Topic: Marijuana Policy Project

Pot smokers can be fired, Colorado court rules

Pot smokers can be fired even if it was used for medical purposes and off duty. While marijuana use is legal in Colorado, appeals court says pot smokers can still be fired because the drug is still barred by federal law.

Colorado court rules marijuana smokers may be fired

Medical and recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, but federal law says employers can lawfully fire workers who test positive for the drug, ruled a Colorado appeals court Thursday.

USA Update Marijuana tax touted as budgetary benefit to US and states. Really?

Marijuana tax could be a new source of revenue for strapped states, and the federal government, too, say two congressmen who have proposed such legislation. But the scale of any tax benefit is hotly disputed.

From 'no' to 'yes,' how Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana

A day many thought they would never see has come and gone. In November, after years of, 'Just say no,' Colorado and Washington state both voted to legalize small amounts of marijuana for adults over 21. 

On ballots: Has pro-marijuana camp found way to win over middle America?

Ballot initiatives in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington would make recreational use of marijuana legal. At least one is likely to succeed. Pro-legalization groups have been honing their message.

Can Los Angeles ban medical marijuana shops? Voters set to decide.

An initiative to override Los Angeles's ban on medical marijuana dispensaries has qualified for the ballot. Currently, federal, state, and city laws have created a confusing tangle.

Efforts to relax pot rules gaining momentum in US

Marijuana policy is appearing on legislative agendas around the country thanks to an energized base of supporters and an increasingly open-minded public.

In heartland of legal marijuana movement, doubts linger, poll suggests

A poll of California voters found that a majority do not want legal marijuana – mirroring the result of Proposition 19 in 2010. Advocates had hoped that views were changing.

Synthetic marijuana on the rise: looks like pot, but 'far worse'

Synthetic marijuana is marketed as a cheap way to get a legal marijuana-like high. But health experts say it is 'way more' than marijuana and is 'very dangerous.'

Setback for legal marijuana? Pot raid rattles top cannabis crusader.

A federal raid on the marijuana businesses of Richard Lee has convinced the legal-marijuana leader to take a step back. It could mark an important moment for the movement. 

Pat Robertson backs legal marijuana. Will other conservatives follow?

Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson has called for legal marijuana, saying the US incarceration rate is taking a social toll. Advocates call it an important moment, but critics dismiss it. 

Showdown in California over medical marijuana, as feds crack down

Four US Attorneys in California said Friday they are targeting growers and distributors who use California's medical marijuana law as a cover to engage in illegal drug trafficking.

California marijuana street fair fuels debate over legalization

The International Cannabis & Hemp Expo outside Oakland City Hall this weekend includes a spot where medical marijuana cardholders can light up – another round in the fight over legalization.

US teens smoke more marijuana than tobacco, says new survey

Marijuana use among American teens is up, but binge drinking is down, says a federal 2010 survey on drug use among teenagers. For the first time, marijuana use has passed cigarette use in the survey.

Arizona legalizes medical marijuana use

Arizona voters approved a ballot measure to legalize marijuana use. Arizona is now the 15th state to approve a medical marijuana law. California was the first in 1996.

Marijuana legalization: why tea party might support Prop. 19

Conventional wisdom says tea party conservatives would vote against marijuana legalization in California. Yet Prop. 19 could test how serious tea partyers are about states' rights.

Measure to legalize marijuana trails in California, if polls are right

California's Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana use for adults, is trailing 51 percent to 39 percent, a poll released Friday shows. But some say polling on this issue may be problematic.

Now on the ballot, could marijuana legalization happen in California?

Marijuana advocacy groups heralded Wednesday's news, but the path to marijuana legalization could be difficult, say opponents and legal experts.

Hard times boost pot economy

A surge in marijuana farming this year may be due to unemployment as well as growing demand for the drug.

Interest groups complicate California’s budget woes

As lawmakers edge closer a budget deal, teachers' unions, business groups, and even the governor hit the airwaves with their demands.

Legalize marijuana? Schwarzenegger says let's debate it

Anxiety in Massachusetts over softer marijuana law

Some towns and cities seek stiffer penalties for public use, after state voters approved decriminalization.