Author Archives: Pete

Changing opinions on marijuana legalization

It can take a lot, sometimes entire generations to dramatically shift the country’s views, and this is dramatic. Pew Research Center: Support for marijuana legalization continues to rise The share of Americans who favor legalizing the use of marijuana continues … Continue reading

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SWAT search ruled unconstitutional in Minnesota

This seems big. Hennepin County judge confronts police use of ‘military style’ tactics That search, Hennepin County District Judge Tanya Bransford ruled, was unconstitutional. She wrote that the “military style” tactics were a violation of the Fourth Amendment protection against … Continue reading

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It’s Drug War Rant, we don’t serve warrants

When I first started this blog (now over 13 years ago) and I was coming up with a name/URL, I hit upon DrugWarRant.com — in part, because it was the same spelling as drug warrant, and might send some traffic … Continue reading

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10 Euros

Via Twitter, a thoughtful skit attributed to Mark Adam Harold, a City Councillor in Vinius, Lithuania: We stand around a table. A guy from the mafia stands with us. You take out your wallet. While we are discussing legalisation of … Continue reading

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Smart approaches to heroin problems talked about in mainstream media?

This Time article really gets it almost entirely right. Nice to see in a mainstream media piece. 6 Ways to Fight America’s Heroin Epidemic Law enforcement has responded by cracking down on drug traffickers to cut off supplies of heroin … Continue reading

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Do Not Resist

Bradley Balko has a review: ‘Do Not Resist’: A chilling look at the normalization of warrior cops Of course, this issue is right up Radley’s alley. And it looks like a must-see. What makes this movie so powerful is its … Continue reading

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Home again

The end of an epic road trip that lasted close to 6 weeks. We drove an astounding 7,487 miles. Other than Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan (which were just pass-through states) the states and provinces we explored included New York, … Continue reading

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Another Open Thread

Our trip has continued, taking us beyond Acadia National Park up to Mount Katahdin in Maine, and then into New Brunswick. Saint John and the Bay of Fundy, staying in a refurbished caboose at the Train Station Inn in Tatamagouche, … Continue reading

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Odds and Ends

George Soros’ quiet overhaul of the U.S. justice system While America’s political kingmakers inject their millions into high-profile presidential and congressional contests, Democratic mega-donor George Soros has directed his wealth into an under-the-radar 2016 campaign to advance one of the … Continue reading

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Open Thread

Presented for your perusal without my comment, because I’m on vacation… Drug Policy Wonks Propose Two Pathways For Legal Marijuana. “As a handful of states gear up for marijuana legalization ballot initiatives in November, drug policy experts Mark Kleiman and … Continue reading

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