Global

Russian City Mistakenly Plants Field Of Marijuana Instead Of Grass

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 29, 2012 Global, News

A lush field of marijuana was discovered on city land near a metro station in Moscow, Russia after apparently being accidentally planted by city authorities themselves, according to drug control officers.

Agents had to “try out the profession of gardening” to remove at least 230 cannabis plants from the area around the Brateyevo Metro Station currently being built in south Moscow, according to the Federal Drug Control Service, reports The Moscow Times.

Two Men Sentenced To Death For 3/4 Ounce Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 25, 2012 Global, News

MFS – The Other News

A 19-year-old Syrian and a 21-year-old British man were sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates on Monday for allegedly selling marijuana to an undercover policeman.

The Briton’s mother collapsed outside Criminal Court in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., after the verdict was announced as the Syrian’s mother tried to comfort her, telling her they could appeal the decision, reports Haneen Dajani at The National.

The two young men were caught after an officer posing as a customer bought 20 grams (about three-quarters of an ounce) of cannabis for Dh1,500 (just over $400 American). The officer had earlier bought Dh500 ($136) worth to test it and confirm it was actually marijuana.

UK Cannabis Group Made Unauthorized Withdrawals From Members’ Bank Accounts

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 22, 2012 Global, News

Peter Reynolds Watch

Peter Reynolds of Cannabis Law Reform (CLEAR)

By Kevin John Braid

Special to Toke of the Town

You may remember a couple of months ago I wrote about the despotic behaviour of Peter Reynolds, the leader of the British political party, Cannabis Law Reform, or CLEAR for short.

Things were not looking good for the UK cannabis movement. Attempts by former members of the CLEAR Exec, Chris Bovey and Greg de Hoedt, to topple Reynolds had failed, as Reynolds unconstitutionally sacked them.

Reynolds even filed bogus reports to the British police against those who challenged him, falsely accusing them of hacking the CLEAR web site and boasting on Facebook they were likely to receive a couple of years in prison. Dorset police have since confirmed no action is being taken against the people Reynolds reported with regards to his allegations.

President of Uruguay Calls for Legal Regulation of Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 21, 2012 Global, Legislation, News

MercoPress

President Jose Mujica of Uruguay says his country will be the first in the world to legally supply marijuana

Uruguay Would Be First Country in World to Legally Supply Marijuana; Revenues Would Fund ‘Treatment’ and ‘Rehabilitation’

Ethan Nadelmann of Drug Policy Alliance: Bold Move by Uruguay Part of Growing Trend in Latin America; Moving from Whether to Legalize Marijuana to How

The government of Uruguay on Thursday announced that it will submit a proposal to legalize marijuana under government-controlled regulation and sale, making it the first country in the world where the state would sell marijuana directly to its citizens.

According to local media, the law would make marijuana legally available in government-authorized locations under certain criteria: there would be a national registry of consumers; sales would only be legal for adults over 18 years; there would be a maximum amount available per month per consumer (according to Toke of the Town‘s source in Uruguay, 40 joints per month); and strict quality controls would be ensured.

Uruguay Plans To Sell Marijuana To Registered Buyers

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 20, 2012 Global, Legislation, News

AFP

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica

The government of the South American nation of Uruguay plans to not only legalize marijuana, but to sell it, according to local news media.

Unnamed lawmakers from Uruguay’s ruling party were quoted as saying that the government would send a bill to Congress on Wednesday that would legalize cannabis sales as a “crime-fighting measure.” Only the government would be allowed to sell marijuana, and only to adults registered as “users,” reports Pablo Fernandez of the Associated Press.

World Leaders: Drug Criminalization Fuels Global HIV/AIDS

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 20, 2012 Global, News

Global Commission on Drug Policy

Landmark Report Released in Advance of 2012 World AIDS Conference in Washington, DC

Global Commission Calls for Drug Decriminalization and Expansion of Proven, Cost-Effective Solutions to Reduce HIV/AIDS – Including Sterile Syringe Access, Safer Injection Facilities, and Prescription Heroin Programs

While Some Countries Have Virtually Eliminated Drug-Related HIV Transmissions, Drug War Policies in U.S., Russia, Thailand and China Cause Millions of Needless Infections and AIDS Deaths

On June 26, the Global Commission on Drug Policy will release a groundbreaking report at a press conference in London followed by a worldwide teleconference. The report describes how the global War On Drugs is driving the HIV pandemic among people who use drugs and their sexual partners.

The report condemns the Drug War as a failure and recommends immediate, major reforms of the global drug prohibition regime to halt the spread of HIV infection and other drug war harms.

U.S./Mexico Peace Caravan To Protest Failed Drug War

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 15, 2012 Global, News

Portland Independent Media Center

Growing Bi-National Coalition of U.S. and Mexican Organizations to Trek Across U.S. to Give Visibility to Victims of Failed Drug War on Both Sides of the Border

Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, Mexican Poet Javier Sicilia, To Lead 6,000-Mile Peace Caravan Against Drug War in U.S. This Fall

Live Press Conference and International Teleconference to Announce “#CaravanaUSA” on Monday, June 18 in Mexico City

As the number of innocent people who continue to die in Mexico because of the failed War On Drugs rises to 71,000 , the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity (MPJD) has announced that it will lead a month-long “Caravan for Peace” across the United States to draw attention to the misguided Drug War policies that have caused a crisis of violence and impunity.

The MPJD and dozens of organizations from both countries are joining together to coordinate the Caravan, a more than 6,000-mile journey, leaving San Diego on August 12 and arriving in Washington, D.C., on September 10.

Led by victims of the Drug War on both sides of the border, the Caravan aims to inspire U.S. civil society to stem the flow of weapons into Mexico, to support humane and health-oriented alternatives to drug prohibition, and to demand more effective, non-violent security strategies. Bi-national respect for justice and human dignity lies at the heart of this initiative, making humane immigration policy another central concern of the Caravan.

Nepal Makes Largest Marijuana Bust In History

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 12, 2012 Global, News

CannaZine

Landrace cannabis grows wild in Nepal

Police in Nepal reported on Monday that they have made the largest marijuana bust in the nation’s history, seizing about 2.5 tons from a dealer near the capital city, Kathmandu.

Officers found 5,820 pounds (2,640 kilos) of cannabis packed into 88 plastic sacks “and bound for India,” police superintendent Sher Bahadur Basnet told Agence France Presse.

The haul had a street value in Nepal of about $155,000, according to Basnet, but it would be worth far more on the international market.

Top 3 Mexican Presidential Candidates All Pledge Shift in Drug War

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 11, 2012 Global, Legislation, News

ColorLines

Mexico’s Drug War has claimed more than 50,000 lives in five years

After More Than 50,000 Prohibition-Related Deaths in 5 Years, Candidates Say Reducing Violence More Important Than Simply Seizing Drugs, Making Arrests

DPA Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann: Next President Should Show Bold Leadership and Follow Other Latin American Presidents’ Call for “All Options On The Table”

The top three presidents candidates in Mexico have all promised a significant shift in their country’s drug war strategy, according to a front page story in Monday’s New York Times. The candidates are pledging to prioritize a reduction in prohibition-related violence, which has led to more than 50,000 deaths since President Calderon launched a war on the drug traffickers in 2006, over conventional measures such as arrests and seizures.

Anonymous Announces OpCannabis420, Phase 2

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 3, 2012 Culture, Global, News

The online activist organizations Anonymous and Team Vendetta have announced that Operation Cannabis 420 needs to evolve beyond marches, social networks, and campaigns. The team has told Toke of the Town it intends to concentrate on communications and outreach as a Phase 2 Upgrade of #OpCannabis420, including the establishment of a central information hub online.

Browsing: Global