Sentencing

It's a battle of the drug war dinosaurs!

A pioneer of the medical marijuana movement has died, the conservative group ALEC calls for reform of drug-free zone laws, the Trump administration is turning to private prisons, and more.

Governors call for more help with the opioid crisis from the federal government, a Kentucky GOP leader files a marijuana legalization bill, the ACLU of Montana warns an overzealous prosecutor, and more.

A marijuana legalization bill gets filed in the House, but it's not just any legalization bill.

Vermont is just a governor's signature away from becoming the first state to legalize weed at the statehouse, Maine stakeholders reach agreement on a legalization implementation bill, the US prisoner population declines for the third straight year, and more.

A California lawmaker revives his marijuana sanctuary state bill, President Trump lauds "very harsh" drug policies, Mexico's prohibition-related violence continues, and more.

It took him a year, but Attorney General Sessions has now torn up the Cole memo, opening the way for a renewed federal war on marijuana. Vermont legislators are advancing a legalization bill anyway, New York's governor calls for criminal justice reforms, and more.

As Drug War Chronicle marks the publication of its 1,000th issue, we reflect on what has changed and what hasn't in the past couple of decades. This piece recounts our domestic drug policy evolution in the US. A companion piece looks at the international picture.

The prison population is a little whiter than it used to be. Here are some reasons why.

Mid-Atlantic state politicos are moving toward harsher sentences for some opioid offenses, Canada's July 1 marijuana legalization date may get bumped back, California's Humboldt County rejects safe injection sites, and more.