Law & Politics
Mexican Senate President: Marijuana Law Reform a Priority
Mexico’s Senate president says passing marijuana reform bills into law will be a priority in the new Congressional session starting next month. According to reports, Roberto Gil Zuarth told journalists at a briefing that he expects his colleagues to enact legislation allowing the use of cannabis for medical purposes. The Senate leader is also optimistic about setting up mechanisms that could lead to […]
Where Do Presidential Candidates Stand on Marijuana?
Marijuana is now a mainstream political issue, and all of the candidates in the 2016 presidential race have discussed it at length. Here’s a roundup of what the contenders have said about cannabis policy, as well as what they’ve admitted about their own marijuana consumption. This post will be updated as candidates continue to address the issue. All candidates […]
Governors Raise Concerns About Marijuana Edibles
Colorado’s John Hickenlooper on Thursday became the third state governor in a week to raise serious concerns about marijuana edibles. “Back in the day, candy cigarettes desensitized kids to the dangers of tobacco – and today, pot-infused gummy bears send the wrong message to our kids about marijuana,” he said in his annual State of the […]
Anti-Marijuana Adelson Pressures Newspaper to Reconsider Legalization Stance
Just as marijuana law reform advocates feared, new Las Vegas Review-Journal owner Sheldon Adelson is exerting pressure on the paper’s editorial board to reverse its long-held pro-legalization stance. According to journalists present at a Monday meeting with publisher Jason Taylor and interim editor Glenn Cook, Adelson and his wife Miriam are asking editorial board members to visit […]
Maine School Board OKs Medical Marijuana For Students
And … about-face After 40+ years of promoting a world-class disaster via the War on Drugs, and brainwashing school-aged kids into believing that marijuana use leads to a life of impending doom, educators in Auburn, Maine, will now be allowed to provide access to marijuana’s beneficial cannabinoids for students who have obtained a doctor’s recommendation. Absolved and […]
Vermont Governor Calls for Legalizing Marijuana in State of the State Address
Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin used his annual State of the State speech on Thursday to call on lawmakers to pass legislation legalizing and regulating marijuana. “I will work with you to craft the right bill that thoughtfully and carefully eliminates the era of prohibition that is currently failing us so miserably,” Shumlin told legislators. “I believe […]
Sons of Two State Chief Justices Face Drug Charges
In a strange drug war coincidence, the sons of the top judicial officials in two states are both facing marijuana charges. In North Carolina, Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark D. Martin’s son was charged late last month with possessing cannabis as well as a water bong, knife and various small empty bags allegedly used to package marijuana. It is at […]
Mexico City Mayor: Legal Marijuana Would Hurt Cartels, Is Issue of Freedom
Legalizing marijuana is an issue of personal freedom and would take money away from violent drug cartels, the mayor of Mexico City says in a new interview. “My position is always the defense of freedoms,” Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera told El Universal. “I do support legalization.” Under legalization, the marijuana trade “would not be attractive for purposes of drug […]
Will Sheldon Adelson Use Nevada Paper to Sink Legal Marijuana?
Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson’s recent purchase of the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper is generating headlines and controversy. But not much public attention has been drawn to the possible implications his owning of the newspaper could have on this year’s effort to legalize marijuana in Nevada. Adelson is the 18th richest person in the world, according to […]
My 2016 New Year’s Resolutions
As we begin this new year, which looks wonderfully promising for the adoption of marijuana legalization by more and more states, we need to begin to focus on some of the more subtle areas of legalization policy. We must insist that these new laws do more than stop the arrest of smokers; we must insist that […]