Pretty much everybody from Barack Obama to Carly Fiorina seems to agree that far too many Americans are stuck behind bars. And pretty much everybody seems to have the same explanation for how this destructive era of mass incarceration came about. First, the war on drugs got out of control, meaning that many nonviolent people wound up in prison. Second, mandatoryminimum sentencing laws led to a throw-away-thekey culture, with long and pointlessly destructive prison terms. It's true that mass incarceration is a horrific problem. Back in the 1970s the increase in incarceration did help reduce the crime [continues 441 words]
Pretty much everybody from Barack Obama to Carly Fiorina seems to agree that far too many Americans are stuck behind bars. And pretty much everybody seems to have the same explanation for how this destructive era of mass incarceration came about. First, the war on drugs got out of control, meaning that many nonviolent people wound up in prison. Second, mandatory-minimum sentencing laws led to a throw-away-the-key culture, with long, cruel and pointlessly destructive prison terms. It's true that mass incarceration is a horrific problem. Back in the 1970s the increase in incarceration did help reduce the crime rate, maybe accounting for a third of the drop. But today's incarceration levels do little to deter crime while they do much to rip up families, increase racial disparities and destroy lives. [continues 699 words]
For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. I don't remember any big group decision that we should give up weed. It just sort of petered out, and, before long, we were scarcely using it. We didn't give it up for the obvious health reasons: that it is addictive in about 1 in 6 teenagers; that smoking and driving is a good way to get yourself killed; that young people who smoke go on to suffer IQ loss and perform worse on other cognitive tests. [continues 689 words]
For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. We didn't give it up for the obvious health reasons: that it is addictive in about one in six teenagers; that smoking and driving is a good way to get yourself killed; that young people who smoke go on to suffer IQ loss and perform worse on other cognitive tests. [continues 644 words]
For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. I don't remember any big group decision that we should give up weed. It just sort of petered out, and, before long, we were scarcely using it. [continues 741 words]
For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. I don't remember any big group decision that we should give up weed. It just sort of petered out, and, before long, we were scarcely using it. We didn't give it up for the obvious health reasons: that it is addictive in about one in six teenagers; that smoking and driving is a good way to get yourself killed; that young people who smoke go on to suffer I.Q. loss and perform worse on other cognitive tests. [continues 691 words]
For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. I don't remember any big group decision that we should give up weed. It just sort of petered out, and, before long, we were scarcely using it. We didn't give it up for the obvious health reasons: that it is addictive in about one in six teenagers; that smoking and driving is a good way to get yourself killed; that young people who smoke go on to suffer IQ loss and perform worse on other cognitive tests. [continues 691 words]
For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. I don't remember any big group decision that we should give up weed. It just sort of petered out, and, before long, we were scarcely using it. We didn't give it up for the obvious health reasons: that it is addictive in about one in six teenagers; that smoking and driving is a good way to get yourself killed; that young people who smoke go on to suffer I.Q. loss and perform worse on other cognitive tests. [continues 692 words]
NEW HAMPSHIRE MEDICAL MARIJUANA REGULATORS URGED TO LEARN FROM NEW JERSEY'S FAILURES Editor's note: New Hampshire is the 19th state to allow some form of medical marijuana. The Telegraph's six-day series, Cannabis Care, examines New Hampshire's therapeutic marijuana legislation and how the law will work, including who can get the drug, how much it will cost, and what needs to happen before the first batch of marijuana is legally distributed in the state. It sounds simple: Legalize therapeutic marijuana, create some dispensaries that grow it and sell it on doctors' orders, and you're done. [continues 720 words]
While New Hampshire patients wait for marijuana dispensaries to be established in this state, a process that may take years, it's easy to wonder whether they could just drive over the border and get their doctor's order filled at dispensaries already up and running in neighboring states. The answer? Not really. The only possibility is Maine, whose medical marijuana law includes a "reciprocity clause" that allows out-of-state residents to get marijuana. However, this is allowed only if you have a medical certificate from a physician or osteopath certified to practice in Maine. It's not enough to have a certificate from your own doctor in New Hampshire; you'd have to establish a relationship with a Maine doctor, which at a minimum would include office visits. [continues 908 words]
Although the legal use of medical marijuana in New Hampshire seems to be all but certain, one important part of modern medicine remains far outside the picture: health insurance. No insurance coverage for what is legally called "therapeutic cannabis" is required under the proposed law, nor is coverage likely to exist anytime soon. That means that after the state's four medical marijuana dispensaries are up and running - which won't happen for at least a year - patients will have to pay the whole cost, often estimated at several hundred dollars a month. [continues 633 words]
MANDERSON, S.D. - On a sunny early May day described as "perfect for planting," Alex White Plume, with 20 friends and relatives, planted an acre and a half field along the banks of Wounded Knee Creek. Helping Alex get the crop in was his grandson, Tyson, 5. The crop is industrial hemp and planting it could land Tyson's grandpa in jail. White Plume formally invited the man who would be charged with putting him in jail to the planting. After his invitation to U.S. Attorney Ted McBride, White Plume invited BIA Superintendent Bob Ecoffey, too. "I have nothing to hide," the Lakota man said. "I'm just looking for a good way to support my family." [continues 1209 words]
