The Oregonian says legalize it, so do Vermont GOP gubernatorial candidates, LEAP founder says legalize heroin, a Pennsylvania court throws out mandatory minimums, Vancouver's SALOME participants will get their heroin, and more.
ProCon.org is a series of in-depth web sites presenting information and views from on current issues, several with relevance to drug policy. The Chronicle is currently running a series of info items from ProCon.org -- this one from
dare.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.
Chronicle
history repeats itself (image is of and infamous 1914 NYT editorial)
It's back to the drawing board for an Arkansas legalization initiative, we have a pair of Minnesota court cases, the Michael Brown killing starts bleeding into drug-policy related areas, Israel bans new synthetics, and more.
Oregon Dems just say yes, Connecticut's first dispensary opens, the DEA tightens the screws on Vicodin, guess who's more likely to get busted for marijuana in Ferguson, Missouri, and more.
Popular hydrocodone-based pain relieving opiates such as Vicodin are being moved from Schedule III to Schedule II, which is going to significantly tighten up access to them.
There will be no medical marijuana initiative in Oklahoma this year, Jeb Bush comes out against Florida's medical marijuana initiative, San Diego patients are trying a novel tack in their battle with the city, and more.
Florida deputies get suspended in an excessive force investigation, a Miami sergeant gets popped for perverted play with a teen boy, and a couple of jail guards get caught doing what they always get caught doing.
An unsettling poll in Alaska, Minnesota medical marijuana mom gets busted, there's money to be made in drug testing, Maryland SWAT teams have been busy, a West African meeting on drugs is underway, and more.
Alarm bells should be ringing in Anchorage as a new poll shows the marijuana legalization initiative narrowly losing. The numbers could be skewed, but...
Big money for TV ads in Oregon, another Maine city will vote on marijuana legalization, a good bill goes bad in California, and Saudi Arabia executes four hash smugglers.
Chronicle
Demonstration in support of Barcelona's cannabis clubs (fac.cc)
SWAT teams are in the news, the RAVE Act gets critiqued as counterproductive, there will be no medical marijuana initiative in Oklahoma, but it looks like there will be a decriminalization initiative in Santa Fe, and more.
Chronicle
Jeb Bush comes out against Florida's medical marijuana initiative. (wikipedia/gage skidmore)
The California legislature acts on harm reduction, but kills medical marijuana regulation, Jeb Bush takes a stand on medical marijuana, New Hampshire bans a kind of synthetic cannabinoid, and more.
Chronicle
Steve DeAngelo at Oakland's Harborside dispensary. It and thousands more will remain unregulated at the state level. (leap.cc)
There will be no statewide regulation of medical marijuana in California this year. An effort to pass a regulation bill died yesterday in the Assembly.
Two harm reduction bills, one allowing pharmacists to dispense unlimited numbers of syringes without a prescription and the other allowing them to dispense the overdose drug naloxone, have passed the California legislature. They now go to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown.
ProCon.org is a series of in-depth web sites presenting information and views from on current issues, several with relevance to drug policy. The Chronicle is currently running a series of info items from ProCon.org -- this one from sportsanddrugs.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.
Chronicle
There's action on sentencing on a couple of fronts today. (supremecourt.gov)
A bill to end the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity is close to becoming law in California, the US Sentencing Commission still has work to do on mandatory minimums, the 50th anniversary of America's first pot protest will be commemorated this weekend, and more.
Chronicle
California Fair Sentencing Act sponsor Sen. Holly Mitchell (senate.ca.gov)
A bill that would eliminate the crack and powder cocaine sentencing disparity in California has passed the state Assembly. It is now only a Senate concurrence vote away from heading to the governor's desk.
California's controversial medical marijuana regulation bill is going down to the wire, Delaware will soon see its first dispensary, Guam will vote on a medical marijuana initiative in November, and more.
More problems for the scandal-tainted dope squads in Detroit and Philadelphia, a new Jersey college cop admits to peddling pills, and a Texas parole officer gone bad goes to prison.