Drug War Chronicle #1082 - October 21, 2019

South Dakota's Badlands. The state is a pretty bad land for drug users, too. (Creative Commons)

Does This State Have the Worst Drug Policies in America? [FEATURE]

Drug testing toddlers, felony ingestion charges, overcrowded jails and prisons, racial disparities -- South Dakota has it all.

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WATCH: Mexico Cartel's Killer Clowns

Mexico's narco-clowns are no laughing matter.

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This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A Georgia narc gets in trouble for his sticky fingers, a Philadelphia narc uses a confiscated Porsche for his stepdaughter's prom pictures, and more.

Cocaine. Peru's potential cocaine production "remains elevated," the drug czar's office said.

Chronicle AM: Marijuana Arrests Increased Last Year, CA Psilocybin Decrim Init Filed, More... (10/1/19)

Marijuana arrests nationwide increased last year despite spreading legalization, a California psilocbyn decriminalization initiative has been filed, and more.

Ayahuasca-inspired art. The Dutch Supreme Court has ruled the substance illegal. (Pinterest)

Chronicle AM: Nation's First Cannabis Cafe Opens Doors, Dutch Supreme Court Rules Against Ayahuasca, More... (10/2/19)

Los Angeles sees the nation's first legal cannabis cafe, the Arizona pot legalization initiative draws industry opposition, the Justice Department says DEA didn't adequately regulate opioid manufacturing, and more.

At the InSite safe injection site in Vancouver. Could a similar facility be coming to Philadelphia? (vch.ca)

Chronicle AM: Philly Safe Injection Site Wins Legal Victory, Pot Companies Call for Descheduling, More... (10/3/19)

A federal judge hands a preliminary legal victory to proponents of a Philadelphia safe injection site, hundreds of cannabis industry figures call on Congress to deschedule marijuana as a means of grappling with the vaping crisis, and more.

Coca production is spiking along the Peru-Bolivia border. (dea.gov)

Chronicle AM: Feds Allow States to Drug Test for Unemployment, FL Marijuana Initiative, More... (10/4/19)

The Trump administration allows states to demand drug tests for laid off workers seeking unemployment benefits, a Florida marijuana legalization initiative's signature gathering campaign is off to a fast start, and more.

Diacetylmorphine (prescription heroin) will be provided to hardcore addicts in a British pilot program. (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: NV Gets First Pot Lounge, British Police Force to Provide Free Heroin to Hardcore Addicts, More... (10/7/19)

Nevada sees its first "cannabis tasting room," a New York poll finds continuing support for marijuana legalization amidst the vaping scare, British drug policy upheavals, and more.

Mexico's congress is set to vote on a marijuana legalization bill this month. (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: Mexico MJ Legalization Vote This Month, MA Governor Pushes High Driving Bill, More... (10/8/19)

Mexico is moving rapidly toward marijuana legalization, Scotland's largest political party is set to embrace drug decriminalization, and more.

A Michigan pilot roadside drug testing program has now gone statewide. (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: UN Criticizes US Afghan Drug Lab Airstrikes, SD Moving on Hemp, More... (10/9/19)

Two UN agencies report that US airstrikes on Afghan drug labs were illegal and killed civilians, a Michigan roadside drug testing pilot program has now gone statewide, and more.

Marijuana social equity organizations are keeping the pressure on Congress to not stop with merely a banking bill. (CC)

Chronicle AM: New Federal Opioid Tapering Guidelines Urge Docs to Go Slow, More... (10/10/19)

HHS comes out with new guidelines for physicians on tapering patients off opioids, marijuana social equity advocates keep the pressure on Congress, Tulsi Gabbard calls for drug decriminalization, and more.

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Chronicle AM: Study Says No Long-Term Crime Rise Post-Legalization, CA Approves MedMj in Schools, More... (10/11/19)

A new study deflates one of the leading worries of marijuana legalization foes, the state of Texas abruptly quits taking medical marijuana dispensary applications, and more.

Amsterdam cannabis cafe (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: Scottish Political Party Calls for Drug Decrim, Cannabis Cafes in Alaska, More... (10/14/19)

California will see a batch of new marijuana-related laws, Scotland's largest political party calls for drug decriminalization, and more.

Hydrocodone. Pain patients are complaining over DEA cuts to opioid production quotas, but DEA is sanguine. (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: Pot Vaping Bans, DEA Shrugs Shoulders at Pain Patient Complaints, More... (10/15/19)

The vaping crisis has impelled two more states to restrict marijuana vaping products, Mexican cartel gunmen kill 14 police in a bloody ambush, and more.

Andrew Yang and Beto O'Rourke both came out in support of drug decriminalization at Tuesday night's debate. (CNN screen grab)

Chronicle AM: Support for Drug Decrim at Dem Debate, PA Legalization Bill Filed, More... (10/16/19)

A pair of Pennsylvania state senators have filed a marijuana legalization bill, the Mexican Senate prepares to vote on marijuana legalization, Amnesty International rips the Philippine drug war, and more.

Marijuana is on the minds of governors in the Northeast -- and New Mexico, too. (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: Northeastern Governors Hold Legalization Summit, SC Judge Throws Out Civil Asset Forfeiture, More... (10/17/19)

At least five governors have marijuana on their minds this week, Canada allows marijuana edibles and vapes to go on sale, a South Carolina judge rules the state's civil asset forfeiture law unconstitutional, and more.

The Mexican police and military were no match for the Sinaloa Cartel in Culicacan on Thursday. (Creative Commons)

Chronicle AM: Lawrence, KS Ends Marijuana Prosecutions, El Chapo's Gunmen Free His Son in Firefight, More... (10/18/19)

The head of the Senate Banking Committee wants some changes made to the SAFE Banking Act, Kansas' Douglas County ends pot prosecutions, the Sinaloa Cartel battles Mexican soldiers and police to free El Chapo's son, and more.