Rand Paul benefits from MPP's largesse, California tax officials eye a pot bank, medical marijuana is okayed for autistic kids in Michigan, Canada moves to ban salvia, Brits hold a laughing protest over a proposed legal highs ban, and more.
It's the dog days of summer, and it looks like not much is going on except marijuana-related issues. Will ResponsibleOhio make the ballot, will the Justice Department ease up on medical marijuana where it's legal? Stay tuned.
Marijuana legalization initiative campaigns aiming at November 2016 are underway in nearly a dozen states. Here's a look at what's likely to pass and what isn't.
Our August sponsor, The ArcView Group, has released its 3rd edition of the State of Legal Marijuana Markets. The first 100 people to use the discount code SDW100 will get a $100 discount, and StoptheDrugWar.org will receive a $75 donation too.
There's a CDC warning on "potential danger" from edibles, a Northern California US attorney who went after dispensaries steps down, Washington state medical marijuana enters a new, uncomfortable era, and more.
Chris Christie is beating up on marijuana again, Ohio officials continue to play hardball with ResponsibleOhio, DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg takes a tiny step forward, Colombian peasants are grumbling at a rumored renewal of aerial crop eradication, and more.
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Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) has signed a bill allowing recreational marijuana sales at dispensaries beginning October 1. (or.gov)
Any adult will be able to buy pot at Oregon dispensaries beginning October 1, some British police are moving toward de facto decriminalization, reputedly corrupt Philly cops beat a rap and are now suing city officials, and more.
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Iboga, the African herb from which ibogaine is derived (ibogaineconference.org)
Lot's of international news today, plus Minnesota gets a second dispensary, Vermont seeks to prohibit more new synthetics, New Hampshire is worried about heroin, and more.
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Peyote buttons, sacrament of the Native American Church. (wikipedia.org)
Two Arizona appeals court panels have offered up clashing rulings this week on whether the smell of pot is still probable cause for a search, Michigan initiative fundraising reports tell an interesting story, changes in Washington state's medical marijuana program go into effect today, and more.
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The question right now isn't should it or shouldn't it make the ballot, but will it or won't it?
ResponsibleOhio has about a week to come up with 40,000 more signatures, more Americans than ever admit smoking pot, e-sports is about to begin drug testing, a Georgia cop gets indicted for lying about probable cause in the Baby Boo Boo SWAT raid case, and more.
There's medical marijuana news from the far Pacific, with Hawaii okaying dispensaries and Guam releasing draft medical marijuana regulations, plus more.
Jail guards smuggling dope, cops helping drug dealers, cops ripping off drug dealers. Familiar stories, repeated over and over. Here's this week's bunch.
A long-awaited (and overdue) report on California marijuana policy reforms is out, an Arizona appeals court rules that the odor of marijuana in a medical marijuana state is not sufficient grounds for a search warrant, the DEA gets criticized over its snitch program, and more.
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British police in Durham have decided they have better things to do than go after small-time pot offenders. (wikimedia.org)
There will be an open container law for weed in Washington state, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) files a bill to expunge some federal marijuana offense records, cops in one British county effectively decriminalize small-time pot offenses, there's a mystery surrounding a dead North Dakota student informant, and more.
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Santa Muerte shrine, Nuevo Laredo (wikipedia/not home)
A woman recites a prayer during a traffic stop turned drug bust. Is that evidence of drug trafficking? The US 10th Circuit Court of Appeals doesn't think so.
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Will they make the ballot or not? Check back in 10 days.
Ohio election officials have disqualified more than half the signatures gathered for the ResponsibleOhio initiative, but the battle isn't over; a Michigan legalization initiative gets rolling, an Oklahoma report raises the curtain on asset forfeiture abuses, and more.