Drug War Chronicle

Last year is receding in the rear view mirror, but before looking forward to the battles of 2014, we take a moment to savor what was, overall, a pretty big year for drug reform on the domestic front.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) will issue an executive order implementing a limited medical marijuana program. He will make the annoucement during his State of the State speech Wednesday.

Another poll comes in showing a rapid increase in support for marijuana legalization and a solid majority now favoring it, this one from CNN.

Marijuana continues to suck all the air out of the room when it comes to drug policy, with news on the legalization, medical, and international fronts. The only non-marijuana-related item we have today is the murder of a confidential informant.

Today is one of those days when it seems like drug reform is all about marijuana. We have four domestic stories -- all about marijuana policy -- and two international stories -- both about marijuana policy. And then there's the "Breaking Bad" contest winner thinking he's Florida's answer to Walter White.

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.