Addiction

There's got to be a better way, and the ACLU and Human Rights Watch call for it: drug decriminalization.

A last ditch effort is underway to stop the DEA from acting precipitously to ban an herb used to help wean people from opioids.

NORML updates its congressional scorecard, Bay State legalizers cry foul over a misleading voter guide, the number of babies suffering from opioid withdrawals has jumped dramatically, Oregon top cops want to defelonize simple drug possession, and more.

The polls are looking good in Florida and Massachusetts, California's governor signs a mandatory prescription monitoring bill, Iran executes more drug offenders, and more.

The California legalization campaign heats up, the Massachusetts legalization campaign is sitting pretty with lots of cash, a North Carolina town becomes the first in the South to adopt Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) for drug users, and more.

California felony drug arrests are down, Colombian coca production is up, the Arizona marijuanalegalization initiative is trailing in a new poll, Congress moves toward final passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, but there's a fight over funding, and more.

Purdue Pharma claims the drug is effective for 12 hours. The LA Times just reported that it isn't. Now, Sen. Ed Markey wants the feds to take a look.

An effort to create a per se marijuana DUID law in California ran into a brick wall of science, the Ohio effort to put a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot gives up the ghost, a US senator seeks an investigation into Purdue Pharma over its claims on OxyContin's extended effectiveness, and more.

Congress acts on opioid and drug trafficking bills, million want to grow pot if it's legal, a CBD cannabis oil bill moves in Louisiana, a medical marijuana bill is killed in Missouri, and more.

Californians will have a chance to vote on marijuana legalization this year, Oakland moves ahead with medical marijuana expansion, Connecticut passes a sweeping bill aimed at the opioid crisis, and more.