Three Countries Take a Tiny First Step Toward More Sensible Drug Laws

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Why are U.S. drug laws so draconian? Partly it’s because Congress wants it that way, but partly it’s because the United States is a signatory to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which pretty much requires us to keep the production and distribution of psychoactive drugs prohibited. Because of this, there’s not much chance of significantly changing our drug laws unless we also change the Single Convention. That’s why Mark Kleiman thinks a recent joint declaration of Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico could be “significant news.” Here are some key excerpts:

We declare:

….2. That despite the efforts of the international community over decades, the use of [illicit drugs] continues to increase globally, generating substantial income for criminal organizations worldwide.

….6. It is urgent to review the approach so far maintained by the international community on drugs, in order to stop the flow of money from the illicit drug market.

….10. That the United Nations should exercise its leadership, as is its mandate, in this effort and conduct deep reflection to analyze all available options, including regulatory or market measures, in order to establish a new paradigm that prevents the flow of resources to organized crime organizations.

Click the link to read the whole thing. The language is obviously cautious, but it seems clear that these three countries, which have suffered more than most from drug-related violence, would like to rethink the Single Convention in order to make the drug trade less lucrative. This might or might not go anywhere, but it’s certainly worth some attention from anyone who wants to see drug laws rationalized. Renegotiating the Single Convention won’t happen anytime soon, but it’s a necessary first step.

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

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