The factional cartel violence in the Mexican state of Sinaloa is not only leaving a toll of dead but also a rising toll of "disappeared," and more. 

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Drug Testing

NFL, Players Agree to Changes on League Drug Policy. The National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association have agreed to changes in the league's drug policy, according to a memo released by the players association on Wednesday. The new policies will go into effect before this weekend's games. 

One change is a rise in the level of THC required to trigger a positive test result for marijuana, from 150 nanograms per milliliter to 350. Another reduces the fines for violations of the league substance abuse policy.

The new policy also includes testing for fentanyl for the first time "if clinically indicated." A positive fentanyl test will meet no discipline. Still, a player who tested positive could be fined $15,000 if he refuses to attend a mandatory meeting about fentanyl after a positive test. 

Under the new policy, players could also face a $15,000 fine if they post about their random drug test results on social media. Some players have posted images of a piece of paper informing them they would be randomly drug tested after having good games, suggesting that the drug test is a badge of honor. Now, showing off that badge of honor could come with a cost. 

International

"War on Drugs Has Failed, Completely and Utterly," Says UN Human Rights Head. Speaking at the ‘Dealing with Drugs II’ conference in Warsaw on Thursday, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the global war on drugs was a failed approach that "destroyed countless lives and damaged entire communities".

Türk highlighted the urgent need for a human rights-based approach to drug regulation, pointing to record numbers of drug-related deaths and increasing drug use disorders.

The conference, which builds on January’s ‘Dealing with Drugs I’ meeting hosted by the Mayor of Amsterdam, brought together leaders and experts from across Europe and the world to share best practices and expertise.

"Criminalization and prohibition have failed to reduce drug use and failed to deter drug-related crime. These policies are simply not working – and we are failing some of the most vulnerable groups in our societies," Türk added, calling for a radical shift in approach that prioritizes health, dignity, and inclusion.

"Instead of punitive measures, we need gender-sensitive and evidence-based drug policies, grounded by public health," Türk urged. He also called for "inclusive access to voluntary medical care and other social services," emphasizing that harm reduction measures are essential in preventing drug overdose fatalities.

A key element of reform, Türk declared, is decriminalization. "We need to start treating the person, not punishing the drug use disorder," advocating for social reintegration support to accompany policy changes. "Focusing on inclusion and education over incarceration means that drug consumption falls. Choosing social reintegration over stigmatization means that drug-related infections decrease," Türk said. 

And he said that you can't talk about drug policy without including users. "Historically, people who use drugs are marginalized, criminalized, discriminated against, and left behind – very often stripped of their dignity and their rights," he noted. "We are destined to fail unless we ensure their genuine participation in formulating and implementing drug policy. The evidence is clear. The so-called War on Drugs has failed, completely and utterly," Türk concluded. "And prioritizing people over punishment means more lives are saved."

Disappearances Double in Mexico's Sinaloa as Cartel Clashes Continue. The split between the Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and the Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada factions of the Sinaloa cartel has left hundreds of people dead in Sinaloa since fighting escalated in September. And now, state officials say an additional 200 people have disappeared since, a doubling of the "normal" rate of disappearances in the state. 

Zambada's faction, "Los Mayos," says he was betrayed by "Los Chapitos," the faction led by Guzman and his sons. One of Guzman's sons kidnapped Zambada this past summer and delivered him to US authorities on the border. The son also turned himself in, and the move is widely seen as an a bid to sacrifice Zambada in hopes of gaining more lenient treatment for El Chapo and his sons. 

Newly-installed President Claudi Sheinbaum has sent her security chief to the state to quell the violence, which has haunted her first months in office. 

When she was sworn in on October 1, she promised no direct confrontations with the cartels, saying: "There will be no return to the irresponsible drug war," and ruling out a more aggressive approach.

But now, facing criticism from within and pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump, she appears to be changing her tune. She said this week that her administration would take a "zero tolerance" approach to cartel violence and went out of her way to praise security forces for the country's largest fentanyl bust ever, with more than a ton seized. 

"These actions will continue until the violence diminishes in the state of Sinaloa," her security chief vowed.