Drug War Chronicle #790 - July 3, 2013

We are excited to announce that authors of three important new works have each agreed to sign at least 25 copies for our newest membership offer, which comes at a time when the organization needs your support.

Dr. Carl Hart went from the mean streets of Miami to the halls of academe. His new book, High Price, tells his story -- and delivers a blistering critique of drug policy, drug science and how it's understood, and race and class bias along the way. It's a gripping read, too.

Interns are making an important difference fighting the good fight with us at StoptheDrugWar.org.

At least the DEA didn't raid anybody this week, but some Michigan cops did. That and more in this week's update.

Marijuana decriminalization goes into effect Monday in Vermont, leaving New Hampshire as the odd man out when it comes to decriminalization in the region.

State revenuers in Colorado have released temporary rules for governing the state's looming legal marijuana commerce, but at this point, they are only a sketch of what is to come.

Two bills reducing penalties for marijuana offenses have been signed into law in Oregon. They take effect immediately.

A Malaysian government minister has said the Southeast Asian nation is shifting toward decriminalizing drug use, but her remarks suggest drug users could just trade jail cells for treatment beds.

An LA County Sheriff's Department "narcotics" raid on a marijuana grow in a rural property ended with an 80-year-old shot to death after police encountered him holding a gun in his own home. That's the fourth drug war death in a week.

A DEA drug raid in West virginia turned deadly Wednesday morning when state troopers shot and killed a man holding a rifle on them after they burst through his door at dawn.

Thuggery in Philly, protecting drug shipments in Houston and Detroit, sticky fingers in Los Angeles, and that's not all.