News Brief

Although it was a relatively quiet week in Mexico's drug wars, it's probably now safe to say that 50,000 people have been killed in prohibition-related violence there since President Calderon sent in the army in December 2006.

We're only halfway through January, and we already have four dead in drug war incidents so far this year. This week, two allegedly armed men were shot and killed by police in separate incidents in Arkansas and California.

Arizona's governor has decided against re-filing a lawsuit that had blocked medical marijuana dispensaries from opening in the state.

Here's our weekly look at medical marijuana news from around the country. There's plenty going on--and late breaking news from California Wednesday afternoon.

Jailers smuggling drugs in burritos, cops planting drugs, cops doing security for drug deals, and evidence walking out of the evidence room. It's just another week of police misconduct in the drug war.

Two-thirds of Canadians want marijuana legalized or decriminalized, according to a new Forum Research poll.

Another small-time drug offender gets intimidated into being a snitch and pays with his life. Another family sues for damages. And another set of taxpayers gets ready to pay for letting their police do such things.

The Canadian Liberal Party has passed a non-binding resolution calling for marijuana legalization, regulation, and taxation.

The New Jersey Assembly and Senate have revised a pharmacy syringe sales bill after Gov. Christie conditionally vetoed the original version and, on Tuesday, Christie signed the new bill into law.

A Washington state shopping mall parking lot drug deal turned fatal for one of the participants when a police officer witnessed it.