Legalization

Less than six months from election day, the California "tax and regulate" initiative to legalize marijuana has the support of half the voters, according to two polls this week. But just barely, and it has to get those numbers up to be sure of a November win.

Canadian Justice Minister Rob Nicholson Monday signed the extradition for "Prince of Pot" Marc Emery to begin serving five years in a US federal prison for selling pot seeds over the Internet. He was jailed on the spot in Vancouver, and could be in the American gulag by the time you read this.

Saturday saw the planet's cannabis nation hit the streets for part one of this year's bifurcated Global Marijuana Marches. Here's a report, with more to come next week.

Organizers of an initiative that would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of pot have handed in far more than the required number of signatures required to make the November ballot in Detroit.

It wasn't just the scent of pot smoke that hung in the air over 4/20 events around the country this week, it was the sense of imminent change. And even drug reform leaders who had been leery of such Cannabis Nation celebrations are coming to grips with their grassroots.

Two national polls on marijuana legalization came out this week. One lowballs support levels at 33%, while the other is in line with other recent polls at 44%. In either case, we're not over the top yet, except maybe out West.

A majority of Canadians think marijuana should be legalized, according to a new poll. They also approve of harm reduction -- even if the Conservative government doesn't.

Can that legalization initiative in California really pull it off? A new poll has some encouraging numbers.

There will be no marijuana decriminalization in the Granite State -- at least not this year. A veto-wielding governor managed to scare off the state Senate after the House passed it overwhelmingly, but activists aren't giving up. Instead, they are vowing to return until the legislature gets it right.

Nederland now joins Denver and Breckenridge on the list of Colorado communities that have voted to remove penalties for adult marijuana possession. Durango could be next, and the whole state could vote on the issue in 2012.