Drug War Chronicle

Comprehensive coverage of the War on Drugs since 1997

Psilocybin mushrooms could be legalized under a California initiative now getting underway. (Creative Commons)

CA Psilocybin Legalization Initiative Gets Underway, House Spending Bill Includes Needle Exchange Funding, More...7/16/21)

Maryland legislative leaders are lining up to support a voter referendum on marijuana legalization next year, the House Appropriations Committee is passing spending bills that include marijuana and other drug provisions, and more.
Welcome to the land of expungement. Nearly 88,000 old pot cases dismissed so far, with more to come. (Creative Commons)

Free Drugs Handed Out in Vancouver, NJ Dismisses Nearly 88,000 Marijuana Cases with More to Come, More... (7/15/21)

Ohio sees its first full-fledged marijuana legalization bill, Mississippi is moving toward a legislative special session to address medical marijuana, legalization in Israel gets stalled, and more.
Now, both chambers of Congress have marijuana legalization bills with powerful backers. (Creative Commons)

Senate Democrats Roll Out Bill to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition [FEATURE]

The push to pass a federal marijuana legalization bill is now on in the Senate, although the immediate prospects are cloudy.
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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A Texas Border Patrol agent waves the cocaine-laden car through, a Florida depiuty is headed to prison for planting dope on innocent drivers and arresting them, and more.
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Medical Marijuana Update

Stay tuned to find out if a South Dakota tribe's medical marijuana cards are valid for non-members, and more.
CDC preliminary data has drug overdose deaths at more than 90,000 last year. (Creative Commons)

Fatal Drug ODs Hit Record Last Year, Senate Majority Leader Rolls Out Draft Marijuana Legalization Bill, More... (7/14/21)

There is now a marijuana legalization bill from the Senate majority leader, New York prisons face a second lawsuit over their crackdown on pain pill prescribing for inmates, and more.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, nominated by President Biden to serve as drug czar. (March of Dimes)

British Columbia Set to Begin "Safe Supply" of Drugs for Street Users, Biden Nominates New Drug Czar, More... (7/13/21)

Marijuana protections are advancing in congressional appropriations bills, former Drug Police Alliance executive director Ethan Nadelman starts a provocative new podcast on drugs, and more.
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US Seeks Meeting with WADA on Athletes' Marijuana Bans, Ukraine to Vote on MedMJ, More... (7/12/21)

South Dakota's attorney general flip-flops on the validity of tribal medical marijuana cards, a Tennessee lawmaker files a bill to put marijuana ballot questions before voters next year, and more.
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EVENT: SDG 16: The Global War on Drugs vs. Rule of Law and Human Rights

Our parallel event this week for the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will focus on extrajudicial killings and other drug war abuses in the Philippines and Indonesia, and international responses like the Global Magnitsky Act and the ICC Philippines case.
Chicago police are expanding a drug diversion program so they can devote resources to fighting violent crime. (Creative Commons)

Chicago to Take Drug Diversion Program Citywide, ACLU Sues AZ County over Coercing Drug Defendants, More... (7/9/21)

A group of US senators is seeking some help for state-legal marijuana businesses, Chicago moves to expand a program that diverts drug arrestees into treatment citywide, and more.

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