Filter | harm reduction journalism

Michigan Will Again Try to Legalize Its Rising Number of Syringe Programs Despite health department funding, Michigan has no state law explicitly authorizing SSP—but does have local ordinances against syringe access.

Despite the state health department funding harm reduction groups, Michigan has no law that explicitly supports syringe access—but does have local ordinances that explicitly criminalize it.

Maine Ballot Bid Aims to Roll Back Voter-Approved Marijuana Legalization The current draft, backed by GOP operatives, would ban adult-use retail sales and home-grow, though low-level possession would remain legal.

The current proposal, backed by GOP operatives, would ban adult-use retail sales and home-grow (low-level possession and medical marijuana would remain legal), which were approved by Maine voters almost a decade ago, reports
Kyle Jaeger:

FCC Raises Prison and Jail Phone Call Pricing—Higher Than It Said It Would In addition to the higher per-minute caps, the FCC approved an "inflation factor" that tacks on another $0.01 to $0.02 at most facilities.

"The FCC has tacked on an 'inflation factor' that was not part of its draft proposal and was pushed through without notice to the public." filtermag.org/fcc-ipcs-ord...

Maine Ballot Bid Aims to Roll Back Voter-Approved Marijuana Legalization The current draft, backed by GOP operatives, would ban adult-use retail sales and home-grow, though low-level possession would remain legal.

The current proposal, backed by GOP operatives, would ban adult-use retail sales and home-grow (low-level possession and medical marijuana would remain legal), which were approved by Maine voters almost a decade ago, reports
Kyle Jaeger:

Death Toll From US Boat Strikes Now Exceeds 60 On October 29, the United States struck another boat in the eastern Pacific, killing four people on board. The attack ...

"These are fisherfolk."

"On October 29, the United States struck another boat in the eastern Pacific, killing four people on board."

"The four latest extrajudicial killings bring the campaign's total known death toll to 61."
#USA #Colombia #Venezuela #Drugs #Military

Some States Try to Ban 7-OH, Others to Regulate Kratom. Some Try Both. More and more legislators are talking about 7-OH. And plugging in the fentanyl rhetoric they know by heart.

More and more legislators are talking about 7-OH. And plugging in the fentanyl rhetoric they know by heart.

Death Toll From US Boat Strikes Now Exceeds 60 Trump's attacks continue to escalate in the Caribbean and Pacific, using the "narco-terrorism" pretext to menace Venezuela and Colombia.

Four more extrajudicial killings bring the campaign’s total known death toll to 61.

Some families have said their loved ones were fishing. “Why did they just take his life like that?”

@tganeva.bsky.social reports:

Some States Try to Ban 7-OH, Others to Regulate Kratom. Some Try Both. More and more legislators are talking about 7-OH. And plugging in the fentanyl rhetoric they know by heart.

More and more legislators are talking about 7-OH. And plugging in the fentanyl rhetoric they know by heart.

Death Toll From US Boat Strikes Now Exceeds 60 Trump's attacks continue to escalate in the Caribbean and Pacific, using the "narco-terrorism" pretext to menace Venezuela and Colombia.

Four more extrajudicial killings bring the campaign’s total known death toll to 61.

Some families have said their loved ones were fishing. “Why did they just take his life like that?”

@tganeva.bsky.social reports:

FCC Raises Prison and Jail Phone Call Pricing—Higher Than It Said It Would In addition to the higher per-minute caps, the FCC approved an "inflation factor" that tacks on another $0.01 to $0.02 at most facilities.

In addition to nearly doubling the per-minute rate caps, the FCC approved an "inflation factor" that was not part of its draft proposal and was adopted without notice to the public. It will tack on $0.01 to $0.02 for most facilities.

High-Nicotine Pouches Help People Stay Off Cigarettes—If Available As with vapes, people who smoked heavily are likely to need higher-strength pouches as a safer alternative. Yet access is often blocked.

"Pouches with higher nicotine levels can make a vital contribution by delivering the satisfaction people may need if they’re to avoid returning to deadly cigarettes," reports @kiransidhu41.bsky.social. "But they won’t perform this role if they’re not available."

FCC Raises Prison and Jail Phone Call Pricing—Higher Than It Said It Would In addition to the higher per-minute caps, the FCC approved an "inflation factor" that tacks on another $0.01 to $0.02 at most facilities.

In addition to nearly doubling the per-minute rate caps, the FCC approved an "inflation factor" that was not part of its draft proposal and was adopted without notice to the public. It will tack on $0.01 to $0.02 for most facilities.

High-Nicotine Pouches Help People Stay Off Cigarettes—If Available As with vapes, people who smoked heavily are likely to need higher-strength pouches as a safer alternative. Yet access is often blocked.

"Pouches with higher nicotine levels can make a vital contribution by delivering the satisfaction people may need if they’re to avoid returning to deadly cigarettes," reports @kiransidhu41.bsky.social. "But they won’t perform this role if they’re not available."

Baltimore’s New Health Commissioner Wrestles With OD Crisis—and Trump Dr. Michelle Taylor faces budget constraints and potential federal threats. She sits down with Filter to talk through the challenges.

“We always have to be cognizant of who’s in office right now.”

Dr. Michelle Taylor became Baltimore's health commissioner amid ongoing OD crisis, police crackdowns on drug users & the threat of losing federal funds.

She sits down with @loganhullinger.com to explain why she thinks she can succeed:

MA Overdose Bills Signal Push Toward Nalmefene, Civil Commitment Taken together, four proposals under consideration would make the landscape of overdose response more hostile toward people who use drugs.

Taken together, four proposals under consideration would make the landscape of overdose response more hostile toward people who use drugs.

At a time when public health faces an uncertain future and fear is being weaponized to fan the flames of the drug war, Baltimore's new health commissioner says she is forced to be realistic.

Read my latest for @filtermag.bsky.social 🔽

filtermag.org/baltimore-he...

MA Overdose Bills Signal Push Toward Nalmefene, Civil Commitment Taken together, four proposals under consideration would make the landscape of overdose response more hostile toward people who use drugs.

Taken together, four proposals under consideration would make the landscape of overdose response more hostile toward people who use drugs.

Baltimore’s New Health Commissioner Wrestles With OD Crisis—and Trump Dr. Michelle Taylor faces budget constraints and potential federal threats. She sits down with Filter to talk through the challenges.

“We always have to be cognizant of who’s in office right now.”

Dr. Michelle Taylor became Baltimore's health commissioner amid ongoing OD crisis, police crackdowns on drug users & the threat of losing federal funds.

She sits down with @loganhullinger.com to explain why she thinks she can succeed:

Prison Contraband Drone Drops Are Becoming a Problem for Local Jails “At first it was just, tie a pound of tobacco to a cheap drone and crash it over the fence," said one GDC prisoner. But methods have evolved.

“At first it was just, tie a pound of tobacco to a cheap drone and crash it over the fence—leaving the drone inside," one GDC prisoner who’s been moving contraband for over a decade told Filter. "But that creates problems of disposal."

Resistance to the Anti-Nicotine Movement Has Roots in a Betrayal Tobacco control's mission shifted—from ending deaths, to ending nicotine use. To those of us who have switched, resistance is about survival.

"Tobacco control has moved the goalposts," writes @skipscorner.bsky.social. "To those who’ve switched, this feels like betrayal."

"Some of us know that if the products we rely on are banned, we will go back to smoking, and we refuse to accept that risk quietly."

Prison Contraband Drone Drops Are Becoming a Problem for Local Jails “At first it was just, tie a pound of tobacco to a cheap drone and crash it over the fence," said one GDC prisoner. But methods have evolved.

“At first it was just, tie a pound of tobacco to a cheap drone and crash it over the fence—leaving the drone inside," one GDC prisoner who’s been moving contraband for over a decade told Filter. "But that creates problems of disposal."

Resistance to the Anti-Nicotine Movement Has Roots in a Betrayal Tobacco control's mission shifted—from ending deaths, to ending nicotine use. To those of us who have switched, resistance is about survival.

"Tobacco control has moved the goalposts," writes @skipscorner.bsky.social. "To those who’ve switched, this feels like betrayal."

"Some of us know that if the products we rely on are banned, we will go back to smoking, and we refuse to accept that risk quietly."

What the Latest Chaotic FBI Data Say About US Drug Arrests Though riddled with inconsistencies, the report indicates hundreds of thousands of arrests are still being made for marijuana possession.

Though riddled with inconsistencies and unknowns, the FBI report shows over 200,000 arrests in 2024 for marijuana possession alone. Experts have different views of the likely relationship between certain numbers and reality, reports Alexander Lekhtman:

Indivior Isn't Done With Opvee, the Overdose Antidote That's Not Narcan A study authored by Indivior employees, based on Indivior data, finds that concerns about nalmefene-precipitated withdrawal appear unfounded.

A study authored by Indivior employees, based on Indivior data, finds that concerns about nalmefene-precipitated withdrawal appear unfounded.

What the Latest Chaotic FBI Data Say About US Drug Arrests Though riddled with inconsistencies, the report indicates hundreds of thousands of arrests are still being made for marijuana possession.

Though riddled with inconsistencies and unknowns, the FBI report shows over 200,000 arrests in 2024 for marijuana possession alone. Experts have different views of the likely relationship between certain numbers and reality, reports Alexander Lekhtman:

Indivior Isn't Done With Opvee, the Overdose Antidote That's Not Narcan A study authored by Indivior employees, based on Indivior data, finds that concerns about nalmefene-precipitated withdrawal appear unfounded.

A study authored by Indivior employees, based on Indivior data, finds that concerns about nalmefene-precipitated withdrawal appear unfounded.

Marijuana Hair-Test Device Doesn't Prove Use, Warns Petition to FDA It could cause "significant harm" if used by employers or law enforcement, experts say, by giving positives from secondhand exposure.

The FDA-approved hair-testing device could cause "significant harm," if used by employers or law enforcement, by giving positives from secondhand exposure, states the petition from a group of experts.

Kyle Jaeger reports:

SNAP Benefits Stop Amid Shutdown—and New Rules Restricting Eligibility The groups targeted by the new requirements from Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" are also disproportionately at risk of overdose.

The groups targeted by the new requirements from Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" are also disproportionately at risk of overdose.

Marijuana Hair-Test Device Doesn't Prove Use, Warns Petition to FDA It could cause "significant harm" if used by employers or law enforcement, experts say, by giving positives from secondhand exposure.

The FDA-approved hair-testing device could cause "significant harm," if used by employers or law enforcement, by giving positives from secondhand exposure, states the petition from a group of experts.

Kyle Jaeger reports:

SNAP Benefits Stop Amid Shutdown—and New Rules Restricting Eligibility The groups targeted by the new requirements from Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" are also disproportionately at risk of overdose.

The groups targeted by the new requirements from Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" are also disproportionately at risk of overdose.