Whew! Busy, busy, busy at the statehouse, with both traditional medical marijuana bills and newfangled CBD medical marijuana bills getting lots of attention.
Cannabis oil is a hot item in traditionally unfriendly legislatures (wikimedia.org/Stephen Charles Thompson)
Medical marijuana dominates the drug policy news today, plus a legalization bill is filed in New Jersey, welfare drug testing advances in a pair of states, the Russians halt anti-drug cooperation with the US, and more.
A federal agency has given the okay for researchers to buy marijuana from NIDA for a PTSD study, which is a first, those CBD medical marijuana bills keep moving in heretofore medical marijuana-unfriendly states, an effort to fold Washington state's medical marijuana system into its general legalization scheme has failed, and more.
Oregon looks like one of the likeliest places to legalize marijuana this year. There are two sets of initiative campaigns, and they both look well-positioned to make the ballot.
Declining federal drug prosecutions could have an impact here. (supremecourt.gov)
Federal drug prosecutions are declining, marijuana legalization moves forward in the Northeast, Pennsylvania counties pay for taking babies away from mothers over false positive drug tests, and more.
Russell Brand speaks out for drug decriminalization at the CND in Vienna. (wikimedia.org)
Fewer people are getting arrested for marijuana possession in Washington state after legalization -- imagine that! -- Kansas legislators want to drug test teachers, a New Jersey heroin and opiates panel has recommendations, Russell Brand goes to Vienna, and more.
What will keep this Rasta smiling? Jamaican ganja farmers have some ideas. (wikimedia.org)
Alaska state agencies complain that legalization will cost money (and they want some of it), Vermont cops complain the governor is soft on pot, federal prosecutors complain about reforming mandatory minimums, and more.
A bill before Utah's governor would begin to rein in SWAT in the Beehive State. Only Maryland has done something similar.
No legalization for Maryland this year, the ASA national conference is coming soon, Utah (!) passes a package of policing reform bills, welfare drug testing goes down in flames in Indiana, the Swiss ponder cannabis clubs, and more.
Attorney General Eric Holder endorses federal drug sentence reductions. (usdoj.gov)
Attorney General Holder endorses federal drug sentencing reductions, CBD medical marijuana bills move in the South, a New Hampshire decriminalization bill advances, Zohydro may get some competition, and the UN is generating plenty of news, and more.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta "doubles down" on his support for medical marijuana. (via Share Bear on Wikimedia)
The District of Columbia could legalize marijuana at the ballot box this year, Dr. Sanjay Gupta doubles down on his support for medical marijuana with a new CNN special tonight, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting this week in Vienna is attracting a lot of attention, and more.