On 05/10/2018 11:06 AM, Bobbie Sellers wrote:
I just forgot to insert the Drug War Chronicle, Issue #1019 -- 5/10/18
above. Version 2 refers to the newsgroups this is sent to.

Sorry about that.
bliss

Drug War Chronicle, Issue #1019 -- 5/10/18
Phillip S. Smith, Editor,psmith@drcnet.org https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/1019

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

Table of Contents:

1. NYC MAYOR DE BLASIO ENDORSES SAFE INJECTION SITE PLAN
New York City now joins Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle in
pushing for safe injection sites. But the DEA says they're illegal. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/03/nyc_mayor_de_blasio_endorses

2. ILLINOIS COP'S WARNING: IF YOU LEGALIZE WEED, WE'LL HAVE TO KILL OUR
DRUG DOGS
The stench of desperation is in the air. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/09/illinois_cops_warning_if_you

3. MEDICAL MARIJUANA UPDATE
A pair of Missouri medical marijuana initiative campaigns have handed in
lots and lots of signatures, a federal appeals court upheld a DEA rule
that CBD is a Schedule I controlled substance, the Utah initiative
campaign gets organized opposition, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/09/medical_marijuana_update

4. THIS WEEK'S CORRUPT COPS STORIES
We have a pill-peddling former deputy, a Baton Rouge cop who made a
joint mysteriously disappear, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/09/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories

5. CHRONICLE AM: WORKPLACE DRUG TESTING FOR MARIJUANA BEGINS TO FADE,
NYC SAFER INJECTION SITE RALLY, MORE... (5/3/18)
Pre-employment workplace drug testing for marijuana appears to be going
out of style, a federal appeals court disappoints on scheduling
cannabinoids, a Vermont saliva drug testing bill is killed, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/03/chronicle_am_workplace_drug

6. CHRONICLE AM: NYC MAYOR ENDORSES SIFS, CO CANNABIS TASTING ROOM BILL PASSES, MORE... (5/4/18)
Colorado could become the first state with a marijuana social
consumption law, a new poll suggests New Yorkers are ready to free the
weed, New York City's mayor gets behind safer injection facilities, a
leading Colombian presidential contender trashes the drug war, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/04/chronicle_am_nyc_mayor_endorses

7. CHRONICLE AM: MO MMJ INITS HAND IN BEAUCOUP SIGNATURES, OH RACIAL PROFILING DRUG DOGS, MORE... (5/7/18)
Two separate Missouri medical marijuana initiatives appear set to
qualify for the November ballot, the Utah medical marijuana initiative
is generating organized opposition -- including the DEA -- Canada's
prime minister says it's full steam ahead for marijuana legalization,
and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/07/chronicle_am_mo_mmj_inits_hand

8. CHRONICLE AM: NO HOME GROW FOR NH THIS YEAR, AUSTRALIA WELFARE DRUG
TEST PLAN, MORE... (5/8/17)
A new report finds legal marijuana makes a marginal contribution to
state budgets, a major Las Vegas casino quits pre-employment testing for marijuana, an Australian Senate panel advances a controversial plan to
drug test welfare recipients, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/08/chronicle_am_no_home_grow_nh

9. CHRONICLE AM: MCCONNELL JUST SAYS NO TO LEGAL WEED, WALMART TIGHTENS PRESCRIBING, MORE... (5/9/18)
Mitch McConnell just says no, a House committee advances a VA medical marijuana bill, Pennsylvania's governor and attorney general aren't down
with a Philadelphia safe injection site, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/09/chronicle_am_mcconnell_just_says

(Not subscribed? Visithttps://stopthedrugwar.org  to sign up today!)

================

1. NYC MAYOR DE BLASIO ENDORSES SAFE INJECTION SITE PLAN https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2018/may/03/nyc_mayor_de_blasio_endorses

Just a day after close to a hundred community activists, reform
advocates, and local elected officials took to the streets outside New
York City's City Hall Wednesday to demand that Mayor Bill de Blasio (D)
move on a long-delayed feasibility study on safe injection sites, the
mayor has moved -- and further than they expected.

On Thursday evening, the mayor's office announced de Blasio's support (https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/992158726802018304) for a plan to
open four of the sites, which the office refers to as Overdose
Prevention Centers, a year from now, after a period of consultation with stakeholders.

"After a rigorous review of similar efforts across the world, and after careful consideration of public health and safety expert views, we
believe overdose prevention centers will save lives and get more New
Yorkers into the treatment they need to beat this deadly addiction," de Blasio said in a statement.

Safe injection sites (SISs) -- or safe injection facilities or
supervised injection facilities or supervised consumption sites or
overdose prevention centers -- allow drug users to inject (or sometimes inhale) their own drugs under medical supervision. They typically also
have a social services component that aims to assist drug users in
finding drug treatment and other services.

Operating in around 90 cities in Europe, Australia, and Canada, they are
a proven harm reduction intervention
(http://sifnyc.org/index.php/library/). Numerous peer-reviewed
scientific studies have shown they reduce public disorder; increase
access to treatment, reduce the risk of HIV, Hep C, and bacterial
infections; reduce drug overdose deaths; and reduce medical costs thanks
to a reduction in disease and overdose, while at the same time
increasing access to cost-saving preventive healthcare. What SISs don't
do, the studies have found, is increase crime, injection drug use, or
the initiation of new drug users.

Yet no such sites operate in the United States. Pushes are underway in several cities, including Philadelphia (http://www.philly.com/philly/health/addiction/safe-injection-sites-overdose-deaths-opioids-philadelphia-officials-support-20180123.html),
San Francisco (http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/10/25/safe-injection-sites-board-of-supervisors-committee/),
and Seattle (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/seattle-king-county-move-to-create-2-injection-sites-for-drug-users/),
but all have faced challenges ranging from moralism and NIMBYism to the
fact that they would appear to violate federal law. Just this week, DEA spokesman Melvin Patterson said they violate the Controlled Substances
Act and are "subject to being prosecuted (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-health-202/2018/04/30/the-health-202-supervised-injection-facilities-are-illegal-in-the-united-states-these-cities-want-to-open-them-anyway/5ae5dbc630fb043711926901/)."
Given the proclivities of the Trump administration, that is probably not
a threat to be taken lightly.

Still, the cities are willing to push on the issue, the American Medical Association has endorsed the notion (https://www.ama-assn.org/ama-wants-new-approaches-combat-synthetic-and-injectable-drugs),
and legislatures in a number of states are pondering bills to allow
them. And now, with the country's largest city coming on board, momentum
for the sites is only growing stronger.

In New York City, where the SIF NYC Campaign (http://sifnyc.org/index.php/library/), a coalition of dozens of
community, drug reform, public health, medical, and religious groups has
been pressuring the administration to act for months, the mayor's announcement was greeted with relief.

"Mayor de Blasio's embrace of safer consumption spaces is a critical
step forward in preventing overdose deaths in New York City. We know
that safer consumption spaces are an evidence-based solution that can
help dramatically in saving lives, reducing criminalization, and
improving public health," said Kassandra Frederique, New York state
director at the Drug Policy Alliance. "New York can and must be a leader
now in saving lives by opening safer consumption spaces swiftly."

That will take some political acumen in dealing with city district
attorneys and the state Health Department, which answers to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, with whom de Blasio's relations are strained at best. It will
also take some political fortitude in taking on the Sessions Justice Department and the DEA.

De Blasio's announcement marks the successful culmination of the
campaign to bring the city on board with safe injection sites as a harm reduction and overdose prevention measure, but it's just the beginning
of the fight to actually get them up and running.

================  ...

                                         ___________________

                                          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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