Drug War Chronicle

Pittsburgh decriminalizes, Detroit restricts dispensaries, the U of Alabama is forcing all frat members to be drug tested, fatal drug overdoses hit a record high last year, and more.

The omnibus budget bill approved by Congress today includes several drug policy provisions, the president commutes the sentences of 93 drug war prisoners, Iranian parliamentarians move to end the death penalty for non-violent drug smuggling offenses, and more.

Christmas came early for nearly a hundred federal drug war prisoners as President Obama commuted their sentences. He has now commuted more sentences than the last five presidents combined.

Congress just voted to block the DEA and Justice Department from interfering in medical marijuana states and to soften the ban on federal needle exchange funding, but reformers didn't get everything they wanted.

The Obama administration weighs in Nebraska and Oklahoma's lawsuit against Colorado legalization, Delaware decrim goes into effect tomorrow, Hawaii released medical marijuana dispensary rules, drought is hurting Afghan poppy production, and more.

The US Solicitor General urges the Supreme Court to brush off a lawusit by Nebraska and Colorado seeking to invalidate Colorado's marijuana legalization law.

A sticky-fingered Ohio cop heads for prison, so does a gun-smuggling Miami cop, an Indiana cop gets busted peddling dope, and more.

The specter of state regulation is prompting California cities and counties to regulate or ban medical marijuana activities, including several more this week; Florida's already delayed medical marijuana program faces more delays, Chicago sees its first dispensary, and more.

Cpngress continues to block DEA harassment in medical marijuana states, Washington state could see a lot more pot shops, it looks like Florida will vote again on medical marijuana, Ireland is moving toward setting up a supervised injection site in Dublin, and more.

Dire predictions that relaxing the marijuana laws would lead to an increase in teen pot smoking have not been borne out.