The Oregon Department of Agriculture has been dragging its feet on issuing hemp production licences for several years now, so maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that the department just announced that it would stop issuing new licenses to Oregon farmers. Senate Bill 676 legalized the […]

Oregon’s marijuana laws and regulations are undergoing rapid change, making it hard to keep up, even for the most astute, attentive observer. It is part of my job to stay up-to-date on the latest developments, so I know first-hand how difficult it is. I also know that I’m not alone […]

While South Africa’s parliament continues to struggle with whether to legalize dagga (marijuana) or just allow medical marijuana use, the rest of the African continent continues to produce and use cannabis at rates that rival North America. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) in its […]

The internet is abuzz with the word that the prestigious National Cancer Institute (NCI) has announced, through its website at cancer.gov, that the active ingredients in cannabis resin may be effective in killing cancer cells. The site’s FAQ page now includes a sampling of preclinical data listing some of the […]

Recently, I had heard from a friend that owns an Oregon medical cannabis dispensary, that there was a cart driving around Portland, Oregon, offering “free” marijuana while charging for waterproof containers. My dispensary-owning friend wasn’t exactly happy about the fact that his state-licensed business must pay a $4,000 fee to […]

Less than a month after coming out of the cannabis closet, I found myself a part of the world’s largest annual gathering centered around cannabis: Seattle Hempfest. After several years of working as a local news reporter and anchor and hiding my cannabis use at all costs, I was suddenly […]

Seattle Hempfest was my first-ever cannabis related event after getting fired as a local news anchor for using marijuana. I was the victim of cannabigotry and after coming out with my story, I was invited to speak about my experience on a panel among some pretty impressive people.  The panel […]

Back on May 3rd, I asked, “Will Bernie Sanders Become the Cannabis Candidate?” As regular readers of Marijuana Politics can certainly tell, we are big fans of the Vermont Senator and mainstream presidential candidate, praising his position on cannabis issues and the greater Drug War in post after post. Media […]

Nearly two years after former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the “Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act” that would allow the sale and possession of medical marijuana, and just two months before the state reportedly plans on allowing dispensaries to open, the Illinois Department of Agriculture has finally […]

The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the odor from marijuana smoke is not a “physically offensive” smell, like the smell of “rotten eggs or raw sewage”, tossing the convictions of a Philomath man found guilty of three counts of misdemeanor second-degree criminal mischief. The case centered on Jared William […]

The Oregon Health Authority has released the first draft of the rules to implement Senate Bill 460’s limited retail sales of cannabis for adult-use beginning on October 1st. According to the initial draft of the rules, all existing medical marijuana dispensaries will have the option to sell limited marijuana retail […]

Colorado today launched a new anti-pot campaign aimed at the state’s youth. Coming after a $2 million 2014 youth prevention campaign called “Don’t Be A Lab Rat” was heavily criticized for its Reefer Madness-style scaremongering, the new version has a softer, more positive vibe, focusing on fresh-faced teenagers doing teenagery […]

Full disclosure right off the bat: I have been friends with Chelsea and Joseph Hopkins, the owners of the Greener Side in Eugene, for a couple of years now and have found them to be two of the best people you will meet anywhere. They are kind, compassionate and truly […]

The Oregon cannabis community was rocked when The Oregonian’s Noelle Crombie released her in-depth report on the lack of standards regarding the testing of marijuana products in Oregon. Crombie, who regularly reports on all things cannabis was noticeably absent from the scene for a bit, causing many to wonder what […]

Bernie Sanders isn’t done talking about criminal justice reform — in fact, he’s merely getting started. The presidential contender continues to rise in the polls and sensible Drug War reforms will only increase his standing with the Democratic base. Appearing at a campaign rally in Nevada on Tuesday, the Vermont […]