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In this week’s episode, the TWiD crew was honored to speak with Lyn Ulbricht, the mother of Ross Ulbricht, who was recently convicted for running the Silk Road online marketplace under the (shared?) pseudonym Dread Pirate Roberts. We were also joined by Meghan Ralston, former Harm Reduction Manager for the Drug Policy Alliance, to talk about the website and ensuing legal battle and what it means for the future of drug marketplaces and drug policy.
We encourage listeners to donate to Ross’ legal defense here, to help him appeal his unjust life sentence.
Drug of the month: Cocaine, installment #3 (history).
Shout-out: The Zendo Project, a psychedelic harm reduction group that provides services to festival-goers (if you’re going to Burning Man, you’ll be able to find them at two locations: 2:45 & Arcade and 9:15 & Donniker)
News stories:
- New York bans powdered alcohol
- Black Lives Matter organizers call for the decriminalization of marijuana
- Public Health England says e-cigarettes are about 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes
- FDA approves so-called “female Viagra”
Forecasts:
- Brazil’s Supreme Court has begun hearing a case that may lead to the decriminalization of all drugs — this potentially historic case is definitely one to watch.
- Bernie Sanders continues to hint at support for marijuana legalization — look out for an announcement soon!