Human Rights

Alaska state agencies complain that legalization will cost money (and they want some of it), Vermont cops complain the governor is soft on pot, federal prosecutors complain about reforming mandatory minimums, and more.

The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs held its high-level session in Vienna over the weekend. Behind a bland joint memorandum, though, signs of discord abound as criticism of the global prohibition regime grows louder.

The District of Columbia could legalize marijuana at the ballot box this year, Dr. Sanjay Gupta doubles down on his support for medical marijuana with a new CNN special tonight, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting this week in Vienna is attracting a lot of attention, and more.

Bills are popping at state houses across the land, pot politics continues hot and heavy, world leaders have harsh words for prohibition at Davos, and much, much more.

Human Rights Watch has issued another scathing report on the abuse of drug users and other "undesirables" in Cambodian drug detention camps. Drug treatment isn't on offer, but torture, sexual abuse, and forced labor are.

Uruguay appears poised to legalize marijuana Friday, the Afghan opium crop is at an all-time high, and the ACLU issues a report on people doing life without parole for nonviolent offenses. And there's more.

Canadian "Prince of Pot" Marc Emery has been sent to solitary in a US federal prison over what looks like a bogus "investigation" into who (or what) took photos of he and prison bandmates practicing.

Human rights are being violated in the name of drug treatment, according to a report from the UN's special rapporteur on torture.