The Virginia House of Delegates approved a bill to decriminalize marijuana on Monday, and the Senate is expected to pass similar legislation later this week. The House-passed proposal would make simple possession a civil penalty punishable by a maximum $25 fine. Current policy stipulates that a first offense is punishable by a maximum $500 fine […]
A cannabis decriminalization bill has been introduced in Tennessee. In addition to the statewide reforms, the legislation would allow counties to legalize cannabis for adult use. The measure would broadly decriminalize possession by adults up to one-half ounce. See the original article at Ganjapreneur
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a historic bill on Monday to decriminalize the possession of cannabis. In 30 days, New Yorkers will no longer need to worry about getting picked up on the street for small time pot possession. Even better; an estimated 600,000 state residents could now be eligible for the expungement of […]
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris are introducing legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level and repair “the damage done by the war on drugs” as cannabis reform gains steam in Congress. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or the MORE Act, would remove marijuana from […]
Tommy Chong remembers the day federal agents raided his glass pipe business, making arrests and smashing bongs along the way. The 2003 raids, infamously known as Operation Pipe Dream, targeted 54 other individuals in a desperate attempt by the United States government to strike fear into marijuana smokers across the country. Chong became the face […]
I have an American Eskimo Dog who LOVES to eat sticks. I’ve tried all sorts of things to discourage this behavior, but it continues nonetheless. The removal of some dead trees this fall left behind some tasty morsels which we did our best to rake up, but whenever the wind blows or the squirrels get […]
Opening the door for what could be a lucrative and controversial new industry on some Native American reservations, the Justice Department on Thursday will tell U.S. attorneys to not prevent tribes from growing or selling marijuana on the sovereign lands, even in states that ban the practice. The new guidance, released in a memorandum, will […]
Santa Fe, a city of some 70,000 residents about 60 miles northeast of Albuquerque, is the latest U.S. city to take steps towards decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana. This week , lawmakers in the New Mexico capital voted to change local statutes rather than put the issue to a public ballot in November. The Santa Fe […]
The District of Columbia decriminalization law that replaces criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana with a $25 civil fine goes into effect today, July 17, 2014. Here is what you need to know about the Marijuana Possession Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2014: It Is No Longer A Crime To: Possess one ounce or […]
Organizers for Initiative 71, a measure that would fully legalize possession of marijuana in the District, plan to announce this week that they are closing in on 60,000 signatures — a comfortable buffer over the 22,600 needed to ensure the measure qualifies for the November ballot. The city already has medical marijuana dispensaries and is […]
Democratic lawmakers in Delaware have introduced a bill that would decriminalize possession of a small amount of marijuana, following the lead of nearly 20 U.S. states that have moved to loosen laws surrounding non-medical use of the drug. The bill would exempt from prosecution adults 21 and older who possess marijuana for their own personal […]
The Jamaica government is being urged to enact legislation that would decriminalize marijuana as well as establish a medical marijuana industry. The Cannabis Commercial (CC) and Medicinal Research Task Force (MR Task Force) said Jamaica would significantly benefit from a regulates medical marijuana industry. The CC & MR Task Force, which organized a three-day meeting […]
Efforts to legalize marijuana in the District of Columbia received a boost today with the Drug Policy Alliance hiring Dr. Malik Burnett as a full time organizer for the district. Burnett is a graduate of Duke University who believes “our Nation’s drug policies are out of step with the current scientific understanding of drugs, which […]
In the best-case scenario for pro-pot campaigners, there could be two initiatives on Oklahoma’s November ballot: One that would allow medical marijuana and another that would comprehensively dismantle current cannabis policies. Local marijuana reform advocates hope their state will live up to its nickname – the Sooner State – by becoming the first U.S. jurisdiction […]
Bermuda’s independent Cannabis Reform Collaborative (CRC) issued “An Analysis of Cannabis Reform in Bermuda”, recommending that the island nation should “decriminalize personal possession and personal cultivation immediately,” and “develop a phased approach to cannabis reform”. Previous independent review panels have recommended cannabis legalization, but the CRC appears to be the first to propose a specific […]
Maryland takes a big step forward in marijuana reform and ends criminal penalties for cannabis users caught with less than a quarter-ounce. This weekend the House voted 78-55 to decriminalize possession of 10 grams or less. The Senate gave final approval to the legislation Monday afternoon and Maryland Gov. Mike O’Malley announced that he would sign the […]
District of Columbia Mayor, Vincent Gray, has approved the decriminalization of possession of up to an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana in the US capital. The measure must still get final approval through the US House of Representatives. Congress has 60 days to review the law. If the decriminalization law gets House approval, marijuana possession will be […]
Marijuana decriminalization bills advanced this week in both Maryland and New Hampshire. If approved, both states will reduce the penalty for possession of small amounts of cannabis to a civil offense. Read Full Story On http://www.alternet.org