Legislation adopted this year to remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession in Maryland will go into effect on Wednesday. Maryland joins 17 other states and the District of Columbia that have decriminalized or legalized marijuana possession. Senate Bill 364 makes possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana a civil offense punishable by a fine of up to $100 for a first offense, up to $250 for a second offense, and up to $500 for subsequent offenses. Third-time offenders and individuals under…

According to WSHU.org, New York’s health department is asking permission from the federal government to import out-of-state medical marijuana until its own program is able complete the regulatory process. The program requires the health department to establish rules and license marijuana production companies. The health department, however, says that it will take until 2016 to get the program started. [caption id="attachment_8141" align="alignright" width="300"] Gov. Andrew Cuomo[/caption] Until…

According to Kentucky.com, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes — whose tight race against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is receiving national media attention — said it is “worthwhile” for elected officials to discuss the prospect of making marijuana legal in the state of Kentucky. [caption id="attachment_8135" align="alignright" width="250"] Alison Lundergan Grimes[/caption] “I would want to the have the discussion, and I think that it’s worthwhile to bring the experts…

The Alaska Dispatch News reports that a group of more than two-dozen concerned parents from across Alaska have formed a coalition in support of Ballot Measure 2, the statewide initiative on the November ballot to regulate marijuana like alcohol. They believe that regulating marijuana like alcohol will be a more effective means of keeping it out of the hands of their children, noting that marijuana prohibition has failed to prevent teens from accessing marijuana, and illegal dealers are not limiting…

ABC Nightline News reported: When Jane West and her friends get together, the laughter rolls, trays of food and stories are passed around. But instead of splitting bottles of wine, these women like to unwind with artisanal marijuana. In fact, these mothers with young children are regular marijuana users who are “unapologetic about getting high.” Moreover, some, including West, have made it their mission to make the use of marijuana as socially acceptable as having a glass of wine or a cocktail. “If…

The Associated Press reported that Pennsylvania state senators approved legislation yesterday that, if enacted, would make several forms of medical marijuana legal, including extracted oil, edible products, and ointments and tinctures, to patients with debilitating medical conditions. According to the proposal, Pennsylvania residents would need an access card from the health department upon proving a practitioner-patient relationship and written confirmation of a qualifying medical condition. However,…

According to Vox, just before U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder reported his resignation from the Justice Department, he stated in an interview with Yahoo News that it’s time to reconsider whether marijuana should be a Schedule I substance treated similarly to heroin. [caption id="attachment_8123" align="alignright" width="220"] Eric Holder[/caption] “I think it’s certainly a question that we need to ask ourselves—whether or not marijuana is as serious a drug as in heroin,” Holder said. “The question…

The Marijuana Policy Project filed a committee with the California Secretary of State’s Office today to support a 2016 statewide ballot initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use. The new committee, the Marijuana Policy Project of California, will start raising funds immediately to help place a measure on the ballot. According to a statement from MPP Executive Director Rob Kampia: [caption id="attachment_8113" align="alignright" width="150"] Rob Kampia[/caption] “A diverse coalition…

Managing a medical marijuana operation could potentially cost each grower more than $125,000 a year in fees, a sum so exorbitant some officials believe it may affect small and newly developing marijuana businesses. According to The Baltimore Sun, Maryland’s medical marijuana commission has proposed for such a fee to be imposed on each of the 15 potential growers envisaged for the state’s new program. The commission has also proposed a yearly $40,000 charge for dispensaries. These steep license fees,…

The Chicago Tribune reported that Mayor Rahm Emanuel called on the General Assembly to replace criminal penalties with civil penalties for the possession of marijuana statewide at a state legislative hearing today. During the 90 minutes of testimony before the House-Senate Joint Criminal Reform Committee in Chicago, the mayor urged lawmakers to challenge the “assumptions that are embedded in the criminal justice system” and argued that reducing the penalties for minor drug possession would allow…