News Brief

A Houston cop who helped cocaine traffickers and procured guns that ended up in the hands of Mexican cartel leaders gets hammered at sentencing, cops in Phoenix and California get in trouble for warning drug suspects of police activity, and more.

It's a two-fer for Bay State legalizers today, the feds move to ease the opioid problem, Italy's top anti-Mafia and anti-terrorism prosecutor comes out for marijuana legalization, and more.

The California marijuana legalization initiative now has an official ballot number, the Arizona marijuana legalization initiative has lots of money, Chris Christie vetoes funding for needle exchange expansion in New Jersey, and more.

The prospects for the Arizona marijuana legalization initiative just brightened, law changes affect medical marijuana patients in Minnesota and Washington, Canada shows strong public support for freeing the weed, and more.

Arizona marijuana legalization advocates turned in signatures today, Massachusetts legalizers filed a campaign complaint against a police chief, Canada takes its first step toward legalization, Jamaica wants airport pot shops, and more.

Corrupt cops seem to have taken summer vacation this week, with only a couple of incidents popping up. They both involve cops with sticky fingers.

The fight over veterans' access to medical marijuana continues, an Illinois judge tells the state to quit messing around and recognize PTSD, a fired Oregon medical marijuana users wins his job back, and more.

That nation's most populous state will vote on marijuana legalization in November, federal legislators keep fighting for medical marijuana access for veterans, a New Jersey needle exchange bill nears passage, the ACLU goes after the Border Patrol for abuses at interior check points, and more.

A billboard campaign in Arizona encourages voters to "Buy American" and support marijuana legalization, a New Hampshire Democratic candidate for governor calls for legalization, the DEA releases a heroin threat assessment, and more.

The Democratic Party adopts a marijuana reform plank, scientists complain about marijuan research obstacles, Myanmar moves to reform a punitive drug law, the UN reports plentiful heroin supplies despite a bad harvest in Afghanistan last year, and more.