Drug War Chronicle

Medical marijuana dominates the drug policy news today, plus a legalization bill is filed in New Jersey, welfare drug testing advances in a pair of states, the Russians halt anti-drug cooperation with the US, and more.

We tally the year's 11th drug war death as a New York man dies fleeing through a third-floor apartment window while police raid his apartment.

A federal agency has given the okay for researchers to buy marijuana from NIDA for a PTSD study, which is a first, those CBD medical marijuana bills keep moving in heretofore medical marijuana-unfriendly states, an effort to fold Washington state's medical marijuana system into its general legalization scheme has failed, and more.

Two more prison guards go down, so does a Tulsa cop and a former San Antonio cop.

Fewer people are getting arrested for marijuana possession in Washington state after legalization -- imagine that! -- Kansas legislators want to drug test teachers, a New Jersey heroin and opiates panel has recommendations, Russell Brand goes to Vienna, and more.

Oregon looks like one of the likeliest places to legalize marijuana this year. There are two sets of initiative campaigns, and they both look well-positioned to make the ballot.

Federal drug prosecutions are declining, marijuana legalization moves forward in the Northeast, Pennsylvania counties pay for taking babies away from mothers over false positive drug tests, and more.

The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs held its high-level session in Vienna over the weekend. Behind a bland joint memorandum, though, signs of discord abound as criticism of the global prohibition regime grows louder.

Alaska state agencies complain that legalization will cost money (and they want some of it), Vermont cops complain the governor is soft on pot, federal prosecutors complain about reforming mandatory minimums, and more.

No legalization for Maryland this year, the ASA national conference is coming soon, Utah (!) passes a package of policing reform bills, welfare drug testing goes down in flames in Indiana, the Swiss ponder cannabis clubs, and more.