Drug decriminalization pays off in Portugal; Will the US take note?

So, what REALLY happens when you decriminalize drugs? Junkies on every street corner? A surge in drug-related crime? Eight years later, Portugal offers compelling evidence that the US' beloved War on Drugs is a gargantuan misstep:

Jury pool in marijuana case stages ‘mutiny’

Love this:

via the Billings Gazette: A funny thing happened on the way to a trial in Missoula County District Court last week.

Jurors – well, potential jurors – staged a revolt.

Just Say Now: Help end the failed war on marijuana

A new campaign called "Just Say Now" is targeting the failed war on marijuana. See details below, then sign the petition here.

From Jane Hamsher @ FireDogLake:

Sign our petition to President Obama to end the war on marijuana:

Federal Drug Task Force Strikes Again

Just got this email from Jane Hamsher @ FireDogLake - another terrific demonstration of your federal tax dollars at work!

A federally funded drug task force seized as evidence up to 200 petition signatures for marijuana legalization in Washington State in a series of early-morning raids this week. Seizing the petition signatures is bad enough. What's worse is what the task force did on its raids of a legal marijuana dispensary and its owner's home.

AP Bombshell: "US Drug War Has Met None of Its Goals"

I'm not sure I'd consider the obvious failure of our War on Drugs a bombshell, but this article has some terrific stats about how ridiculously expensively massive the failure has been:
* * *

The Associated Press has just dropped a bombshell on America's longest running war and the headline says it all: "The US Drug War has Met None of its Goals".

WSJ: U.S. Marijuana Legalization Only Solution to Mexican Drug Cartel Crisis

Hear, hear! In the Wall Street Journal:

Saving Mexico

To weaken the cartels, some argue the U.S. should legalize marijuana, let cocaine pass through the Caribbean and take the profit motive out of the drug trade

By DAVID LUHNOW

Mexico City

First U.S. marijuana cafe opens for business in Portland

This story will be worth following, as it violates the federal ban but is legal at the state level:

From DailyFinance.com

Should Marijuana Be Decriminalized?