Gov. Andrew Cuomo has had three-and-a-half years to weigh in on New York’s medical marijuana legislation. Instead, he first opposed medical marijuana outright. Then, this January, he proposed an unworkable distraction. Now, with only three days left until the legislature adjourns, the governor is demanding dozens of revisions to the Compassionate Care Act — including at least one poison pill. Please call Gov. Cuomo’s office now at (518) 474-8390 to tell him it’s time to stop stalling. Let him know…

The Board of Water Works of Pueblo County, Colorado is meeting later today to discuss two resolutions that would supply treated water to the county to grow marijuana within the city limits, the Pueblo Chieftain reports. The resolutions are an attempt to work within current law that forbids the use of public water, such as that from the county’s Lake Pueblo, from being used to grow marijuana. They would also allow for the sale of water from the water board’s direct flow rights in Pueblo Dam while…

Groups hoping to lessen the penalties for the possession of small amounts of marijuana have filed petitions in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, The New Mexico Telegram reports. Current New Mexico law allows for a $50 fine and up to 15 days imprisonment for a first offense. Additional offenses can amount to a $500 fine and up to 90 days in prison. The petitions would lower the fine to only $25 for less than one ounce of marijuana and completely eliminate incarceration for first-time offenders. This current…

The Jamaican government announced Thursday that it is rethinking its marijuana policies, reports the Sacramento Bee. Justice Minister Mark Golding and the Cabinet are supporting legislation being drafted that would decriminalize possession of under two ounces of marijuana. In addition, a bill that would provide a path for those convicted under the current system of laws to having their criminal records expunged is in the works. Debate regarding the loosening of marijuana laws in Jamaica has been…

Colorado is preparing to begin the largest state-funded study on the benefits of medical marijuana, The Denver Post reports. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill that will distribute about $9 Million in grants to researchers. These studies will be unique because clinical trials on the kinds of marijuana products that Colorado citizens consume will be among the research conducted. The purpose of these studies is to research the effects of marijuana on the people in a setting where they…

New Mexico is considering rule changes that would make the medical marijuana program less transparent and less accountable. The proposed rules would also make it harder for patients — many of whom are disabled veterans suffering from PTSD and chronic pain — to access their medicine. Thousands of seriously ill patients are worried that their medicine will be taken away. Hearings are scheduled for next Monday, June 16. The proposed rules would reduce the number of plants that patients could grow from…

A University of Minnesota research group, led by chief researcher Kalpna Gupta, has found that the cannabinoids in marijuana can help treat pain caused by sickle cell disease, reports Minnesota Daily. The group has been running tests on mice and it has yielded good outcomes from those tests. The study says the next step is to move onto human trials; however, it is running into issues with Minnesota’s laws. In order to take this next step, the research will be moved to California, where medical marijuana…

On Tuesday, Democratic primary voters in South Carolina approved a non-binding medical marijuana question. With all counties having reported, the unofficial results show the question was supported by an overwhelming 75%-25% margin! The question asked voters if “medical marijuana [should] be legalized for use in cases of severe, chronic illnesses when documented by a physician.” While this was a non-binding question, meaning it does not change the law at all, the overwhelming support sends a clear…

On Tuesday, MPP and allied advocates launched a ballot referendum committee to make marijuana legal, taxed, and regulated for adults in Massachusetts. The committee is called the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Massachusetts and will allow MPP to begin raising money within Massachusetts. Massachusetts voters have shown a desire to reform their marijuana laws, first by decriminalizing simple possession in 2008, and then by approving a medical marijuana ballot initiative in 2012. In…

Voters going to the polls in Maine on Tuesday may be asked to sign a petition for a ballot initiative that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana on private property, reports Portland’s NBC affiliate WCSH. The group responsible for the petition, Citizens for a Safer Maine, believes that marijuana should be regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol: Only allowing those over 21 to consume marijuana. MPP’s David Boyer, the political director in Maine, commented on the situation,…