Politics Outside US

A pair of Iranian physicians who are internationally known harm reduction practitioners have been arrested by Iranian authorities. No reason has been given, they are being held incommunicado, and there is a petition drive underway to secure their release.

A leading independent British commission has examined the UK's war on drugs and found it ineffective and misguided.

A former State Department official who fought the Afghan drug war has taken to the New York Times to tell why the failure of the program is everybody else's fault not his.

The resort to the ultimate sanction for drug offenders continues apace in China and Saudi Arabia.

The man who until last month was in charge of US anti-drug efforts in Afghanistan accuses the Karzai government of involvement in the drug trade. He's not too happy with the US military and NATO, either.

South Australia has now criminalized the possession of high intensity lights, reflectors, and anything else that might be used to grow marijuana. You now have to prove you weren't going to grow pot to avoid prosecution instead of the state having to prove you were.

Voters in Switzerland will have a clear choice on drug policy as they go to the polls November 30.

Indonesia had not executed anyone for four years as its high court considered a constitutional challenge to the death penalty for drug offenders. But the challenge is over, the death penalty remains, the executions have started again, and there are more on tap.

Austria's parliament has taken a first step toward making medical marijuana available. A bill it approved allows a state agency to grow it.

Italy's highest court has recognized the religious use of marijuana in a case involving an Italian Rastafarian.