Synthetic Cannabinoids

The first business licenses for legal marijuana shops have been issued in Colorado, dispensaries are delayed in Nevada, hemp is on the agenda in Kentucky, and Uruguay's legalization example is causing reflection in the region. And more.

A new set of synthetic cannabinoid drugs are emerging, and the knee-jerk prohibitionist reponse -- Ban them! -- is kicking in.

In some ways, 2012 has been a year of dramatic, exciting change in drug policy, as the edifice of global drug prohibition appears to crumble before our eyes. In other ways it's still business as usual in the drug war. Here, we look at the biggest drug policy stories of the year.

The House of Representatives is poised to pass two drug war bills, one banning synthetic marijuana and stimulants, the other criminalizing planning to do something abroad that would violate US drug laws if done here.

"Bath salts" and "fake weed" are now banned on federal law after President Obama signed into law the FDA safety bill to which the bans were attached.

Japan is moving to designate some synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic stimulants as "narcotics," effectively banning them.

The Senate has passed a bill banning new synthetic drugs. It's already passed the House, and the president is expected to sign it into law shortly.

No more legal fake weed in Australia. It's been scheduled as a controlled substance and its possession, sale, or manufacture is now a criminal offense.

Even though Sen. Rand Paul is blocking federal legislation to ban fake marijuana (and "bath salts"), the DEA has just extended its emergency ban for another six months.