Politics

Rhode Island has had one of the more comprehensive medical marijuana programs on the East Coast for more than 10 years. But with eight states legalizing recreational adult cannabis use, and neighboring Massachusetts set to cash in next year, lawmakers in Rhode Island are trying their best to make sure they don’t miss the boat.

As the Democrat-controlled Rhode Island General Assembly prepares to start their spring session, Rep.

Last week, America had all eyes glued on the FBI’s probe into Donald Trump’s increasingly sketchy ties with the Russian government. But a slew of new controversy has flooded the administration since, from the Republicans’ decision to go "nuclear" in order to confirm Supreme Justice Neil Gorsuch, to the frightening possibility of a new war in the Middle East. There’s been an increasing amount hypocrisy brewing in both the White House and Senate, creating an air of uncertainty across the country.

A bill that would legalize recreational marijuana in Connecticut seems fated to die in a judiciary committee due to lack of support from legislators.

"It's clear at this point that there isn't support on the committee for it,'' said state Rep. William Tong, co-chair of the committee. "It's not an open question. It's not ambiguous.'' Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy is opposed to recreational legalization, and support from a full two-thirds of the state General Assembly would be needed to override his veto.

A recent poll found that 63% of Connecticut residents support legalization.

Uruguay will become the world's first country to allow recreational marijuana to be sold in pharmacies starting in July, the

(Reuters) - Lawmakers in West Virginia on Thursday passed a bill that would allow patients to use some forms of cannabis for medical needs, state records show.If signed by Democratic Governor Jim Justice, the measure would make West Virginia the 29th state to allow the medical use of cannabis products including tinctures, extracts, pills and oils, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.It does not authorize patients to smoke pot or grow their own marijuana, the Marijuana Policy Project said.(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California;

All photos via Wikimedia Commons

Throughout eight years of bitter partisanship from Republicans, including nearly a year-long refusal to confirm Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, the GOP made it clear they weren’t willing to give an inch to Democrats.

(Reuters) - The Georgia state Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill that would expand the state's limited medical marijuana law to include people with 15 medical conditions, up from nine currently.The bill now goes to Governor Nathan Deal to sign into law.Unlike many other U.S. states that have medical marijuana laws that allow smokable and edible forms of cannabis to be used by people who have a wide range of conditions, Georgia only allows cannabis oil and even then, for a limited number of maladies.The state Senate passed the expansion by a 45-6 vote.

Walk into Brett Vapnik's medicinal marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles and the pungent aroma of pot is good and strong.

All day long, hundreds of people file in and out—a sign of the strength of the pot industry, despite big question marks posed by the new administration of President Donald Trump.
For now Vapnik, who also has a small pot garden in his store, just sells marijuana for medicinal purposes: from the plant itself, with varying degrees of potency, to beauty products and even chocolate and cookies, all laced with herb.
But next year he expects sales to triple

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today released a paper with a comprehensive set of public policy recommendations for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders involving illicit and prescription drugs. The paper is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Drug overdose deaths, particularly from opioids such as prescription pain relievers and heroin, is a rising epidemic," said Nitin S. Damle, MD, MS, MACP, president, ACP.

Concerned by growing violence in the City of San Bernardino, the Mayor sent an ill-advised letter to Pres.