Drug War Chronicle #751 - September 20, 2012
Please join the first StoptheDrugWar.org teleconference:
The 2012 Ballot Initiatives to End Marijuana Prohibition
Thursday, September 27, 9:00pm EST
Colorado's Amendment 64 Heads for the Home Stretch [FEATURE]
Colorado's Amendment 64 campaign is leading by about 10 points in the polls, but not complacent as the clock ticks down toward November 6.
Chronicle Film Review: Lynching Charlie Lynch
Award-winning film maker Rick Ray turns his camera and his sharp eye on the ongoing medical marijuana wars with his 2012 documentary Lynching Charlie Lynch. It's quite good.
Drug Sentences Driving Federal Prison Population Growth, Government Report Finds
Doh! The GAO has found that the drug war is driving federal prison overcrowding and that that can have negative consequences. That's a shocker.
Initiative Watch
Three marijuana legalization initiatives, two medical marijuana initiatives, and one sentencing reform initiative are on state ballots this year. We'll be running a feature story on one of them each week between now and election day, but we've created this short-term feature to keep up with all of them.
Medical Marijuana Update
Last issue, we reported that the DEA had taken the week off. Well, they're back, and so is the push-back.
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is targeting its message toward wary parents. (regulatemarijuana.org)
Colorado Marijuana Legalization Measure Polls 51%
There is more good polling news from Colorado, but we'd still like to see those numbers for marijuana legalization go higher.
Oregon Marijuana Initiative Trailing Slightly in Poll
The Oregon marijuana legalization initiative is trailing narrowly in a new poll, with a large number of undecideds.
California Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Bill Signed Into Law
California will become the 10th state to enact a Good Samaritan law designed to reduce fatal drug overdoses by providing some protections from criminal prosecution for people seeking emergency help for overdose victims.
Mass. Crime Lab Scandal Threatens 34,000 Drug Cases
A Massachusetts crime lab analyst whose zeal to help prosecutors win drug cases has endangered the prosecution of more than 30,000 drug cases after her misconduct in the lab was uncovered.
Bolivia, Venezuela Reject US Drug Criticism
Bolivia and Venezuela told the US to take a hike after President Obama last week certified them as not cooperating in US drug policy objectives. They suggested the US take a good look in the mirror.
This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A Virginia prison guard smuggles heroin, a Pennsylvania cop steals and uses it, and a New Jersey cop pays off a prostitute with it, and that's just some of the crooked cop action this week.
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