Drug War Chronicle #484 - May 4, 2007

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released a report showing black and Hispanic drivers are more likely to be subjected to vehicle searches than whites, but it says it can't conclude racial profiling is to blame. It also lacks some key numbers that could make the case.

The US Sentencing Commission has adjusted sentencing guidelines to allow crack offenders to get a little less time in federal prison. Meanwhile, the pressure mounts for Congress to address the infamous crack-powder cocaine sentencing disparity.

Two Atlanta narcotics officers have pleaded guilty in the November drug raid death of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston, but it looks like that's just the beginning of problems for the Atlanta narcotics squad.

It's a real motley crew this week: a small-town police chief gone bad, cops escorting drug shipments, and, of course, more crooked prison guards.

In a victory for federal prosecutors waging war on pain doctors they consider little more than drug dealers, Northern Virginia pain specialist Dr. Bill Hurwitz was found guilty of 16 counts of drug distribution in his second trial.

One of the hot topics in the criminal justice reform arena these days is felony disenfranchisement. An in-depth web site launched this week now provides pro and con arguments on the issue from more than 80 authorities.

E-mails and phone calls are urgently needed to certain US senators to help repeal a bad law at the juncture of drug policy and education.

In addition to the weekly reporting you see here in the Chronicle, DRCNet also features daily content in the way of blogging, news links, redistributed press releases and announcements from our allies and more.

An important new book debunks literally years of statistical legerdemain by the nation's central drug policy office -- and is DRCNet's latest premium for our members.

Reacting to reports of flavored methamphetamine entering the market, two senators have introduced a bill that would increase prison sentences for anyone who flavors a drug to lure children.

Rhode Island is set to make its medical marijuana law permanent, after a bill to do so passed both houses of the legislature this week by veto-proof margins.

The Minnesota medical marijuana bill has passed the state Senate and is moving in the House, but the Republican governor is vowing a veto.

If it's the first Saturday in May, it's time for the annual global marijuana marches. This year, people in 231 cities will take to the streets to free the weed.

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

Support the cause by featuring automatically-updating Drug War Chronicle and other DRCNet content links on your web site!

A new way for you to receive DRCNet articles -- Drug War Chronicle and more -- is now available.

Visit our new web site each day to see a running countdown to the events coming up the soonest, and more.