for life and liberty

Pressure Mounts for Marijuana Reform in Bermuda

"For Americans, mention 'Bermuda' and 'marijuana' and the first thing that comes to mind is a vision of vacationing cruise ship passengers arrested and fined in large amounts for carrying small quantities of the substance, like this Oakland medical marijuana patient last month or these two unfortunate tourists in April. But that could be about to change. A mid-month meeting organized by the governing One Bermuda Alliance's youth wing, the Future Bermuda Alliance, to discuss marijuana reform drew nearly a hundred residents and supporters, including two government ministers, both of whom expressed general support for the notion." Continue reading →

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Health Canada Approves Heroin Maintenance

"Last Friday, Health Canada used some creative rule-reading to approve a program that would provide prescription heroin to a small number of hard-core users, and the Conservative health minister isn't happy. But doctors, advocates, and the users themselves are quite pleased -- and once again, Canada stays on the cutting edge when it comes to dealing smartly with heroin use. Health Canada approved access to prescription heroin for at least 15 people who are completing their participation in Vancouver's Study to Assess Long-term Opioid Dependence (SALOME), which is testing whether prescribing heroin was more effective than prescribing methadone." Continue reading →

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Government’s definition of ‘terrorist’ encompasses practically everyone

"According to the US State Department, 'no one definition of terrorism has gained universal acceptance' within our government. And what constitutes a terrorist is rather expansive, as Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) explains. Even former White House Chief of Staff Rham Emanuel meets the criteria. Perianne Boring has more." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment’s definition of ‘terrorist’ encompasses practically everyone

New Orleans Police Department To Wear Cameras

"The 'body-worn cameras' are not mandated under a federal consent decree governing NOPD reforms that Mayor Mitch Landrieu signed last year with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Serpas said the body cameras are a major step that other police agencies across the country have embraced, both to protect the public and to forestall false complaints against officers. 'Imagine a day in the city of New Orleans, in the not too distant future, where every single time we pull over a car, we ask somebody who they are or what they’re doing, that that entire incident is audiotaped and videotaped,' Serpas said. 'We’re very excited about it. It’s coming.'" Continue reading →

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Spy Car Protects Against Unscrupulous Cops [2012]

"After a couple of negative interactions with what he calls "unscrupulous cops", Rick took the initiative to outfit his ride with some cutting-edge technology. And he founded Veterans Against Police Abuse to encourage others to do the same - use technology to create a transparent record of interactions. That, he says, is the surest way to bring-about a safer society. To learn more about the technology in Rick's ride, check out this page on his site, which includes links to many of the devices housed in his car." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSpy Car Protects Against Unscrupulous Cops [2012]

Marijuana Legalization Activists Target States For 2014

"Alaska and Oregon may become the next states to legalize marijuana for recreational use, as early as next year some proponents say. But the big battle over marijuana prohibition will come in 2016 with the next presidential election. Although a slim majority of Americans support legalization, younger voters may vote for change in higher numbers than older generations, Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, says. That group, and others, plan to target state legislators in five states, including Rhode Island and Hawaii, to legalize the drug by 2017. UN drug control officials remain alarmed by challenges to marijuana prohibition in America, Germany, and Uruguay." Continue reading →

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Texas lawman sentenced to 1 year prison for protecting drug smugglers

"A Houston-based federal judge Monday ordered a former Starr County lawman to spend a year in prison after he admitted to taking money from drug traffickers in exchange for police information. Ramirez was arrested on March 12. He pleaded guilty a month after to a violation of the Hobbs Act, which deals with public servants taking bribes. According to court records, from January 2006 to September 2008, Ramirez accepted about $30,000 from drug traffickers in exchange for the location of Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. Before his arrest, Ramirez was in charge of the jail division for the Starr County Sheriff’s Office." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas lawman sentenced to 1 year prison for protecting drug smugglers

Officer indicted for illegal drug prescriptions, fake disability claims

"Authorities say Driscoll, who was in his police uniform, went to a CVS Pharmacy in Burlington on July 10, seeking to obtain Percocet pills. Burlington police were notified and an investigation was launched. Officials allege Driscoll had presented five fraudulent prescriptions to CVS pharmacy between May and July of 2013, and that he received more than 260 Percocet tablets through these false prescriptions. Officials said they also learned Driscoll passed false prescriptions for pain medication at an Osco Pharmacy in a Burlington supermarket. In all but one instance, Driscoll is accused of dropping off and picked up medications while in his police uniform." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOfficer indicted for illegal drug prescriptions, fake disability claims

Delcambre officer accused of altering pain med prescriptions

"A Delcambre police officer has been arrested after being accused of altering his pain medication prescriptions. Police Chief James Broussard asked Louisiana State Police to investigate, and state police detectives discovered Raleigh Cheramie, 38, altered his prescriptions seven times between March 2013 and August 2013, according to Trooper Stephen Hammons. 'He would alter them so he could receive more than the prescribed number of pills,' he said." Continue reading →

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Poor Training Of Narcotics Officers Contributes To Culture Of Ignorance

"Examples of training courses advertised by the CNOA include inflammatory titles such as 'The Eradication of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles' or 'Initial Contacts with Persons Claiming Protections Under California’s Medical Marijuana Laws and Statues.' Through the author’s own words, his article shows the institutional bias of the CNOA as an entity, and the author as an individual. It is this language that points to the perception that the narcotics officers are more interested in deliberately undermining the intent of the Compassionate Use Act by lumping all use as criminal in nature. This leads to subverting the law instead of fairly enforcing it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPoor Training Of Narcotics Officers Contributes To Culture Of Ignorance