Drug War Chronicle

Nearly half the country thinks roads will be less safe with pot legalization, researchers debunk the gateway theory... again, applicants pile up for medical marijuana programs in Florida and New York, Connecticut's governor signs a bill doing away with mandatory minimums for drug possession, and more.

A bill to allow marijuana businesses access to banking services has been filed in Congress, Oregon's largest airport okays flying with marijuana (in-state only), Indiana's Church of Cannabis is suing the state, the Pope drinks coca tea on his way to Bolivia, and more.

ProCon.org is a series of in-depth web sites presenting information and views from on current issues, several with relevance to drug policy. This is the last in a six week series of info items from ProCon.org appearing in Drug War Chronicle -- this one returning to MedicalMarijuana.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.

A New Mexico cop gets hoisted by his own petard, a DC cop won't get to keep her drug-money Maserati, a border guard gets popped stealing pain pills from drivers, and more.

With state legislative sessions winding down, its been pretty quiet on the medical marijuana front, except for California, where both localities and the legislature continue to grapple with the issue.

A bill decriminalizing marijuana possession and allowing personal cultivation is moving in Chile, a bill regulating the medical marijuana industry is moving in California, the CDC issues another warning about heroin, Miami Beach is the latest South Florida community to decriminalize, and more.

Midwest marijuana legalization initiatives make news, Sen. Feinstein feels some heat, some European countries keep giving Iran anti-drug aid despite a rising number of executions, California's governor signs a bill barring discrimination against medical marijuana patients in organ transplants, and more.

The Marijuana Policy Project has released its report card on the presidential candidates. The candidates are all over the place on marijuana policy.

Marijuana sales tax revenues exceeded expectations in Washington state, New Hampshire bans new synthetics, Colombia's FARC rebels say they're ready to move on implementing drug provisions of the long-negotiated peace plan, and more.

Oregon is working to expedite the beginning of legal marijuana sales, Rand Paul rakes in the campaign cash at a pot industry confab in Denver, asset forfeiture reforms go into effect in Montana and New Mexico, law enforcement naloxone access goes into effect in Virginia, Colombia's coca crop jumps, and more.