State & Local Executive Branches

The feds back off in some Southern California asset forfeiture cases, an Iowa newspaper tells local authorities to back off from prosecuting a cancer patient, and several states move forward with implementing their medical marijuana laws.

Jon Alexander went from tweaker to DA in a remote Northern California county, but his misconduct has him on the ropes again.

California localities continue to grapple with medical marijuana issues. Meanwhile, officials in three states are moving forward with implementing medical marijuana laws, and a key Kentucky politician says nice things about it.

Defelonization of drug possession is starting to take hold across the country. California looks set to join the list of states easing up, and Washington state could be next.

Oregon begins moving toward a regulated dispensary system, Massachusetts advances down the dispensary path, New Jersey's governor signs a medical marijuana bill, and much, much more.

A California dispensary regulation bill dies, the dark ages return to San Diego, Massachusetts towns enact moratoria, New Jersey gives a loan to a dispensary, and more.

A Missouri technical college's bid to drug test students for "public safety" reasons was largely slapped down by a federal district court judge Friday.

Colorado is first out of the gate with final rules for legal marijuana commerce, with the first shops expected to open around New Year's Day, but Washington state isn't far behind.

A bill that would turn felony drug possession cases into "wobblers," meaning they could be charged as either felonies or misdemeanors, is one housekeeping vote away from heading to the governor's desk.

Federal prosecutors speak out on how the Justice Department's new stance on legalization will affect their medical marijuana prosecutions (not much), an initiative's language gets rejected for a second time in Arkansas, and much, much more.