Drug War Chronicle

Going home from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally should have been a pleasant ride for Nebraskan Eric Sage. It didn't turn out that way--for him or his friends.

Last week, Canada's Conservative government introduced legislation to create mandatory minimum sentences for some drug offenses, including marijuana cultivation. Now, opposition is emerging, but will it be able to block Canada's lurch toward a US-style drug war?

Law enforcement agencies which cannot seem to grasp that medical marijuana is legal in their states got their hands slapped by courts in Colorado and California this week. In both states, judges ruled that police must return medical marijuana unlawfully seized from legal patients or providers.

A federal district judge in Bismarck has dismissed a lawsuit by two would-be North Dakota hemp farmers who sought to get the DEA out of their way. Congress should address the issue, the judge said.

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"Ron Paul on Medical Marijuana," "Hillary Clinton Pledges Support for Needle Exchange," "John Edwards Criticizes the War on Drugs," "Does Marijuana Make You Better at Sports?," "John McCain's Awful Response to a Cop Who Wants to End the Drug War," "Update on Pain Physician Dr. William Mangino," "Needle Exchange Action May Be Imminent," "California Sent 1,000 Drug Offenders to Fight the Forest Fire," "Republicans Try Marijuana at Higher Rate Than Democrats."

Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.

Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) is hiring a Field Director for its Denver-based office.

Libby Davies, Pew Center, Judge Jerry Paradis, Dean Becker CNN/YouTube submission.