Drug War Chronicle

2013 saw a historic breakthrough on the international front, as well as evidence that powerful currents are shifting inexorably away from the prohibitionist consensus of the last half-century. But there was also continuity as the drug war, drug production, and the use and trafficking of drugs, all continued apace (although not without innovation).

The New Year starts off with a whole bunch of marijuana news, the DEA Cartagena prostitution scandal gets an update, another Republican governor calls for welfare drug testing, and a South Korean comedian gets hammered for toking up. And more.

Florida's law mandating the suspicionless drug testing of welfare applicants has been found unconstitutional by a federal district judge. Gov. Rick Scott (R) says he will appeal.

The dispensary and cultivation wars continue in California, dispensaries are delayed in Nevada, a bill moves in New Jersey, and more.

A probation officer gets caught growing marijuana, a task force commander is accused of stealing $90,000, more cops get nailed for spilling the beans to drug suspects, and more.

It has been a historic day in Denver, with the first legal retail sales of marijuana having taken place early this morning. It's a new era.

A San Diego man detained by the Border Patrol after being caught carrying three pounds of marijuana died in a holding cell Christmas Eve.

Adult marijuana sales become legal tomorrow in Colorado, but would-be retailers are having to deal with some bumps in the road.

Uruguayan President Mujica has signed that country's groundbreaking marijuana legalization bill into law. The government now has 120 days to craft rules, and then Uruguay's era of legal marijuana commerce will commence.

A Texas deputy has been shot and killed in a dawn no-knock drug raid over a few marijuana plants.