists and national groups will be weighing whether success is
actually possible and if a full-blown campaign to get it passed will happen.

As is evident from the initiative's title, it is not just about drug decriminalization, but also about coming up with better ways than
drug-war style policies to address drug misuse and addiction; it is a
public health approach rather than a criminal justice approach to the
problem.

And it is one that would use taxes derived from the legalization of
marijuana to pay for drug treatment and other services for people with
drug problems.

According to the proponents, the aim of the initiative "is to make
health assessment, treatment and recovery services for drug addiction
available to all those who need and want access to those services and to
adopt a health approach to drug addiction by removing criminal penalties
for low-level drug possession."

Here's what the initiative would do:

* Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of all drugs. People
caught with personal use amounts of any drugs, including heroin and
cocaine, would be cited for a violation -- not a felony or misdemeanor
-- and would be subject to no more than a $100 fine. Drug sales and
manufacture would still be criminalized.
* Create Addiction Recovery Centers across the state to address "the
acute needs of people who use drugs and assessing and addressing any
on-going needs thorough intensive case management and linkage to care
and services." Those centers will offer health assessments for each
client, as well as an individual intervention plan, intensive case
management, and connection to services.
* Increase community access to care, including "low barrier substance
abuse disorder treatment," peer support and recovery services, housing,
and harm reduction interventions, such as naloxone and needle exchanges,
as well as "stimulant-specific drug education and outreach."
* Pay for it with a Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund and an
Oregon Marijuana Account. The marijuana account, funded by marijuana tax
and fee revenues, would be distinct from the state's General Fund and
would provide funding for the Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund,
which would provide grants to government and nonprofit groups to provide
such services. The fund could also receive monies appropriated by the legislature, as well as any savings from reduced criminal justice costs
after decriminalization.

Such a measure is desperately needed, said Anthony Johnson, chief
proponent of the initiative, who also headed the state's successful 2014 marijuana legalization campaign. His fellow proponents are Haven
Wheelock of the Portland needle exchange Outside In, and Janie
Gullickson, executive director of the Mental Health and Addiction
Association of Oregon.

"Oregon ranks nearly last in the country in access to drug addiction treatment," Johnson explained in an emailed statement. "The waitlist to
get treatment can be months long, and in some rural counties, there is practically no treatment at all. This is one reason why one to two
Oregonians die of drug overdoses every day, sometimes while they are
waiting to get treatment. But instead of expanding access to treatment
and recovery, Oregon has recently cut it, reducing general fund money
for drug addiction treatment by 89%. If we don't do something soon, many
more people will die."

While there is a popular belief that being able to arrest people for
drug possession is a key to getting them into treatment, Johnson demurs.

"It shouldn't be," he said. "Most people who need treatment do not get arrested, and many are reluctant to get treatment because drug
possession is a crime. Although there are some who may seek treatment as
the result of an arrest, the damage done by saddling someone struggling
with addiction with a criminal record is vastly worse, stigmatizing them
and often costing them jobs, housing, student loans, time, and
separation from their family and support network, among other things.
Treatment is more effective when people want it and when it is available
on demand."

And there's enough money in legal marijuana to pay for it, he said.

"If revenue from marijuana continues to grow at the same rate it has
been growing as estimated by the state, this act will bring in about
$100 million a year for treatment and services by 2021," Johnson argued.
"That number is projected to grow by about $20 million a year. For
comparison, there was a recent bill that failed in the legislature that
would have provided $2.9 million in new money for treatment. This act
would provide more than 30 times that amount -- all from existing
resources."

The state took in $103 million in marijuana tax revenue in fiscal year
2019, and it estimates that number will grow by about $23 million a year
in the foreseeable future. Under the initiative's provisions, all
marijuana tax revenue above $45 million will go to services such as drug addiction treatment, recovery, peer support and housing. The other $45
million will continue to go where it does now -- for schools, public
safety and drug addiction treatment and services.

Social and racial justice also demands Oregon find a new path, Johnson
argued. A recent study (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/oregon-study-finds-racial-disparities-in-drug-convictions/)
found that blacks in the state are convicted of felony drug possession
offenses at twice the rate of whites.

"Our drug laws are deeply inequitable, disproportionately targeting and impacting people of color and in poverty," he said. "Oregonians use
drugs at about the same rate, regardless of the color of their skin.
However, people of color are much more likely to be arrested, charged
and convicted of drug crimes. People of color are also sentenced more
harshly and forced to pay higher fines. That's morally reprehensible. At
the same time, our current drug laws distort the priorities of police,
who end up spending too much time arresting people for being addicted to
drugs instead of focusing on community safety."

The initiative was drafted with the help of the Drug Policy Alliance, as
well as dozens of Oregonians working in treatment, addiction, and
recovery, along with experts on equity, economics, criminal justice,
civil liberties, ballot measure campaigns, law, Oregon state politics,
and more.

The initiative has been filed, but a final decision on whether it's a
"go" has yet to be made. While the Drug Policy Alliance has been
involved, it has not yet committed to getting behind this initiative
just yet.

"We've been looking at a number of states, including Oregon, that could
benefit from moving towards a health-centered approach to drugs and away
from criminalization," Matt Sutton, the group's director of media
relations said in an email. "At this point in time, we have connected
with various groups on the ground and are exploring all of our options.
It is much too soon to determine whether or not we will move forward
with this measure, however, the process to get something on the ballot
in Oregon can be lengthy, and we wanted to make sure the door was still
open for the potential measure to proceed."

"We would not be where we were unless there was a strong path to
victory, but the campaign is still in an exploratory phase, and we have
a lot more work to do before we make a final decision about whether to
go forward with the campaign," Johnson said.

Still, the groundwork is being laid for Oregon to once again take a
pioneering role in drug policy. It was the first state to decriminalize marijuana possession way back in 1973 and the third to legalize
marijuana in 2014. Now, it could be the first to decriminalize the
possession of all drugs in 2020.

The Drug Policy Alliance is a funder of StoptheDrugWar.org.

================ ...
___________________

It's time to correct the mistake:
Truth:the Anti-drugwar
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Cops say legalize drugs--find out why:
<http://www.leap.cc>
Stoners are people too:
<http://www.cannabisconsumers.org>
___________________

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