Walters off on pot - again

I know I've been neglecting the drug war news this week while I build up some steam at TongueTied but fortunately for all us, Pete (of apparently boundless energy) at Drug WarRant has been keeping track of the breaking news. Just start at the top for his report of the on the scene details of John Walter's sudden appearance at the Illinois State House of Representative's committee hearing on Representative McKeon's medical marijuana bill.

Despite his assertions that he was not there to "improperly influence legislation," the obvious effect of a US cabinet member attending a state level committee meeting was the bill failed to get out of committee for consideration by the House by a 4-7 vote. That's two away from a win though and two of legislators voiced support for the concept but not the language of the bill. Proponents vow to keep trying and warn drug czar Walters that the issue will not go away. Nor will it in the many other states that have similar bills pending.

And wouldn't you think Walters, as a high ranking federal Cabinet member, would have more important things to do with his time than spend the taxpayers money to plead his case for the incarceration of terminally ill people interfere in a state level debate?

But that's not all at Drug WarRant. Keep scrolling for the word on Illinois Representative Monique Davis' bill to leash the dogs let loose by Caballes and the poop on Souder's latest try to derail harm reduction.