Both the US Sentencing Commission and the US Supreme Court acted this week to reduce the harsh sentences for federal crack cocaine offenders. But because of congressionally imposed mandatory minimum sentences, Congress must act to further reduce the injustice.

The 2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference took place last weekend in New Orleans. Here is a taste of what is was like.

The latest annual Monitoring the Future survey of teen drug use is out, and the Bush administration is claiming the numbers vindicate its anti-drug strategy. But a host of critics disagree.

"Drug Czar Makes Absurd Claim That the Drug War Reduces Teen Tobacco Use," "Clinton Staffer Attacks Obama Over Past Drug Use," "Why Doesn't the DEA Just Crack Down on Medical Marijuana?," "U.S. Recommends Early Release for 19,500 Crack Offenders," "Ron Paul Blames Prostitution on the Drug War," "You Don't Want This!" "A Few Pardons Today -- Meanwhile the Pardon Attorney's Web Site Hasn't Been Updated Since the Clinton Administration." "Crack Sentencing Changes Made Retroactive!," "Is Rep. Dana Rohrabacher a Legalizer?," "Some Good News from the Supreme Court on Crack Sentencing."

Apply for an internship at DRCNet for this fall (or spring), and you could spend the semester fighting the good fight!

An Indiana drug task force faces some questions over seized goods, the NYPD can't find some drug evidence, a Texas crime lab tech gets greedy, and so does an Indiana cop.

In its battle against medical marijuana dispensaries, the DEA has brought its landlord-threatening letter campaign to San Francisco. Now, the dispensaries are suing in federal court, and the House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on the matter.

Alex White made a career out of being an informant for Atlanta police, but when they asked him to lie for them in the Kathryn Johnston case, he instead went to the feds. Now he's suing the Atlanta police, claiming his career as a snitch has been ruined.

The Swiss parliament has rejected a popular initiative calling for the legalization of marijuana. But the Swiss Senate must still debate it, and it could go to a popular vote.

Vietnamese courts have handed down death sentences to 35 drug traffickers in the past two weeks as the Southeast Asian nation makes a serious bid to be the world's leading executioner of drug offenders. Iran killed some too.

Talvi and Bock on DPA conference, IHRA drugs/death penalty report, HRW/TATAG Thailand drug users and AIDS treatment report, Cannabinoid Chronicles, syringe exchange programs in 2005.

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

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