Drug War Chronicle #618 - January 29, 2010

The Obama administration has nominated the acting DEA administrator to be permanent DEA administrator. But this veteran DEA agent carries some baggage with her, and drug reformers are looking for ways to challenge the nomination.

America's second largest city has adopted regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries. But while medical marijuana advocates want the industry regulated, the new Los Angeles ordinance is being seen as unduly restrictive. This battle isn't over just yet.

Prohibition-related violence takes no breaks in Mexico. Another 162 people were killed in that country's drug wars in the past week.

Los Tigres del Norte, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, and dozens of other narcocorrido performers better watch out. The Mexican government wants to throw them in jail over the contents of their songs.

Whee! It sure looks like marijuana legalization is going to be on the ballot in California this year. Richard Lee and his Tax and Regulate Cannabis 2010 initiative just handed in 700,000 signatures. They need 434,000 valid ones.

Those SWAT cops really shouldn't have shot the mayor's dogs. Last year, a raid gone bad led to ground-breaking Maryland legislation to begin reining-in aggressive SWAT teams. Now, the author of that bill is back with another. It's about time.

Cops punching drug suspects, deputies smuggling dope to a jailed gang leader, a probation officer trading clean drug tests for sexual favors, a cop who got in trouble when he overdosed on the dope he stole, a cop whose Oxycontin habit got the best of him, and, of course, more crooked prison and jail guards.

The Kansas Senate acted in fine prohibitionist form last week when it moved to ban a pair of synthetic cannabinoids and a synthetic stimulant without any evidence there was any problem with them.

Cambodia's "drug treatment" centers are the scene of torture, rape, and abuse, said Human Rights Watch in a scathing report Monday calling for them to be shut down. Oh, and they don't do much drug treatment, either.

The South Pacific breezes could grow balmier, the mai-tais yummier, and tourists' dispositions sunnier, if a leading Tahiti political figure gets his way.

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

"Obama Launches YouTube Forum on Legalizing Marijuana," "Cannabis Cups Causing Controversy in Medical Marijuana States," "Ruining Young Lives for Marijuana Possession," "Obama Chooses Terrible Nominee to Head the DEA," "When Police Mistake Candy for Crack...," "The Irrationality of Banning Marijuana Offenders from Working at Dispensaries."

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