Oregon's medical marijuana dispensary regulation bill has gone back to the Senate with compromise language allowing only temporary local bans, a GOP US Senate candidate there says legalize it, Chuck Schumer fights heroin, Canada's Tories look to be going soft on pot law enforcement, and more. Let's get to it:

Canadian Justice Minister Peter Mackay hints that something much like marijuana decriminalization is coming. (petermackay.ca)

Alaska Legalization Debate Draws Hundreds. A week after the Alaska marijuana legalization initiative was officially certified for the ballot, hundreds of people streamed into the Wendy Williamson Auditorium at the University of Alaska in Anchorage for a debate on marijuana policy. In an opening speech, Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance called the war on drugs "a rat hole of waste" and that marijuana prohibition was "grounded in bigotry, prejudice, and ignorance." Then a panel of five people, including Nadelmann, as well as an anti-legalization Project Sam representative, went at it. Click on the title link for more.

Another Missouri Legalization Initiative Approved for Signature-Gathering. Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander approved a marijuana legalization initiative for signature gathering Wednesday. This is not one of the initiatives filed by Show-Me Cannabis, which had a bakers' dozen of similarly-worded initiatives approved earlier this year, but has decided to wait until 2016 for its effort. The initiative has a May 4 deadline for handing in petitions, and must obtain signatures from registered voters equal to 8% of the total votes cast in the 2012 governor's election from six of the state's eight congressional districts.

Maryland Sheriffs Rally Against Legalization. Local sheriffs attended a rally in Annapolis to voice opposition to proposed legislation to decriminalize marijuana in Maryland Wednesday. Sheriffs from the Eastern Shore and local police chiefs attended a rally sponsored by the Maryland Sheriff's Association and its supporters. The sheriffs are taking a stand against legalizing marijuana in Maryland, as lawmakers ponder a legalization bill.

Oregon GOP US Senate Candidate Endorses Legalization. Portland attorney Tim Crawley, who is seeking the Republican US Senate nomination, favors marijuana legalization. In a press release this week, he said he had "long been concerned with the tremendous waste of money and human potential the criminalization of marijuana has involved." In a subsequent interview, Crawley said he would support a legalization initiative in Oregon and if elected to the Senate, he would support removing marijuana from the controlled substances list.

Medical Marijuana

Oregon House Passes Dispensary Regulation Bill With Only Temporary Local Bans. The statewide dispensary legalization and regulation bill, Senate Bill 1531, passed out of the House on Wednesday with a provision allowing localities to ban dispensaries, but only for a year while they develop regulations for them. The Senate has already passed a version without the temporary ban language, but is expected to accept this compromise language.

Florida CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Advances with House Committee Vote. A bill that would allow the use of high-CBD cannabis oil to treat seizure disorders passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Wednesday. House Bill 843 now heads for the House Judiciary Committee.

South Carolina Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced. A bill to allow patients with specified diseases and conditions to use medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation to use and grow their own medicine or purchase it at dispensaries has been introduced. House Bill 4879, filed by Minority Leader Rep. J. Todd Rutherford (D-Columbia, has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Heroin

Schumer Wants New York Heroin Database. US Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) called Wednesday for a standardized heroin database to fight crime and addiction related to the drug's use. "Data and information sharing drives solutions, and we're seriously lacking in that department," said Schumer. "All we know for sure is heroin is ravaging families across New York state." He called on the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to help set up a statewide "Drugstat" database to track heroin use patterns, hospitalizations, and overdoses, which he said could help police combat the drug.

Law Enforcement

California Informants Sue San Luis Obispo Over Rogue Narc. A civil lawsuit recently filed in federal court against the city and county of San Luis Obispo by two former confidential informants of disgraced narcotics detective Cory Pierce charges that Pierce allegedly forced the female informant to have sex with him. Pierce is currently serving a prison term for corruption. According to prosecutors in his federal trial, both informants aided Pierce in acquiring cash, oxycodone and heroin, and now allege that they were forced into indentured servitude, including being kept addicted to drugs and engaging in dangerous and illegal activities. According to prosecutors, Pierce used the informants to set up drug buys with local dealers, then later robbed them. The federal lawsuit alleges that Pierce used his position as a detective to force the woman into engaging in sex with him, including an act of oral copulation, and on another occasion, forced sexual intercourse. Click on the link for more sleazy details.

International

Canada's Tories Hint at Move Toward Ticketing Marijuana Possession Offenders. Conservative Justice Minister Peter Mackay said Wednesday that the government is seriously considering looser marijuana laws that would allow police to ticket anyone caught with small amounts of pot instead of laying charges, Justice Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday. "We're not talking about decriminalization or legalization," MacKay said prior to the weekly Conservative caucus meeting on Parliament Hill. "The Criminal Code would still be available to police, but we would look at options that would... allow police to ticket those types of offenses." Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau has called for legalization.

Vancouver Police Say They Won't Bother with Busting Dispensaries. All but a handful of medical marijuana dispensaries are supposed to be illegal after Canada's new medical marijuana law comes into effect April 1, but Vancouver police said Wednesday they are not going to bother them unless there are signs they are selling to people without a medical marijuana permit. "I don't think for now there is any plan to change the current drug policy that is in place to fit specifically with these changes," said Constable Brian Montague. "We don't have plans for massive raids on April 2nd."

(This article was published by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also shares the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)

A drug court probation officer parties down with one of his clients, a Georgia cop goes to prison for ripping off a drug dealer, and so does a Philadelphia cop. Keep an eye on Philly. The stench is really rising there. Let's get to it:

In Atlanta, a former Clayton County police officer was sentenced last Friday to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring with a drug dealer to do a fake traffic stop on a car so they could steal the cocaine inside. Dwayne Penn copped to one count of conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine.

In Springfield, Illinois, the former head probation officer for the Adams County drug court was sentenced Monday to 30 days in jail and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to turning his home into a "drug house." John Grotts was arrested in April 2012 after a search of his home turned up meth and a female drug court probationer, who was also arrested.

A felonious foursome of public servants made the hall of shame this week. Let's get to it:

In Buffalo, New York, a former Buffalo police officer pleaded guilty last Thursday to selling marijuana. James Hamilton Sr., 29, sold a half pound of marijuana to a snitch working for federal investigators. After the arrest, authorities seized 80 marijuana plants and more than three pounds of marijuana from his Buffalo home. He faces up to five years in prison when he's sentenced June 18.

In Baltimore, a former Baltimore police officer was sentenced last Thursday to five years in federal prison for agreeing to run a tax scam with someone she thought was a heroin dealer. Ashley Roane, 26, agreed to steal personal information from police databases so a tax preparer could file false returns. The tax preparer was an FBI snitch who also proposed a drug deal to Roane, who agreed to check whether a source for heroin was an informant and to provide protection when the deal went down. She made $6,000 for her efforts. She pleaded guilty to extortion and identity theft.

In Norfolk, Virginia, a former Virginia Beach probation officer was sentenced last Friday to 6 ½ years in federal prison for selling methamphetamine with her husband. Katherine Kephart, 31, admitted trafficking meth between Virginia and North Carolina, as well as using her position to check names and license plate numbers of prospective partners to see if they were under court supervision or working as informants. She copped to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute more than five grams of the drugs. So did her husband, who got the same sentence.

Two cops go down for providing info to drug dealers, a DARE officer who ripped off the program gets a slap on the wrist, a Philly narc entangled with a snitch gets entangled with lies, and another prison guard gets popped. Let's get to it:

In Honolulu, a Halawa Correctional Facility guard was arrested Sunday on charges he smuggled methamphetamine into the prison. Mark Damas, 45, was arrested at the prison in Oahu, then transferred to Honolulu where he faces one count of conspiracy to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute five grams or more of meth. He's the second guard this month to get busted for smuggling meth into the prison. Guard James "Kimo" Sanders III pleaded not guilty on January 13 to charges related to smuggling meth into the prison and bribery.

In Monticello, Kentucky, a former Monticello police officer was arrested Tuesday on charges he gave details about an ongoing investigation to a drug dealer. Allen Braden allegedly gave the dealer information including the home addresses, vehicles, and family members of drug agents investigating him. In return, Braden got $100 a week. He is charged with bribery of a public servant and theft by unlawful taking, the latter charge for not returning his official weapon when he was fired. He is out on bond.

In Troy, Ohio, a former Troy DARE officer was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail and five years probation for stealing more than $13,000 intended for the DARE program. Kirt Wright, 41, had pleaded guilty to felony theft in office in December. Wright admitted misusing a credit card issued for the DARE program between January 2008 and May 2013. He was a 14-year-veteran of the department.

In Philadelphia, a former Philadelphia narcotics officer was convicted last Friday of lying to federal investigators about his romantic relationship with a snitch. Robertito Fontan had recruited the woman as a snitch, then got involved with her in 2003. He was accused of tipping her off in 2007 that the DEA was investigating her former boyfriend, a reputed drug dealer. He was convicted of lying to FBI agents investigating possible leaks at DEA.