[caption id="attachment_6313" align="alignleft" width="240"] Rep. Steve Cohen[/caption] More and more states, in conflict with federal policy, are permitting the use of medical marijuana and decriminalizing its recreational use. In order to examine this unnecessary conflict as well as the current federal policy’s broad impacts, Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced legislation last week to create a National Commission on Federal Marijuana Policy. “[I]t’s important that we understand the impact…

Last week was very eventful for marijuana policy reform. The Oregon Senate approved a bill granting PTSD sufferers access to medical marijuana, the Vermont House passed a bill to remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession, and, in a victory that was years in the making, the Illinois House voted in favor of medical marijuana legislation. The passing of House Bill 1 in Illinois is an example of public education at its finest. News organizations across the state set space aside to show their…

Rhode Island, the second New England state to permit the sale of medical marijuana, opened its first dispensary on Friday. Located on in Providence, the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center will initially sell marijuana cultivated by growers participating in the state’s medical marijuana program; however, it plans to begin growing its own medicine to sell as soon as possible. The state will likely add more dispensaries in the coming months in Warwick and Portsmouth.

The Oregon Senate passed a bill allowing people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to secure a medical marijuana card on Wednesday in a 19-11 vote. The Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, which passed in 1998, allows patients with certain debilitating conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and HIV/AIDS to use medical marijuana. Senate Bill 281 would add the severe anxiety disorder that can occur after a traumatic event like war, assault, or disaster to the list. The bill is now…

New Jersey may open more medical marijuana dispensaries, according to the state’s health commissioner. In early April, Gov. Chris Christie proposed allocating $1.6 million to fund New Jersey’s three-year-old medical marijuana program, doubling the initial spending plan. Commissioner Mary O’Dowd told the state Senate Budget Committee that the extra money would be used to build and maintain treatment centers, as well as cover costs for inspections, testing protocols, and monitoring stores. New Jersey…

On Tuesday, the Anchorage Daily News reported, marijuana policy reform activists in Alaska presented a drafted ballot initiative that calls for taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol along will 100 signatures to the state lieutenant governor’s office. It’s the first of many steps needed to put marijuana on the 2014 primary ballot. The measure, which would allow adults 21 and older to use and cultivate marijuana, will now undergo a 60-day review. If state officials allow the initiative to move…

On Wednesday, in a 61-57 vote, the Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation that would remove criminal penalties for the medical use of marijuana by patients with serious illnesses whose doctors recommend it. This marks the first time the House has approved such a measure. House Bill 1, sponsored by Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), would allow Illinois residents with certain medical conditions to possess up to two-and-a-half ounces of marijuana, which they would be able to access from one of…

Three out of four Washington, D.C. voters would support changing District law to replace criminal penalties for possession of limited amounts of marijuana with a civil fine similar to a traffic ticket, according to a survey conducted last week by Public Policy Polling. Two-thirds (67%) said they believe law enforcement resources currently being used by District police to arrest individuals for marijuana possession should be directed toward other crimes. The poll also found that nearly two-thirds…

SB 281, a bill adding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for the use of medical marijuana, has cleared its last hurdle and is headed to the floor of the Oregon State Senate for a vote tomorrow. SB 281 is an important bill that adds another tool in treating traumatic stress not just for veterans but for first responders and victims of domestic violence alike. Numerous studies have found that marijuana can be an effective treatment for severe PTSD symptoms — a condition…

In a 21 to 4 vote, the New York State Assembly Health Committee approved the use, production, and sale of medical marijuana. [caption id="attachment_6275" align="alignright" width="177"] Sen. Diane Savino[/caption] Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island) and Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan) introduced the medical marijuana bill (A.6357/S.4406) and are optimistic about its chances in the Senate, where it has failed in the past, due to the bill’s tight stipulations. “We’re…