1. Feature: Beyond 2008 -- Global Civil Society Tells the UN It's Time to Fix International Drug Policy

Meeting in Vienna last week, representatives of more than 300 non-governmental organizations concerned with various aspects of drug policy crafted a consensus document calling for a fundamental shift in global drug control.

2. Chronicle Book Review: "Dying to Get High: Marijuana as Medicine," by Wendy Chapkis and Richard J. Webb (2008, NYU Press, 244 pp., $22.00 PB)

Two sociologists take on medical marijuana and Santa Cruz's Wo/Men's Access to Medical Marijuana (WAMM) collective. We review their efforts and find them worthy.

3. Media: David Borden in Televised Drug Legalization Debate

StoptheDrugWar.org's executive director recently did a 25-minute debate on drug legalization on a network that airs across Europe and the Middle East. Video is online here.

4. Students: Intern at DRCNet and Help Stop the Drug War!

Apply for an internship at DRCNet for this fall (or spring), and you could spend the semester fighting the good fight!

5. Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A North Texas officer snitches for the Zetas, a Louisiana cop gets a package of pot from Mexico, a New Jersey Transit cop gets popped with pounds of pot, a Mississippi cop gets nailed for stealing from the dope fund, and an Ohio narc goes to prison for stealing cocaine.

6. Medical Marijuana: Seattle Police Seize Hundreds of Patient Files in Raid on Co-op

Washington has a medical marijuana law and Seattle has a lowest law enforcement priority ordinance, but that didn't stop Seattle cops from seizing hundreds of patient files from a Seattle co-op.

7. Search and Seizure: Strip Search of School Girl for Ibuprofen Went Too Far, Federal Appeals Court Says

You can't strip search a school girl to see if she's carrying a low-grade pain reliever, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. The only shocking thing about this verdict is that five out 11 of the justices disagreed.

8. Europe: Battle of the Swiss Drug Referenda

Voters in Switzerland will have a clear choice on drug policy as they go to the polls November 30.

9. Europe: Austrian Parliament Okays Medical Marijuana, But Only State Agency Can Grow It

Austria's parliament has taken a first step toward making medical marijuana available. A bill it approved allows a state agency to grow it.

10. Europe: Rastafarians Can Smoke Marijuana, Italian Court Rules

Italy's highest court has recognized the religious use of marijuana in a case involving an Italian Rastafarian.

11. Death Penalty: Indonesia Gives Go-Ahead for More Executions

Indonesia had not executed anyone for four years as its high court considered a constitutional challenge to the death penalty for drug offenders. But the challenge is over, the death penalty remains, the executions have started again, and there are more on tap.

12. Europe: Selling Grow Equipment Not a Crime, British Appeals Court Rules

Selling equipment used to grow marijuana is not in itself a crime, a British appeals court has ruled.

13. Weekly: This Week in History

Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.

14. Job Opportunities: Two Full-time Jobs, a Fellowship, and an Internship, Marijuana Policy Project, DC

The Marijuana Policy Project has openings for an Office Administrator/Bookkeeper, a Director of State Policies, a Membership and Events Fellow, and a State Policies Intern in their headquarters in Washington, DC.

15. Job Opportunity: Outreach Director, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, DC or San Francisco

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is seeking a highly motivated, well-organized Outreach Director for its Washington, DC or San Francisco office to assist with strengthening the student movement to end the failed War on Drugs.

16. Job Opportunity: Media Relations Director, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), Washington, DC

Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) seeks a Media Relations Director to prepare and disseminate information on FAMM's federal and state campaigns through newspapers, periodicals, television and radio and other forms of media.

17. Weekly: Blogging @ the Speakeasy

"Drug Testing Advocate Gets Busted For Drugs," "U.S. Drug Warriors Interfere With Vienna Drug Policy Summit," "Former Staffer Accuses Drug Czar's Office of Faking Statistics," "Opponents of Marijuana Reform Can't Keep Their Story Straight," "The Link Between Sagging Pants Laws and the Drug War," "Prosecutors Spend Confiscated Drug Money on Margarita Machine, Win 'Best Margarita' at County Fair," "Save the Children, Legalize Drugs," "How Many Patients You Say??... Well Here Are Their Names, Addresses, and Card Numbers."

18. Help Needed: Drug War Chronicle Seeking Cases of Informant Abuse

Drug War Chronicle is seeking information on serious police misconduct or misjudgments in the treatment of informants. Confidentiality will be protected.

19. Feedback: Do You Read Drug War Chronicle?

Do you read Drug War Chronicle? If so, we need your feedback to evaluate our work and make the case for Drug War Chronicle to funders. We need donations too.

20. Webmasters: Help the Movement by Running DRCNet Syndication Feeds on Your Web Site!

Support the cause by featuring automatically-updating Drug War Chronicle and other DRCNet content links on your web site!

21. Resource: DRCNet Web Site Offers Wide Array of RSS Feeds for Your Reader

A new way for you to receive DRCNet articles -- Drug War Chronicle and more -- is now available.

22. Resource: Reformer's Calendar Accessible Through DRCNet Web Site

Visit our new web site each day to see a running countdown to the events coming up the soonest, and more.