Drug War Chronicle

Iran continues to execute drug offenders at a torrid pace. Around 500 went to the gallows in 2011, hundreds more last year, and 24 more so far this year.

MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org, part of the ProCon.org family, is an in-depth web site presenting information and views from a variety of perspectives on the medical marijuana issue. The Chronicle is running a six-part series of info items from ProCon.org, of which this week's is the final.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are illegal in Michigan, the state's Supreme Court ruled Friday.

The Vermont legislature will take up marijuana decriminalization bills again this year. The governor supports them, and a major obstacle has been removed, so things are promising.

A positive drug screen during pregnancy does not in itself constitute evidence of child neglect, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in a victory for maternal rights.

And then there were four. Rhode Island has become the fourth state to see a marijuana legalization bill filed this year, and it will likely be joined by three more.

The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a key case on whether localities can ban dispensaries, and medical marijuana bills died in two Midwest states, and there's more news, too.

A Massachusetts cop had his own informal prescription drug take-back program, but that was pretty innocuous compared to some of this week's other entries.

A pair of federal bills that would allow states to tax and regulate marijuana had a coming out party at a press conference Tuesday. And there are more bills to come, their authors said.

Welfare drug testing is done in Virginia this year. It was defeated by one vote in the Senate Monday.