A Europe-wide marijuana legalization initiative campaign is underway, a Republican legalization group will hold its first meeting in Texas, there's still a California legalization initiative trying to make the ballot this year, state legislatures deal reflexively with familiar drug issues, and more. Let's get to it:

The times they are a-changing.

DC Election Board Hears Arguments to Allow Legalization Initiative on Ballot. The District of Columbia Board of Elections heard proponents of a DC legalization initiative argue Tuesday that they should okay the measure for the ballot. The hearing comes days after DC Attorney General Irvin Nathan urged the board to reject the measure because it would conflict with a provision of federal law requiring that residents of public housing be evicted for drug possession. Nathan's opinion is not binding. The board said it would act on the matter within a week.

One California Legalization Initiative Remains and is Seeking $2 Million. And then there was one. The California Cannabis Hemp Initiative has fallen short of its signature-gathering goal and will not make the ballot this year. The Drug Policy Alliance-backed initiative has been set aside for this year, and the Ed Rosenthal initiative designed as an alternative to it, has now likewise been set aside. That leaves only the Marijuana Control, Legalization & Revenue Act, which has until April 18 to gather more than 500,000 valid voter signatures. San Jose dispensary operator and initiative proponent Dave Hodges said the campaign needs $2 million to gather those signatures, and it is still doable. Click on the link for more details.

Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition to Hold First Meeting in Houston. Yeah, you read that right. Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition, a national caucus founded in 2012 by Ann Lee, mother of Oaksterdam's Richard Lee, will host its inaugural meeting March 15 in Houston. Click on either link for more details.

New Georgia Poll Has Majority for Legalization. A new Public Policy polling survey finds that 54% of Georgia voters want to see marijuana legalized for recreational use. Support for decriminalization was at 62%. Click on the survey link for further demographic info.

Medical Marijuana

Fed Delay in Supplying Marijuana Blocks PTSD Research. The US Public Health Service (PHS) is blocking researchers who are seeking to learn more about the risks and benefits of using marijuana to treat PTSD, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) said Monday. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and University of Arizona Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved protocol for a study of marijuana for symptoms of PTSD in US veterans, sponsored by MAPS, has been on hold for over 3½ months, as researchers wait for the PHS to respond to their request to purchase marijuana for the study. The study would explore the safety and effectiveness of smoked and/or vaporized marijuana for 50 U.S. veterans with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD. Animal studies have already shown that marijuana helps quiet an overactive fear system, but no controlled clinical studies have taken place with PTSD patients. The PHS marijuana review process exists only because the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-protected monopoly on the supply of marijuana legal for use in FDA-regulated research. This additional review is not required for research on any other Schedule I drug.

Tampa Medical Marijuana Debate Gets Rowdy. Tampa Bay area residents got an earful at a debate over medical marijuana Monday night. Local news reports said there was "screaming, yelling, and even people dragged out" as Alan St. Pierre of NORML and Florida attorney John Morgan, the man behind the state's medical marijuana initiative, squared off against Kevin Sabet of Project SAM and prehistoric prohibitionist Dr. Eric Voth.

Georgia CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Stalled in Committee. A bill that would allow for the use of CBD cannabis oil to treat epileptic seizures in children is stuck in committee as lawmakers grapple with the issue of how to obtain it. Either growing it or importing it would violate state law. The bill is House Bill 885, which is stuck in the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Oregon Dispensary Regulation Bill Amended to Allow Local Bans. The Oregon bill to legalize and regulate dispensaries statewide, Senate Bill 1531, was amended in a Senate committee vote to allow localities to not just regulate dispensaries, but to ban them. The bill has passed the Senate and is now before the House Judiciary Committee. The statewide dispensary regulation system is scheduled to begin March 3.

Methamphetamine

Michigan Bills to Restrict Pseudoephedrine Purchases Moving. A package of bills designed to crack down on the use of pseudoephedrine in the manufacture of meth passed the state Senate last week. They would ban the sale of the chemical to people with meth convictions and make it a 10-year felony to buy the stuff knowing it's intended to make meth. The bills, sponsored by Sen. John Proos (R-St. Joseph) are Senate Bill 535, Senate Bill 563, Senate Bill 564, and Senate Bill 756.

Prescription Drugs

Oklahoma Prescription Drug Database Bill Moving. A bill that would require doctors to check an online prescription database before prescribing drugs with abuse potential passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Monday. Senate Bill 1821, sponsored by Sen. A.J. Griffin (R-Guthrie) now heads for a Senate floor vote.

International

European "Weed Like to Talk" Citizens' Initiative Underway. In the European Union, voters can submit "citizen initiatives" that require EU legislators to propose legislation if they reach a million signatures. The "Weed Like to Talk" initiative began collecting signatures last week for an effort to legalize marijuana. It has about 35,000 signatures so far. Click here to see a by-country count.

Marijuana legalization is unlikely to come to California this year, ditto for Missouri, ditto for medical marijuana in Iowa. Meanwhile, a SWAT reporting bill is moving in Utah, Singapore is censoring a pot reform web site, and more. Let's get to it:

Big Players Will Wait Until 2016 for California Legalization Initiative. The Los Angeles Times reported today that a deep-pocketed marijuana reform coalition including the Drug Policy Alliance had decided not to move forward this year with an initiative to legalize the weed in the Golden State. Instead, the coalition will aim at 2016. That means marijuana legalization will most likely not be on the ballot in California this year. Three other legalization initiatives have been filed, but two of them appear to lack the funds to complete expensive signature gathering efforts -- 504,000 signatures are needed by April 18 -- and the third has yet to be cleared for circulation.

Colorado Judge Denies Injunction in Marijuana Advertising Lawsuit, Suggests Retailers, Not Magazines, Have Standing. A US District Court judge in Colorado has denied a request from High Times and Westword to issue an injunction blocking the state from implementing regulations that limit marijuana advertising in magazines to those who can show that fewer than 30% of their readers are minors. Judge Marcia Krieger suggested the magazines lack standing to bring their lawsuit, writing that "the regulations in question do not address conduct by the Plaintiffs -- who are publishers. Instead, the regulations limit conduct by advertisers -- i.e, retail marijuana establishments. Thus, it is retail marijuana establishments who seek advertising who are directly affected by enforcement of the regulations." Still, Krieger is giving the magazines until March 7 to make further arguments.

Missouri Legalization Activists Decide to Wait for 2016. Citing recent poll numbers showing support for legalization in Missouri at less than 50%, Show-Me Cannabis has announced that "it would be wise to wait for the presidential election in 2016 to launch an initiative campaign." The group said it would continue to work on building public support in the meantime.

Medical Marijuana

Washington House Passes Bill to Tighten Up on Medical Marijuana Under Legalization. The Washington House passed House Bill 2149 on a 67-29 vote Monday. Sponsored by Rep. Eileen Cody (D-Tacoma), the bill would reduce the amount of marijuana and plants a patient could possess, do away with collective gardens, and establish a patient registry. It's part of an effort to "realign" the state's medical marijuana law with the state's marijuana legalization law, but is not popular with patients. Similar legislation is moving in the state Senate.

Minnesota Poll Has Narrowest of Majorities for Medical Marijuana. A Minneapolis Star Tribune Minnesota Poll released Tuesday has support for medical marijuana at 51%, with 41% opposed. It also had 63% opposed to marijuana legalization. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is expected to push for medical marijuana later this month.

Iowa Medical Marijuana Bill Dead on Arrival. State Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) filed a medical marijuana bill, Senate File 2215, Tuesday, but immediately declared it dead, saying it had received no support from Republican legislators.

Law Enforcement

Utah Bill Would Require SWAT Reporting. A bill that would require Utah law enforcement agencies to report on how and how often they use their SWAT teams has unanimously passed out of the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee Tuesday. Senate Bill 185 now heads for a Senate floor vote. If the measure passes, Utah would become the second state, after Maryland, to impose such requirements on SWAT teams.

International

Argentine Security Secretary Supports Uruguayan Marijuana Legalization Model. Argentine Security Secretary Sergio Berni has said he supports the Uruguayan model. In a radio interview, he said his "personal" opinion was that he "would agree if the whole chain was decriminalized, from production to consumption" and that "decriminalizing consumption is not effective enough."

Singapore Censors Marijuana Reform Website. Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA) has told the owners of a marijuana reform website to shut it down by Wednesday. The web site has been shut down, but the companion Singapore Cannabis Awareness Facebook page remains up. The website was found to be "objectionable" by the Central Narcotics Bureau because it "promotes or tends to promote the use of a prohibited substance." Activists in Singapore said they had temporarily unpublished the page "pending a total website review to ensure our website meets the Internet Code of Practice," but they vowed to be back.

Dutch Justice Minister Reiterates Opposition to Legal Marijuana Cultivation. Dutch Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten said Tuesday he remains opposed to legalizing and regulating marijuana cultivation, saying instead that he favored treating it as a crime and a nuisance. This after the mayors of three dozen Dutch cities signaled the want to experiment with legal production in a bid to solve the country's "back door problem," where cannabis cafes are allowed to sell small amounts of marijuana, but have no legal source of supply.

Marijuana legalization is dead in the Hawaii statehouse this year, but still kicking at the Oregon capitol, the annual Monitoring the Future survey is out, Uruguay's president chides the US and Europe on drug policy, and more. Let's get to it:

Uruguayan President Mujica has some advice for the US and Europe (wikimedia.org)

Hawaii Legalization Bill Killed, But Decrim Bill Still Lives. A bill that would have legalized marijuana in the Aloha State died in a state Senate committee Thursday, but a decriminalization bill still lives. Senate Bill 2733 was "deferred" in committee, or, as Sen. Will Espero, chair of the Public Safety Committee said in remarks reported by the Associated Press, "At this time, the legalization bill is dead." But a decriminalization bill, Senate Bill 2358, remains alive.

Oregon Bill to Put Legalization on November Ballot Advances. A bill that would put marijuana legalization to the voters in November advanced on a 3-2 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. Senate Bill 1556 must now pass the Senate Rules Committee before going to a Senate floor vote. Supporters said it would give the legislature more control than a legalization initiative sponsored by New Approach Oregon.

Maryland Bill Would Ban Cooperation With Feds on Marijuana Prohibition. A bipartisan group of legislators has introduced a bill that would refuse cooperation with federal marijuana prohibition laws. House Bill 1016 prohibits enforcement of any federal law or regulation prohibiting cannabis by any state agency, political subdivision of the state, or any agent or employee of the state or political subdivision of the state acting in their official capacity, or a corporation providing services to the state or political subdivision. The bill relies on the "anti-commandeering" doctrine that says states cannot be compelled to enforce federal laws. Click on the link for more.

Tennessee Poll Reveals Splits on Marijuana Policy. A Middle Tennessee State University poll has found that only 33% said it should be legalized, with 57% saying it shouldn't. But when that 57% was asked if adults should be allowed to have marijuana if prescribed by a doctor, nearly two-thirds of them said yes. When the one-third that said legalize is combined with the 36% that said medical was okay, that creates a strong majority at least for medical marijuana.

Medical Marijuana

Kansas Legislative Foes Snub Debate. Key legislators blocking the advance of medical marijuana bills added insult to injury Friday by failing to show up to an informal debate on the issue at the state capitol to which they had been invited. Sen. David Haley (D), author of Senate Bill 9, invited Senate President Susan Wagle (R) and Committee on Public Health and Welfare Chair Sen. Mary Pilcher-Clark to the event sponsored by Kansas for Change, but they were no-shows.

Guam Medical Marijuana Bill "Inorganic," Election Commission Says. The legal counsel for the Guam Election Commission said Thursday a pending medical marijuana bill violates the Organic Act that established democratic government in the US territory. At the request of legislators, Senate Bill 215 sponsor Sen. Tina Muna Barnes (D-Mangilao) amended her bill to have it approved by voters in a referendum, but the legal counsel said the Organic Act has no provision for such referenda.

New Hampshire Medical Marijuana Modification Bill Stalled. A bill that would expand the state's medical marijuana program to include several more diseases, but also limit the amount of marijuana patients could purchase in a month is on hold after key lawmakers said it needed more work. House Bill 1616 has some problematic provisions, including one that would criminalize patients for possessing their medicine in a motor vehicle unless it is in a locked container, legislators said. Lawmakers will continue to review it, they said.

Drug Use

Annual Monitoring the Future Teen Drug Use Study Released. The annual survey of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders was released Thursday. There's not a whole lot shocking in it. Illicit drug use is generally down slightly, except for marijuana, which is up slightly, although in "non-significant" amounts among 8th and 10th graders, and flat for 12th graders. The complete survey is at the link.

International

Uruguay's Mujica Says US, European Drug Policies Must Change. In an interview with Reuters Thursday, Uruguayan President Jose Mujica, whose country recently legalized marijuana commerce, said the US and Europe need to find a new strategy to deal with drugs. "The industrial societies are the ones that have to change," he said. "For a small country, it's possible to experiment with this, but it's also very possible for a developed country because of the resources it has. There are big markets, they have great buying power, and that is a big economic attraction. Until things change there, it will be very difficult to change elsewhere," said Mujica. "Any North American state is more important than Uruguay, in dimensions, in its economic force," he said. "But it's still a bit like a lady embarrassed to admit her natural sins and lying to herself. What we are doing is much more open."

UNODC Calls on Sri Lanka to Enact More Prohibitionist Laws to Stop Sea Smuggling. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Thursday called on Sri Lanka to enact mechanisms allowing it to prosecute those caught drug smuggling on the high seas. UNODC complained that without such a law, smugglers caught at sea off Sri Lanka are simply set free after their drugs are dumped into the ocean. The Sri Lankan government said it would have to consider the idea. [Ed: The thriving global drug trade and dim interdiction statistics demonstrate the futility of the approach that UNODC is calling for.]

Marijuana and medical marijuana dominate the drug policy news again today, the Maryland Senate votes to ban Everclear, meth and prescription pills continue to draw legislative attention, and Schapelle Corby will soon be freed from an Indonesian jail, and more. Let's get to it:

Schapelle Corby will soon walk out of an Indonesian jail.

New Mexico Senate Committee Considers Legalization Bill Today. The Senate Rules Committee was expected to consider a marijuana legalization bill today. The bill is Senate Joint Resolution 10, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque). It would create a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana, which, if approved by the legislature, would then have to be approved by voters in a referendum.

Arizona Legalization Bill Introduced.Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Phoenix) has introduced House Bill 2558, which would allow adults to use, possess, and cultivate small amounts of marijuana, and set up a system to tax and regulate marijuana commerce.

Oregon Bill Would Allow Gun License Despite Marijuana Conviction. Oregon law currently allow people with marijuana possession convictions to obtain a concealed hand gun permit, but a new bill, House Bill 4068 would expand that protection to include people busted in other states, and perhaps, people busted before 1973. The bill got a hearing Wednesday. It is supported by the Oregon State Sheriff's Association, which called it "an issue of fundamental fairness."

Joe Biden Reiterates Obama Administration Marijuana Policy. While the Obama administration thinks cracking down on marijuana is a waste of resources, it doesn't favor legalizing it, either, Vice President Biden told Time magazine Thursday. "I think the idea of focusing significant resources on interdicting or convicting people for smoking marijuana is a waste of our resources," Biden said. "That's different than [legalization.] Our policy for our administration is still not legalization, and that is and continues to be our policy."

Massachusetts Poll Has Slight Majority for Legalization. A new Suffolk University/Boston Herald poll has support for marijuana legalization in the Bay State at 53%, with 37% opposed and 10% undecided.

Medical Marijuana

Michigan High Court Rules for Medical Marijuana. In a bellwether case, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Thursday that cities and counties cannot pass ordinances that conflict with the state's five-year-old Medical Marihuana Act. The ruling came in Ter Beek v. the City of Wyoming. A number of cities had attempted to ban medical marijuana activities, but the ruling says they cannot do that, although they can regulate them.

Maine Medical Marijuana Bills Get Hearings. Medical marijuana bills are getting attention in Augusta. Legislative Document 1674, which would expand prohibitions on the use of pesticides in cultivation to include patients growing for themselves, got a hearing Thursday. Legislative Document 1597, which would give government officials access to any medical marijuana grow, is set for a hearing next Thursday. The industry group Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine thinks the latter bill is too broad. Legislative Document 1739 would create additional regulations and is set for a hearing next Tuesday. Click on the title link for more hearing information.

Florida CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Filed. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Shalimar) has filed a bill to allow for low-THC, high-CBD strains of marijuana to be used for medical purposes. The bill is House Bill 843.

Georgia CBD Medical Marijuana Bill Gets Hearing Monday. A bill that would allow the use of high-CBD cannabis oil for patients suffering from certain types of seizures will get a hearing Monday. House Bill 885, sponsored by Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon), will get a hearing at the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Hemp

President Obama Signs Farms Bill With Hemp Amendment. President Obama Friday signed into law the omnibus farm bill, which includes a hemp amendment allowing for research pilot projects in states that have approved them.

Hemp Bill Moving in Washington State. A bill that would authorize Washington State University to study the feasibility and value of a hemp industry in the state is on the move. House Bill 1888 passed out of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government & Information Technology Thursday and now heads for the Ways and Means Committee. The just-passed federal farm bill includes a provision allowing for hemp research in states that have approved it.

Alcohol

Maryland Senate Passes Ban on Everclear. The Maryland Senate this approved a bill that would ban the sale of any alcohol product at or above 190 proof, or 95% ethyl alcohol. The bill is Senate Bill 75, and supporters said the ban would cut down on binge drinking and date rape, but opponents called it a "feel good" move. Similar legislation has twice previously passed the Senate, only to die in the House, but this year it has the backing of Del. Charles Barkley (D-Montgomery), chair of the Economic Matters subcommittee on alcohol, which increases its chances of getting a floor vote.

Prescription Drugs

South Carolina Bill Would Increase Penalties for Pill Trafficking, Set Them By Pill Quantity. A bill backed by Lt. Gov Glenn McConnell (R) and aimed at what he called "a criminal cancer that will affect the health of seniors" would increase penalties for prescription drug trafficking and set penalties based on the number of pills seized -- not the weight of the drugs. Possession of 600 or more prescription pills would garner a mandatory minimum 15-year prison sentence. Senate Bill 1012 would also make having multiple prescriptions for the same drug evidence of possession with intent to distribute.

Methamphetamine

Michigan Bill Would Bar Drug Felons From Buying Pseudoephedrine. A bill that would bar people with felony drug convictions from purchasing products containing pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical for meth, got a hearing Wednesday in the House Criminal Justice Committee. House Bill 5088 was introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D-Marquette). Two related bills, House Bill 5089 and House Bill 5090 were also discussed. They address "smurfing."

Harm Reduction

Needle Exchange Reform Bill Moving in Maryland. The state Senate Thursday approved a bill to undo a restriction in existing state law that prevents injection drug users from picking up more clean needles at the Baltimore needle exchange than they turn in. The Senate approved Senate Bill 263 by an overwhelming 39-5 vote. The measure now heads to the House.

International

Schapelle Corby Wins Parole in Indonesia. Indonesian authorities announced Friday that Schapelle Corby, an Australian woman whose case made international headlines when she was convicted for smuggling nine pounds of marijuana into Bali in 2005, has been paroled. It's not clear yet when she will actually walk out of prison in Bali. She had been sentenced to 20 years in what many Australians considered a set-up.