Browsing Marijuana News

Yesterday, Washington’s Liquor Control Board was briefed about the 800 some comments that were submitted on the draft set of marijuana regulations in the state. The duty fell upon Karen McCall, the chief rules coordinator for the liquor board, to relay the comments submitted by local authorities, stakeholders and many other concerned citizens. Though many of the comments were very reasonable, some of the things the public was asking for are not within the jurisdiction of the board. “Fifty percent of the comments I’ve seen relate to things that, once …

The Institute of the Black World 21st Century’s “Day of Direct Action” rallied in Washington Monday in protest of the Obama administration and the war on drugs. On Monday, Rev. Jesse Jackson took the stage in front of a reported crowd of 500 at a rally that called on President Obama to take “direct action” and act on the following agenda: Intensify efforts to eliminate the disparity in sentencing between powdered and crack cocaine. Issue an Executive Order eliminating the War on Drugs and replacing it with a national initiative that treats drugs and drug addiction as …

Did you get your tickets to the fourth-annual High Times San Francisco Bay Area Medical Cannabis Cup yet? The two-day expo will begin next Saturday, June 22, at The Craneway Pavillion at 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond, CA. The event will feature a number of activism and cultivation seminars from HIGH TIMES editors and talks from many other familiar faces in the industry. “The headliners Saturday night’s party are Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan.” Included is a Saturday night ‘Homegrown Party’ for all adults ages 18+ hosted by …

On Wednesday, Governor Brian Sandoval (R) signed a bill into law that will allow for state-regulated medical marijuana dispensaries and grow operations in Nevada. The bill, Senate Bill 374, will provide for the “registration of medical marijuana establishments authorized to cultivate or dispense marijuana or manufacture edible marijuana products or marijuana-infused products for sale to persons authorized to engage in the medical use of marijuana.” “I applaud the governor for recognizing it is time Nevada lived up to its constitutional mandate and provided access for …

According to a group of leading scientists, the outlawing of psychoactive drugs such as cannabis and psychedelics is the worst case of scientific censorship of modern times. The paper, Effects of Schedule I Drug Laws on Neuroscience Research and Treatment Innovation (abstract only), was published today in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience and was written by Professor David J. Nutt of Imperial College London, Leslie A. King & David E. Nichols. The authors argued that the outlawing of drugs such as cannabis, psychedelic mushrooms and other psychoactive substances has thwarted research into the potentially …

Vermont has officially become the 17th state to eliminate criminal penalties for minor possession of Cannabis. Governor Peter Shumlin (D) signed the bill into law Thursday, which will remove the criminal penalties for possession of less than one ounce of cannabis or less than five grams of hash by adults 21 or older. “Our limited resources should be focused on reducing abuse and addiction of opiates like heroin and meth rather than cracking down on people for having very small amounts of marijuana.” – Gov. Peter Shumlin Violations will be punishable by a civil penalty similar …

After thirteen long years, Nevada’s State legislature passed a bill that will establish a system of dispensaries in the state. Currently, the state of Nevada provides immunity to qualifying patients from state and local prosecution for the production, delivery, or possession of marijuana. However, the existing law does nothing to specify the manner in which patients are to obtain the marijuana. This voter approved medical marijuana program was established in 2000. Now, thirteen years later, Senate Bill 374 will provide for the “registration of medical marijuana establishments authorized to cultivate or dispense marijuana or manufacture edible marijuana …

Many doctors, whether they are for or against advising people to use medicinal marijuana, choose not to endorse smoked marijuana as a medicinal therapy. Many of these same physicians make the argument that there are two prescription cannabinoids available, Marinol and Cesamet, that patients should be ingesting orally in contrast to smoking raw cannabis. However, these doctors fail to recognize one thing…patients can grow their own cannabis and ingest cannabinoids without the help of pharmaceutical companies! So why aren’t they suggesting patients do so? If a physician doesn’t believe that smoking …

A recent poll in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 76% of doctors would recommend the use of medical marijuana. The poll about the recommending of medicinal marijuana by physicians was conducted during a live debate that occurred on the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) website. Doctors were given a theoretical case study in which a 68-year-old woman has breast cancer metastatic to the lungs and the thoracic and lumbar spine. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy and reports having low energy, minimal appetite, and substantial pain in her spine. She has …

A series of bills that will govern the cultivation, taxation, and sale of recreational cannabis in Colorado was signed into law on Tuesday. Shortly after the Washington Liquor Control Board announced its draft regulations for the state’s new recreational marijuana industry, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed similar measures into law to regulate his own state. These measures officially establish the state as the world’s first taxed and regulated market for cannabis. “We applaud Gov. Hickenlooper for the initiative he has taken to ensure the world’s first legal marijuana market for …