Drug War Chronicle #836 - May 29, 2014

While the nation and the world focus on Colorado's legalization of marijuana, serious work on drug and sentencing reform and harm reduction has also been getting done there. Let's take a look.

The US House of Representatives will vote on a medical marijuana amendment that has record levels of bipartisan support, possibly as soon as Thursday. Please contact your member of Congress to help it pass!

Kentucky will be growing research hemp crops this year after the DEA backed down from its refusal to issue a permit for imported hemp seed. A lawsuit and a visit from the Senate Minority leader might have had something to do with it.

We could see a congressional vote on barring the feds from interfering in medical marijuana states this week, California stays contentious, the New York Assembly passes a medical marijuana bill (again), and more.

A South Florida man has died 11 days after he was shot in a pre-dawn SWAT team drug raid. His elderly dog was also shot and killed. Neighbors and family have questions. Police haven't said whether they recovered any drugs or weapons.

A Texas driver carrying four pounds of marijuana died Saturday night when he fled from a traffic stop, the cops spiked his tires, and his vehicle crashed and flipped. He's the year's 18th drug war fatality.

The Dallas city council pays out for another brutal drug raid, and a Florida narc can't keep his crack straight.

A new poll suggests Vermont is ready to legalize it, and so is the mayor of Rome, a San Francisco crack pipe exchange is set to expand, a West Virginia county's latest grand jury indictments shine a light on drug war in the Appalachians, Bermuda marijuana growers want an emergency exemption for medical marijuana, and more. Let's get to it.

There's a slim majority for marijuana legalization in New York, an Oregon legalization initiative gets another big-bucks boost, New Mexico patients fight back against proposed new rules, actor Don Johnson speaks out on drug policy, a global campaign for medical marijuana as a human right is underway, and more.

Chuck Schumer wants $100 million to fight heroin in New York, a congressional vote to stop the DEA from attacking medical marijuana in states where it is legal is coming soon, the New York Assembly is voting today on a medical marijuana bill, an Oklahoma prescription drug bill dies, and more.

Look out 2016, here comes Nevada! Also, a US congressman rips into NYPD over marijuana arrests, a New York medical marijuana bill passes the Assembly, Dallas pays out big time for police misbehavior, former DEA head Asa Hutchinson wants more drug war for Arkansas, and more.