Drug War Chronicle #843 - July 17, 2014

The White House has spoken about directly about House Republican efforts to block the District of Columbia from implementing its new decriminalization law. It doesn't approve, and it cites states' rights and home rule. It joins a slew of DC residents and officials telling Congress to bugger off.

Marijuana policy researcher and analyst Beau Kilmer talks to the Chronicle about marijuana legalization, taxation, public health, and related issues. Plenty to chew on here.

For the first time ever we are offering an "E-Book" as our latest membership premium, as well as a popular author-signed book for a reduced price.

In an historic vote Wednesday, the US House has approved an amendment to the Treasury Department appropriations bill barring the agency from spending any money to punish financial institutions that provide services to marijuana businesses where it is legal.

A CBD cannabis oil bill becomes law in Missouri, the District of Columbia expands its medical marijuana program, Michigan prepares to improve its program, Berkeley will provide free medical marijuana for the poor and homeless, an LA medical marijuana farmers' market gets an injunction slapped on it, and more.

More cops with pill problems, more jail guards looking to earn a little easy money. Just another week in the corrupt cop front of the drug war.

Forget Amazon's promised drone deliveries; the Mexican cartels have beat them to it. Also, Massachusetts cops will need to do more than just smell weed to search you or your vehicle, Arizona PTSD patients are okayed to use medical marijuana, Uruguay delays the roll-out of its legal marijuana sales, and more.

A St. Paul drug raid is raising questions about police tactics, the hemp industry wants to clarify something, Tennessee gets its first bust under a law criminalizing drug-using pregnant women (and its first threat of a legal challenge), Pennsylvania issues opiate prescribing guidelines, and more.

Happy Bastille Day! And speaking of which, the US Sentencing Commission is reporting heavy public response to its proposal to make some sentencing reforms retroactive. Meanwhile, marijuana remains on the move, the good burghers of New York will pay for another drug war killing, millennials loosen up on drugs, and more.

The Obama administration comes out against congressional interference with the District of Columbia's decriminalization law, Dana Rohrabacher comes out as the first Republican congressman to support marijuana legalization, the Smarter Sentencing Act picks up more sponsors, and more.

The House okays marijuana banking, DC decriminalizes tomorrow, DC expands its medical marijuana program, Miami-Dade taxpayers pay for a particularly heinous killer drug raid, a lot of states did sentencing reforms last year, and more.