Drug War Chronicle

An overzealous Connecticut SWAT team killed an unarmed man during a 2008 drug raid that turned up a pair of crack pipes and a small amount of cocaine. Now, five towns have agreed to pay $3.5 million in one suit, and a second is pending.

North Dakota's legislature rejected a welfare drug testing bill Friday, even after it was amended to first require "reasonable suspicion."

Three bills dealing with marijuana law reform have been filed in Missouri.

Marijuana legalization bills have been filed in two more states. That makes five this year, with a couple more expected to follow.

A North Carolina House committee has not only failed to approve a medical marijuana bill, it has acted to ensure that the topic cannot be raised again this session.

We are pleased to launch a new gift offer -- and continue several older but good ones -- for StoptheDrugWar.org supporters donating $15 or more.

We remember needle exchange pioneer Dave Purchase, who passed away last month at age 73.

A Miami police investigation of a possible grow house turned into a half-hour-long gun battle with three men, two of whom are now dead. They become the 4th and 5th persons to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year.

A North Carolina narc gets canned, and so does a Florida patrol officer, and an Ohio evidence room supervisor gets busted after drugs walk away.

Most of the action was at statehouses this week, but there was also news from the Harborside Health Center battle in California and an announcement that the nation's capital will soon have its first dispensary.