Drugs & Prohibition

The Rocky Mountain Road to Legal Marijuana Commerce

"The clock is ticking in Colorado. The voters have already voted to legalize marijuana. Either the legislature passes regulations to implement it -- and quite possibly puts anticipated taxes on the ballot, as required by state law for any new taxes -- and Colorado has legal, taxed and regulated marijuana commerce, or it simply has legal marijuana possession with no taxes and no regulations. The threat of the latter should be enough to ensure the success of the former." Continue reading →

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Pot Legalization Draws Majority Support Nationwide

"A national Pew Research Center poll released Thursday shows the majority of Americans support pot legalization 52 percent to 45 percent, with 72 percent who say that the cost of federal law enforcement efforts are not worth it. The results mark the first time in more than four decades of Pew's polling that a majority has taken that position. As recently as a decade ago, only about one-third of American adults backed making marijuana legal. Support for legalizing pot is up 11 points since 2010, the most dramatic change since the late 1960s." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPot Legalization Draws Majority Support Nationwide

The trouble with using police informants in the US

"Some law enforcement agencies in the US use informants in as many as 90% of their drug cases. But there are surprisingly few rules on how informants are used and a groundswell of calls for the system to be reformed. 'Snitches' are staple fare in Hollywood crime dramas, often working secretly with the police to bring down mafia godfathers or powerful drug cartels. The reality of informants in the US criminal justice system is usually rather different." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe trouble with using police informants in the US

New York: Judge Rules Against Use Of X-Rays During Traffic Stops

"A motorist cannot have his car taken to a border station to be x-rayed based on a window tint violation, a federal judge ruled on Friday. US District Judge Richard J. Arcara allowed a lawsuit to proceed against the Niagara County, New York Sheriff's Department in the wake of an April 28, 2009 traffic stop where motorists who had done nothing wrong were detained by police for more than three hours." Continue reading →

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Former heart surgeon sues Jackson County, sheriff over false arrest, land seizure

"A former Pascagoula heart surgeon, whose 2009 charges of growing marijuana at his farm were dismissed, has filed a federal lawsuit against Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd, the Jackson County Board of Supervisors and the Narcotics Task Force of Jackson County alleging civil, constitutional and human rights violations. Filed in U.S. District Court in Gulfport, the lawsuit says David Bruce Allen was the victim of false arrest, false imprisonment for more than a year, slander and libel, assault and battery, emotional distress and irreparable loss of his property and reputation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFormer heart surgeon sues Jackson County, sheriff over false arrest, land seizure

An Idaho “Gun Violence” Story for the Huffington Post

"The Sheriff staged a SWAT-style raid in which the supposed victim was assaulted by a Deputy (Detective Rich Perecz, who has a previous violent offense in his criminal record), Bear was handcuffed, and an illegal search of the home was made in the hope of finding narcotics evidence that could be used as an excuse to forfeit (that is, steal) the property. Why were Bear and Marcella singled out for such abusive treatment? According to recorded radio traffic among the deputies, the paramilitary raid was carried out because Bear had been politically profiled as a 'Constitutionalist' – which meant that in the interests of 'officer safety,' SWAT tactics would be employed." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAn Idaho “Gun Violence” Story for the Huffington Post

After ‘Tan Mom,’ New Jersey bans children from tanning beds, spray tans

"Under the new law, youth age 17 and older must have a parent or guardian present for an initial consultation with a tanning salon. It also bans children under 14 from getting spray tans in tanning salons. Governor Chris Christie said that while he does not favor government regulation of small business, the new law was important for protecting the safety of minors. Patricia Krentcil, who became known in tabloid stories as the "Tan Mom," denied exposing her daughter to a tanning session, and a grand jury opted not to indict her on charges of endangering the welfare of a child." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAfter ‘Tan Mom,’ New Jersey bans children from tanning beds, spray tans

Daddy Bloomberg Wants to Require Retailers to Hide Tobacco

"The ban on large size sugary drinks was odd enough, but NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has now gone totally loony. A new proposal would require New York City retailers to keep tobacco products out of sight under a first-in-the-nation proposal aimed at reducing the youth smoking rate. The legislation would require stores to keep tobacco products in cabinets, drawers, under the counter, behind a curtain or in other concealed spots. They could only be visible when an adult is making a purchase or during restocking. 'Such displays suggest that smoking is a normal activity,' Bloomberg said. 'And they invite young people to experiment with tobacco.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDaddy Bloomberg Wants to Require Retailers to Hide Tobacco

The Laffer Curve Bites Ireland in the Butt

"All over the world, governments impose draconian taxes on tobacco, and then they wind up surprised that projected revenues don’t materialize. We’ve seen this in Bulgaria and Romania, and in Washington, DC, and Michigan. Even the Government Accountability Office has found big Laffer Curve effects from tobacco taxation. And now we’re seeing the same result in Ireland. I have to laugh at the part of the article that says, 'receipts are falling dramatically short of targets, even though taxes have increased.' This is what’s called the Fox Butterfield effect, when a leftist expresses puzzlement about something that’s actually common sense." Continue reading →

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Rahmaland Cigarette Tax Increases by $1 a Pack

"Taxes on cigarettes sold in Cook County, Illinois which includes Chicago, are going up by one dollar a pack. The price of a pack of cigarettes could be near $11 in Chicago, $6.67 of which is city, county and state taxes. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says the tax, which takes effect Friday, is expected to generate more than $25 million annually. The people of Cook County will soon learn what a black market looks like. Preckwinkle seems to already know it's coming. She says the county Revenue Department will hire more staff to help stop tobacco smuggling and tax evasion." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRahmaland Cigarette Tax Increases by $1 a Pack