Drug War Chronicle

You would think that, as legalization and decriminalization spread, the number of marijuana arrests would be going down. You would be wrong.

Half of Oregon's dispensaries will start selling marijuana to any adult beginning this week, the FDA fires back at critics of its pediatric prescribing rules for Oxycontin, a high UN official lists the ways the drug "problem" impacts human rights, and more.

Decriminalization makes a difference in more ways than one.

The pope criticized the drug war at the UN, the president addresses overdoses and addiction in his weekly address, marijuana arrests jumped last year, a campaign to bring safe injection sites to New York City is launching, and more.

The issue of cannabis social clubs is bubbling up in Alaska and Colorado, a second Massachusetts legalization initiative gets ready to collect signatures, Oklahomans really don't like asset forfeiture, and more.

An increasing majority supports marijuana legalization in Vermont, a second Wisconsin Indian tribe moves toward allowing marijuana, a major national drugstore chain makes naloxone available over the counter, and more.

Colombian President Santos is opening a new chapter in that country's struggle to come to grips with coca and cocaine production. It is happening at the same time that peace negotiations with the long-running FARC insurgency have reached a breakthrough too.

A strange tale out of Kentucky, and two New York cops get slapped on the wrist for their misdeeds.

The era of aerial herbicide spraying of Colombia's coca crops is at an end, California cops raid an Indian reservation marijuana operation, medical marijuana bills are moving in Michigan, and more.

A sitting US senator addresses the marijuana industry, California cops raid an Indian reservation grow op, Florida signature-gathering for another initiative is well underway, and more.