Local reaction to Dept. of Justice statement

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_23976464/boulder-area-leaders-pot-business-owners-welcome-federal

Drug Definition for 8AM

8AM Class Definition

Drug - A chemical agent, either used recreationally or medicinally, that alters one's mental, physiological, and/or emotional state from an individual's base level.

9:30-10:45 Class Definition of Drugs

Drug: A non-nutritive substance that has an altering effect on the body or mind and can result in change of social/economic relationships

I find it hard to believe that this is the first ever global survey of illicit drugs

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/pot-most-popular-illegal-drug-more-deaths-painkillers-survey-finds-8C11020761

Article on the History of Marijuana Prohibition

Attached is a lovely PBS article on the history of marijuana prohibition, steeped in racism, classism and yellow journalism. Dr. David F. Musto, a U.S. drug policy historian is interviewed. The article is a bit dated (almost 15 years old), but obviously the history of the debate has not changed.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/interviews/musto.html

more on the definition of drugs

Pertaining to the definition of drugs, do you think that drugs could be considered substances that could be lived without? When I think of drugs, I think of substances that are not 100% necessary to live whereas food and water are necessary.

And then there's this . . .

After leaving class today I realized we have missed a very crucial part of our definition of "Drug." We should have included that drugs affect ones physiological, mental, and/or emotional state CHEMICALLY. I beleive this is important becuase a cast can alter ones physical state be heloing to heal a broken bone, but it is not a drug. Thoughts?

Here's an article to get us started

Is Marijuana Legalization Inevitable?

Welcome to our class blog!!!

This blog is a place for my two sections of WRTG 3020: The Politics of Drugs to share ideas, articles, videos and more.  While you will be required to post twice a month, I hope you will find this to be a welcoming space where we can continue our classroom conversations virtually, while creating a collection of media about the latest developments in the politics of drugs.  So, welcome, and start posting and commenting as soon as you would like!!!!