Drug War Chronicle #555 - October 10, 2008

1. Feature: Drug Policy and the Reform Vote in the Presidential Race

Drug reform hasn't been much of an issue in the presidential campaign, but there are differences between the major party candidates -- and much larger differences between them and a trio of minor party candidates with solidly radical drug reform proposals. For whom to vote?

2. Feature: War on Marijuana Failing Despite Drug Czar's Happy Talk, New Reports Find

In 2002, the Office of National Drug Control Policy set goals of reducing marijuana and overall drug use. Despite artful manipulation of the numbers, ONDCP has failed at its stated goal, but it has managed to drive into treatment thousands of pot smokers who didn't need it.

3. Offer: Unique and Important New Book on Medical Marijuana

"Dying to Get High," by sociologists Wendy Chapkis and Richard Webb, is a groundbreaking work that provides an in-depth portrait of one of the country's most well-known medical marijuana collectives.

4. Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories

A Wyoming cop gets sentenced for stealing his canine officer father's training dope, a prosecutor in Indiana is in the hot seat over asset forfeiture, and another prison guard gets busted.

5. Salvia Divinorum: Massachusetts Ban Passes House

Spurred by YouTube videos and reports of increasing use, a bill that would ban salvia divinorum has passed the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

6. Medical Marijuana: Washington State Sets Supply Limits

A decade ago, Washington voters approved a medical marijuana law. Now, the state Department of Health has set quantity limits.

7. Prohibition: Cincinnati Blames Drug Shortages For Rising Violence

A cocaine shortage is leading to a wave of killings in Cincinnati. Local officials are close to making the link between prohibition and the violence, but they're not there yet.

8. Latin America: Bolivia Blocks US Anti-Drug Flights, Says It Doesn't Need or Want US Help With Coca Crop

Relations between the US and Bolivia continue to worsen. Late last week, Bolivia barred DEA surveillance planes from overflying the country, and on Saturday, President Morales scorned US anti-drug policy.

9. Latin America: Peruvian Coca Growers Push Into Indian Lands

Peruvian government efforts to crack down on coca growers in some parts of the country are causing them to expand into indigenous regions in the central Peruvian jungle. Local residents are not pleased.

10. Death Penalty: Malaysia to Hang Three for Marijuana Trafficking, Executions Continue in Middle East

In two separate cases, Malaysian courts have sentenced three men to death for trafficking less than two pounds of marijuana. Meanwhile, executions of drug offenders continue apace in the Middle East.

11. Europe: Dutch Judges Say Legalize It

Judges in the Netherlands narrowly favor legalizing marijuana, according to a new poll.

12. Press Release: Government's Drug War Test Kits Give False Positives on Organic and Natural Products

Drug testing violates personal privacy. Now, at least one widely-used drug testing kit has been proven to be a scam too.

13. Weekly: This Week in History

Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.