Drug War Chronicle

President Obama has vowed to slash discretionary federal spending, but it isn't going be done on the back of the drug war. Federal drug control spending is up 3.5% in his Fiscal Year 2011 budget. Mostly it's the same old, same old drug war, but there are some interesting surprises.

The South Pacific breezes could grow balmier, the mai-tais yummier, and tourists' dispositions sunnier, if a leading Tahiti political figure gets his way.

Cops punching drug suspects, deputies smuggling dope to a jailed gang leader, a probation officer trading clean drug tests for sexual favors, a cop who got in trouble when he overdosed on the dope he stole, a cop whose Oxycontin habit got the best of him, and, of course, more crooked prison and jail guards.

Prohibition-related violence takes no breaks in Mexico. Another 162 people were killed in that country's drug wars in the past week.

Those SWAT cops really shouldn't have shot the mayor's dogs. Last year, a raid gone bad led to ground-breaking Maryland legislation to begin reining-in aggressive SWAT teams. Now, the author of that bill is back with another. It's about time.

America's second largest city has adopted regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries. But while medical marijuana advocates want the industry regulated, the new Los Angeles ordinance is being seen as unduly restrictive. This battle isn't over just yet.

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

The Obama administration has nominated the acting DEA administrator to be permanent DEA administrator. But this veteran DEA agent carries some baggage with her, and drug reformers are looking for ways to challenge the nomination.

Whee! It sure looks like marijuana legalization is going to be on the ballot in California this year. Richard Lee and his Tax and Regulate Cannabis 2010 initiative just handed in 700,000 signatures. They need 434,000 valid ones.

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