A storied Chicago narc finally goes to prison, a Michigan reserve cop admits trying to trade speed pills for sex, and a whole raft of jail and prison guards get themselves in trouble.
Chronicle
19-month-old Bounkham "Baby Bou Bou" Phonesavanh after a Georgia SWAT team threw a flash-bang grenade into his crib. (family)
The House backs off on DC decrim, Maryland awaits medical marijuana draft rules, asset forfeiture is in the news, so is SWAT, Russia says "nyet" to drug legalization, and more.
Chronicle
Opium poppies in Afghanistan. The Global Commission on Drugs would like to see this regulated. (unodc.org)
Philly will decriminalize, the Global Commission on Drugs issues a ground-breaking new report, LEAP's Norm Stamper testifies on police militarization, Jodie Emery runs for parliament, there's medical marijuana news from Europe and South America, and more.
An impressive panel of global political leaders is breaking new ground with a report calling for drug decriminalization and the legal regulation of drug markets. The Global Commission on Drugs strikes again!
It's now less than two months to election day. There are three state-level marijuana legalization initiatives on the ballot. Let's take a look at them and their prospects.
Two majors newspapers have special reports on law enforcement related to the drug war, a staunch Kansas Republican says marijuana should be decided by the states -- not the feds -- Illinois is now taking medical marijuana business applications, Britain's Lib Dems are ready to consider drug decrim and marijuana legalization, and more.
Chronicle
George HW Bush and his infamous bag of crack, September 5, 1989 (whitehouse.gov)
Are federal funds helping to oppose the Oregon initiative? Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) wants to know. Plus, Hawaii dispensary hearings loom, Charles Bowden dies, and today marks an infamous anniversary.
Chronicle
Another poll suggests marijuana is becoming normalized. (Sandra Yruel/Drug Policy Alliance)
Massive marijuana poll has good news, Cornhuskers ponder legalization "problems," another Florida medical marijuana poll is out, a California defelonization initiative quietly advances, another drug war death, Saudis behead four for drug trafficking, and more.
Interest in medical marijuana is spreading in the South, New Hampshire inches toward dispensaries, and in California, one farmers' market gets shut down in LA even as one opens up north in grower country.
Chronicle
"N-Bomb," a synthetic psychedelic similar to LSD, is already illegal under federal law, but Massachusetts wants to ban it, too.
DC's voter registration mail-in deadline is one month from now. Funds are urgently needed this week -- for the DC Cannabis Campaign's registration drive to go full blast between now and then. Please help us legalize marijuana in Washington, DC, by making the most generous donation you can!
No decrim for Albuquerque, Washington's I-502 upheld, Florida medical marijuana initiative polls well, Virginia governor talks nice about medical marijuana, international libertarian student campaign against prohibition, and more.
Chronicle
Michael Botticelli has been nominated to be the new head of ONDCP, the drug czar's office. (whitehousedrugpolicy.gov)
Santa Fe decriminalizes, no medical marijuana for Alzheimer's in New Mexico, NYC heroin deaths at 10-year high, new drug czar nominated, another drug war death, and more.
NIDA seeks a marijuana grower, South Dakota state fair medical marijuana protest planned, an LSD lifer seeks his freedom, Gambia to reduce marijuana penalties, 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
felonvoting.procon.org -- and we encourage you to check it out.