State & Local Executive Branches

The Republican platform committee rejects medical marijuana, medical marijuana research issues get a hearing in the Senate, Arkansas will vote on at least one medical marijuana initiative this fall--maybe two -- and more.

Medical marijuana is getting some attention on Capitol Hill, Arizona legalization foes go to court to try to block the initiative, Maine rejects medical marijuana for opiate addiction, Colombia and the FARC rebels partner on a coca crop substitution pilot program, and more.

California felony drug arrests are down, Colombian coca production is up, the Arizona marijuanalegalization initiative is trailing in a new poll, Congress moves toward final passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, but there's a fight over funding, and more.

Arkansas will join Florida in voting on medical marijuana in November, California's Prop 64 legalization initiative just got another $1.25 million from Sean Parker, a major investigative report finds that police field drug tests are shoddy, unreliable, and are sending innocent people to jail and prison, and more.

It's all marijuana policy today, with pressure on the Democratic platform committee, the long-time NORML head stepping down, organized opposition to legalization rumbling in California and Massachusetts, and more.

This was a quiet week on the medical marijuana front, but a couple of important changes happened on July 1.

The California marijuana legalization initiative now has an official ballot number, the Arizona marijuana legalization initiative has lots of money, Chris Christie vetoes funding for needle exchange expansion in New Jersey, and more.

The prospects for the Arizona marijuana legalization initiative just brightened, law changes affect medical marijuana patients in Minnesota and Washington, Canada shows strong public support for freeing the weed, and more.

The fight over veterans' access to medical marijuana continues, an Illinois judge tells the state to quit messing around and recognize PTSD, a fired Oregon medical marijuana users wins his job back, and more.

That nation's most populous state will vote on marijuana legalization in November, federal legislators keep fighting for medical marijuana access for veterans, a New Jersey needle exchange bill nears passage, the ACLU goes after the Border Patrol for abuses at interior check points, and more.