News Brief

Canada has responded to the emergence of a new synthetic stimulant drug the old-fashioned way: by banning it.

The association representing British Columbia municipal governments has endorsed a resolution calling for marijuana decriminalization. That puts it in line with more than two-thirds of the province's residents, but not with the federal government in Ottawa.

Coca production is up in Peru for the sixth year in a row, responding to thriving demand from Brazil and Europe. Colombia is barely holding on to first place now.

A last ditch effort to block an Arkansas medical marijuana initiative from appearing on the November has failed.

A new Public Policy Polling survey has the Massachusetts medical marijuana initiative making a strong showing, well above 50%.

It's been a fairly quiet week on the corrupt cop front, but we've still got some Missouri jail guards in trouble, a Houston cop accused of helping to peddle Ecstasy, and a Baltimore cop who did heroin deals in the police station parking lot.

The UN General Assembly heard a trio of Latin American leaders call for increased debate on alternatives to the war on drugs Wednesday, including hint of legalization talk.

The DEA strikes again in Los Angeles, and the feds are moving to eliminate dispensaries in downtown LA. But the pushback against the crackdown continues.

A Montana initiative that would endorse the legislature's gutting of the state's voter-approved 2004 medical marijuana law is leading in polls, but doesn't have 50%.

Another small-time drug busts ends in death as a Baltimore man dies after swallowing drugs as police moved in to arrest him.