At the end of the 21st century, California legalized marijuana for medicinal use. Since that time, more and more states have been following suit. To date, 29 states—including Illinois—have legalized marijuana for this purpose, and six of these states also...
Drug Charges
Could racial bias in Chicago drug stings lead to exoneration?
A group of Chicago defense attorneys are currently seeking to prove that racial bias was at the root of a long series of Chicago drug stings. The ruling could have implications at the national level.Beginning in the 1990s, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms...
Are roadside tests admissible in marijuana impairment cases
In our last post, we highlighted the inherent problems in proving marijuana impairment during a traditional DWI stop. Essentially, police are not yet equipped to scientifically determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana, and roadside sobriety tests geared...
What you need to understand about the ‘club drug’ ketamine
As much as the décor, the music and the fashions favored by people may change, there is one thing about dance clubs, bars and nighttime hotspots that will never change: the presence of illegal narcotics. Indeed, the reality is that while most responsible owners do...
Did AG Sessions just reignite the war on drugs?
In recognition of the astronomical cost and grave injustice that has resulted from keeping non-violent drug offenders locked in federal prisons for decades owing to draconian sentencing schemes established roughly 30 years ago, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder...
How close is Illinois to legalizing marijuana for recreational use?
When it comes to the always controversial issue of marijuana, Illinois has recently taken some actions that could be described as progressive from decriminalizing possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana to launching a pilot program permitting the sale of medical...
Statistics show drop for some federal drug prosecutions: Will it last?
While people might have missed it, the U.S. Sentencing Commission -- the independent federal agency tasked with creating sentencing policies for the federal courts, advising Congress and the executive branch on effective crime policy, and analyzing federal crime...
Is the DEA altering its stance toward marijuana extracts?
During the chaos of the holiday season, many people might have missed what turned out to be a significant announcement by the Drug Enforcement Administration concerning marijuana extracts, including cannabidiol, or CBD.For those unfamiliar with CBD, it's one of the...
Why you can’t misjudge the federal government’s position on marijuana
Thanks to a significant amount of news coverage, most people are now well aware that even though many states -- Illinois included -- have adopted what could best be described as a progressive approach to marijuana, it nevertheless remains illegal under federal...
Is drug-related evidence secured during a random bus search admissible?
You don't have to be a constitutional law scholar to know that law enforcement officials couldn't legally conduct a search of hundreds of homes in an attempt to uncover evidence of some suspected criminal activity. Indeed, as ridiculous as this premise may sound, it...