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Drug War Chronicle #764 - December 20, 2012

Phillip S. Smith, Editor - David Borden, Executive Director
Caravan for Peace vigil, Brownsville, Texas, August 2012
Caravan for Peace vigil, Brownsville, Texas, August 2012

The Top Ten Drug Policy Stories of 2012 [FEATURE]

In some ways, 2012 has been a year of dramatic, exciting change in drug policy, as the edifice of global drug prohibition appears to crumble before our eyes. In other ways it's still business as usual in the drug war. Here, we look at the biggest drug policy stories of the year.
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the-fire-next-door.jpg

Chronicle Review Essay: What Next for Mexico?

With a new president taking over, Mexico has a chance to rethink its disastrous war on the cartels. Two new books on the Mexican drug wars have a few thoughts about where it's been and where it should go next.
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How People Are Using Drug War Chronicle

We print a few of the testimonials received this year about what Drug War Chronicle does for the work of all the organizations in the movement.
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stopsign-200px_6.jpg

StoptheDrugWar.org Needs Your Support

Nonprofits including those in drug policy reform face continuing challenges in the tough economic environment. That means StoptheDrugWar.org and Drug War Chronicle need your support to do our job in 2013.
More than 330,000 were doing prison time for drugs in the US at the end of 2011. (supremecourt.gov)
More than 330,000 were doing prison time for drugs in the US at the end of 2011. (supremecourt.gov)

US Has 330,000 Drug Offenders in Prison

The number of prisoners in America is declining ever so slightly, but there are still 330,000 drug offenders doing time in state and federal prisons.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (leahy.senate.gov)
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (leahy.senate.gov)

Senate Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearings on Marijuana Policy

Pressure is mounting on the Obama administration to say how it will respond to the marijuana legalization votes in Colorado and Washington. Now, the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee is calling for hearings on the issue.
President Barack Obama (whitehouse.gov)
President Barack Obama (whitehouse.gov)

Obama Comments Beg the Question on Marijuana Legalization

President Obama said Friday that going after marijuana users in states where it is legal is not a "top priority," but did not address what the federal government will do about taxation and regulation of marijuana commerce.
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MMJ leaf and stethoscope KY ODCP_62.jpg

Medical Marijuana Update

Dispensary wars continue in California, a package of restrictive bills passes in Michigan, and DC's long-awaited dispensaries are a step closer to opening.
Marijuana is legal in the Motor City. Someone tell the cops. (wikimedia.org)
Marijuana is legal in the Motor City. Someone tell the cops. (wikimedia.org)

Michigan Cops Ponder Detroit Marijuana Legalization Vote

Detroit voted to legalize possession of up to an ounce by adults on private property, but local law enforcement is either ignoring the vote or still trying to figure out how to respond.
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Do_Not_Cross,_Crime_Scene_36.jpg

Memphis Officer, Dallas Man Killed in Separate Drug War Incidents

A female Memphis police officer was killed in a raid on a marijuana dealer, and a Dallas man died in an altercation with police investigating a report of drug activity. They are the 63rd and 64th to be killed in the US domestic drug war so far this year.
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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A small-town Florida department run amok loses its chief -- at least temporarily -- an Alabama cop gets caught delivering weed, four South Texas cops get caught running cocaine, and a Camden, New Jersey, sergeant goes down for a dope squad run amok there.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.