Author Archives: Pete

The Federal Marijuana Ban is Rooted in Myth and Xenophobia The federal law that makes possession of marijuana a crime has its origins in legislation that was passed in an atmosphere of hysteria during the 1930s and that was firmly … Continue reading →

Another great editorial: The Injustice of Marijuana Arrests An extensive editorial about the destruction caused to our society by decades of arresting people for marijuana, including the exponential increase in enforcement and racial disparities. And, while mentioning individuals who have … Continue reading →

Editorial: Repeal Prohibition, Again It took 13 years for the United States to come to its senses and end Prohibition, 13 years in which people kept drinking, otherwise law-abiding citizens became criminals and crime syndicates arose and flourished. It has … Continue reading →

This was a bit of a nothing article: Legalization of Marijuana: Pros and Cons – the usual stuff, attempting to create “balanced” arguments on both sides whether they were valid or not. This was the part that got me. The … Continue reading →

This article is hilarious. The lonely lot of the anti-pot crusader in the Washington Post. McCormick says he knew of no group fighting the initiative, heard no opposition to it in his church and got no traction for his anti-weed … Continue reading →

John Oliver has a good extended piece on the prison system in America. Also in comedy-news video, the Daily Show has a segment on asset forfeiture. Good to see that issue being tackled on the Daily Show, although personally I … Continue reading →

Shameless plug for the new show this year from The Living Canvas (I am the founder/artistic director). This year’s show is Living Canvas Rx, and it focuses on drugs. Note, while the show is very definitely about drugs, it’s not … Continue reading →

Several have mentioned this in comments – it’s definitely worth watching. Bill Maher on the militarization of police. http://youtu.be/b7JADq4tTsc

You just can’t make this stuff up — the absurdities with which our criminal justice system operate. The story is about an undercover ATF agent (Brancato) trying to arrest a man named Halgat. Judge Says U.S. Gov. Generated ‘New Crime’ … Continue reading →

The always excellent Maia Szalavitz has another good article: Most of Us Still Don’t Get It: Addiction Is a Learning Disorder There’s a lot of misinformation pushed out there about addiction, and much of it is used to justify interventional … Continue reading →