Drug War Chronicle #516 - December 28, 2007
Feature: The Top Ten Drug War Stories of 2007, According to Drug War Chronicle
As 2007 comes to a close, Drug War Chronicle takes a look at the 500+ stories we published this year, and offers you our best judgment call on what were the year's top ten drug war stories.
Appeal: DRCNet Has Made Amazing Progress in 2007 and We Need Your Help for 2008
An outline of DRCNet's plans and recent accomplishments and an appeal for your support to make it all happen.
Law Enforcement: Snitches Gone Bad
Critics of the widespread use of informants in the drug war have long argued the system is subject to abuse. Three cases of informants gone bad popped up in the past week.
Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
The allure of cocaine proves too much for a California highway patrolman and a pair of Brooklyn narcs, and a pair of New Jersey cops pay for peddling pills.
Prisons: Facing Budget Crisis, California Governor Ponders Early Release of 22,000 Nonviolent Offenders
With California facing a $14 billion budget deficit, the governor's budget cutters have come up with a proposal to release more than 22,000 nonviolent offenders before their sentences are up.
Legislation: Illinois Joins Short List of States Banning Salvia Divinorum
Possession of salvia divinorum is a felony in Illinois beginning next week.
Marijuana: Idaho Balks at Town's Pot Initiatives
In November, voters in Hailey, Idaho, approved initiatives legalizing medical marijuana and industrial hemp and instructing the town to make marijuana offenses the lowest law enforcement priority. Now, the Idaho attorney general's office has found those initiatives to be "invalid" and the city is balking at implementing them.
Asia: China Set to Adopt Anti-Drug Law
The Chinese National People's Congress is set to pass that country's first drug law, after subsuming drugs within the general criminal code for half a century. Designated addicts may actually get gentler treatment in the new framework than they receive now.
Latin America: Ecuador President Wants to Pardon Drug "Mules"
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, the son of a man once imprisoned on drug charges in the US, has called for pardons for low-level drug mules serving long sentences in his country's prisons.
Weekly: This Week in History
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
Students: Intern at DRCNet and Help Stop the Drug War!
Apply for an internship at DRCNet for this fall (or spring), and you could spend the semester fighting the good fight!
Weekly: Blogging @ the Speakeasy
Check in at the Speakeasy every day for cutting commentary on America's favorite failed policy.
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Resource: DRCNet Web Site Offers Wide Array of RSS Feeds for Your Reader
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Resource: Reformer's Calendar Accessible Through DRCNet Web Site
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Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.