Tag: the war on (some) drugs

Federal Officials Revise Sentencing Guidelines For Drug Selling Convictions

New amendments to federal sentencing guidelines will put less of an emphasis on the quantity of drugs someone was charged with, and give more consideration to the scope of their role in the overall drug distribution chain. The United States Sentencing Commission implemented the amendments November 1.

Federal sentencing is calculated using a deeply convoluted scoring system that assigns a base offense level (BOL) between 1 and 43, according to how serious a conviction is perceived to be. For drug-trafficking, this is determined partly through a Drug Quantity Table that uses the number of grams involved to assign a BOL that—prior to the new amendments—could be between 6 and 38. But about two out of three people were being sentenced using a BOL of between 30 and 38.

The fixation with quantity as the biggest factor in how serious each case made it easy to prosecute local distributors as if they were high-level members of drug trafficking organizations. Neighborhood sellers who might only deal in relatively small quantities could still be assigned a BOL for much larger quantities, if the number was measured over a long period of time or manipulated in other ways.

The length of someone’s prison sentence also depends on other factors like prior convictions, but a higher BOL correlates to a longer sentence. For a BOL of 37 or higher, the upper end of the sentencing range can be life in prison, depending on the person’s criminal-legal history.

Now, BOL will be capped at 32 for people determined to have a “mitigating role” in the violation—meaning those at the lower end of the supply chain—and the USSC is supporting a broader application of that standard. A BOL of 32 means a sentencing range of roughly between 10 and 22 years.

“An adjustment…is generally warranted if the defendant’s primary function in the offense was plainly among the lowest level of drug trafficking functions, such as serving as a courier, running errands, sending or receiving phone calls or messages, or acting as a lookout,” state the guidelines. “[Or] if the defendant’s primary function in the offense was performing another low-level trafficking function, such as distributing controlled substances in user-level quantities for little or no monetary compensation or with a primary motivation other than profit.”

Primary motivations other than profit could include personal relationships, or being threatened or coerced. The USSC is still considering whether to apply the adjustment retroactively.

Keep reading

Tariffs, Tobacco, and Policy Whiplash

When politicians talk tough on trade, they usually promise to protect American jobs. But sometimes those gestures do the opposite. The Trump administration’s proposed 100 percent tariff on large cigars imported from Nicaragua is a case in point. According to my latest research, the tariff would shrink US GDP by $1.26 billion, reduce total output by $2.06 billion, eliminate nearly 18,000 jobs, and cost state and local governments $95 million in tax revenue.

There is no domestic industry to protect. The United States produces almost no large cigars, which are rolled by hand from long tobacco leaves and sold through tobacconists, cigar lounges, and small brick-and-mortar shops. Roughly 60 percent of all 430 million cigars imported each year come from Nicaragua. Doubling landed import costs would devastate the 3,500 retailers and 50,000 workers whose livelihoods depend on that trade.

Worse, this tariff reverses one of the administration’s genuine policy successes—its early effort to limit the Food and Drug Administration’s overreach into small-batch cigars and other low-risk nicotine products. It also repeats the same arbitrary logic behind the FDA’s recent warning letter to NOAT—a Swedish company selling mild, recyclable nicotine pouches already cleared for sale in Europe. In both cases, symbolic toughness trumps scientific and economic sense.

Keep reading

Trump’s Weight-loss Drug Deal: Cheaper Shots, But Is It MAHA?

President Donald Trump has unveiled a sweeping action to slash the cost of the nation’s most expensive weight-loss drugs, casting it as a turning point for both healthcare affordability and economic fairness. In what the White House calls a “historic” agreement with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the administration announced that prices for popular GLP-1 agonists (weight-loss drugs) such as Ozempic and Wegovy will drop by more than two-thirds under a new initiative known as TrumpRx. The program is a government-backed platform that allows Americans to purchase prescription drugs at discounted rates negotiated by the administration.

The measure, described by officials as one of the largest single reductions in drug prices in U.S. history, aims to make medications long seen as luxury treatments accessible to millions of Americans battling obesity and related conditions.

Applause for the move was far from unanimous. Within the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) camp — the wing of the movement that believes real health starts with prevention rather than prescriptions — the mood was restrained. Critics argue that the deal hands pharmaceutical companies both market dominance and political validation, locking Americans further into a medical model driven by patented injections.

The Deal

The White House framed the deal as a landmark victory for American consumers:

The agreement represents a historic reduction in prices for Americans on the two drugs with the highest annual expenditures in the United States, both of which help adults struggling with diabetes, heart disease (Ozempic and Wegovy only), obesity, and other conditions.

Under the terms of the new arrangement, the monthly cost of Ozempic and Wegovy will fall from about $1,000 and $1,350, respectively, to $350 when purchased through TrumpRx. Prices for Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Orforglipron, once approved, will be reduced from $1,086 to an average of $346. If — or rather when — the FDA later authorizes the Wegovy pill or similar oral GLP-1 drugs currently in development, “the initial dose of those drugs will be priced at $150 per month” through the portal.

The administration said the new pricing will allow Medicare and Medicaid to cover obesity treatments “at a dramatically lower cost to taxpayers than that proposed by the Biden Administration.” Under the agreement, Medicare will pay just $245 a month for drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. That is less than half of prior proposals.

According to the fact sheet:

These low prices will enable Medicare to cover Wegovy and Zepbound for patients with obesity and related comorbidities for the first time.

Beneficiaries “will pay a co-pay of just $50 per month.” Plus, “state Medicaid programs will also have access to these medications at these prices.”

The deal also extends to other high-cost medicines. Eli Lilly’s Emgality, a migraine therapy, will now cost $299 per pen, down $443 from its list price. Trulicity, another diabetes treatment, will fall to $389 per month, a reduction of nearly $600. Novo Nordisk’s insulin products NovoLog and Tresiba will be capped at $35 per monthly supply.

Keep reading

Psilocybin Shows Potential to Improve Long-Term Effects of Repetitive Brain Injuries Linked to Intimate Partner Violence

The research involved teams from the University of Victoria, Monash University, and Vancouver Island University.

The study examined a rat model designed to mimic the types of injuries commonly reported in IPV survivors: repeated mild traumatic brain injury and short episodes of non-fatal strangulation. Female rats received daily head impacts followed by 90-second strangulation events for five consecutive days, then were allowed a 16-week recovery period to mirror the chronic symptoms often seen in humans.

After the recovery period, the animals were given either a single dose of psilocybin (1 mg/kg) or saline. Those that received psilocybin showed notable improvements. Anxiety-like behaviors normalized in the elevated plus-maze, measures of motivation improved through increased sucrose preference, and cognitive performance strengthened in both spatial-memory and reversal-learning tests. These benefits disappeared when rats were pre-treated with a 5-HT2A receptor–blocking compound, indicating that psilocybin’s effects were driven by this serotonin receptor.

The brain analysis aligned with the behavioral results. Injured rats that received saline had more activated microglia—an indicator of neuroinflammation—in the dorsal hippocampus, as well as fewer reelin-positive cells linked to neuroplasticity. Those alterations were not present in the psilocybin-treated group.

Taken together, the findings suggest that psilocybin’s antidepressant-like, pro-cognitive, and anti-inflammatory actions may help counter long-term effects of repetitive IPV-related brain injury, and that the 5-HT2A receptor plays a key role in those benefits.

Keep reading

Hemp Shows Strong Antiviral Activity Against Japanese Encephalitis Virus

The research, published by Arch Virol and conducted by scientists from Chung-Ang University, The Catholic University of Korea, Kyungpook National University and Gyeongkuk National University, analyzed whether extracts from hemp roots and stems could limit viral activity in cell models.

The team prepared ethanol extracts and organic solvent fractions from hemp material, first identifying non-toxic concentration ranges through standard cytotoxicity assays. Several of these fractions showed strong virucidal effects, but the hexane and chloroform fractions stood out for producing the most pronounced suppression of viral activity.

When these highly active fractions were applied after cells had already been infected, researchers observed a sharp reduction in viral replication. Both JEV mRNA and the viral E protein dropped substantially, indicating that the post-treatment approach directly interfered with the virus’s ability to grow. By contrast, applying the fractions before viral exposure—or at the same time as exposure—did not offer meaningful protection, suggesting the compounds work most effectively once infection is underway.

Further chemical analysis identified several known hemp-derived molecules within the active fractions, and one compound in particular, stigmasterol, emerged as a key antiviral candidate. In follow-up tests, stigmasterol demonstrated both virucidal action and direct antiviral activity. It disrupted viral entry during infection and suppressed viral growth afterward, again reducing JEV mRNA and E protein expression to significant levels.

Keep reading

Major Association Of Corporations Including Coca-Cola, Nestlé And General Mills Urge Congress To Ban Intoxicating Hemp Products

A major trade association that counts among its members corporations such as Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kraft Heinz and Nestlé is putting pressure on Congress to ban intoxicating hemp products.

In a letter sent to House and Senate leadership, the Consumer Brands Association (CBA) said it wants to see the so-called “hemp loophole” of the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized the crop closed. And to that end, the organization backed appropriations language led by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) to prohibit hemp products containing any quantifiable amount of THC.

The proliferation of intoxicating cannabinoid products—including those that contain synthesized delta-8 and delta-10 THC, for example—have “caused significant investigative and testing challenges, as well as unseen health and safety impacts,” CBA said in the September letter, as first reported by Cannabis Wire.

“This definition did not take into account the possibility for addition of various isomers (chemical variants with similar effects) of THC, and the possibility of intoxicating hemp-derived beverages, which can include more THC than ever intended,” it said. “Additionally, many products are deliberately marketed in ways that confuse consumers, featuring brightly colored packaging, cartoon imagery, and names that mimic candy or popular treats.”

Relatedly, CBA also advised Congress in 2022 to prevent the proliferation of marijuana-infused copycat products that mimic their well-known brands.

“Congress did not intend to create an unregulated market for intoxicating products that are not subject to Food and Drug Administration oversight. Two of the most prevalent isomers of THC, Delta-8 and Delta-10, have not had any FDA review,” the new letter says. “These products create risks for consumers who may falsely believe that they are reviewed and regulated for safety and purity.”

“As you consider finalizing FY 2026 appropriations, we encourage you to close this loophole and protect consumers,” CBA said.

Notably, the retail giant Target—which recently launch a pilot program selling hemp THC beverages at select locations in Minnesota—is also a member of CBA. Target’s decision came just weeks after the association sent out the letter to Congress on restricting such products from the marketplace.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan coalition of 39 state and territory attorneys general recently called on Congress to clarify the federal definition of hemp and impose regulations preventing the sale of intoxicating cannabinoid products.

Keep reading

Nebraska Tribe Punches Back After State Officials Hint At Prosecuting People For Buying Marijuana On Its Reservation

A Native American tribe in Nebraska, as well as cannabis reform activists, are punching back against the governor and state attorney general over recent comments suggesting that people would be prosecuted if they buy marijuana from businesses on its reservation.

Gov. Jim Pillen (R) and Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) both made controversial remarks about the tribe’s cannabis program this week amid negotiations over a compact on tax revenue from tobacco sales.

Hilgers said that people who buy marijuana under the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska’s planned legal market on its reservation within the state do so “at their own peril,” implying enforcement action against citizens for purchasing what he described as a “poison” if they take it beyond the territory’s borders.

In response, the tribe’s attorney general, John Cartier, put out a statement condemning the top state officials, emphasizing that the state “cannot dictate our internal licensing” and that “retaliation and misinformation do not serve patients or taxpayers.”

“We continue to act in good faith and are ready to work with the Governor to find agreement that benefits both parties, but we caution him: if he is relying solely on the Attorney General’s flawed interpretation of the law, personal crusades are clouding his legal judgment as they have before,” he said. “If the State continues to retaliate or attempts to block our lawful enterprise, we will defend our sovereignty through all available means.”

Cartier said the notion that the tribe can’t sell marijuana under its regulatory model to non-tribal members is “wrong.”

“Nebraskans overwhelmingly approved medical cannabis last November, yet the administration has pursued litigation and commission actions that frustrate voter intent and depart from Nebraska law and the sponsors’ stated purpose,” the statement says. “None of this alters the jurisdictional line that preserves the Tribe’s authority on tribal lands. The Tribe has moved forward, as is our right, with regulations that align with statute. The State’s reaction misstates the law and distracts from patient-focused solutions.”

The tribe’s attorney general said its members are willing to compromise on the tobacco tax issue and accept a compact deal previously offered by the administration. But if that compromise plan is also being withdrawn, he said that would “demonstrate direct retaliation against the Tribe, and we will respond accordingly.”

“We prefer to work directly with the Governor on a tobacco tax compact that benefits both parties and respects sovereignty. Any attempt to leverage an unrelated, lawful medical cannabis program against compact discussions is improper. We look forward to the administration’s written position and we will respond through the proper channels.”

The tribe’s attorney general previously claimed that the state is using its efforts to legalize marijuana as an excuse to suspend negotiations on the tobacco tax deal.

Keep reading

Nebraska Attorney General Calls Marijuana A ‘Poison’ And Says People Who Buy It From A Tribe Within The State Do So ‘At Their Own Peril’

The attorney general of Nebraska says people who buy marijuana under a Native American tribe’s planned legal market on its reservation within the state do so “at their own peril,” implying enforcement action against citizens for purchasing what he described as a “poison” if they take it beyond the territory’s borders.

During a press conference focused on an unrelated executive order, Gov. Jim Pillen (R) and Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) were asked about ongoing negotiations with the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska over a tobacco tax compact and the tribe’s move to legalize cannabis within the prohibitionist state.

“I think that my position is crystal clear. I’m totally opposed in recreational marijuana,” the governor said. “If the Omaha tribe progresses to that extent, my view is really simple: There’s not going to be Nebraskans going into the Omaha buying recreational marijuana. We’ll take whatever steps it is to keep our state values and keep that from happening.”

Hilgers, the state attorney general, also spoke about the tribe’s cannabis program alongside the governor, as well as during a separate press briefing on Wednesday.

While compacts between the state and tribal governments can be “good” for both parties, he said what the Omaha tribe has proposed is both a usurpation of tax revenue from tobacco sales and a willful defiance of state laws around marijuana.

Keep reading

Hegseth Says US Strikes Another Drug-Smuggling Boat, Killing 3 Onboard

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military carried out another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in the Caribbean that was transporting illegal drugs to the United States on Nov. 6.

Hegseth stated on social media that the strike targeted a vessel run by a “designated terrorist organization,” killing three people on board whom he described as “narco-terrorists.”

“The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Caribbean and was struck in international waters,” he stated on X, noting that the strike was conducted under President Donald Trump’s direction.

No U.S. armed forces were harmed in the operation, according to the Pentagon chief.

This was the 17th reported U.S. military strike on drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific since September, as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to combat drug trafficking. More than 60 suspected drug traffickers have been killed in these strikes.

Hegseth warned that U.S. military operations against drug smuggling vessels will not stop until the illegal drug flow into the United States ends.

Keep reading