Drug War News 6/2/11

ACLU SUES FLORIDA GOVERNOR ON STATE EMPLOYEE DRUG TESTS
Florida's Republican Gov. Rick Scott thinks he can make state employees pee in a cup for him with the stroke of a pen. The ACLU of Florida disagrees and is suing him in federal court.

A MILLION MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS IN CALIFORNIA?
California NORML's Dale Gieringer crunches the numbers and finds a whole lot of medical marijuana patients in the Golden State.

FLORIDA WELFARE DRUG TESTING BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Under a Florida law signed by Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday, welfare recipients must undergo drug tests. It looks like the ACLU will challenge it in court.

CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY WANTS TO DRUG TEST RESIDENTS
Drug testing mania has arrived at the Chicago Housing Authority, which is now proposing to require drug tests of all adult residents, with evictions if they fail.

NO DRUGS IN HOME OF EX-MARINE KILLED BY SWAT TEAM
Police found no drugs in the home of a veteran they shot and killed in a May 5 drug raid in Tucson.

DUTCH TO BAN FOREIGNERS FROM CANNABIS CAFES
If you want to experience the cannabis coffee shops of Amsterdam, book your ticket now. Next year will be too late, as Holland gives the finger to pot-loving visitors.

MEXICO DRUG WAR UPDATE
No end in sight for the prohibition-related violence plaguing Mexico. The hit men just keep on coming.

THIS WEEK'S CORRUPT COPS STORIES
More narcs get rowdy at a narc convention and a pair of cops who couldn't keep their paws off the pills.

Stop the Drug War (DRCNet) is an international organization working for an end to drug prohibition worldwide and for interim policy reform in US drug laws and criminal justice system. Read more about DRCNet.

Founded on March 16, 2002, LEAP is made up of current and former members of law enforcement who believe the existing drug policies have failed in their intended goals of addressing the problems of crime, drug abuse, addiction, juvenile drug use, stopping the flow of illegal drugs into this country and the internal sale and use of illegal drugs. By fighting a war on drugs the government has increased the problems of society and made them far worse. A system of regulation rather than prohibition is a less harmful, more ethical and a more effective public policy.

The mission of LEAP is to reduce the multitude of unintended harmful consequences resulting from fighting the war on drugs and to lessen the incidence of death, disease, crime, and addiction by ultimately ending drug prohibition.

LEAP's goals are:

1. To educate the public, the media, and policy makers, to the failure of current drug policy by presenting a true picture of the history, causes and effects of drug abuse and the crimes related to drug prohibition and
2. To restore the public's respect for law enforcement, which has been greatly diminished by its involvement in imposing drug prohibition.

LEAP's main strategy for accomplishing these goals is to create a constantly enlarging speakers bureau staffed with knowledgeable and articulate former drug-warriors who describe the impact of current drug policies on: police/community relations; the safety of law enforcement officers and suspects; police corruption and misconduct; and the financial and human costs associated with current drug policies.