Drug War Chronicle #965 - March 23, 2017

Busy, busy. Lawmakers in Arkansas and North Dakota try to "fix" medical marijuana initiatives, New York chronic pain patients can now use medical marijuana, a CBD compromise is reached in Georgia, and more.

A Cleveland jail guard gets caught trying to smuggle heroin to an accused rapist, a Border Patrol veteran heads to prison for trying to traffic cocaine, and more.

Arkansas and Florida continue grappling with implementing the will of the voters, a Colorado bill to limit personal grows advances, Kansas legislators advance a CBD bill despites the wishes of medical marijuana activists, and more.

An Indiana cop gets nailed for pilfering pain patches, a Cincinnati police dispatcher gets popped with 200 pounds of pot, a New Jersey cop gets nailed for getting sexual favors from a woman in drug court, and more.

The senior member of the House files a racial profiling bill, Colorado lawmakers move to reduce medical marijuana homegrow limits, Kansas lawmakers mess with a medical marijuana bill, Texas lawmakers get a hearing on decriminalization, and more.

Welfare drug testing bills are under consideration in Florida and North Dakota, Massachusetts legalizers warn lawmakers not to mess with the state's voter-approved pot law, Bolivia is set to defend its new coca law, and more.

The US Congress has voted to allow states to force drug tests on people seeking unemployment benefits, decriminalization bills get filed in Florida and advance in New Mexico, another mass grave is uncovered in Old Mexico, and more.

The Congressional Cannabis Caucus is getting down to business, yet another poll shows strong (and increasing) support for marijuana legalization, Trump names an acting drug czar, a California safe injection site bill is moving, and more.

The Philippines' bloody-handed president is facing harsh criticism as the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meets in Vienna, West Virginia gets a marijuana legalization bill, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio rolls out a plan to fight opioid addiction and overdoses, and more.

Yesterday's DEA raids in Colorado do not signal a new crackdown, the agency says; Georgia CBD cannabis oil legislation looks set to advance, Rand Paul reintroduces a federal asset forfeiture reform bill, and more.

StoptheDrugWar.org draws the ire of the Duterte regime in Manila, Vermont's pot legalization bill gets a needed extension, a federal bill to create a National Commission on Criminal Justice is filed, and more.

The New York Times reports on fatal SWAT drug raids, Australian former premiers and police chiefs call for drug decriminalization, medical marijuana keeps statehouses busy, and more.

Legalization bills are still alive in Rhode Island and Vermont, Idaho (!) is on the verge of passing civil asset forfeiture reform, North Dakota activists are threatening to strike back if the legislature messes too much with the state's new voter-approved medical marijuana law, and more.

Illinois lawmakers want to see marijuana legalization, California lawmakers want to protect marijuana legalization, and more.

Arizona initiative would legalize all drugs, Delaware will see a marijuana legalization bill this year, a West Virginia medical marijuana bill advances, and more.

Canada says it will legalize marijuana by July 1, 2018 (or does it?); Chris Christie will be named White House "drug commissioner," Illinoisans are ready to legalize weed, and more.