News Brief

Louisiana proponents of random, suspicionless drug testing are smarting after being handed a pair of defeats in the past 10 days.

In its first review of Canada's asset forfeiture laws, the Canadian Supreme Court has ruled that judges must look at the circumstances of each case in deciding whether full, partial or no forfeiture orders should be issued. In the US, prosecutors make forfeiture decisions.

Canadian courts have repeatedly told Health Canada that not allowing medical marijuana providers to grow for more than one patient was unjustifiable, so the agency now says providers can grow for two people. That's not what advocates wanted to hear.

With Republicans in the minority, this might be the year New York passes a medical marijuana law. It's one committee vote closer today, but the clock is ticking.

The Illinois Senate has passed a medical marijuana bill. It now heads to the House, which could act this week, or defer action to the fall.

Another jail guard goes down, a California cop takes the bait, an NYPD officer gets slapped, a Massachusetts cop gets busted, a Massachusetts trooper cops a plea, and a Houston drug test watcher gets greedy. Just another week in the drug war.

As part of an urban renewal and anti-crime plan for central Amsterdam, authorities there want to cut down the number of cannabis coffee shops in the city's famed Red Light district.

Pusher Street may be history, but the residents of Copenhagen's Christiania are still fighting for their right to remain. They lost a court battle this week, but the end is not here yet for the countercultural enclave.

Mexico's Social Democratic Party advocates drug legalization -- and somebody doesn't want to hear it. At least four of the party's candidates have been attacked ahead of July's elections, and the party suspects the drug cartels.

A federal law that makes it a felony to use a communication device to sell drugs cannot be used against personal use drug buyers, the US Supreme Court ruled this week.