Legalize It

Marijuana is legal in Portland, Maine starting today (sort of)

By William Breathes on December 6, 2013 Follow that story, Legalize It, News

Hey there pot smoker! By chance, do you live in Portland, Maine and have up to 2.5 ounces of pot on your possession right now? You do? Well guess what, that’s legal.
Thanks to a whopping 67 percent vote back on November 5, the entire city has legalized the possession of limited amounts of pot for adults over 21. Smoking it in public is still illegal though, as is selling it, growing it, distributing it, importing it and even smoking it in their apartments is illegal if your landlords are uncool about it.

Jamaican health minister supports medical cannabis use

By William Breathes on November 27, 2013 Global, Legalize It, Medical, News

While he hasn’t come around completely on recreational cannabis use, Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Jamaican Minister of Health, says medical cannabis should be legalized in his country.
“Jamaica can’t lock off itself from the rest of the world or the research findings that are available, that is pointing to a significant number of elicits that medical marijuana is responding to, so I want that to be very, very clear, that when it comes to medical marijuana, I am fully on board,” he tells the Jamaica Observer.

82 percent of Floridians support medical marijuana, 48 percent for recreational use

By William Breathes on November 22, 2013 Legalize It, Medical, News

TokeoftheTown.com

Smoke it if you’ve got a recommendation. That’s what the vast majority of Floridians say about marijuana. A new Quinnipiac poll shows that 82 percent of Floridians support the use of medical marijuana.
But only 48 percent support decriminalization of small amounts of pot for recreational use, which, hey, is still almost 50 percent. Miami New Times has the rest of the story.

Maine lawmakers decide on fate of legalization proposal today

By William Breathes on November 21, 2013 Legalize It, News

The Maine Legislative Council today will vote on whether or not to allow a measure to be introduced in the coming session that would legalize the possession, cultivation and use of limited amounts of cannabis for adults 21 and up.
Portland Rep. Diane Russell, who introduced the bill and who’s city voted to legalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis earlier this month, says she’s hopeful the measure will move forward.

Ohio spends $500k on marijuana flyovers while heroin and prescription pills ravage cities

By William Breathes on November 12, 2013 Legalize It, News, Say what?

Ohio police spent $500,000 last year arresting a whopping 27 people for marijuana cultivation under the state’s flyover marijuana eradication program. That’s more than $18,500 per person and in total they only destroyed 20,747 plants – down nearly 64,000 plants from just two years before.
Sound like a waste to you, too?

Ireland marijuana legalization measure defeated

By William Breathes on November 7, 2013 Global, Legalize It, News

A measure that would have legalized cannabis use, possession and cultivation in Ireland was defeated handily yesterday, shot down with a 111 to 8 vote in the Dáil, Ireland’s lower house of representatives.
According to RTÉ News, the cannabis bill was allowed some debate but it seems most of the rhetoric was from stuffy politicians with no real idea what cannabis is or does. Even the health minister pulled out the often-debunked “cannabis causes schizophrenia” myth.

Three Michigan cities legalize limited cannabis possession

By William Breathes on November 6, 2013 Legalize It, News

Michigan capitol.

Update 11/06/2013: Voters in Lansing, Jackson and Ferndale, Michigan all legalized the possession and use of up to an ounce of cannabis on private property yesterday. Jackson voters passed their measure by more than 800 votes, and roughly 63 percent of Lansing voters approved their measure.
Supporters say the move will force the legislature to approve a similar statewide measure during the upcoming legislative session.

Colorado passes 25 percent statewide recreational marijuana tax

By William Breathes on November 6, 2013 Follow that story, Legalize It

Votes are still being counted, but the suspense when it comes to the two biggest measures on ballots statewide is over — if there was ever any at all. The Denver Post has made the call on Proposition AA, the marijuana tax measure, and Amendment 66, an education proposal, with the former winning handily (the count is 64.6 percent yeah to 35.3 percent nay with 55 percent of the vote counted at this writing) and the latter getting crushed (66.1 percent “no” to 33.8 percent “yes,” also with 55 percent reporting). Denver Westword has the full story.

Colorado could have more than 100 recreational marijuana stores by 2014

By William Breathes on November 5, 2013 Follow that story, Legalize It, News

Denver, Colorado.

Come January 1, there could be as many as 100 recreational marijuana shops open to consumers.
According to statistics released by the state Marijuana Enforcement Division, 136 current medical marijuana dispensaries have applied to switch over to recreational cannabis stores. The division also saw 28 applications from edibles makers and 174 applications for independent grow operations. All of the October applications are expected to be finished by the MED before the New Year.

Inside the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Denver, part two

By William Breathes on November 1, 2013 Follow that story, Global, Legalize It

Photos and more below.

Editor’s note: This is part two of correspondent Shannon Brandt’s reports about the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Denver last week. To read part one, click here.
A logo is often regarded as a condensed, compressed, symbolic summoning-up of everything that a big entity means to represent in everyday life. In most cases, the logo can even be seen as the most visible sign of the collective intelligence seething and rattling away behind it. Denver Westword has the full coverage.

Browsing: Legalize It