The Failure of Prohibition and the U.N.

"The Failure of the War on Drugs: Charting a New Course for the Commonwealth" sounds like another opinion article written by a hopeful marijuana activist. In reality The Massachusetts Bar Association issued this report calling for drug policies to be reexamined.

The report points to four areas of widespread failure: the increase of arrests without the diminished use of illegal drugs, a disparate impact of drug laws on minority groups, economic effects for offenders looking for work with a criminal record, and high rates of recidivism.

The United Nations is supporting drug decriminalization in their 2009 World Drug Report. When Portugal decriminalized drugs in 2001 the U.N. wasn't clear about if they were violating any international drug treaties. Statements made in the most recent report should ease concerns any country might have while reexamining their drug laws. Ryan Grim highlights part of 2009's World Drug Report.

But in its 2009 World Drug Report, the UN had little but kind words for Portugal's radical (by U.S. standards) approach. "These conditions keep drugs out of the hands of those who would avoid them under a system of full prohibition, while encouraging treatment, rather than incarceration, for users. Among those who would not welcome a summons from a police officer are tourists, and, as a result, Portugal's policy has reportedly not led to an increase in drug tourism," reads the report. "It also appears that a number of drug-related problems have decreased."

New Hampshire is trying to become the 14th state to pass medical marijuana legislation. After the original bill passed Governor John Lynch demanded some changes before he would sign the bill. The changes have been made and the new bill is now awaiting his signature.