Colorado Offers Window Into MMJ Industry

At Leela European Cafe, a quirky, 24-hour coffee shop and bar in the heart of downtown, a bartender was quick with her thoughts on Colorado’s experience with the legal sale of medical marijuana. “It’s really easy to get,” said Cara Wanek, 25, who says she uses it to calm her anxiety, boost her appetite and […]

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DECRIMINALIZE MORE THAN JUST POT, EXPERTS URGE

The personal use of illegal drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, should be decriminalized as part of a federal-provincial strategy to tackle drug abuse, a B.C.-based national coalition of drug policy experts argue. In a report to be released Thursday, the coalition denounces the Harper government’s aggressive war on drugs, which puts the emphasis on […]

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Marijuana Tied To Better Blood Sugar Control

People who had used marijuana in the past month had smaller waists and lower levels of insulin resistance – a diabetes precursor – than those who never tried the drug, in a new study. The findings, based on surveys and blood tests of about 4,700 U.S. adults, aren’t enough to prove marijuana keeps users thin […]

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How To Legalize Pot

THE first time I talked to Mark Kleiman, a drug policy expert at U.C.L.A., was in 2002, and he explained why legalization of marijuana was a bad idea.  Sure, he said, the government should remove penalties for possession, use and cultivation of small amounts. He did not favor making outlaws of people for enjoying a […]

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The Cannabis Is Out Of The Bag

This week, the Colorado General Assembly put the finishing touches on legislation aimed at taxing and regulating the commercial distribution of marijuana for recreational use.  The process has been haunted by the fear that the federal government will try to quash this momentous experiment in pharmacological tolerance — a fear magnified by the Obama administration’s […]

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Sharp Limits on L.A. MMJ Businesses Approved

A ballot measure to sharply limit the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the Los Angeles was approved by voters Tuesday night. The measure won with 62% of the vote, according to the latest results. Proposition D would reduce the number of pot shops in the city from about 700 now to about 130 by […]

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How Much Will a Legal Marijuana Habit Cost You?

If you’re an average pot smoker in Colorado—paying average prices for average-quality marijuana—you can expect to spend around $ 650 on weed next year. A study conducted by the Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University aimed to get to the bottom of how much the state can expect to collect in tax revenues now […]

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Americas Coalition Suggests MJ Laws Be Relaxed

A comprehensive report on drug policy in the Americas released Friday by a consortium of nations suggests that the legalization of marijuana, but not other illicit drugs, be considered among a range of ideas to reassess how the drug war is carried out. The report, released by the Organization of American States walked a careful […]

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Is Marijuana Booming Among Boomers?

Like many of her peers, Zoe Helene, 48, smoked marijuana in her early 20s but gave it up as her career in the digital world took off in the 1990s. Today the multidisciplinary artist and environmental activist lives in Amherst, Mass., and is building a global network of trailblazers called Cosmic Sister. Since she married […]

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Illinois Senate Approves Medical Marijuana Bill

The Senate today approved legislation that would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to patients with serious illnesses, sending the measure to Gov. Pat Quinn. The issue pitted supporters arguing for compassion for those suffering from pain they say only cannabis can ease against opponents who contend the legislation would undermine public safety. Sponsoring Sen. […]

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