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Top Drug War Stories of 2007



Suzanne Wills, Drug Policy Observer

The longest war rages on. Here are some of battles and skirmishes that took place during 2007.

International:

At least 2,500 people were killed in Mexico in battles between drug trafficking organizations and the government or rival drug trafficking organizations. The Bush administration is planning to send $1.4 billion to Mexico (the Merida Initiative) for transport helicopters, surveillance aircraft, night vision scanners, secure communications equipment, forensics, polygraph and human rights training and programs promoting judicial reform.

Since Evo Morales, President of Bolivia, shifted to a policy of "coca, yes; cocaine, no," conflict in the coca fields has dropped dramatically. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in Colombia and Peru.

The poppy crop in Afghanistan hit another new record. Afghanistan now accounts for 92% of the global opium supply. Several think tanks have called for buying the crop and diverting it to medicinal uses.

National:

More than 1.8 million arrests were made for nonviolent drug law violations. By comparison, about 600, 000 arrests were made for all violent crimes combined.

Four presidential candidates, three Democrats and one Republican, called for major drug policy reform.

The Congressional Joint Economic Committee held hearings on “Mass Incarceration in the United States: At What Cost?”

For decades there has been a 100:1 disparity in the quantity of crack versus powder cocaine it takes to trigger mandatory minimum sentences. The US Sentencing Commission reduced crack sentences slightly. The Supreme Court ruled that judges can make downward departures in crack sentences.

The DEA continued to raid medical marijuana dispensaries in California. More than 100 people face federal prosecution. The DEA sent letters to the dispensaries’ landlords threatening to seize their property.

New Mexico became the 12th state to adopt a medical marijuana law. Wisconsin and Michigan expect to see serious medical marijuana efforts next year.

Texas:

A bill by Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) to allow all county public health departments to operate sterile syringe programs passed the full Senate but was not given a hearing by the House public health committee.

Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio) attached an amendment to a budget bill (SB 10) allowing for a pilot syringe exchange program in Bexar County. Implementation has been blocked by District Attorney Susan Reed.

A bill to make medical use of cannabis an affirmative defense by Elliott Naishtat (D-Austin) was not given a hearing by the House public health committee.

Abuses in the Texas Youth Commission were exposed. About 12% of admissions to the TYC are for drug law violations.

The Department of Public Safety implemented new rules which place "no priority" on arresting "end users." DPS now targets "Drug Trafficking Organizations" with five or more identified participants. In the first year the number of drug seizures doubled while overall drug arrests declined 40%.

A bill by Jerry Madden (R-Plano) designed to reduce the number of inmates in county jails and to reduce the amount of time police spend on nonviolent law violations allows police to issue a court summons (similar to a ticket) to persons found in possession of up to 4 ounces of marijuana. Only Travis County has begun issuing court summonses.

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