“There’s more cocaine than marijuana in Canmore,” my friend tells me. Another friend, in a different context tells me the same thing, “It’s easier here to get coke than weed.” Makes sense, I reason. Every month I read about the
War on Drugs 
Nullify the War on Drugs
Reprinted from Mises.org Public opinion now favors the outright legalization of marijuana with nearly three-out-of-four adults in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. These numbers should continue to grow, because the polls exhibit a type of “generation effect,” in that people
Rethinking the Drug War
A number of recent polls reveal that over half of the U.S. population favors the abolishment of marijuana prohibition. This includes many young followers of Christianity who, if you consider the bombardment of “tolerance” evangelism preached everywhere, probably find it
Nullify the War on Drugs
Reprinted from Mises.org Public opinion now favors the outright legalization of marijuana with nearly three-out-of-four adults in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. These numbers should continue to grow, because the polls exhibit a type of “generation effect,†in that people
Free Pass to Lake Louise and Nakiska? Just Wear Your Work Uniform
In Banff, Alberta there is a ski resort called Sunshine Village. On a run called “Jack Rabbit†right after the first right turn, through some trees and a bit off to the left – there’s a shack known to the
No Vapour For You! Canada’s Ban on Smokeless Electronic Cigarettes
Reprinted from Le Quebecois Libre When I was a kid, my favourite aunt was a smoker. It bothered me that she smoked, because if I knew anything, it was that cigarettes were bad for you, and I worried for her.
Harper’s War on Pot Growers
Last fall, Health Canada announced the national government will be leaving the marijuana distribution business and privatizing the whole affair. For a conservative administration like Stephan Harper’s, this can be seen as a welcome step in taming Leviathan’s reach over
Government in Crime: The Penetrating Realism of Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire,the drama TV series set mainly in New Jersey during the Prohibition Era and chronicling the historical criminal kingpin and treasurer of Atlantic City Enoch L. Johnson (fictionalized as Enoch “Nucky†Thompson), is my absolute favorite television show. Is
The Economic Consequences of Drug Prohibition
PDF version: consequences of drug prohibition The Economic Consequences of Drug Prohibition The drug trade is one of the most discussed issues both internationally and domestically. The term “drug trade†refers to every aspect of illicit drugs, from their cultivation
HBO’s The Wire Is Damn Fine Storytelling
[Originally published in Le Quebecois Libre, No 273, December 15th, 2009. This article is reproduced with permission from the author.] A year ago, I recommended the HBO miniseries John Adams to last-minute freedom-loving holiday shoppers. This year, I have to
Jury Refuses to Hear Marijuana Possession Case
A small piece of something beautiful. Mark enjoys studying history, libertarianism, and spending time outdoors. He would love to be able to travel and spend time with good people. He welcomes all comments, criticisms, and questions.
Liberty Summer Seminar this Weekend!
All Austro-Canadians interested in the advance of liberty should make it out this weekend to Orono, Ontario for the the world-famous Liberty Summer Seminar. Held by the Institute for Liberal Studies, this event combines two days of lectures on the
In Defense of the Drug Pusher
In honour of The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking we are republishing Chapter 4 from Walter Block’s classic, Defending the Undefendable. Most recently published by the Ludwig von Mises Institute in 2008. Available online at mises.org. Available for purchase
What Explains Crystal Meth?
In honour of The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking we are republishing Mark Thornton’s great piece on Crystal Meth – originally published on Mises.org, Thursday, January 20, 2011 Most people have never really met crystal meth; sure,
An Unconstitutional Deficit?
Times are hard in the US. The federal deficit is now over a trillion (one thousand billion) dollars[ref]http://www.usdebtclock.org/index.html[/ref]. In order to fill up this bottomless pit, a dozen Republican senators have put forward an audacious proposal. They want to amend
The Ontario Court Marijuana Decision
Opponents of laws criminalizing marijuana use received a seemingly great piece of news this week. A ruling by the Ontario Superior Court declared unconstitutional provisions of the Controlled Drug and Substance Act that prohibit the possession and production of marijuana.  A closer look at
The Underground Economy in One Page
What is the underground economy? It is not something subterranean. It is neither a physical structure nor a place. The pejorative term “underground economy” is used to describe the activities of buying and selling that occur beyond the purview of
Frank Chardorov on War and the State
It is a well known fact that during a war the State acquires powers which it does not relinquish when hostilities are over.
Portugal Succeeds in Decriminalizing Drugs
Ten years ago, Portugal was faced with a drug addiction epidemic. Instead of beefing up anti-drug laws , and giving the police more resources to enforce the existing prohibitionist regime, it decriminalized the possession and use of drugs for personal
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