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Drug War Chronicle, Issue #967 -- 4/7/17
Phillip S. Smith, Editor,psmith@drcnet.org http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/967

A Publication of StoptheDrugWar.org
David Borden, Executive Director,borden@drcnet.org
"Raising Awareness of the Consequences of Drug Prohibition"

PLEASE READ ABOUT OUR WORK DRAWING ATTENTION TO EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES DRUG WAR:
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/mar/31/vienna_side_event_EJKs

Table of Contents:

1. FEATURE: OHIO OPIOID OVERDOSE OUTRAGE: ONE TOWN'S UGLY EFFORT TO PUNISH VICTIMS
The city of Washington Court House is using a creative reading of state criminal statutes to charge overdose victims with a crime. It only wants to help, it says.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/06/feature_ohio_opioid_overdose_out

2. MEDICAL MARIJUANA UPDATE
Arkansas' governor signs a package of medical marijuana regulation bills, a West Virginia medical marijuana bill is just a vote away from final passage, and more.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/05/medical_marijuana_update

3. THIS WEEK'S CORRUPT COPS STORIES
It's jail and prison guards gone wild, plus a Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs cop gets in trouble for sticky-fingers.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/05/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories

4. CHRONICLE AM: DE LEGALIZATION BILL FILED, WV MEDMJ BILL FAST TRACKED, MORE... (3/31/17)
A marijuana legalization bill gets filed in Delaware, a medical marijuana bill gets fast tracked in West Virginia, a South African court rules to free the weed, the Argentine Senate okays CBD cannabis oil, and more.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/mar/31/chronicle_am_de_legalization_bil

5. CHRONICLE AM: TRUMP SIGNS UNEMPLOYMENT DRUG TEST BILL, WVA MEDMJ BILL HOUSE VOTE, MORE... (4/3/17)
President Trump signs a bill that will expand the drug testing of people seeking unemployment benefits, the West Virginia House is taking up medical marijuana, Colorado legislators have crafted a plan to deal with any federal attack on recreational
marijuana, and more. http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/03/chronicle_am_trump_signs_unemplo

6. CHRONICLE AM:MJ STATE GOVS ASK FEDS TO STAY OUT, AZ FORFEITURE REFORM, MORE... (4/4/17):
The governors of the first four states to legalize marijuana have written to Washington asking to be left alone, decrim advances in Texas, asset forfeiture reform advances in Arizona, and more.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/04/chronicle_ammj_state_govs_ask_fe

7. CHRONICLE AM: KANSAS CITY DECRIMINALIZES, WV MEDMJ BILL NEARS FINAL STAGE, MORE... (4/5/17)
Kansas City votes to decriminalizes, a Maryland bill to expand medical marijuana business opportunities advances, so does a package of Maryland bills aimed at the state's opioid crisis, and more.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/05/chronicle_am_kansas_city_decrimi

8. CHRONICLE AM: DOJ REVIEWING MJ POLICY, DEA SUBPOENAED OVER SNITCH PROGRAM, MORE... (4/6/17)
A Justice Department review of marijuana policy is underway, congressional overseers subpoena the DEA over its snitch program, California's governor moves to reconicle the state's legal and medical marijuana programs, and more.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/06/chronicle_am_doj_reviewing_mj_po

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1. FEATURE: OHIO OPIOID OVERDOSE OUTRAGE: ONE TOWN'S UGLY EFFORT TO PUNISH VICTIMS
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2017/apr/06/feature_ohio_opioid_overdose_out

The article was prepared in collaboration with AlterNet.

Ohio is state with a serious opioid problem. It's tied with neighboring Kentucky for the third-highest overdose death rate (https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html) in the county, and the state Department of Health reports that fatal
overdoses, mostly due to opioids, have jumped eight-fold in the past 15, killing more than 3,000 Ohioans (https://www.odh.ohio.gov/health/vipp/drug/dpoison.aspx) in 2015.

In a bid to address the problem, the state passed a 911 Good Samaritan law (http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2016/06/ohio_911_good_samaritan_law_gr.html) last year. Such laws, which are also in place in 36 other states, provide limited immunity
from prosecution for drug possession offenses for overdose victims and people who seek medical assistance to help them. The idea is to encourage people to seek help for their friends rather than hesitate, perhaps with lethal consequences, out of fear of
being busted.

But one Ohio town is getting around the intent of the law by using an unrelated statute to go after overdose victims. If you OD in the city of Washington Court House, you can expect to be charged with -- wait for it -- "inducing panic," which is used for
cases that "cause serious public inconvenience or alarm."

In the last two months, Washington Court House police have used the "inducing panic" statute at least a dozen times to charge overdose victims. The charge is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The move has drawn fire from the ACLU of Ohio, which sent a demand letter (http://www.acluohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DemandLetter-WashingtonCourtHouse-2017_0328.pdf) to city officials urging the city to "immediately end its practice of charging
people experiencing a health crisis under this vague and inappropriate criminal statute." The city's "unlawful application of this statute will intensify the dangers of heroin use -- not help to control them," the ACLU argued.

The arrests have also caught the attention of Human Rights Watch, which called them "misguided and counterproductive (https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/03/31/ohio-city-pressing-charges-against-opioid-overdose-victims)." The advocacy group added that "
increasing penalties for drug use is not the solution to Ohio's opioid crisis" and "what city of Washington Court House should be providing is access to health and harm reduction services, including clean syringes, the overdose reversal medication
naloxone, and access to treatment."

But the city isn't heeding those warnings. Instead, in the face of the criticism, the city last week dug in its heels (http://nbc4i.com/2017/03/29/washington-court-house-will-continue-charging-overdosed-addicts-with-inducing-panic/), saying the arrests
weren't about punishment, but were a means to help addicts.

"We are not after jail time. We are not after fine money. We are simply looking to get these people some assistance. Obviously they need it, but they are not seeking it willingly upon themselves to get the assistance," said Police Chief Brian Hottinger.

City Manager Joe Denen added that the city is not planning any changes to its policy.

"In challenging circumstances, charging some individuals with inducing panic provides the court system with a means of connecting people in need of treatment with treatment opportunities," he said.

Or they could just offer them treatment.


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___________________

It's time to correct the mistake:
Truth:the Anti-drugwar <http://www.briancbennett.com>

Cops say legalize drugs--find out
why:
<http://www.leap.cc>

Stoners are people too: <http://www.cannabisconsumers.org>
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