Legalization

Vermont is on the verge of becoming the ninth state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, but, being Vermont, it is taking an earthier, grow-it-yourself approach — one that could become a model for others.Vermont is not asking voters to approve a ballot proposal and it is not allowing for-profit businesses to grow and sell the drug, at least not right away. Instead, its lawmakers passed a bill this month that would let people 21 and older keep two flowering and four young marijuana plants at home.

Canada is well on its way to becoming one of the world’s leaders in cannabis policy, with a Prime Minister-backed full-scale legalization bill looking to end prohibition by next summer. In the meantime though, Canadian cops are still making possession arrests and raiding dispensaries.

A new Globe and Mail/Nanos Research poll has found that 62% of Canadians support pardons for those with criminal records stemming from marijuana possession.
This clear majority only amplifies the call from lawyers, activists, and other politicians who have been vocal about the issue for some time now.

Although the cannabis industry is weathering through some tough times with the current administration in the U.S., the election last November made it clear that this moment and industry is only going one way with the public: forward.  This was pronounced even further by a recent study done by Marijuana Business Daily, where it was discovered that, if the U.S. government legalized marijuana federally, legal marijuana sales could be even bigger than ice cream!As reported by Forbes:Annual ice cream sales are only $5.1 billion. Total recreational cannabis sales in the U.S.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice says it’s time to decriminalize marijuana, Justice O’Neill, a democrat holding an Ohio statewide office, said making marijuana legal is working in Colorado and doing it in Ohio would bring hundreds of millions of dollars in sales taxes.  O’Neill also announced earlier this year that he’s considering stepping down and making a run for governor, but he doesn’t plan on making a decision until the end of the year.According to U.S. News:“The time has come for new thinking,” O’Neill said in his prepared remarks.

To give law enforcement the upper hand when combating hooligans, thugs and other unsavory products of uncivil society, Nevada lawmakers are pushing for a policy that would give police departments emergency access to the live surveillance feeds of medical marijuana dispensaries.

On Monday, the Senate Finance Committee heard a proposal (Senate Bill 329) that aims to strengthen the state’s medical marijuana program by offering more security for the businesses most exposed to criminal activity.

However, the bill is somewhat controversial, as industry leaders are concerned that it might open up the possibility for police to conduct clandestine investigations without permission.

An Oregon Congressman with his finger on the pulse of the marijuana legalization movement does not believe the cannabis industry should be too concerned about a federal crackdown at the hands U.S.

This weekend, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill to protect hemp farmers who are using water from federal reservoirs. Hemp cultivation has been legal in the state since 2014, but is still federally prohibited, which could pose serious problems for hemp farmers using water from federal lands.

Republican state Senator Don Coram introduced Senate Bill 117, titled “Recognize Industrial Hemp Agricultural Product for Agricultural Water Right,” which grants Colorado water-right holders the right to use water from federal reservoirs as long as they are registered by the state to grow hemp for commercial or research purposes.

Best known for its majestic natural scenery, beloved U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, the state of Vermont has grown into one of the most progressive strongholds on the East Coast. Over the next few days, Republican Governor Phil Scott will either make a historic or disappointing decision regarding cannabis legalization. 

Although neighboring states like Massachusetts and Maine have already approved recreational marijuana through the will of their constituents, Vermont has the opportunity to become the first- state to legalize cannabis through legislative action.

Washington State University is looking for a group of selfless individuals willing to get stoned in the name of scientific research.

University researchers are looking for pot-smoking volunteers to develop a breathalyzer that can detect marijuana intoxication, reports Washington’s CBS affiliate KREM.
“We’re trying to create a roadside tool for law enforcement and businesses to detect if someone is inebriated or under the influence of marijuana,” said research assistant Nathan Weller.
Participants will initially undergo tests on their blood and saliva before purchasing marijuana of their choice at a local dispensary.