News Brief

Former New Zealand prime minister and current head of the UN Development Program Helen Clark has toughly criticized the reliance on criminal justice approaches in the global drug war.

Recalcitrant law enforcement and opposition from the governor's mansion is scuttling medical marijuana in Minnesota this year, even though it has broad popular support. But there's always next year.

A New Hampshire marijuana legalization bill has been voted down by the House. Another one remains alive, but is bottled up in committee.

The Vermont legislature will take up marijuana decriminalization bills again this year. The governor supports them, and a major obstacle has been removed, so things are promising.

Vermont is now the latest state to see a marijuana legalization bill introduced.

The ACLU is undertaking a nationwide investigation into the use of military-style weapons, equipment, and tactics by civilian law enforcement.

Britain will study drug reforms in other countries, the Home Affairs minister said -- but not too quickly and not with any notion of decriminalizing drugs.

A marijuana decriminalization and depenalization bill has passed the New Mexico House, but the margin of victory was close, the clock is ticking on the Senate, and the Republican governor has threatened a veto.

A Michigan teenage has been shot dead after pulling a gun and reportedly attempting to rob an undercover task force narcotics officer in Southfield Tuesday.

There is action in various state houses, Michiganders continue to tussle over their medical marijuana law, and there's an investigation going on in Maine.