Stories by Phillip Smith

Phillip Smith is an editor at DRCNet. subscribe to Phillip Smith's feed

Uruguay House Passes Historic Marijuana Legalization Bill

Posted on: Aug 1, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Uruguay is gearing up to make history as the first country with legal, regulated marijuana markets.

DEA to Pay $4.1 Million to Man Forgotten in Cell

Posted on: Jul 31, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

San Diego student Daniel Chong did not even have to file suit.

Portland, Maine To Vote on Marijuana Legalization

Posted on: Jul 17, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Popular measure is sent to the ballot box for November.

Colorado Releases Temporary Rules for Legal Pot Program

Posted on: Jul 4, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

We know a little more about what the industry will look like, but many complicated matters are unresolved.

1,000 Mayors Tell Feds: Leave Local Pot Laws Alone!

Posted on: Jun 28, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

The US Conference of Mayors unanimously passed a resolution telling the federal government to respect state and other local pot laws.

WA State Moves to Regulate Marijuana -- What You Need to Know About the Groundbreaking Reform

Posted on: Jun 14, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Voters in the state approved marijuana legalization in November. Now, it's time to establish a system to tax-and-regulate.

CA Supreme Court: Localities Can Ban Pot Dispensaries

Posted on: May 9, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

For patients, that means access to medical marijuana at dispensaries will depend on the political currents in their city or county.

History in the Making? Dozens of States Move to Reform Pot Laws

Posted on: May 3, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Marijuana reform legislation is being introduced at state houses across the land at levels never seen before.

Why U.S. Vets Are Fighting for Medical Marijuana

Posted on: Apr 24, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

PTSD is an epidemic among vets returning home -- but marijuana could help them cope.

Three More States Try to Impose Pee-Tests for Public Benefits

Posted on: Apr 12, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Receiving unemployment and welfare without handing your urine over for analysis is becoming a thing of the past.

The Secret to Colorado's Legal Marijuana Success Story

Posted on: Apr 4, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Smart regulations will protect the new legal status of cannabis in Colorado.

SCOTUS: Cops Can't Send Drug Dogs Sniffing Around Your Home

Posted on: Mar 26, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

The court said cops need a warrant to send drug-sniffing dogs looking for evidence.

Starring "The Rock," Hollywood Action Thriller 'Snitch' Spotlights Drug War Cruelty

Posted on: Mar 14, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Snitch is a Hollywood action thriller with a message, and it’s a message that is so far playing well with audiences and theaters across the land.

US, International Drug Warriors Pressure Feds to Crack Down on State Pot Reforms

Posted on: Mar 7, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

As the nation awaits the Obama administration's response to marijuana legalization votes in CO & WA, Tuesday saw a two-pronged attack on the whole notion.

Why Decriminalizing Smoking Heroin Would't Be as Crazy as It Might Sound

Posted on: Mar 5, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

One European government says it could help reduce overdose rates by shifting a culture of injectors toward a safer method of use.

Rep. Blumenauer Pushes States' Rights Medical Pot Bill in Congress

Posted on: Feb 28, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

The bill calls on the Department of Health and Human Services and the DEA to move marijuana out of its Schedule I category.

West Virginia Bill Would Drug Test Teens for Driver License

Posted on: Feb 21, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

The bill would require not just one, but three separate drug tests, to legally dive.

AZ Court: You Don't Have to be High to Get a DUI

Posted on: Feb 19, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Impairment is not necessary for pot-related DUI prosecutions, an Arizona court decided.

Colombia to Decriminalize Ecstasy, Meth

Posted on: Feb 5, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Colombian Minister for Justice and Law said Wednesday the government will propose decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of synthetic drugs.

Why You Can Expect More Student Athletes to be Busted for Pot

Posted on: Jan 29, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

The NCAA is changing marijuana tests so that more students are likely to be caught, but face less extreme penalties.

Marijuana Politics Hit the Nation's Capitol

Posted on: Jan 24, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Victory in D.C. would be a symbolic statement, and weed activists have been successful with the initiative process there before.

Hawaii House Speaker Files Marijuana Legalization Bill

Posted on: Jan 22, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

The measure, House Bill 150, would allow people 21 and over to possess up to an ounce and grow an unspecified number of plants in a secure location.

Senate Judiciary Chair: End Mandatory Minimums, Save Federal Resources for Issues More Important Than Pot

Posted on: Jan 22, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Speaking at Georgetown University, Senator Pat Leahy condemned mandatory minimum sentencing and federal intervention in state pot programs.

Sick: Utah Cops Interrupt Husband's Last Goodbye to Grab Dead Wife's Pain Pills

Posted on: Jan 16, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

A Utah man is furious at how police treated him just moments after his wife passed.

Meet SAM, the New Group Hell-Bent on Halting Marijuana Legalization

Posted on: Jan 10, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) has among its "leadership team" admitted addict Patrick Kennedy and conservative commentator David Frum.

Who Was Killed in America's Drug War Last Year?

Posted on: Jan 3, 2013, Source: Drug War Chronicle

In 2012, 63 people died in the course of US domestic drug law enforcement operations, or one about every six days.

The Top Ten Most Important Drug War Stories of 2012

Posted on: Dec 26, 2012, Source: StoptheDrugWar.org

This year has seen a dramatic change in drug policy, though it is still business as usual in the drug war.

Jimmy Carter on Pot Legalization: "I Think It's OK"

Posted on: Dec 13, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Carter told CNN host Suzanne Malvaux that he was "in favor" of states taking steps to free the weed.

And Then There Were Two! Pot Officially Legal in CO

Posted on: Dec 12, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

On Monday, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed an executive order certifying last month's Amendment 64 victory and legalizing the use, possession, and limited cultivation of marijuana by adults 21 and over.

Major Polling Firm: Marijuana Legalization Across the USA Is "Just a Matter of Time"

Posted on: Dec 6, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

In less than a week, three polls on marijuana policy reported a majority favoring legalization.

80 Years for Medical Pot? Montana Man's Potential Sentence Sparks Outrage

Posted on: Nov 29, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Chris Williams is the poster boy for the Federal government's aggressive assault on Montana's marijuana providers.

Groundbreaking: Uruguay Moves Toward Marijuana Legalization

Posted on: Nov 15, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

A Uruguayan bill that would create a system of state-licensed marijuana sales and commercial cultivation was presented to Congress Wednesday.

Will This Election Unravel Prohibition?

Posted on: Nov 1, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

With Election Day just around the corner, it's starting to look like at least one state will vote to legalize marijuana, possibly two.

Why Voting "No" Could Be a Win For Medical Marijuana in Montana

Posted on: Oct 25, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

IR-124 is a "thumbs down" approach to anti-pot legislation that could benefit from uncertain voters' tendency to vote "no."

Amnesty International: Calderon Turned "Blind Eye" to "Torture Epidemic" in Mexico

Posted on: Oct 15, 2012, Source: StoptheDrugWar.org

The number of annual, state level torture prosecutions can be counted in the single digits.

At Annual NORML Conference, Legalization Initiatives Take Front and Center

Posted on: Oct 11, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Pot policy activists say legalization initiatives on the ballot this November "The Final Days of Prohibition."

Scandal Rocks Boston as City Realizes that Thousands of People Were Falsely Convicted for Drugs

Posted on: Oct 4, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Court administrators in Mass. are scrambling.

WA Initiative to Legalize Pot Enjoys Popularity at the Polls -- So Why Are Some Pot Activists Against It?

Posted on: Oct 4, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Polls show a growing majority of voters support I-502, but a drugged driving provision is drawing criticism from within the drug reform movement.

Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico Beg for an End to the Murderous War on Drugs

Posted on: Sep 27, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Wednesday's UN General Assembly session saw not one, not two, but three Latin American heads of state call on it to promote debate on alternatives to the war on drugs.

Colorado Legalization Initiative Heads for the Home Stretch

Posted on: Sep 19, 2012, Source: Drug War Chronicle

Colorado's Amendment 64 marijuana is well-positioned to win on November 6, but its opponents are gearing up for battle.

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