According the Harvard Economist Jeffrey Miron, legalizing drugs could inject$76.8 billionper year into the US economy. Oh well, maybe it’s better to keep spending that money on courts and prisons. It’s not like the economy needs a boost or anything. Read Miron’s report here.
Decriminalization versus regulation
There tends to more talk about drug “decriminalization” than legalization. What’s the difference? Decriminalization is “safer.” But it’s not enough. It can even do harm. I talk about this a bit in my book. In general, legalization involves regulation while decriminalization is set up around lessgovernment control. I believe that many drugs are too dangerous to remain unregulated. Hence I…
Police arrest three…
…in shooting of undercover city officer.
On backup
Check the Sun for the latest update on the shot Baltimore City police officer. This has got me thinking about when things go bad. If an officer needs backup, well first he or she shouldn’t have to askfor backup, because, well, that’s what being police is all about. You’ve got each others’ back. But if you would actually like an…
Update on shot cop
Here’s the latest form the Sun: The officer was shot in the jaw and cheek when he tried to make an undercover purchase, Bealefeld said. His partner returned fire and hit at least one of the suspects, according to police. As the suspects fled, the second officer helped his wounded partner, who was conscious and speaking after the shooting. He…
Baltimore Officer Shot — In Critical Condition
This terrible news just in at 10:30pm from the Sun: A Baltimore police officer is in critical condition at a hospital tonight after being shot in the Seton Hill neighborhood, officials said. The plainclothes officer was on duty in the 500 block of Orchard St. about 8 p.m. when he was shot in the face, said Nicole Monroe, a police…
Prescription drug abuse
Police raided a 62-year-old Baltimore man’s home who was suspected of selling prescription drugs. Along with drug (Percocet and Xanax) and money, 19 rifles and shotguns were seized. The Sun reports.
Police video cameras in Baltimore
Here’s Peter Hermanm’s report in the Sun. The short: Surveillance cameras are helpful, but video is no ‘slam dunk’
Harm Reduction
I enjoyed attending “New Directions for New York: A Public Health & Safety Approach to Drug Policy” sponsored at the New York Academy of Medicine and the Drug Policy Alliance. I was speaking on the Harm Reduction – Coordinating Strategies panel. Unfortunately, because I broke one of my rules and wrote on the back side of a copied piece of…
If you believe in gun control…
…this articleby Nicholas J. Johnson in the Wake Forest Law Review might ruin your day. My summary: Stop wasting time trying to take away people’s guns. It won’t work. Deal with it. 300,000,000 guns is a lot of guns to confiscate, especially from people armed with guns. (thanks to D.K. for sending me the article) And then as I’m writing…