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 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 […]

Ted Cruz has proven to be a formidable challenger in the GOP primary, with the latest national polls putting him in the top tier of candidates. With the presidency in mind, Texas Senator Ted Cruz has “evolved” on cannabis and flipped his position on marijuana legalization, now supporting the right of […]

Famed neurosurgeon, best-selling author, and former FOX News contributor Ben Carson announced in May that he would be running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. After catapulting to mainstream attention in 2013 by using his position as keynote speaker at the annual National Prayer Breakfast to rail against political correctness, […]

UPDATE: KATU pulls the historic commercial after intense media coverage.  The first marijuana business commercial to air on network television  in Portland, Oregon, will air this Wednesday. A commercial for the upcoming Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference (OMMBC) will be on during the evening news on KATU, the ABC affiliate […]

Last year, a member of the South African Parliament named Mario Oriani-Ambrosini proposed the Medical Innovation Bill. This law would legalize the commercial, industrial, and medical applications of dagga, the local term for cannabis. Mr. Oriani-Ambrosini died of cancer, but his bill lives on in the Parliament’s Health Committee, where […]

Despite Bernie Sanders’ surge, particularly in the first primary state of New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton remains the Democratic frontrunner and the odds-on favorite to be the next President of the United States. Thus, it remains extremely important that cannabis law reformers lobby Clinton to support sensible federal marijuana policies that […]

By all accounts, Carly Fiorina impressed many voters and pundits in the first (undercard) debate and has increased her standing among her primary competitors. Since she has moved up in the polls, the cannabis community needs to examine her record on marijuana policy. While she certainly remains a longshot for […]