Search Results for: medical marijuana

The US prides itself on being a nation built on freedom, justice, and individual rights. And yet the evolution of its system of mass incarceration — a system that cannot be defined without reference to shocking racial disparities — seems to directly contradict these founding principles. The US prison population dwarfs those of nearly every other [...]

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The Oregon Senate passed House Bill 4002 by a vote of 21-8 Friday, which recriminalizes certain drug possession charges that Oregon voters voted to decriminalize in 2020. Under the bill, individuals charged with possession of small amounts of drugs like methamphetamine or fentanyl will face misdemeanor charges that can result in jail time. Additionally, the [...]

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A series of documents from US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officials published on Friday made public the agency’s recommendation that cannabis be reclassified to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would allow cannabis to be prescribed by medical professionals. The grounds for the rescheduling recommendation, said officials in a formal [...]

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A coalition of cannabis companies in Massachusetts filed a suit Thursday challenging the federal prohibition on marijuana as it applies to individual states. The suit, filed in a Massachusetts district court, names US Attorney General Merrick Garland as its sole defendant. The companies contend that the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which prohibits the cultivation, manufacturing, [...]

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German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach Wednesday unveiled plans for the legalization of cannabis for recreational use in keeping with an election promise made by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Lauterbach presented the Federal Government’s key issues paper, including key regulations: (1) the minimum age limit for sale and purchase shall be 18 years of age; (2) the acquisition [...]

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The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit Wednesday rejected a request from a group of medical marijuana supporters to block a provision in Nebraska’s constitution that establishes a signature requirement for ballot initiatives. The group, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), is a registered ballot campaign committee in Nebraska that initiated petitions to put [...]

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California’s 1996 ballot initiative protecting medical marijuana users from state criminal prosecution kicked off the modern marijuana reform era in the United States. In part due to federal prohibition, state medical marijuana laws prompted an array of interesting and intricate legal questions. Some issues concerned the reach of federal law after state reforms. Could doctors [...]

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Mississippi’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state by an overwhelming 103-13 vote. Earlier this year, the state Senate passed the bill with a 46-4 vote. The voting margins in both chambers are considered “veto-proof,” enough to override a governor’s veto should Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves refuse [...]

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The South Dakota Supreme Court Wednesday ruled that a state constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana is unconstitutional. In 2020, South Dakota voters passed a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana for qualifying patients. They also passed a constitutional amendment, Amendment A, to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for individuals 21 years or older. Following the [...]

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Costa Rica’s legislative assembly on Tuesday passed the Cannabis and Hemp Production for Medical Purposes Law. The marijuana law is now pending Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado’s approval. According to Costa Rica’s research, marijuana and hemp production is currently legal in over 21 countries, where more than 1000 million people report using the drug. Of [...]

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