Stories by Phillip S. Smith
The country's largest physician group, the AMA, has reversed its long-held position that marijuana has no medical worth.
Posted on Nov 14, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Two passionate drug reformers are looking at serious jail time for trying to save lives.
Posted on Oct 26, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Hoping to focus the attention of the Obama administration on the DEA's bad policies, leading activists were willing to get arrested to make their point.
Posted on Oct 16, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Emery is in jail in Vancouver, awaiting extradition to the US to accept a five-year plea bargain for selling marijuana seeds to US customers.
Posted on Oct 2, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
There's a pattern of bitter, recalcitrant refusal on the part of San Diego county officials to abide by the will of the voters and accept CA's medical marijuana law.
Posted on Sep 18, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
British government tries new method of promoting opiate maintenance therapy behind bars.
Posted on Jul 24, 2009, Source: DRCNet
The Marijuana Policy Project has a TV ad campaign supporting taxing marijuana, but several stations won't run it.
Posted on Jul 10, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
E. African taxi drivers in Washington, DC may see their stimulant of choice outlawed because, well, it's not American -- or something.
Posted on Jun 10, 2009, Source: DRCNet
How the mighty have fallen! Until recently, opponents of drug law reform in New York were successful using fear-mongering and demagoguery.
Posted on Jun 5, 2009, Source: DRCNet
A new book traces the history of how just under 150 years, cocaine went from unknown to the multi-billion dollar illicit commodity it is today.
Posted on May 22, 2009, Source: DRCNet
Sometime in the last few months, the notion of legalizing marijuana crossed a major threshold.
Posted on May 1, 2009, Source: DRCNet
As the money crunch punishes states coffers, legislators are callously pushing drug testing for welfare and unemployment recipients.
Posted on Mar 22, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Obama fulfills a campaign promise, marking the end of an era of federal resistance to state medical marijuana programs.
Posted on Feb 28, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
58% of West Coast respondents agreed that marijuana should be "taxed and regulated like alcohol and cigarettes."
Posted on Feb 20, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
"Cautious optimism" that Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske will support Obama's drug policy reform agenda.
Posted on Feb 15, 2009, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Mexico's drug war has escalated to the level of increasing concern among US policy and defense analysts.
Posted on Jan 21, 2009, Source: DRCNet
Despite the bluster of some of its members, the governing coalition in Holland is not going to touch cannabis policy.
Posted on Dec 12, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
After eight years of drug war status quo under the GOP, drug reformers are now hoping for positive changes in federal drug policies.
Posted on Nov 18, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Not only are there a number of state-level initiatives, there are also a handful of initiatives at the county or municipal level.
Posted on Oct 9, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
The powerful Sentencing Commission has signaled that it intends to focus next year on developing alternatives to imprisonment.
Posted on Sep 18, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Music lovers this summer should be prepared to encounter drug checkpoints and undercover cops working inside the festival grounds.
Posted on Jun 5, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
Issues remain over production and distribution.
Posted on May 26, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
A North Dakota man with an interest in herbalism and spirituality faces years in prison for $32 worth of salvia leaves he bought on eBay.
Posted on May 1, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
They won't give up -- Alaska Supreme Court hears oral argument in state's bid to overturn legal marijuana at home.
Posted on Apr 2, 2008, Source: Drug War Chronicle
