Legalization of Marijuana

Medical marijuana dispensaries may be legitimate businesses but police in Denver say the facilities are luring criminals into the neighborhoods where the dispensaries operate.  

The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.comLimiting Medical Marijuana Dispensaries In San DiegoKPBSWe'll look at how the city of San Diego is planning to regulate these store fronts. Maureen Cavanaugh: It's been about three months since a series of police ...Medical pot dispensaries are debatedSan Diego Union TribuneMed Pot Task Force Presents Guidelines To City CouncilKGTV, 10News.comMarijuana Task Force To Make Its RecommendationsKPBSSan Diego Union...  

GNARLYDuuuuuude, Take 2: The controversy over medical marijuana dispensaries continues with our second story on the subject (Patrick Range MacDonald’s “Trutanich Probes Pot Backer Don Duncan,” Dec. 4) in two weeks, and let’s just say the comme...  

In a significant blow to medical marijuana caregivers in Los Angeles, the city council voted Tuesday to limit the number of allowed dispensaries to just 70, ultimately forcing hundreds of shops out of business. Almost 1,000 dispensaries operate in Los Angeles today. The drug was authorized for sale for medicinal purposes in 1996. The city council said on Tuesday 137 dispensaries would remain open for now, but it intends to reduce the...  

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday put off until January a vote on an ordinance aimed at regulating the hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries that have sprung up around the city.  

WHITTIER - The City Council on Tuesday night voted unanimously to impose a 45-day moratorium on any new medical marijuana dispensaries. Mayor Bob Henderson said  

Concerned with a proposal to restrict medical marijuana dispensaries within 1,000 feet of residential areas, the Los Angeles City Council today postponed voting the ordinance into law until next week Wednesday when they can examine maps of current legal facilities in relation to neighborhoods. That means issues revolving around collectives will likely be fully resolved in 2010. Yesterday, the group did finalize one aspect of the matter: the...  

LA City Council oks cap on medical marijuana dispensariesLos Angeles TimesMayor Antonio Villaraigosa had also urged the council to send him an ordinance that would put a firm limit on the number of dispensaries in Los Angeles. ...and more »  

(Mon, 07 Dec 2009) Badger Herald (U of WI, Madison, WI Edu)  

Over the counter sales of marijuana to licensed patients accounted for some $18 million in tax revenue last year, according to The Christian Science-Monitor, during a time when California is facing the greatest budgetary challenges in ...  

With new dispensaries opening daily across Colorado, the prime names are getting snapped up faster than the docs who are willing to prescribe medical marijuana. Now to worry, though; with this handy medical marijuana matrix, you ca...  

A new medical marijuana ordinance is not fully completed, but the Los Angeles City Council today did finalize at least one aspect of the new law: to limit the number of dispensaries or not, and if so, to how many. The cap is 70, but locations legally registered before a 2007 moratorium will be able to stay open, as long as they comply with location restrictions in the ordinance. It appears 137 will be eligible to stay open.  

Seeking to bring the city's medical marijuana dispensary boom under tight control, the Los Angeles City Council decided today to cap the total number at 70, but to allow those that originally registered with the city to remain open.  

OLATHE — Just three months ago, Olathe’s medical marijuana dispensary, THC with TLC, obtained a sales tax license for $20. That fee could increase radically — to $3,000 — under a proposed ordinance.  

Seeking to bring the city's medical marijuana dispensary boom under tight control, the Los Angeles City Council decided today to cap the total number at 70, but to allow those that originally registered with the city to remain open. Under the city's 2007 moratorium on new dispensaries, 186 registered with the city. Officials believe at least 137 of those remain open in their original locations. Under the motion adopted this afternoon, those...  

D.C. officials Wednesday said they would proceed cautiously if Congress lifts a federal roadblock to implementing a voter initiative approved more than a decade ago that called for legalizing medical marijuana. Congress is poised to pass an omnibus spending bill that will not include a rider known as the Barr Amendment, which has blocked the District from legalizing medical marijuana. The Barr Amendment has banned the city from funding...  

In a historic move, Congress is now poised to end the decade long ban on Washington, D.C. implementing the medical marijuana law District voters passed in 1998 with a 69 percent majority. Known as the Barr amendment, the provision has forbidden D.C. from extending legal protection to qualified medical marijuana patients.  

Los Angeles city authorities passed an ordinance restricting the number of medical marijuana dispensaries, which have grown to almost 1,000 since the drug was authorized for sale for medicinal purposes in 1996.The city council said on Tuesday 137 dispensaries would remain open for now, but it intends to reduce the number to no more than 70 over time.The council will also enact a series of new restrictions in the sale of marijuana, it said.  

Two owners of Castle Rock medical marijuana dispensaries fought for their livelihoods Monday as town officials considered revoking their business licenses.  

SOUTH EL MONTE – The City Council will vote Tuesday on an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in the city under certain conditions.  

Medical marijuana advocacy organization Americans for Safe Access will hold a press conference on Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. in front of City Hall in advance of the expected vote on regulating dispensaries in Los Angeles. The City Council has indicated they might meet in closed session to make the final deliberations on an ordinance that would regulate how and where medical marijuana dispensaries can operate in the city.  

Before Thursday the medical marijuana cooperative in Tipton — Earth Meds —  operated without regulation by Tulare County. It is one of four medical marijuana distribution outlets in the unincorporated areas of the county that must comply, for...  

Mike Aberle, an insurance agent with Statewide Insurance Services, proposed two years ago that his company set up a medical marijuana unit to serve dispensaries.What's a medical marijuana supplier to do when a worker is injured? Or when a burglar makes off with the pot? Increasingly, the answer is: Call the insurance company. Insurance firms are turning to one of the state's few growth industries, medical marijuana dispensaries...  

WHITTIER - A proposed moratorium on any more medical marijuana dispensaries and a discussion of ficus trees on Maybrook Avenue will be among the items on the 6:30 p.  

(Sat, 05 Dec 2009) Flathead Beacon, The (Kalispell, MT)  

La Jolla Community Planning Association trustees are sending a message to the City Council that the city's Medical Marijuana Task Force's proposed guidelines for siting dispensaries are too lenient.The board voted 9-2-1 last week to oppose proposed amendments to the city's municipal code, which were to be considered by the City Council on Tuesday.The recommendations, submitted to the City Council on Nov. 6, would not allow medical marijuana...  

Dr. Phil Leveque and Bonnie King discuss several questions about medical marijuana, that have been sent in by our viewers. Dr. Leveque talks about a growing amount of coverage on the connections between autism and the use of medical marijuana, a subject that has recently been seriously covered by both ABC and CBS News. The matter moved to the forefront in recent weeks, with a mother's declaration that medical marijuana was allowing her...  

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council will revisit a proposed medical marijuana ordinance that could shutter many of the dispensaries that have cropped up. Council members last month hammered out some guidelines for the ordinance that included capping the number of dispensaries between 70 and 200. They plan to review the ordinance again on Tuesday. The council also opted to allow cash reimbursement at those clinics. Los Angeles...  

(The Associated Press) The Los Angeles City Council will revisit a proposed medical marijuana ordinance that could shutter many of the dispensaries that have cropped up.Council members last month hammered out some guidelines for the ordinance that included capping the number of dispensaries between 70 and 200. They plan to review the ordinance again on Tuesday.  

The Denver City Council is considering an ordinance that required medical marijuana dispensaries to obtain business licenses. It's part of a proposal to regulate the dispensaries in Denver. As part of the ordinance, shops that sell marijuana-laced food products would have to follow health regulations. Owners would also have to undergo criminal background checks. Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown said he believes it's important to...  

The Denver City Council is considering an ordinance that required medical marijuana dispensaries to obtain business licenses. It's part of a proposal to regulate the dispensaries in Denver.  

(Thu, 03 Dec 2009) Citizen Telegram, The (CO)  

New Jersey, a small state hidden under New York City, appears ready to legalize medical marijuana. Maybe before the end of the year! About time. The West Coast is kicking the East Coast's ass at legal weed. According to NORML, the following states have medical marijuana laws in place already: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. You may...  

New York TimesAltered States: Reflecting on State Medical Marijuana LawsNew York TimesThey research relevant issues and then have a panel discussion about their own state's medicinal marijuana laws. Note to teachers: This lesson is about a ...and more »  

(Wed, 02 Dec 2009) Reporter, The (Fond du Lac, WI)  

Regarding retail sales of medical marijuana:Dispensaries are legal just like the Colorado Constitution says they are. Sale, distribution, and dispensing of medical marijuana are explicitly protected, legal activities. All patients and caregivers with legal registry ID may participate in the medical marijuana trade amongst themselves within legal limits. These are constitutional mandates.The constitution is specific: legal medical use is...  

(Wed, 02 Dec 2009) Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA)  

The Royal Oak Plan Commission on Tuesday will present a plan to city officials that would amend the city's zoning ordinance to treat medical marijuana growers as businesses, forcing dispensaries to operate out of general business districts rather than homes.  

Sydney Morning HeraldEditoral: Medical marijuana testimony worth hearingDelaware County Daily TimesThe debate over legalizing marijuana as a medicine arrived in Pennsylvania last Wednesday. The House Committee on Health and Human Services heard testimony ...John Forester: Medical use of marijuana just a smoke screenReading EagleMedical Marijuana Gets First Legislative Hearing in PennsylvaniaNewsLancSupport for Medical Marijuana– and Outright...  

In light of the recent growth spurt of medical marijuana dispensaries in Fort Collins, the City Council will vote on an ordinance that prevents potential dispensaries from obtaining operating permits for three months today. The ordinance, if passed, will take effect on Dec.  

QUOTE Medical marijuana ill-advised for Pa.By LANCASTER NEW ERA2009-12-07 09:15:00Intelligencer JournalLancaster New EraState lawmakers waded into uncharted waters last week with a committee hearing on legalizing the medical use of marijuana.Post your thoughts and comments about this article.  

Photo by Caveman 92223 via Flickr Here in Los Angeles the issue of legal medical marijuana dispensaries is still being debated by local leaders, as once again talks and decisions regarding our loop-hole laden laws have been postponed by the City Council. However, today in Riverside the Inland Empire Health and Wellness Center Medical Marijuana Collective, a non-profit organization, is opening its doors for the first time, according to...  

Standing outside Sunset Holistic, a medical-marijuana dispensary on Hollywood Blvd., short-order cook Steve Jones still remembers the day 20 years ago when his college roommate was arrested for possessing an ounce of cannabis. "Back then, marijuana was the evil ganja weed of 'Reefer Madness,' " says Mr. Jones. "Now they say it's medicine and you take it to heal.... What'll it be next, the corner ganjaria?"  

As more and more states legalize access to medical marijuana, institutions are sprouting up to teach cannabis cultivation. As more and more states relax medical marijuana laws, a budding industry is taking seed. Across the country, educational ...  

A debate about regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries spurred questions Tuesday night about whether dispensaries negatively affect a community’s character.  

Medical marijuana advocates released a poll Monday they said shows overwhelming support -- by a 2-to-1 margin -- for licensing and regulating cannabis dispensaries popping up across Colorado. The poll comes as lawmakers are drafting legislation to regulate the burgeoning industry, a response to legal developments that have left local governments and medical marijuana dispensaries seeking clarity.  

Some positive news came out of the L.A. City Council’s meeting Tuesday. No, they still haven’t passed an ordinance. However, councilmembers rejected the city attorney’s suggestion that, as nonprofit businesses, medical marijuana dispensaries should not be allowed to accept money. Such a policy could have had a crippling effect on medical marijuana in Los Angeles as most dispensaries would have been forced to close while those that defied the...  

As states loosen their medical marijuana laws, medical marijuana training institutions such as Med Grow Cannabis College of Southfield, Mich., are sprouting up, educating people about how to enter the cannabis industry the legal way.  

As more and more states relax medical marijuana laws, a budding industry is taking seed. Across the country, educational institutions dedicated to teaching the ins and outs of - legal - cannabis cultivation are taking root.  

The Los Angeles mayor declines to say what the cap should be, but says it should be a level that can be adequately monitored by city officials and the Police Department. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa urged the City Council on Wednesday to adopt a medical marijuana ordinance that would put a limit on the number of dispensaries.  

The hippest joint in town, Rumpspankers, is Oregon NORML's Cannabis Café set to kick off next Friday at exactly 4:20 p.m. The special cafe for members only is an innovative gathering place for the medical cannabis community, brought to fruition by Oregon NORML, the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws. Madeline Martinez, Executive Director of Oregon NORML, says this cafe will fill a void that so many patients feel in their lives.  

With a picture of Bob Marley, the patron saint of ganja, behind him, a straight-laced attorney from Eagle County on Wednesday advised hundreds of county commissioners they’d be better off zoning than banning marijuana dispensaries.That’s the best...  

Authorities may have seized jars and bags filled with medical marijuana from two Lake Forest dispensaries, but it was the businesses' financial records they were really seeking, records and interviews show. Investigators searched for and seized...  

DENVER, CO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/01/09 -- Coloradans for Medical Marijuana Regulation, a coalition of medical marijuana patients and providers supporting responsible regulation of medical marijuana, today released a statewide poll illustrating that Colorado voters overwhelmingly favor regulating state-licensed dispensaries to serve persons who are suffering from debilitating medical conditions. By a margin of two-to-one,read more  

Times OnlinePortland's Cannabis Cafe is not the first medical marijuana coffee shop in AmericaExaminer.comOn Friday the 13th NORML announced the opening, in Portland, of the first medical marijuana coffee shop in America. Since then this unforgivable error has ...First marijuana coffee shop opens in AmericaTelegraph.co.ukSoaking up the atmosphere at America's first 'Cannabis Café'Times Onlineall 34 news articles »  

On Tuesday a San Diego jury acquitted the manager of a medical marijuana dispensary whom District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis accused of breaking state law by operating a for-profit cannabis business. Jovan Jackson, manager of the Answerdam Alternative Care Collective, was busted in September during a local sweep of 14 dispensaries that resulted in 31 arrests. The case against him, the first of this batch to go to trial, was...  

latinoseguridadMultiple sclerosis sucks—just ask Tim Timmons. For 22 years, the Garland man had chronic muscle spasms and couldn't get to sleep. Check that—he had these problems until he discovered a different kind of chronic. Marijuana isn't legal in Texas, of course, but Timmons did what he thought he had to do. He began self-medicating with pot. Because he doesn't want the green getting him in trouble with the boys in blue, Timmons is now...  

Photo by Julie Wolfson/LAist Also file this under "Only in L.A," where medical marijuana is in abundance--around 1,000 dispensaries by unofficial count. This canister, still with some weed left in it, was spotted by a kid--what's "kush?" she asked her mother--at Beverly and La Brea over the weekend. The area is ripe with dispensaries.  

INDIAN HARBOR BEACH, FL -- (Marketwire) -- 12/01/09 -- Health Sciences Group, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: HESG) would like to announce that: 1. It has had positive feedback from Medical Marijuana, Inc. (MJNA) about the expansion and revenue producing areas allowed within the United States pertaining to marijuana collectives versus marijuana dispensaries. read more  

(Wed, 25 Nov 2009) Canon City Daily Record (US CO)  

(Tue, 24 Nov 2009) USA Today (US)  

In a report on how Colorado's booming medical marijuana industry is creating a "so called gold rush" for media companies that are accepting advertising from the dispensaries, KUNC's Bente Birkeland says "no newspaper has embraced the industry more than Westword." The Denver alt-weekly "is covered with pages and pages of medical marijuana ads for green docs, natural remedies and alternative healing," KUNC notes. But Poynter's Al Tompkins says...  

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_13897915 Medical marijuana advocates released a poll Monday they said shows overwhelming support — by a 2-to-1 margin — for licensing and regulating cannabis dispensaries popping up across Colorado. The poll comes as lawmakers are drafting legislation to regulate the burgeoning industry, a response to legal developments that have left local governments and medical marijuana dispensaries seeking...  

Fort Collins has issued 21 sales tax licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries since last week's decision by the City Council to not immediately impose a moratorium on issuing such licenses.  

Medical marijuana laws are having an odd effect on many employers: They're dazed and confused about their obligations to workers who use pot for health reasons. Employment lawyers say employers are unsure about how far they have to go to accommodate medical marijuana users....  

Although there have been heated discussions in recent months, the Craig City Council’s final vote Tuesday on an ordinance regulating medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits was relatively calm and quick. The council approved the ordinance, 6-1, at its regular meeting Tuesday  

Thirteen states have legalized medical marijuana so far. Could Pennsylvania be added to the list? The state held its first-ever public hearing on the topic in Harrisburg today.  

KATUFirst-Ever Cannabis Cafe to Open in Portland for Medical Marijuana PatientsSalem-News.ComThe hippest joint in town, Rumpspankers, is Oregon NORML's Cannabis Café set to kick off next Friday at exactly 4:20 pm The special cafe for members only is ...Medical marijuana school teaches growingUnited Press InternationalUniversity Teaches People To Grow PotKPTV.comSecond Oregon medical marijuana lounge to openKMTR NewsSource 16Willamette Week...  

Michigan's legalization of medical marijuana this year has spawned a huge interest in the growing medical marijuana for profit. The growing of medical marijuana could bring in millions of dollars to the state of Michigan in tax revenue.Contributor: Denise NuttallPublished: Dec 04, 2009  

The city of Fresno is preparing for a new round of legal action against medical marijuana dispensaries that are defying a judge's order to shut down. The city attorney's office thinks one or two clinics are still operating despite last month's temporary injunction.  

The Aurora City Council on Monday night agreed to a six-month moratorium on medical-marijuana dispensaries, joining other municipalities across the state that are developing similar guidelines.  

Photo by Caveman 92223 via Flickr Today in their regular meeting the LA City Council "will consider provisions to a proposed medical marijuana ordinance they have struggled with for two years," according to CBS2. In a vote postponed from last week, the Council will discuss how to handle the city's many dispensaries. "Among the possibilities are capping the number of dispensaries and creating a tax that could help boost the city's...  

Dispensaries are sprouting all over California since the Obama administration declared it would not challenge state laws. In San Jose, at least three medical marijuana dispensaries are open for business and others are in the works '” even though city officials say they are not currently legal.  

The City Council in Sand City tonight is expected to consider a temporary ban on medical marijuana dispensaries after a Monterey man proposed opening a facility. Currently, there are no such shops in Sand City, and Mayor David Pendergrass says he wants to keep it that way.  

We intended, with the passage of the marijuana law that the federal government not be allowed to dictate the use of any plant that needs no chemical to be active and healing.We also intended that the local government keep regulation to a minimum, using existing laws ie; zoning, safety , etc'. More than that are not necessary. It is a plant for cryin' out loud, not a meth lab. Existing law can embrace the inclusion of marijuana dispensaries as...  

LOL! Can't wait for this to come full circle. The same people who used to get arrested for selling ILLEGAL marijuana are now going to be arrested for selling UNTAXED marijuana. And probably face a stiffer punishment.(And btw TL, it's "Doobie" as in brothers.)  

The medicinal marijuana debate continues to rage. This paper argues why the legalization of marijuana should be up for referendum in the 37 states that do not currently recognize the medicinal value of marijuana.Contributor: The Unarmed ProphetPublished: Dec 04, 2009  

At most colleges, marijuana is very much an extracurricular matter. But at Med Grow Cannabis College, marijuana is the curriculum: the history, the horticulture and the legal how-to’s of Michigan’s new medical marijuana program.  

Sheriff Adam Christianson said recently that anyone seeking to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Stanislaus County will attract the attention of law enforcement. "Do I support medical marijuana dispensaries in my jurisdiction? Absolutely not."  

A look at the momentum building for the use of medical marijuana and what the economic benefits of ending the prohibition on cannabis all together could have for the country.Contributor: Robert J. Mast Jr.Published: Dec 01, 2009  

[JURIST] Voters in Maine on Tuesday approved an expansion [proposed legislation, PDF] of the state's existing medical marijuana laws by a 59 to 41 percent margin [Bangor Daily News report], with 87 percent of precincts reporting. The proposed legislation, Question 5 on the Maine ballot, will allow for increased access to medical marijuana through dispensaries, and will increase the number of  

HELENA – Registered caregiver Chris Williams was making deliveries to medical marijuana patients recently when he was pulled over by a law enforcement officer. Williams knew he had bags of marijuana in his vehicle, and that he was perfectly legal, but he still got a knot in his stomach when the officer asked to search the car.  

Owners of dispensaries around Colorado have been scrambling to expand their services -- adding everything from housekeeping to lawn-mowing -- in an effort to conform to a recent court ruling that has modified the crucial definition of the "caregiver."... From Boulder Weekly.  

MADISON Supporters of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes say the time is right to change the law in Wisconsin. Two Democratic state lawmakers announced on Monday that a bill they are co-sponsoring to legalize medical marijuana will be the subject of a public hearing on Dec. 15. Sen. Jon Erpenbach of Waunakee says he thinks there is enough support to get it passed. He and Assembly co-sponsor Rep. Mark Pocan of Madison were joined by...  

Re: “State can tax medical pot,” Nov. 17 news story. The governor’s office released a statement that the state will tax medical marijuana dispensaries. The Denver Post reported that spokesman Evan Dreyer said we need to tax this industry because “what we have now is chaos.” I must point out that the program is not chaos. It [...]  

Dispensaries in Los Angeles could continue to accept cash for medical marijuana under a provision approved by the City Council on Tuesday, after it adopted language carefully crafted to maneuver past the city attorney's adamant position that state law bars the sale of the drug. Plowing through more than 50 proposed changes to its draft medical marijuana ordinance, the council also signaled that it would probably cap the total number of...  

Voters in Maine disappointed liberals and civil libertarians last night with a vote to repeal the state's legalization of gay marriage, but they also approved something that should make those civil libertarians happy: a provision that will allow for state-approved medical marijuana dispensaries.The medical marijuana provision passed somewhat resoundingly: 58.6 percent to 41.4 percent, as of this morning, with 93 percent of precincts reporting...  

There's a new battle over medical marijuana in Colorado. The city of Centennial is being sued by medical marijuana patients after the city closed a marijuana dispensary last month. The city decided to close CannaMart, a dispensary that sold pot to people with medical approval, after passing a ban on dispensaries within city limits. Other cities, including Dillon, have also banned dispensaries.  

As the City Council tries to regulate the medical marijuana dispensaries and collectives popping up all over the city, Long Beach Police will continue to enforce the laws regarding illegal pot smoking. Under former President Bush, federal agents went after such stores because all marijuana is illegal at the federal level—even though California voters approved a proposition in 1996 allowing cannabis  

The New Jersey Senate has approved a bill legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The legislation will now head to the state Assembly, which is expected to pass it, and then on to the governor's desk. The outgoing Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine has indicated he would sign the measure if it reaches him before he steps down in January, the Wall Street Journal reported. The state's next governor, Republican Chris Christie, might...  

Grand Junction, in Mesa County, Colorado, is considering this ordinance banning new medical marijuana dispensaries for 12 months. It provides penalties -- anyone who holds themselves out as a primary caregiver for the purpose of acquiring, possessing, producing or transporting medical marijuana or paraphernalia, without having a sales tax license is committing a misdemeanor. No new sales tax licenses will be granted for 12 months. Businesses...  

Medical marijuana's growth in Colorado has led many towns to put moratoriums on new dispensaries. Now one Summit County town is ready to ban them permanently. Officials in the town of Dillon plan to propose an ordinance next week to ban businesses that don't follow federal laws. That would seemingly prevent medical marijuana dispensaries.  

PORTLAND, Oregon -- A cafe in Portland is the first in the state, and among the first in the nation, to allow patrons to smoke marijuana inside. The Cannabis Cafe will only be open to diners with a medical marijuana card.  Draperies will be put over the windows to keep in line with Oregon law, requiring medical marijuana be consumed in private. The owners of the Cannabis Cafe have run into some controversy in the past, when the site was used...  

If Taos resident Tumi Madappa appeals an order by the Second Judicial District in Albuquerque, New Mexico may soon have case law addressing whether or not medical marijuana patients may purchase their marijuana on the black market if there aren’t enough licensed producers providing access to the drug. Madappa, who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, became [...]  

As Los Angeles fumbles around with the latest proposed medical marijuana ordinance, the Long Beach City Council is set to examine its own tomorrow. If passed, the law would limit where dispensaries may be located, hours of operation, how it can be distributed and records of every member, according to the Long Beach Press Telegram. Still, it's not as strict as it could be since cities do reserve the right to ban collectives outright or...  

| At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a "vaporizer" - a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green weed, and the cafe serves up meals and snacks for the hungry.  

SACRAMENTO - There's a lot of debate surrounding medical marijuana. Local dispensaries sell it to customers who have a prescription from a doctor. Now one cannabis club called "Canna Care," is turning to the airwaves to get their message out.  

DENVER | Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. on Tuesday directed the state's medical-marijuana dispensaries to pay sales tax and obtain retail-sales licenses, bringing the once-taboo product closer to mainstream respectability. Colorado is now the second state, behind California, to tax and regulate medical-marijuana sales, a move that comes on the heels of the Obama administration's decision in October to leave enforcement of laws governing medical...  

“Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter plans to direct medical marijuana dispensaries to start paying sales tax. Ritter’s move comes after Colorado Attorney General John Suthers concluded in an opinion issued Monday that medical marijuana is considered personal property that can be taxed and shouldn’t be treated like prescription drugs, which are tax exempt. Ritter spokesman Evan [...]  

DENVER — Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter plans to direct medical marijuana dispensaries to start paying sales tax. Ritter's move comes after Colorado Attorney John Suthers concluded in an opinion issued Monday that medical marijuana is considered personal property that can be taxed and shouldn't be treated like prescription drugs, which are tax exempt. Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer says the administration will immediately tell dispensaries...  

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_13843171 The top cop in a California town that has become a poster child for a well-intentioned medical-marijuana law gone wrong has some advice for Colorado legislators. "Make your laws as clear as you can, so that your executive and judicial branches of government can do their jobs as they are intended to," said Randy Mendosa, chief of police in Arcata, Calif. The northern California town of 17...  

ANAHEIM - Three billboards located within a block of Magnolia High school for a network of medical marijuana dispensaries will be removed and replaced by public service announcements, officials with a billboard company said today. The billboards were...  

It's nice to hear a COP calling for the straight legalization of Marijuana, it starts with those who enforce the laws recognizing wasted time and effort as well as money. Have you considered simply not ticketing those in possesion? This wold be an amazing first step towards legalization were it widely practiced among law enforcement.  

Maine is now the third state to legalize medical marijuana dispensaries. In a landmark vote, Maine voters today approved Question 5, making the state the third in the country to license nonprofit organizations to provide medical marijuana to qualified patients and the first ever to do so by a vote of the people. ...Under the measure, the state will license nonprofit organizations to provide medical marijuana to qualified patients and set...  

As of two days ago, medical marijuana dispensaries planning to set up legally under state law will, for the next four and a half months, be illegal if they set up shop in the unincorporated areas of Delta County. The Board of County Commissioners on Monday adopted an emergency resolution placing a temporary moratorium on establishment of the dispensary facilities.  

As city council members in Los Angeles pressed ahead with a new ordinance that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell the drug in the city, the country district attorney pledged to continue prosecuting those same dispensaries.  

Between Greeley and Evans there is a little town named Garden City that seems poised to live up to its name. The Greeley Tribune writes that Greeley and Evans have nixed the idea of medical marijuana dispensaries, but tiny Garden City might step up to the plate in an effort to generate some revenue. It would be [...]  

By Allen St. Pierre   With cannabis legalization becoming such a widespread political and social issue ever since gold-medal machine Michael Phelps’s outing and the election of our first self-proclaimed and unabashed cannabis consumer as president (“I inhaled frequently. That was the point!”), no soothsaying was necessary to predict that the shrillest and most rabid anti-cannabis-law-reform voices would eventually chime in with their familiar...  

Riding on the wave of President Obama’s memo to end DEA interference in states’ medical marijuana laws and an unprecedented response from the media, Oregon NORML’s Cannabis Café opens at 4:20pm on November 13, 2009 at Rumpspankers, 700 NE Dekum St, Portland, OR 97211.      A special preview of the café and press conference will be held at 2:00pm. This will be the only time that anyone from the public will be allowed inside. All media …More  

WHITTIER - After the city was flooded with up to 50 inquiries about opening up medical marijuana dispensaries along Byron Road, Mayor Bob Henderson late Tuesday called for a moratorium on such businesses.  

Every day you hear different stories about the fate of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in LA.:  From the city is banning them outright, to the courts upholding that dispensaries can operate in the absence of guidelines from the city council.  But one thing is for sure.  The dispensaries and access are under heavy attack. I’ve written about [...]  

PORTLAND, Ore. — At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a ``vaporizer'' — a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green...  

'Not a change' in policy 'at all,' US attorney says Operators of medical marijuana dispensaries in California are quickly learning that, contrary to recent news headlines, federal raids of medical marijuana clubs aren't going to stop -- an assertion the US attorney for northern California is unequivocally making. Numerous news sources reported in February that the Obama [...]  

The vagueness of the state's medical marijuana law, coupled with the federal government's enforcement practices, have left a pair of San Luis Valley towns looking for answers. Wednesday Alamosa passed a moratorium on the licensing of medical marijuana dispensaries for 180 days, and Monte Vista will see a similar measure on its agenda next month.  

In a landmark vote, Maine voters today approved Question 5, making the state the third in the country to license nonprofit organizations to provide medical marijuana to qualified patients and the first ever to do so by a vote of the people. With 49 percent of the vote tallied, the measure was cruising to an easy win with 60.2 percent voting “yes” and 39.8 percent voting “no.”  

... weren’t pot-friendly enough, now there’s a new option for “higher” learning in Detroit, which is taking steps to revive their sad economy with the new Med Grow Cannabis College ... patchouli and planting some seeds might be the way to go ...  

At most colleges, marijuana is very much an extracurricular matter. But at Med Grow Cannabis College, marijuana is the curriculum: the history, the horticulture and the legal how-to's of Michigan's new medical marijuana program."This state needs jobs, and we think medical marijuana can stimulate the state economy with hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars," said Nick Tennant, the 24-year-old founder of the college, which is actually a...  

November 24, 2009 -- PORTLAND, Ore. -- At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a "vaporizer" -- a contraption with a big plastic bag that...  

TRINIDAD - While health and law enforcement officials throughout the nation are looking for ways to regulate medical marijuana, City Council has voted for an ordinance that prohibits the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits.  

At most colleges, marijuana is an extracurricular matter. But at Med Grow Cannabis College, marijuana is the curriculum: the history, the horticulture and the legal how-to's of Michigan's new medical-marijuana program.  

Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said today he will prosecute dispensaries that sell medical marijuana even if the Los Angeles City Council adopts an ordinance that does not ban such sales.  

(Sun, 15 Nov 2009) Herald, The (Everett, WA)  

Trinidad's city council has given preliminary approval to an ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries inside city limits. City Manager Jim Soltis says the council unanimously approved the ordinance on its first reading Monday. A final vote is set Nov. 17. Mayor Pro-Tem Liz Aragon says state law is too vague on regulating dispensaries and that allowing them in Trinidad would conflict with federal laws outlawing distribution of a...  

Medical pot for sale in Cherry Creek North? That’s what Denver Council member Charlie Brown told me this week as I talked to him for a Perspective piece on medical marijuana. (”A heady debate on Medical Pot,” will appear Sunday in the Post’s Perspective section) Brown, who is leading the city’s charge on regulating medical marijuana dispensaries, [...]  

RED BLUFF — The Red Bluff City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to table an ordinance that would have banned medical marijuana dispensaries, collectives, cooperatives and cultivation within city limits.  

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cannabis Science Inc. (OTCBB: CBIS) an emerging pharmaceutical cannabis company is very pleased to announce that has added four prominent attorneys, who specialized in marijuana-related cases, to its Policy Advisory Board, as medical marijuana legalization moves closer with President Obama’s New Medical Marijuana Policies and initiatives. Cannabis Science Inc., President & CEO, Dr. Robert Melamede Ph.D...  

PORTLAND – At the Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a “vaporizer” – a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried weed, and the cafe serves up ...  

Madeline Martinez, right, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, talks with a patron at the Cannabis Cafe Tuesday Nov. 17, 2009, in Portland, Ore. The patrons of the Cannabis Cafe are people with Oregon medical marijuana cards. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)  

Gov. Bill Ritter will direct medical marijuana dispensaries to start paying sales tax following an opinion from Colorado Attorney John Suthers that medical marijuana is subject to state and local taxes.  

Solano County's temporary ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas will expire Friday after the Board of Supervisors failed to agree on a new extension.The board on Tuesday voted 3-2 to extend the moratorium for 22 months and 15 days, but a four-fifths  

"Often, the less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it." ~ Mark TwainTwain's wisdom came to mind as I read a recent article by new Dispatch columnist John Larson (another new club member; welcome!) about medical marijuana dispensaries.Near as I can tell, Larson supports in theory patient access to medical marijuana, but opposes in practice "putting (a medical marijuana dispensary) in Gilroy."That's a...  

Just read a interesting story on 'MSNBC.com', titled, 'Colo. governor: Let's tax medical marijuana'. Colorado Governor Bill Ritter plans to direct medical marijuana dispensaries to start paying sales tax. State's attorney general rules that product is not exempt from taxes. Also, Senator Chris Romer, D-Denver, told the Denverpost.com, "I'm pleased we now can get some revenue from the sale of a constitutionally authorized medical product...  

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter plans to direct medical marijuana dispensaries to start paying sales tax.Ritter's move comes after Colorado Attorney John Suthers concluded in an opinion issued Monday that medical marijuana is considered personal property that can....  

A moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries is up for debate in Pueblo. Residents are set to tell the city council on Monday night what they think about a proposed 90-day freeze on licensing medical marijuana dispensaries while Pueblo officials determine how to regulate them. Other municipalities across Colorado have implemented moratoriums on having dispensaries while they decide on rules. Last week, the town of Silverthorne decided to...  

After a four hour hearing last night, the Boulder Planning Board unanimously decided not to recommend a ban or moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries to the city council. City planners recommended a four-month moratorium while new regulations or a ban are considered. That's the route many other Colorado towns have taken. But after hearing more than two hours of testimony -- none of it from neighbors or business owners concerned about...  

The Superior Court judge's decision undermines the city's 4-month-old drive to shut down hundreds of the stores. Los Angeles' ban on new medical marijuana dispensaries is invalid, a Superior Court judge said Monday in a decision that undermines the city's 4-month-old drive to shut down hundreds of the stores.  

If you've been confused about the latest news on medical marijuana dispensaries in LA, here is a summary of the week's busy goings-on in that arena. On Monday, a Superior Court judge ruled that LA's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries had been extended illegally. On Thursday, Councilman Greig Smith sent a related ordinance proposal straight to the council (bypassing the usual hearing in the Public Safety Committee). This is the...  

Legal: Group has had inquiries from people in Washington state | PORTLAND – At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a “vaporizer” – a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green weed, and the cafe serves up meals and snacks for the hungry.  

At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a "vaporizer" -- a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green weed, and the cafe serves up meals and snacks for the hungry.  

Is the medical marijuana dispensary business really booming? John Suthers, the Attorney General in Colorado says it is. He's looking for ways to regulate it. Some municipalities are putting "freezes" on new applications while they try to develop standards and rules. [More...] For the past several months, I've been getting an average of two calls a day from people who want advice on how to open a dispensary. Some days I get five. Since I'm a...  

http://www.gazette.com/articles/pot-89322-colorado-suppliers.html Colorado is gearing up to officially tax and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries, a move lawmakers say amounts to legal recognition of a growing industry. The state Attorney General John Suthers concluded in an opinion issued Monday that medical marijuana is considered personal property that can be taxed and shouldn't be treated like prescription drugs, which are tax...  

SANTA CRUZ Planning Commission to consider medical marijuana rules The Santa Cruz Planning Commission will consider new rules governing medical marijuana dispensaries on Thursday after continuing the discussion from a previous meeting.  

By Simi Lampert The subject of medical cannabis is a controversial topic spanning the political, judicial, social, and moral domains. The stigma associated with this Schedule I drug is only one of many factors which complicate honest discussion of marijuana's medicinal benefits versus its potential for harm.  

After months during which New Mexico’s single non-profit producer of medical marijuana was unable to keep a consistent supply of medical cannabis, Department of Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil announced Monday that the state is licensing an additional four producers, enough, the department hopes, to supply the state's nearly 800 active medical cannabis patients.  

Dozens of cities across Colorado have been trying to get a handle on the growing number of medical marijuana dispensaries. Some communities have halted the growth altogether as they try to plan for more the marijuana facilities.  

A judge ruled Monday that the city of Los Angeles' ban on new medical marijuana dispensaries was illegal, a decision cheered by vendors but one that city and county officials said would not stop their push to close down shady operators.  

With the Obama administration's decision last month to soften the federal stance on medical marijuana, the Cannabis Cafe and a lounge popped up, bringing a little bit of pot-friendly Amsterdam to a working-class corner of Portland.  

Persuasive Research Paper: Medical Marijuana Thesis: Medicinal marijuana needs to be legalized because it is overall less harmful to the human anatomy than prescription medicine, therefore it should be legalized and regulated in the ...  

The dope game has changed. Since the recent federal decision not to prosecute legal users or providers of medical marijuana, states are scrambling to figure out their new role. According to the Washington Post, the Department of Justice will not focus on those who comply...  

Portland, Ore. -- At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a "vaporizer" -- a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green weed ...  

Speaking of evolving positions on medical marijuana, it looks like the DEA has stopped telling the public "the American Medical Association recommends that marijuana remain a Schedule I controlled substance," a legal category that signifies a high potential for abuse, a lack of medical utility, and a lack of safety even under medical supervision. That statement was still on the DEA's website (under the heading "Exposing...  

Medical MarijuanaPhoto ©Getty Images President Obama has changed the policy that allows federal prosecutors to pursue those who sell and use medical marijuana, when the state laws permit. At present, only 14 U. S. states have legalized the medical use of marijuana - which means you need a prescription for it, and access to a pharmacy certified to dispense it. This does not relax the laws governing recreational use of pot, so don't...  

On Tuesday I noted that the Drug Enforcement Administration, apparently in response to an emailing campaign organized by Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), had removed from one of its webpages the claim that "the American Medical Association recommends that marijuana remain a Schedule I controlled substance." That statement is no longer correct, since the AMA last week approved a resolution saying marijuana's...  

Following close on the heels of the Obama Administration’s memo that put the policy change regarding medical marijuana into writing, a Superior Court judge ruled that Los Angeles’ ban on new medical marijuana dispensaries is invalid.   The L.A. moratorium on dispensaries was originally adopted in August 2007 with the intention of curbing the influx of dispensaries opening in the city. However, Monday’s ruling concluded “that the city had...  

The medical marijuana dispensary battle wages on picking up where it left off a couple of weeks ago. Today, the LA Times announced that The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients (a local advocacy group) and Americans for Safe Access (a national organization) may be planning to sue city if the City Council passes the ordinance banning the sale of medical marijuana. So it's game on for City Attorney Carmen Trutanich who spearheaded the anti...  

Tobacco is the liver of the plant world. It draws up everything nasty that's in the soil. This includes naturally occurring (unlike the stuff the Russians gave Litvinenko) Polonium-210. This is why smokers get 3-5 times the annual radiation dose as non-smokers.  

Members also signal that they may cap dispensaries to between 70 and 200. The council plows through 50 proposed changes to its medical marijuana ordinance. Dispensaries in Los Angeles could continue to accept cash for medical marijuana under a provision approved by the City Council on Tuesday, after it adopted language carefully crafted to maneuver past...  

PORTLAND, Ore. - At first glance, the Cannabis Cafe, in a former adult club called Rumpspankers, looks like any other coffee shop. Customers sip coffee while playing cards, working on computers, or sharing a meal.  

Medical marijuana supporters want a judge to block a change in state regulations limiting who can supply the drug to patients. The state health board this week narrowed the definition in reaction to a recent state court decision. That ruling says caregivers must have personal contact with clients and do more for their welfare than simply supply the drug. Lawyers representing a medical marijuana patient and a caregiver say the health board didn...  

PORTLAND, Maine -- Voters approved a referendum making Maine the fifth state to allow retail pot dispensaries, but medical marijuana advocates say it won’t become like California, where hundreds of marijuana shops have popped up and come under critical scrutiny.  

Re: “Clouds hang over pot issue,” Oct. 22 news story. State Sen. Chris Romer plans to introduce a medical-marijuana bill because he is “alarmed” at the growing number of medical marijuana patients and dispensaries. Sen. Romer, before adding more government bureaucracy and regulations to hinder willing producers from providing a product to willing consumers, please tell [...]  

The Associated PressMedical marijuana finds social outlet in Ore. cafeThe Associated PressPORTLAND, Ore. — At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a "vaporizer" — a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures ...and more »  

Most of them hate gay people, but they like pot: Voters approved a referendum making Maine the fifth state to allow retail pot dispensaries, but medical marijuana advocates say it won't become like California, where hundreds of marijuana shops have popped up and come under critical scrutiny. California, Colorado, New Mexico and Rhode Island allow for places where medical marijuana patients can legally buy pot. Maine voters gave their approval...  

Every day you hear different stories about the fate of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in LA.:  From the city is banning them outright, to the courts upholding that dispensaries can operate in the absence of guidelines from the city council.  But one thing is for sure.  The dispensaries and access are under heavy attack. I’ve written about [...]  

Earlier this week, the Obama administration released a memo stating that prosecution of medical marijuana dispensaries and caregivers "is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resources." This is, in effect, a weakened federal version of the "lowest law enforcement priority" statutes adopted in some U.S. cities. While a more strongly-worded memorandum would be ideal (there are far too many loopholes in this one), this will...  

New legislation from the Obama government is urging American prosecutors to crack down on violent marijuana dealing circles, rather than reprimanding those who legally buy and sell the drug. Fourteen states in America have legalized the selling and smoking of medicinal marijuana, which is where the new policy will be enforced. According to My Way News, two Justice Department officials say [...]  

Weeding out illegitimate medical marijuana dispensaries is a job for the cops, not the City Council. Editorial: Weeding out illegitimate medical marijuana dispensaries is a job for the cops, not the City Council.  

Colorado Springs leaps into reefer madness by effectively outlawing medical marijuana dispensaries, despite a state law that allows for medical marijuana and the leadership in other cities suggesting that the shops can be regulated.  

Congratulations Mainers. Yesterday the Maine Medical Marijuana Act – Question 5 – passed with an estimated 60% of the vote (all precincts have not yet reported). The act expands Maine’s existing medical marijuana law, which originally passed in 1999.   Basically, the initiative will make it easier for patients to get access to their medicine by creating state licensed, non-profit dispensaries (like legislatures okayed in Rhode Island and New...  

Lawyers representing a medical marijuana patient and a caregiver say the health board didn't give enough notice that it was considering the change. One of them, Robert Corry, said he learned about it in an e-mail from the board Monday afternoon.  

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_13699959 Denver City Council members Charlie Brown and Chris Nevitt are polar opposites on how much regulation the burgeoning medical marijuana industry should face. Nevitt doesn't understand why Brown is pushing for more regulation. Brown can't understand why Nevitt doesn't support requiring marijuana dispensaries to apply for a license similar to what establishments serving liquor must seek. But...  

As the New Mexico De partment of Health scrambles to provide enough medical marijuana to meet the demand of its nearly 800 cannabis patients statewide, some of those patients are getting acquainted with the supposed limitations of the law firsthand.  

(Mon, 09 Nov 2009) Gainesville Sun, The (FL)  

INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH, Fla., Nov. 11, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Health Sciences Group, Inc. (Pink Sheets:HESG) would like to announce that in addition to finalizing a consulting agreement with Medical Marijuana, Inc. in its pursuit to enter the Medical Marijuana business it has also contacted several law firms in California and Colorado for purposes of licensing requirements for dispensaries.  

Yesterday was a big day for medical marijuana in Colorado when a Denver District Court judge tossed last week's ruling by the State Board of Health changing the definition of "primary caregiver." Today, the reactions come in. Here are a few: Aurora Sentinel Editorial: Stop Playing Games with Medical Marijuana Westword: Brian Vicente on victory in hearing to void Board of Health's medical-marijuana ruling Aspen Daily News: Dispensaries...  

Tamar Lewin reports for the New York Times on the spread of cannabis culture to higher education in Michigan: SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — At most colleges, marijuana is very much an extracurricular matter. But at Med Grow Cannabis College, marijuana is the curriculum: the history, the horticulture and the legal how-to’s of Michigan’s new medical marijuana program. “This state needs jobs, and we think medical marijuana can stimulate the state economy...  

Re: “A smell of money; Pot dispensaries thriving despite authorities’ discomfort with the idea,” Oct. 30 Page 1 story. Your article stated that “Mainstream doctors question the efficacy of medical marijuana.” They do? What about the mainstream doctors who have worked with their chronically ill and/or chronic pain patients for years and then recommend medical cannabis? Are [...]  

Is medical marijuana cultivation a nascent growth industry for jobs in Michigan? Since last fall, when voters overwhelmingly approved a measure legalizing the use and cultivation of the plant for medical purposes, the state has seen a proliferation of growing-equipment stores, publications, physicians and even a new college devoted to cashing in on medical weed.  

In the past week or so, the issue of medical marijuana has gone up in smoke in Colorado, with legislation and discussions surrounding the drug and the dispensaries that sell it. On Tuesday, the state Board of Health repealed its former definition of who can sell medical marijuana.  

WHITTIER - Mayor Bob Henderson has called for a moratorium on allowing any more medical marijuana dispensaries in order to give the city time to consider distance requirements.  

With the Orchard City Town Board ready to consider a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries, officials learned last week that an “herbal dispensary” in Eckert has been established as a limited liability corporation since July. Orchard City Mayor Don Suppes said he did not know about Grand Mesa Herbal Dispensary LLC on Nov. 4 when he announced his plans to propose a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries in town.  

Weeding out illegitimate medical marijuana dispensaries is a job for the cops, not the City Council. For-profit medical marijuana dispensers beware: The city of Los Angeles is focusing its finest legal and political minds on putting you out of business. And if you want to see what happens when you run afoul of this crack team of nuisance abaters, just...  

  Jon Gettman is a long time contributor to HIGH TIMES. A former National Director of NORML, Jon has a Ph.D. in public policy and regional economic development and consults with attorneys, advocates, and non-profits on cannabis related research and public policy issues. On October 8, 2002, along with a coalition of organizations, he filed a new petition to have cannabis rescheduled under federal law. This column will track that petition's...  

In the few places that allow storefront dispensaries, entrepreneurs are adopting nonprofit business models to cope with legal gray areas Medical cannabis - Drugs - Business - Health - Illegal  

Don't expect to pull an all-nighter at Med Grow Cannabis College. A worker at a cannabis dispensary packages medicinal marijuana in this file photo. As states loosen their medical marijuana laws, institutions are looking to educate potential ...  

Christine Harrington smokes marijuana. Her husband grows it for her at their Crawford County home, about 35 miles south of La Crosse. But she doesn’t consider herself or her husband to be criminals. She says she smokes it because it eases the ...  

In a significant departure from prior policies, the federal government will no longer prosecute people in possession of marijuana as long as they are in compliance with state medical marijuana laws.  

Robert Allen wants to bring medical marijuana to Amador County, but even if he gets county supervisors to lift the moratorium on pot dispensaries, he said he'll find it difficult to rent a storefront. So Allen said he might go mobile.  

The Washington Post reports on growing support for marijuana legalization. The shift is widely described as generational. A Gallup poll in October found 44 percent of Americans favor full legalization of marijuana — a rise of 13 points since 2000. Gallup said that if public support continues growing at a rate of 1 to 2 percent [...]  

From the NORML Blog: California state lawmakers are scheduled to hear testimony tomorrow in support of taxing and regulating the commercial production and distribution of marijuana for adults age 21 and older. Members of the California Assembly Committee on Public Safety have called for the hearing, entitled "Examining the Fiscal and Legal Implication of the Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana." The hearing will be chaired by...  

A city-wide crackdown on marijuana dispensaries launched by City Attorney Nuch Trutanich has ensnared an unusual political figure in its net. Craig X. Rubin, a well known marijuana advocate who ran for Mayor of Los Angeles in March of 2009, was arrested recently for his cannabis activism.Rubin, who has appeared on the television series "Weeds", has led an activist lifestyle for cannabis for many years while working full-time as a pastor at The...  

A Gallup poll in October found 44 percent of Americans favor full legalization of marijuana -- a rise of 13 points since 2000 -- and a 53 percent majority support legalization in the West. "This issue is breaking out in a remarkably rapid way now," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance.  

4:20 PM. Friday the 13th. The opening of Portland's first private pot cafe. When I checked out a Cannabis Cafe organizational meeting two weeks ago, the cafe owners and leaders of marijuana advocacy group Oregon NORML weren't sure if they could pull off all the legal and technical legwork needed to open the cafe on time. Though no medical marijuana will actually be sold at the cafe (it's a BYOP establishment), plans involved installing odor...  

The Summit County commissioners have imposed a 120-day moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas. It's the latest local government to call a time out so it can figure out how to regulate the business. Colorado voters approved medical marijuana in 2000, but local governments can control where the dispensaries can open. The Summit County commissioners approved a moratorium this week. A half-dozen other counties and...  

Oh, boy. College today sure is different than when I went to school. Case in point: Med Grow Cannabis College, a school in Michigan that teaches students on how to grow medical marijuana (legalized there by a referendum in 2008). Med Grow opened Sept. 14. Students pay $475 for a six-week night-school course that includes classes [...]  

At the newly opened Cannabis Cafe, people sit around taking tokes from a “vaporizer” —7 a contraption with a big plastic bag that captures the potent vapours of heated marijuana. Glass jars hold donations of dried, milky-green weed, and the cafe serves up meals and snacks for the hungry.  

Cannabis Science Inc., best known for its research and development in the medical uses of marijuana, has announced that Dr. Ben Johnson, Dr. Allan Shackleford, and Dr. William Courtney, have all accepted membership on the company’s recently formed Scientific Advisory Board. Already serving on the board are Dr. Mitch Earlywine, Ph.D. and Dr. Ritchard Fishman, [...]  

SALEM, Ore. — The right of Oregonians to use marijuana for medical reasons and also to obtain concealed handgun permits is being challenged by local sheriffs who say federal law prevents those people from packing heat.  

Great news for civil liberties: The same day they rejected a gay marriage ballot measure, residents of Maine voted overwhelmingly to allow the sale of medical marijuana over the counter at state-licensed dispensaries. … The shift is widely described as generational. A Gallup poll in October found 44 percent of Americans favor full legalization of marijuana — a [...]  

OPB is picking up the topic this morning of the new pot cafe opening on Northeast Dekum. The cafe, organized by marijuana advocacy group Oregon NORML, plans to open its doors at 4:20 pm on November 13th and will be only open to medical marijuana cardholders who also pay a club membership fee. Organizers say the cafe will give cardholders somewhere "safe and sane to medicate" out of public view. Check out my article about the cafe in this week...