Drug Policy Reform

Setting the Record Straight: Responding to the Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic

R. Gil Kerlikowske | Posted 05.22.2012

Read More: Addiction, Public Health, Drug Policy, Drug Policy Reform, Prescription Drugs, Pain Killers, Recovery, Prescription Painkillers, Addiction and Recovery, Mental Health, Painkillers, Painkiller Addiction, Healthy Living Health News, Painkiller Abuse, Prescription Drug Abuse, Politics News

The Obama administration has adopted a mainstream approach to the drug problem, employing a balance of public health and safety approaches to reduce drug use and its consequences. All of these policies are grounded in science and research -- not politics or ideology.

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Silence Says a Lot: An Open Letter to Google About Marijuana Legalization

Stephen Downing | Posted 04.03.2012

Read More: Google, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Youtube, Leap, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana, Google+ Hangouts, Video, Barack Obama, Obama Google Plus Hangout, Google Plus, Google+, President Obama, Drug Policy Reform, Drug Policy, Politics News

In more than twenty years with the Los Angeles Police Department, where I retired as deputy chief of police, I saw a lot of puzzling behavior at close range. This week I saw some odd behavior from Google, YouTube and President Obama.

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Gary Johnson: 'Mickey Mouse Would Poll 15 Percent Against Obama And Romney'

HuffingtonPost.com | Lucia Graves | Posted 01.20.2012

Read More: Balanced Budget, Federal Spending Cuts, Video, Third Party Candidate, Gary Johnson Libertarian, Pot Advoacy, Mitt Romney, Elections 2012, War on Drugs, Marijuana Legalization, Libertarian, Libertarian Candidate, Gary Johnson, Barack Obama, Gary Johnson 2012, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has no qualms about running as a third party candidate, telling HuffPost in a recent int...

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Obama Drug Policy: Reforming the Criminal Justice System

Rafael Lemaitre | Posted 02.01.2012

Read More: Obama Administration, Drug Market Intervention, War on Drugs, Lt. Daniel Gannon, Drug Crime, Drug Policy Reform, Obama Drug Policy, Champions of Change, Politics News

There is no simple, straightforward fix to America's drug problem. Successfully combating this social challenge requires an approach that blends drug treatment, smart law enforcement and alternatives to incarceration.

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Chris Christie Speaks Out Against The Drug War

Posted 12.01.2011

Read More: Chris Christie Drug War, Chris Christie, Drug Treatment, Chris Christie War on Drugs, Drug War, Marijuana, Mitt Romney, Medical Marijuana, Governor Chris Christie, New Jersey Drug Court, War on Drugs, Drug Policy, Video, Mitt Romney 2012, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) spoke out against the war on drugs on Monday, saying that "we need to do much different and much better than what w...

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Finding the "Fat Catchers" of Criminal Justice

Katy Welter | Posted 12.09.2011

Read More: Criminal Justice, Diversion-Division, Cook County, Cook County Criminal Justice System, University of Chicago Crime Lab, Drug Policy Reform, Chicago News

Innovative criminal justice reforms may produce misleading results if they are not implemented using systematic research methods.

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Time for Change

Amanda Feilding | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Mexico Drug War, Drug War, Juan Manuel Santos, Drugs, War on Drugs, Coca, Drug Laws, Drug Policy, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

The War on Drugs has failed. According to all available indices, it is no longer defendable.

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Break the Chains: America Is Ripe for Prison Reform

Michael J. McCarthy | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Saving State Dollars on Prisons, Colorado Lawmakers, Prison Reform, America's Prisons, Downsizing America's Prison Population, Politics, Colorado State Budget, Racial Discrimination, Drug Policy Reform, Denver News

America's penal system needs a top-to-bottom overhaul -- and a movement of people ready to do something about it is taking shape nicely.

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Diversion Division: A Remedy for Racially Disproportionate Drug Enforcement

Katy Welter | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Chicago, Diversion Division, Racial Disparities, Criminal Justice, War on Drugs, Illinois Disproportionate Justice Impact Study Commission, Drug Policy Reform, Criminal Justice Reform, Chicago News

Despite rates of drug use comparable with whites, black males in Illinois are much more likely to be arrested, prosecuted, and ultimately incarcerated for low-level drug crimes.

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Obama Drug Control Strategy Focuses On Prevention, Treatment

AP | SAM HANANEL | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Obama Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikowske Drug Czar, Obama Drugs, Drug War, Obama Drug Policy, Drug Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

WASHINGTON — The White House is putting more resources into drug prevention and treatment, part of President Barack Obama's pledge to treat ille...

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Experts Urge For Global Drug Policy Reform

AP | VERONIKA OLEKSYN | Posted 11.17.2011

Read More: Global Drug Policy, Global Policy Drugs, New Drug Policy, Global Drug Policy Reform, Drug Policy, Health, Drug Policy Reform, Healthy Living News

VIENNA — Policies that criminalize drug users fuel the spread of AIDS and should be reformed, experts preparing for an international conference ...

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Montel Williams to Receive Award for Medical Marijuana Advocacy

Tony Newman | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Medical Marijuana, Drug Policy Alliance, War on Drugs, Montel Williams, Drug Policy Reform, Media News

Montel Williams, who hosts the nationally syndicated daily radio show Montel Across America, is being recognized for sharing his own story as a medical marijuana patient and advocate.

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A Former Police Chief on New Marijuana Book

Norm Stamper | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Drug Prohibition, Law Enforcement, Marijuana, Alcohol, Violence, Drug War, Marijuana Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

I do not believe drug policy reform should end with the legalization of marijuana. Yet, when asked to contribute a foreword to the new book Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink, I eagerly accepted.

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Exclusive Excerpt: This Is Your Country On Drugs

Ryan Grim | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Andy Warhol, Drug Culture, Lsd, This Is Your Country on Drugs, Drug War, Acid, Drug Use, Burning Man, LSD Statistics, Drugs, Ryan Grim, War on Drugs, Drug Policy, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

When approached in isolation, drug policy almost always backfires, because it doesn't take into account the powerful economic, social, and cultural forces that also determine how and why Americans get high.

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Obama: (Reefer) Madness to Tackle Legalization?

Norm Stamper | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Romney, Drug War, Justice, Marijuana, Economy, Palin, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

Should Obama have tackled the marijuana issue during his recent online town hall meeting, or was he wise to shrug it off?

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Progressives War over Drug Czar

Stanton Peele | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Obama's Cabinet, Ramstad, Health, Ramstad Drug Czar, Addiction, Aa, Alcoholics Anonymous, Addiction as Disease, Drug Czar, Twelve Steps Program, Drug Policy Reform, Politics News

The idea of treating substance abusers as disease sufferers is tremendously appealing. But, like other disagreements steeped in divergent bedrock values, there's no getting around this one.

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