Follow continuing coverage of the protests at FreeKeene.com.

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420 Celebrations Still Going Strong in Keene, NH

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via The Associated Press: Egyptian lawmakers want to ban fake hymen. (no, I’m not kidding)

HT: Radley Balko

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Prohibition (still) doesn’t work. Someone should tell Egypt.

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The State Department intended to send the favorable report on Mexico’s human rights record to Congress in advance of President Obama’s visit to Guadalajara for a summit of North American leaders this weekend, U.S. officials familiar with the report said.

That plan was scrapped after aides to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Appropriations foreign operations subcommittee, told State Department officials that the findings contradicted reports of human rights violations in Mexico, including torture and forced disappearances, in connection with the drug war.

via Anti-Drug Aid Delayed as Leahy Blocks Positive Report on Mexico’s Rights Record – washingtonpost.com.

HT Radley Balko

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Anti-Drug Aid Delayed as Leahy Blocks Positive Report on Mexico’s Rights Record – washingtonpost.com

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CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE — The New Hampshire House passed a bill today, 234-138, that would allow seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana if their doctor recommends it – a first for either chamber of the state’s legislature.

via Medical Marijuana Bill Passes New Hampshire House, 234-138 | NH Compassion.

In other FSP news, Pete and Jason from Bureaucrash.com are moving to Keene, NH. They are chronicling their journey on Motorhomediaries.com. Recent movers to Keene also include SamIAm of The Obscured Truth Network. Sam worked with Barry Cooper of NeverGetBusted.com on his Kopbusters reverse sting of the Odessa, TX police department.

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Medical Marijuana Bill Passes New Hampshire House

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I’m currently working on a huge story, my first investigative piece. I’m so excited about it I just have to tease a little. It’s big, so stay tuned.

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Sorry for the long hiatus. I’m back!

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A Colbert Christmas: Willie Nelson Sings

Willie Nelson tells the story of a plant that smokes more sweetly than either frankincense or myrrh

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Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas

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The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office says a guard at the 4th Avenue Jail has been arrested for allegedly supplying cocaine to an inmate.

The guard is identified by the Sheriff’s Office as 27-year-old Ryan White, a detention officer with the Sheriff’s Office for four years.

White was arrested and booked on two felonies Monday afternoon. Charges include promoting jail contraband and assisting in a criminal syndicate.

Detention officer arrested, accused of smuggling cocaine. via Stop the Drug War

So Joe, how’s your drug war working out for you when you can’t even keep the convicted and caged from getting drugs? How the hell are you going to keep drugs off the street if you can’t keep them out of your own damn jail?

The sheriff really thinks highly of himself. I think his fetish is homoerotic bondage. You can hear a full interview with him in the documentary, American Drug War: the Last White Hope (sound warning).

American Drug War: the Last White Hope 7 minute sampler

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America’s Toughest Sheriff Can’t Keep Drugs Out of His Own Jail

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… Luke Scarmazzo, 28, was sentenced to 262 months in prison — 21 years, 10 months — in U.S. District Court in Fresno. His co-defendant, Ricardo Ruiz Montes, 28, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Both were convicted in May of manufacturing marijuana and distributing the drug, as well as operating a continuing criminal enterprise. The two men operated a medical marijuana dispensary known as the California Healthcare Collective that was raided by law enforcement officials in September 2006.

The Modesto Bee | 22-year prison term for Modesto marijuana seller.

My questions to the government: Where is the victim? What harm was done? If there is no victim, there is no crime. The incarceration of these men is simply unjustified kidnapping. The drug warriors are using the violent aggression of force to enforce an arbitrary moral code. A moral code that believes violence is justified to prevent someone from slightly altering their consciousness and feeling mildly euphoric by using the medicine that naturally occurs in a plant. Some day we will look back on these crimes against humanity as another American holocaust. God help America.

My wife wanted to ad: Why doesn’t Arnold Schwarzenegger do something to stop the US Government from interfering with California law? The governor has a duty to uphold the rule of law in California and if that means throwing the DEA out, then that’s exactly what he should do.

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Four Decades of Imprisonment for Medical Marijuana

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The main danger with Obama is that his history of drug use, instead of making him more open to reform, will make him anxious to show he’s tough on drugs. Something like that seems to have happened with Bill Clinton, who bragged about ever-escalating drug war budgets and threatened doctors who recommended marijuana to their patients with jail, trampling the First Amendment in his rush to prove his anti-drug bona fides.

Obama on Drugs: Should reformers dare to hope? – Reason Magazine.

Still some of you remain hopeful and optimistic about the changes coming with the selection of Obama’s administration, but I’m not holding my breath.

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Can We Still Hope For Change?: Obama’s Marijuana Policy

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• Michigan’s medical marijuana referendum passed 63% to 37%.
• Massachusetts decriminalizes possession of up to one ounce of cannabis 65% to 35%.
• Fayetteville, AR, home to the University of Arkansas votes to make marijuana prohibition the lowest law enforcement priority 66% to 34%.

I want extend personal congratulations to the people at the Marijuana Policy Project. No one organization has done so much for cannabis law reform in such a short amount of time. Sensible Fayetteville deserve honors for their work in Fayetteville, Arkansas. If we reformers can score 2 to 1 margins in the deep south I see hope for ending marijuana prohibition completely. We’re winning!

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The People Choose Cannabis Freedom

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I was disenfranchised by broken Diebold machines today. The ballot was incomplete and left off the local referendums including the one that would bring Instant Runoff Voting to Shelby Co, TN (Memphis). After I was turned away from the polls, I got back in my car, listening to the volunteer radio station WEVL. They were playing the bluegrass gospel song, Daniel Prayed. The second verse started like this:

The cast him in the lions den because he would not honor men.

Now I don’t know if God sill talks to humans or not, but I think that message was too profound for me to ignore. I think the institution called government is broken by its very nature. No man has moral authority over any other man. I think natural laws rule the physical world as well as our interactions with each other and the choices we make. We see natural consequences of our actions all the time. Economist call these “market forces.” If people would allow their neighbors to be ruled by the natural consequences of their own actions the world would be a peaceful and prosperous place.

Some people say that anarchy is chaos, but that statement ignores the existence of natural law. It is the violent force of government that has always disrupted human tranquility. For this reason I am compelled to no longer participate in the system. If it is true that government rules by the consent of the governed then I hearby withdraw my consent. I do this under my nom de plume as to avoid hostility from the violent people that work to secure the institution of government. From now on anytime I do consent to government authority I do so under duress, for fear of loss of life or liberty, or to protect the life or liberty of another voluntary participant.

I don’t know if divine providence kept me from voting today or not. I do know that my decision is not reactionary. It is based on principle and humanity. I do not believe in the use of force, violence, or coercion to achieve political or social goals. Government by its nature is force monopolized.

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The Invisible Hand Kept Me From Voting Today

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MEXICO CITY — In what could be one of Mexico’s worst cases of drug-related corruption in a decade, Mexican officials alleged that a drug cartel infiltrated the highest levels of Mexico’s attorney general’s office, paying people there as much as $450,000 a month to get sensitive information about antidrug activities.

Mexican Officials Allege Drug Cartel Infiltrated Attorney General’s Office – WSJ.com.

Is there hope for change? Drug Czar John Walters shows some signs of sanity.

Mr. Walters, a vehement opponent of drug legalization, backed a proposal by [Mexican President] Mr. Calderón not to prosecute people caught carrying relatively small amounts of illegal narcotics, including cocaine and heroin. Under Mr. Calderón’s plan, addicts would be treated differently from traffickers and would avoid jail if they agreed to undergo treatment, not unlike similar programs in some parts of the United States. “I don’t think that’s legalization,” Mr. Walters said.

Rice Visits Mexico for a Meeting About Its Drug War – NYTimes.com.

It’s a start. While the decriminalization of drugs is a baby step toward policy reform, it does nothing to address the profit motive that violent thugs have to traffic in illegal narcotics. A re-legalization of the bread-and-butter of narcotics traffickers, marijuana, would rip the financial rug out from under the gangsters that terrorize Mexico and the rest of Latin America. When American alcohol prohibition gave rise to gangsters like Al Capone and blood spilled on in our major cities we repealed the laws that caused the bloodbath. We should do the same for Mexico.

Unintended Consequences: Perhaps racist windbags like Lou Dobbs wouldn’t have some much “illegal” immigration to complain about if American foreign policy didn’t do so much damage to the Mexican economy. Mexicans have a right to keep their families safe from harm, just as Americans do.

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How American Foreign Policy Fuels Mexican Drug War Violence, Corruption

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Those who favor the continued prohibition of cannabis base their arguments on the false premise that the continued enforcement of said laws “protects our children.” This statement is nonsense. In fact, just the opposite is true.

The war on weed endangers the health and safety of our children. It enables young people to have unregulated access to marijuana — easier access than they currently have to legal, age-restricted intoxicants like alcohol and tobacco. It enables young people to interact and befriend pushers of other illegal, more dangerous drugs. It compels young people dismiss the educational messages they receive pertaining to the potential health risks posed by the use of ‘hard drugs’ and prescription pharmaceuticals because kids say: “If they lied to me about pot, why wouldn’t they be lying to me about everything else too.”

Most importantly, the criminal laws are far more likely to result in having our children arrested and placed behind bars than they are likely to in any way discourage them to try pot.

These are the facts, and it’s about time we start shouting them from the rooftops.

Full Text: The War on Pot Is a War on Young People | DrugReporter | AlterNet.

Done.

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THE WAR ON POT IS A WAR ON YOUNG PEOPLE!

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Get your Whizzinator while you still can. They’re available at Tobacco King (map) on Whitten near I-40 for my readers in Memphis, TN.

The owners of the company that makes the Whizzinator, a prosthetic penis used to mask illegal drug use, were charged yesterday in federal court with conspiracy to defraud the government and are expected to plead guilty.

Gerald Wills, the president of Puck Technology, based in Signal Hill, Calif., and Robert D. Catalano, the vice president, are charged in a 19-page criminal information of conspiracy for selling two different products that mask illegal substances in a user’s urine.

‘Whizzinator’ makers to plead guilty.

HT: High Times

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Whizzinator Witch Hunt – Paraphernalia Manufacturers Charged With Conspiracy

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For decades law enforcement agencies including local police, DEA and U.S. Customs have used what is known as “presumptive field drug-test” kits to confirm that suspected materials are illegal drugs. The tests, which use powerful acids to react with suspected substances, change color to indicate the presence or absence of drugs. However, there is now conclusive evidence the field drug tests falsely indicate the presence of drugs when used on numerous natural products such as soap, soy milk, essential oils and chocolate. Developed over 60 years ago, these tests are made by the giant homeland security company Armor Holdings, a subsidiary of BAE Systems. At a cost of less than five dollars each, the field drug tests can be found in nearly every police car, border checkpoint, jail and in most schools.

Government’s Drug War Test Kits Give False Positives on Organic and Natural Products.

HT: Drug War Chronicle, et al.

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Field Test Kits False Positive on Organic Products

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Obama and Biden also want to revive the Byrne grant drug eradication program, another block grant initiative. At a speech last month in Florida, Obama promised to ensure funding for the Byrne program, adding that it “has been critical to creating the anti-gang and anti-drug task forces our communities need.” Although Byrne has not failed to achieve its stated goal (reducing the availability of illicit drugs), it has made drug policing more aggressive and militaristic and less accountable. And by prioritizing raw arrest statistics, the program tends to focus police efforts on low-level offenders instead of major distributors.

Because they tend to be multijurisdictional, no sheriff or police chief oversees the investigations of Byrne task forces. They are “effectively accountable to no one, least of all the communities they purportedly aim to serve and protect,” says Graham Boyd, director of the Drug Law Reform Project for the ACLU, which has documented abuses by Byrne-funded task forces all over the country.

Obama’s bad criminal justice ideas. – By Radley Balko – Slate Magazine.

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Obama’s Drug War – Politics as Usual

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After giving Jeffrey marijuana, the results were immediate.

“Within a half hour,” Debbie says, “I looked over at Jeffrey, and he just had this smile about him, this glow, and he said, ‘Mommy, I feel happy.’ And that’s the first time that he’s ever said that.”

“Jeff has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is ADHD; oppositional defiant disorder; conduct disorder; intermittent explosive disorder; bipolar disorder – any disorder you can think of,” says Debbie, a single mother.

American Alliance for Medical Cannabis on marijuana, cannabis: Marijuana Treats Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

It will be interesting to see how drug warriors can argue against these claims. Most ADHD symptoms are now treated with psycoactive drugs, antidepressants and stimulants as a first course of action. These drugs, Ritalin, Concerta, Straterra, Adderall, Wellbutrin, etc., have serious side effects and/or abuse potential. Ritalin and Adderall and their derivatives are scheduled narcotics.

Marijuana provides a non-toxic, effective alternative treatment for ADHD with a low potential for abuse (when compared with amphetamines.) There’s no logical reason why Ritalin is legally prescribed to children when people who provide medical marijuana to suffering children are treated like hardened criminals.

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Marijuana Treats Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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In many cases, the active ingredients in children’s cold medicines have never been studied in children. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that “several studies show that cold and cough products don’t work in children younger than 6 years and can have potentially serious side effects.”

An FDA official said the agency is wary of banning the drugs altogether, because that could lead parents to simply start giving their children adult cold medicine, the AP reports. “It really is a conundrum for us,” John Jenkins, who heads the FDA’s Office of New Drugs, said.

Health Blog : FDA Rejects Ban On Cough & Cold Medicines for Kids.

I think that’s a stunning admission for an agent of our government. Maybe Jenkins should be the next Drug Czar.

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FDA Admits Prohibition Doesn’t Work

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Some three months ago a nest of violent drug dealers moved in right next door to me (I’ve seen a gun at least once, and violent fights are a constant). They have repeatedly shaken me down for money, food, and use of my video equipment. One picked my lock when I was in the shower (they can hear when that is running) and stole the money from my purse, yelling into my bathroom she was just giving me some laundry detergent. (I’ve since gotten a deadbolt.)

These people scare me so much I foolishly decided to go over and buy a joint. They said they’d bring it to my place. They rolled it (I have no paraphernalia), asked me to try it, and then left. I immediatelyy put it out and called the cops. They were mad at me, but at the time declined to arrest me. And you see, in my anxiety-ridden mind — an issue that can impair judgment — I thought I had the smoking gun that would cause the police to arrest my neighbors. As I say, this was a few weeks ago but the officer declined to arrest me.

But, this past Wednesday morning at midnight they came with an arrest warrant per the prosecutor, accusing me of possession and vigilantism. I was taken to jail. But the very worst thing is I was strip- and body-cavity searched. I feel raped (yes, even tho the officer was female.) My son bonded me out a bit after 3 a.m.

The Art of the Possible » Blog Archive » I Inanely Took on the Drug War — And Lost.

My heart goes out to Mona and people like her who remain the victim of violent thugs who use their obscene black-market profits to tyrannize their communities. If the marijuana market were legalized then it would be taken out of the hands of criminals and instead be run by businessmen. Like Mona said, “when was the last time Absolut and Seagrams shot it out in the streets?”

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The Drug War Claims Another Victim – Blogger Mona

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Senator Biden, you’ve been one of the Senate’s most ardent drug warriors. You helped create the office of “drug czar”; backed our failed eradication efforts in South America; encouraged the government to seize the assets of people merely suspected of drug crimes; pushed for the expanded use of racketeering and conspiracy laws against drug offenders; advocated the use of the military to fight the drug war; and sponsored a bill that holds venue owners and promoters criminally liable for drug use by people attending concerts and events.

Today, illicit drugs are as cheap and abundant as they were decades ago. Would you agree that the anti-drug policies you’ve championed have failed? If not, how have they succeeded?

The Agitator » Blog Archive » My Question for Joe Biden.

A lot of cannabis users have a love affair with the Democrat Party. I’m a little perplexed why otherwise rational people would believe that the Democrat platform supports anthing other than the status quo in the American drug war. Democrats have long been supported by Police Unions. While the Republicans would just like to unappologetically run our lives, the Democrat love for the drug war is a little more sinister.  In return for the Union endorsement Democrats provide police with extraordinary power through legistaltion and funding. The relationship should be called the Partnership for a Drug War America.

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A Drug War Question for Joe Biden

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Ron White Pot Bust Interview Part 1

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Ron White Speaks Out About Medical Marijuana Arrest – 4 Part Interview

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I wanted to make these drastic changes in order to control my own destiny. I found myself to be at the mercy of Blogger’s limitations. Now that I own my own domain the potential is limitless. I also wanted this blog to be about cannabis and our re-legalization movement, and not so much about me, Ganja Blue. I’m still looking for activists, writers, musicians and photographers that would like to contribute original work to our effort here.

I’ve chosen Wordpress for my blogging engine and I’m really happy with it so far. Webhosting is provided by NearlyFreeSpeech which gives me the privacy I need at a cost I can live with. If you visit Cannabis Freedom from you mobile device you’ll find that the template is much more readable already.

Great New Features:

1. Mobile friendlier – Visit on your iPhone, PDA, or Cell phone to try
2. New Tag Cloud
3. Faster page loading
4. Enhanced privacy
5. More post options
6. Improved spam control

I’ll be working on the site template next. I you have suggestions for any features you’d like to see implemented, please email me. As always I’m looking for other Marijuana Activists to collaborate, trade links, and guest posts.

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Introducing the New Cannabis Freedom Blog

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Big Changes Coming to the Cannabis Freedom Blog

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The prices where very reasonable, especially for handblown custom work. Everything in he store looked to be high quality glassware. They don’t carry junk or gimmick pipes. I’ll be back soon to pick out what’s going on my Christmas wishlist.

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Young Avenue Glassworks – Custom Handblown Pipes

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Bob Barr: Federal Drug War Rethought: “As both a U.S. Attorney and Member of Congress, I defended drug prohibition. But it has become increasingly clear to me, after much study, that our current strategy has not worked and will not work. The other candidates for president prefer not to address this issue, but ignoring the failure of existing policy exhibits both a poverty of thought and an absence of political courage. The federal government must turn the decision on drug policy back to the states and the citizens themselves.”

I really don’t know whether Barr is sincere or he just finds his new libertarian leanings on the drug war to be politically expedient. In any case, I think that Barr is probably our most viable, pro-legalization choice for president right now. However, I’d like to see him more contrite about his prosecution of the federal war on drugs as U.S. attorney. How many lives has he ruined in the course of his neo-con past?

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Bob Barr’s Change of Heart: Federal Drug War Rethought

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