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Drug War Chronicle #731 - April 26, 2012

Phillip S. Smith, Editor - David Borden, Executive Director
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) workshop, District of Columbia
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) workshop, District of Columbia

Bills to Drug Test the Poor Face Tough Going [FEATURE]

Bills to drug test people seeking public benefits have been all the rage at the statehouse this year, but they're having a surprisingly hard time passing. We have some reasons why.
Delivering a message to the Obama campaign: Back off!
Delivering a message to the Obama campaign: Back off!

Oakland 4/20: "Obama, You're Alienating Your Base" [FEATURE]

4/20 in Oakland was aimed squarely at the Obama administration and its attacks on medical marijuana distribution. Obama is alienating his base, protestors said, as they delivered a message to his local campaign headquarters.
Drug war spending continues to exceed treatment and prevention spending (ONDCP)
Drug war spending continues to exceed treatment and prevention spending (ONDCP)

Obama's 2012 Drug Strategy: The Same Old Same Old [FEATURE]

The 2012 National Drug Control Strategy is out. It looks much like the 2010 strategy or the 2005 strategy or the 2000 strategy. There are a few new wrinkles, but nothing much has changed.
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Did You Know? 16 States' and DC's Medical Marijuana Laws, from ProCon.org

ProCon.org is a series of in-depth web sites presenting information and views from on current issues, several with relevance to drug policy. The Chronicle is running a series of info items from ProCon.org over the next several weeks -- this first one from medicalmarijuana.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.
MMJ leaf and stethoscope KY ODCP_29.jpg
MMJ leaf and stethoscope KY ODCP_29.jpg

Medical Marijuana Update

More DEA raids in California and Montana, and more action in the legislature in Connecticut and New Hampshire, among other medical marijuana news.
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drugtest2_12.jpg

West Virginia Governor Orders Job Trainee Drug Testing

Saying that West Virginia employers can't find enough workers who aren't doped up, Gov. Tomblin has issued an executive order mandating drug tests for participants in the state's job training program. He already successfully championed drug testing for miners in the legislature.
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drugtest2_11.jpg

Georgia Welfare Drug Testing Bill Signed Into Law

Georgia has now followed Florida's lead in passing a bill requiring that welfare applicants undergo mandatory, suspicionless drug testing. Florida's law has been stymied by a legal challenge, and one is coming in Georgia, too.
Amsterdam cannabis coffee shop (wikimedia.org)
Amsterdam cannabis coffee shop (wikimedia.org)

Fight Against Dutch Cannabis Café Restrictions Heats Up

The Dutch government plans to implement its Dutch-only "weed pass" system for cannabis coffee houses on the border on May 1, but it faces growing legal and political challenges. Not to mention, it just lost a vote of confidence.
Russell Brand at the premiere of Arthur (wikimedia.org)
Russell Brand at the premiere of Arthur (wikimedia.org)

Russell Brand Talks Drug Policy in Parliament

Actor and comedian Russell Brand called for "love and compassion" for drug addicts at an appearance before a parliamentary committee in London Tuesday and suggested that decriminalization could be a good approach.
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pile-of-cash_64.jpg

This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

It's been a quiet week on the corrupt cop front, but we still have a pair of California cops who thought they were the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and an Oklahoma cop who couldn't keep his fingers out of the cookie jar---and some late-breaking news out of LA.
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This Week in History

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