Browsing United States

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 …

New Hampshire could be the next state to legalize the use and possession of cannabis by patients with cancer or other specified conditions. The Republican-led Senate approved HB 573 last Thursday in an 18-6 vote, bringing the state one step closer to becoming the 19th state to do so (Illinois is in the race as well). This will be the third time in four years that NH has passed medical marijuana bills. Former Governor John Lynch vetoed the two previous bills, but current Governor Maggie Hassan is expected to sign the new bill pending its approval …

On Tuesday, Los Angeles voters passed Proposition D, an ordinance that will close hundreds of dispensaries and raise the taxes on those that will remain open. Nearly 63% of Los Angeles voters casted their vote in favor of Proposition D on Tuesday’s mayoral election ballot, while only 37% opposed. The proposition will limit the number of medical dispensaries to the ~135 who opened prior to 2007, a sharp decline from the 1000+ that are currently serving qualified patients. “We’ve had a great amount of difficulty over the past few years on how to come up with a consensus …

The Washington Liquor Control Board released their first draft of rules and regulations for the state’s new recreational cannabis industry last week. The draft regulations came after a long awaited 8 months after Washington voters legalized the recreational use of cannabis for adults in November. Since then, the staff at the state Liquor Control Board has spent countless hours “studying the science of getting high” and have visited many grow houses to get some first hand experience. Apparently, the board has learned so much that they have nicknamed the board’s chairwoman, Sharon Foster, “the queen of weed”.

A poll was released Monday that found that 82% of New York voters support the legalization of medical marijuana for seriously and terminally ill people. The poll of 623 registered voters was released yesterday by the Siena Research Institute. Support for legalization of medical marijuana was equal in both Democratic and Republican parties at 81% while only 17% and 14% opposed, respectively. Even 77% of conservative voters polled in support. “New Yorkers clearly, overwhelmingly support compassionate care for the sick and dying. So what’s the hold up in Albany? This proposal has been delayed for fifteen …

Earlier today, the Illinois State Senate approved a bill that would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to qualified patients. House Bill 1, if signed off on by the Governor, would make Illinois the 20th state to legalize marijuana for medical use; right behind Maryland. The measure, was approved by the 59 member Senate in a 35-21 vote after being passed in the Senate Executive Committee just a week ago. The bill will now be brought by its sponsoring Senator, Bill Haine (D-Alton), to Governor Pat Quinn’s …

The patients of Los Angeles will decide the fate of hundreds of marijuana dispensaries on May 21st as three competing medical marijuana measures are up for vote on the ballot – D, E, and F. Approximately seven days from now on Tuesday, May 21st, your rights to safe access as a medical marijuana patient in Los Angeles will again be at risk. Despite repeated efforts by the city to both limit and ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the past three years, there are an estimated 850 dispensaries (possibly upwards of 1,500) operating in Los Angeles. Next Tuesday, three proposed ordinances …

The Illinois Senate Executive Committee approved a bill on Wednesday that would allow patients with serious illnesses to treat themselves with medical marijuana if recommended by their physician. The measure, House Bill 1, was approved in a 10-5 vote after being approved by the House of Representatives in April. The bill will be considered by the full 59-member Senate in the near future. Patients who have been recommended medical marijuana would be allowed to purchase their cannabis from one of the 60 dispensaries that are expected to open. Twenty-two cultivation centers will be opened to provide all …

The 4th annual HIGH TIMES San Francisco Bay Area Medical Cannabis Cup is returning to Richmond, CA on Saturday, June 22-23. After a very successful US Cannabis Cup in Denver last month, HIGH TIMES is headed to the Bay Area for the fourth year in a row to hold the regional cannabis competition. The event will feature cultivation and activism seminars with HIGH TIMES editors and many other familiar faces in the cannabis movement. “Only California residents with a valid California doctor’s recommendation or California medical marijuana card will be allowed to enter the Prop 215 area to …

Despite a 1996 state law that permitted the use of medical marijuana for medical purposes, the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of local municipalities right to ban medical marijuana dispensaries earlier today. The main issue in the case, Inland Empire Patients Health & Wellness Center, Inc., was whether California’s medical marijuana statute preempts a local ban on dispensaries. The court ruled in a 7-0 decision that it doesn’t. Neither the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (CUA) nor the Medical Marijuana Program (MPP) expressly (or impliedly) limit the authority of local municipalities to enact their own …