“We have some preliminary data showing that for certain medical conditions and symptoms, that marijuana can be helpful,” United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told CBS last February “I think that we have to use that data to drive policymaking.” Murthy isn’t the first Surgeon General to express reasonable comments on drug policy […]

Treating drug use as a crime clearly hasn’t worked for the United States. Just as alcohol prohibition enriched Al Capone and other gangsters, the Drug War has enriched cartels and other criminal organizations. Prohibitionist policies have increased the potency of drugs and tax-exempt profits of outlaws. Of course, the War […]

From the tales of murderous madness to offensive racism to the “this is brain on drugs” frying pan, prohibitionist propaganda has done more harm than good. At worst, such propaganda has created unnecessary fear and helped lead to unnecessarily draconian penalties. In many cases, the message is so ridiculous on […]

Buoyed by a recent poll showing a ten point lead over Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator is making his case for the nomination in his stronghold of New Hampshire. Helped by a geographical proximity and a primary voting process that has a strong independent vote, Sanders has long led […]

After a landmark case before Mexico’s Supreme Court, four Mexican residents have now been granted permits to cultivate, possess and consume cannabis. More people have already applied for permits and more court cases may be on the horizon. Cannabis law reform advocates hope that the initial court case victory, the […]

Iowa’s GOP senior Senator Chuck Grassley is stifling cannabis reform. His inaction as head of the Senate Judiciary Committee is all that is needed to stop the CARERS Act. The historic, bipartisan Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act is Senate legislation that would reschedule cannabis off its current […]

Bernie Sanders’ supporters, including many in the cannabis community, did all that they could to make the Vermont Senator TIME Person of the Year as he clearly won the online vote, but the magazine’s editors have decided to go a different route. While Sanders will fail to become the first […]

With less than 3 days left to vote, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders leads the TIME Person of the Year Poll, ahead of political rivals Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Sanders has far exceeded expectations in the 2016 Democratic primary and has helped dramatically improve how American political candidates discuss marijuana […]

We are certainly living in the Golden Age of Drug War reform. After too many decades of ill-fated prohibitionist policies and so-called “tough on crime” laws, more people across the United States and the globe are understanding the need to be “smart” on drug policy, instead of implementing “tough” measures […]

Hip hop artist Killer Mike’s passionate introduction of Bernie Sanders before a raucous crowd in Atlanta, Georgia, has made the waves on social media with many progressives touting his inspiring speech. While many political pundits may discount the importance of an endorsement from a rapper named Killer Mike, the support could […]

The key drug war country of Colombia is legalizing cannabis for medical use. Colombia’s history and American drug war involvement and coercion make this a gigantic change. The new Colombian move adds to quickening world wide momentum to remove cannabis from the war on drugs, as country after country rethinks […]

I’m on my way to the Drug Policy Alliance’s biennial International Reform Conference in Washington DC. I’ll bring you daily diaries here on MarijuanaPolitics.com, social media highlights @RadicalRuss on Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, and Facebook, and live coverage on CannabisRadio.com. The Drug Policy Alliance Conference is notable for its broad scope […]

An anticipated ruling by the Mexican Supreme Court lays the foundation for the country to implement cannabis legalization. The 4-1 court decision didn’t end cannabis prohibition immediately, but it opens the door for future lawsuits and action to eventually legalize marijuana. Many advocates in the United States have wondered whether […]

Bernie Sanders continued his support for sensible Drug War reforms by introducing a bill that would effectively end federal marijuana prohibition, treating cannabis similar to alcohol. Throughout the Democratic primary, Sanders has continued to unveil a progressive cannabis policy platform. The Vermont Senator has stated that the Drug War is […]

Hillary Clinton has talked a pretty good talk on criminal justice reform during the 2016 Democratic primary, but she disappointed many cannabis law reform advocates by refusing to endorse marijuana legalization. Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, has long enjoyed the support of many cannabis law reformers and the insurgent […]