State & Local Legislatures

The Initiative 71 possession and cultivation legalization initiative goes into effect at midnight, despite some Republicans' attempts to stop it.

It was legalization day today in Alaska, Ohio's ResponsibleOhio initiative goes back to the drawing board, a Georgia CBD medical marijuana bill moves, there are a couple of bad bills filed in California, and more.

Alaska's Measure 2 legalization begins to kick in tomorrow, the UFCW organizes medical marijuana workers in Minnesota, Chuck Schumer wants more drug war money, India bans the new synthetic drug mephedrone, and more.

As of tomorrow, it will be legal for adults to possess up to an ounce and grow six plants (three mature) as phase one of Measure 2 comes into effect. It's going to take another year for marijuana businesses to be up and running, though.

It's all marijuana news today: Federal legalization bills are filed, battles break out over legalization in Colorado, the Kettle Falls Five is now the Kettle Falls Four, Virginia CBD cannabis oil bills head to the governor's desk, and more.

An anti-crime group has filed a pair of lawsuits challenging Colorado's legal marijuana law, a decrim bill is moving in Hawaii, 2016 initiative plans are getting underway in Michigan, DEA rules on pain pills are causing problems for vets and others, and more.

The Kettle Falls 5 will have to face federal trial, a bill to fold the Washington state medical market into the recreational one has passed the Senate, there's movement toward dispensaries in Hawaii and Michigan, and much more.

A New Jersey coalition for marijuana reform has formed, an Alabama judge sentences a man to life in prison over 2 1/2 pounds of pot, the Hawaii legislature advances a dispensary bill, asset forfeiture reform gets slapped down in Virginia and Wyoming, the opium trade is expanding in western Afghanistan, and more.

There's now a marijuana legalization bill in Vermont, an Ohio initiative decides to allow home cultivation, Attorney General holder touts a softening in federal charging and sentencing policies, and more.

Colorado gets more time to defend its marijuana law, a possession legalization bill gets filed in Tennessee, a bill to combine medical and recreational markets in Washington passes the Senate over patient objections, the Russian drug czar could be losing his gig, and more.