Medical Marijuana -> Michigan Dispensaries

On December 5th 1933 at exactly 5:32pm eastern standard time, Utah signed on as the last of the 36th states needed to ratify the 21st amendment, repealing the nation’s failed 13-year prohibition policy experiment, banning the sale and use of alcohol nationwide.  At 6:55 p.m., President Roosevelt signed an official proclamation announcing the nation’s new alcohol [...]

Washington state regulators are presently reviewing over 1,300 applications from would-be entrepreneurs seeking to engage in the state-licensed production and/or sale of cannabis and cannabis-infused products to those age 21 and over. Regulators began accepting applications for licenses in mid-November and will continue accepting applications until December 19. According to a review of applications by [...]

Despite experiencing setbacks when it came to reintroducing marijuana legalization legislation for the 2014 Maine legislative session, efforts are already underway to prepare for 2015. The primary sponsor of the previous marijuana legalization bills in the state, Rep. Diane Russell, and NORML are seeking input regarding the drafting of this legislation. We feel the current [...]

Did you know you can do your holiday shopping and support marijuana legalization at the same time? As we close out of Cyber Monday and enter the full swing of the holiday season, you now have the opportunity help a great cause while doing your online holiday shopping at no extra cost.  Every Time you [...]

NORML filed an “amicus curiae” brief with the state supreme appellate court on Friday, November 22, urging the court to enforce the limits on police searches set by 2008′s voter-initiative state decriminalization law, which eliminating police searches and arrests for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Attorneys Michael Cutler of Northampton and Steven Epstein of [...]

The New Jersey Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted 4-1 in favor of Assembly Bill 2415. This legislation would legalize the licensed cultivation of industrial hemp. Members of NORML New Jersey were present to testify in favor of this legislation. “We commend the Committee for taking a common sense approach to allow the growth [...]

On Thursday November 21, US law enforcement agents, along with local police officers raided 14  medical marijuana locations around Colorado (including dispensaries, grow warehouses and 2 private residences), making it one of the largest federal raids since the state’s medical marijuana laws went into effect.  A search warrant identifies 10 target subjects, noting alleged violations [...]

This morning, the Maine Legislative Council voted 5-5 on whether or not to allow Rep. Diane Russell’s marijuana legalization to be introduced. A tie vote means the motion has failed and the legislation will NOT be introduced this session. Included in the ranks of those voting “No” was Senate President Justin Alfond, who represents Portland…a [...]

On Thursday, November 21st, the Maine Legislative Council will be voting on whether or not to allow the introduction of LR 2329, a measure sponsored by Rep. Diane Russell (D-Portland) which would legalize the cultivation, possession, and use of marijuana by individuals over the age of 21 in addition to establishing retail outlets to sell [...]

Nearly two-thirds of Americans disagree with workplace policies that allow employers to sanction an employee for his or her off-the-job consumption of cannabis, according to a just released HuffPost/YouGov poll. Sixty-four percent of the poll’s respondents, including 62 percent of self-identified Republicans, said that it is “unacceptable for a company to fire an employee for [...]

NORML Comm. Director Erik Altieri, PA Gubernatorial Candidate John Hanger, and Philly NORML Co-Director Chris Goldstein At press conferences held in Philadelphia and Harrisburg on Wednesday, and one in Pittsburgh today, NORML PAC announced its endorsement of Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate John Hanger. John Hanger is currently pursuing the Democratic nomination in the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race [...]

Today, voters across the nation head to the polls to cast their ballots in a number of state and local elections. While there are no statewide marijuana initiatives this year, that doesn’t mean some Americans won’t have the chance to vote in favor of sensible marijuana law reforms. In Portland, Maine, Question 1 will appear [...]

  One’s eyes rarely lie or distort reality. So when walking by my favorite newspaper stand in downtown Washington, D.C. last night another clear political tea leaf revealed itself about the increasing acceptance in America for ending cannabis prohibition when I spied the competing covers for the most recent editions of The Nation and Reason [...]

The results of a first-of-its-kind worldwide survey of nearly 1,000 medicinal cannabis consumers shows that most patients prefer their medicine in the way that nature, not Big Pharma, intended it to be. Investigators from Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States conducted a web-based survey consisting of 21 structured questions to assess patients’ perceptions [...]

Supporters of Portland’s Question 1 claimed victory tonight, celebrating their work to make Portland the first city on the East Coast to legalize possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for adults over 21. Question 1 was approved by about 70% of the vote, with only around 30% voting in opposition. “Volunteers have been [...]

Three localities in Michigan (Ferndale, Jackson, and Lansing) all voted in support of marijuana legalization today by huge margins. The three areas had similar proposals to remove criminal and civil penalties for personal possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana. Ferndale won by the largest margin with 72% of voters approving the measure. Jackson [...]

Reported this week in the Daily Herald: Community banks and credit unions are ready and willing to provide financial services to entrepreneurs in the state’s new legal pot industry. But they aren’t able to, at least not yet. Marijuana businesses, even ones that will soon be legally licensed in this state, are considered criminal enterprises [...]

Photo credit: D. Boyer Next Tuesday, November 5th, voters in Portland, Maine will decide whether or not to legalize the personal possession of marijuana in the city. The initiative, Question 1, would remove all criminal and civil penalties for adults possessing up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana. This means no arrest, no criminal record, no [...]

As we mentioned here previously, NORML has worked with Representative Diane Russell in Maine to draft and prepare for introduction a measure that would have legalized and regulated the adult use of marijuana in the state. The proposed legislation would have legalized the possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and the cultivation of [...]

“There’s an air of cognitive dissonance about it, that a woman, especially a nurturing, professional woman, could both smoke pot and not be Jim Breuer in Half Baked was, to many, a revelation.”  Emily Dufton, The Atlantic (10/28/13) Emily Dufton does an excellent job identifying the cultural challenges and social setbacks that are experienced by female cannabis [...]