1. California Marijuana Initiatives Starving for Cash [FEATURE]

A severe lack of funding could prevent any of the California marijuana reform initiatives from making the ballot. "Anyone got a spare $2 million?" the campaigns asked plaintively at a Mill Valley public meeting Tuesday night.

2. Congress Okays Drug Tests for Unemployment Benefits

Faced with GOP demands to drug test people seeking unemployment benefits, the Democrats first fought them off, then accepted some testing as a compromise to get the payroll tax extension passed.

3. Rand Paul Blocks Federal Synthetic Drug Bans

Sen. Rand Paul is placing a giant stop sign in front of the Senate as it rushes to enact new bans on new drugs.

4. Colorado Marijuana Initiative Turns in Final Signatures

A Colorado marijuana legalization initiative looks almost assured of making the November ballot after organizers handed in a final 12,000 signatures. They only need 2,400 valid ones.

5. Soros Gives Big Bucks for California Three Strikes Reform Measure

A California initiative to reform the state's Three Strikes law is financially well-placed to make the ballot after George Soros kicked in half a million bucks.

6. Vermont Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Stalled

Even though the governor, the public safety commissioner, and the public all want decriminalization, Vermont's House speaker is blocking it, citing law enforcement concerns.

7. Medical Marijuana Update

From Alabama to Washington, medical marijuana continues to be a burning issue.

8. Haarlem Cannabis Cafes Reject Dutch-Only Member Passes

Cannabis coffee shop owners in the Dutch city of Haarlem are organizing to fight back against the Dutch government's pending Weed Pass plan that would bar foreigners and require Dutch citizens to join "members only" coffee houses if they want to buy weed legally.

9. Florida Detective, Meth Suspect Killed in Shootout

A Florida sheriff's narcotics detective has been shot dead after trying to force his way into a residence. The suspected meth dealer who shot him was shot and killed, too.

10. Texas Officer in Drug Investigation Kills Armed Man

A Texas man is dead after allegedly running away from, then pulling a gun on, members of Texas combined task force doing a drug investigation.

11. This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

More asset forfeiture problems in Texas, plus a typical weekly rogues' gallery of dirty cops.

12. This Week in History

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