A New Report Explains How California Screwed Up Marijuana Legalization
Heavy regulation, high taxes, and local bans combined to cripple the legal cannabis industry, which accounts for just a third of the state's pot market.
Drug Legalization
Jared Polis: The Most Libertarian Governor in America?
The Colorado Democrat supports abortion rights, school choice, letting kids play unsupervised, an end to COVID-19 overreach, and an income tax rate of "zero."
Congress Won't Legalize Pot Anytime Soon, but It Could Protect Marijuana Businesses by Passing Banking Reform
Chuck Schumer seems less interested in achieving cannabis reform than in making political hay from his inevitable failure.
Florida's Agriculture Commissioner Says the Ban on Gun Possession by Marijuana Users Is Unconstitutional
Nikki Fried, a Democrat, is suing the Biden administration, arguing that the policy violates the Second Amendment and a congressional spending rider.
He Faces 10 Years to Life for Selling Pot, a Legal Business in Most States
Jonathan Wall, whose federal trial begins on May 2, notes that many people openly engage in similar conduct with impunity.
Congress Should Not Legalize Marijuana, Marco Rubio Says, Because Black-Market Weed Is 'Laced With Fentanyl'
The Florida senator has a long history of defending prohibition, but it has not improved his arguments.
The Feds Will Return More Than $1 Million in Marijuana Money That California Cops Stole From Armored Cars
Empyreal Logistics agreed to drop its claims against the Justice Department, but it is still suing San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus.
Why Do Legalizers Keep Blocking Pot Banking?
Chuck Schumer claims to favor repealing the federal ban on marijuana. So why did he sink legislation that would have removed federal obstacles to banking services for pot businesses?
Carl Hart: Legalize All Drugs Now!
The controversial Columbia neuroscientist, Air Force vet, and author of Drug Use for Grown-Ups believes deeply in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
When Will Democrats Get Serious About Repealing Pot Prohibition?
Instead of building on Republican support for federalism, they seem determined to alienate potential allies.
Under Oregon's Proposed Rules, Legal Psilocybin Will Be All-Natural, Organic, and GMO-Free
The state's regulators plan to start accepting applications from manufacturers and "service centers" on January 2.
The House Just Approved Marijuana Legalization Again, but GOP Support Remains Nearly Nonexistent
Just three Republicans voted for the MORE Act, two fewer than in 2020.
Deadly Pot Shop Robberies Underline the Need for Marijuana Banking Reform While the Senate Dithers
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer worries that approving the SAFE Banking Act would make broader changes less likely.
South Dakota's Governor Blocks Voters on Legal Pot
Though voters simultaneously approved initiatives aimed at legalizing both recreational and medical use of marijuana, Amendment A got quickly tied up in court.
50 Years After Nixon's Commission Said Cops Should Stop Busting Pot Users, the Federal Ban Remains Unchanged
But 37 states allow medical or recreational use, and arrests are falling.
Man With No Criminal History Gets 5-Year Sentence for Selling Weed
The federal mandatory minimum didn't leave many options.
All But 2 Utah Legislators Just Voted to Investigate the Psychotherapeutic Potential of Psychedelics
The bill is the latest sign of strange new respect for drugs that were once routinely depicted as menaces to body and soul.
Missouri Marijuana Legalization Bill Aims High but Expectations Remain Low
Previous efforts languished in committees.
A California Sheriff Remains Free To Rob Armored Cars Carrying Money From State-Licensed Marijuana Businesses
A federal judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order, saying the evidence of legal violations is insufficient at this point.
Now That Pot-Averse Conservatives Are Openly Defying the Federal Marijuana Ban, What Excuse Does Congress Have for Maintaining It?
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves' grudging support for medical marijuana speaks volumes about the erosion of support for prohibition.
Kansas and California Cops Used Civil Forfeiture to Stage Armored Car Heists, Stealing Money Earned by Licensed Marijuana Businesses
The Institute for Justice argues that the seizures violated state law, federal law, and the U.S. Constitution.
If Chuck Schumer Supports Marijuana Legalization, Why Did He Nix a Bill That Would Have Helped Pot Businesses Use Banks?
Stranger still, the leading drug policy reform organization supported Schumer's obstruction.
South Dakota's Governor Succeeds in Blocking Voter-Approved Marijuana Legalization
The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that the ballot initiative violated the "single subject" rule for constitutional amendments.
This Republican's Marijuana Legalization Bill Aims To Build Bipartisan Support for Repealing Federal Prohibition
Rep. Nancy Mace is touting "a framework which allows states to make their own decisions on cannabis."
Are Democrats Serious About Legalizing Marijuana?
Democrats need to decide whether they want to legalize marijuana or just want credit for seeming to try.
The Vain Search for Marijuana in Trick-or-Treat Bags
Police are still pushing this discredited scare, but it seems fewer people are falling for it.
Marijuana Arrests Plunged Last Year, Reflecting the Impact of Legalization
The 36 percent drop may also be partly due to pandemic-related restrictions that drove cannabis consumers indoors.
Oregon Legalizes a Breakthrough Treatment: Magic Mushrooms
Oregon will license and regulate psilocybin-assisted therapy by 2023. Some health care professionals aren't willing to wait.
Undoing Drugs
Harm reduction invites a radical reconsideration of the way the government deals with politically disfavored intoxicants.
Six Marijuana Legalization Lessons
What have policy makers learned since Colorado became the first state to allow recreational use in 2012?
Oregon Decriminalized All Drugs To Stop Overdoses. Will It Work?
Small-scale drug possession is now a $100 infraction that can be dismissed with a call to a drug abuse assessment hotline.
State Governments Are Creating Their Own Drug Cartels
Much of what government does is tax people to try to fix problems that government caused.
Chuck Schumer Says He Wants To Legalize Marijuana. His Bill Suggests Otherwise.
The Senate majority leader's racial rhetoric and overly prescriptive approach make an already iffy effort even more quixotic.
Psychonautical Journalist Michael Pollan Is Finally Ready To End the War on Drugs
The evolution of Pollan's thinking reflects the confusion caused by arbitrary pharmacological distinctions.
An Unbeatable Sprinter Is Defeated by an Irrational Prejudice
Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension for marijuana use highlights an arbitrary distinction that makes less sense than ever before.
Losing Patience With Legislators, Mexico's Supreme Court Orders Permits Allowing Consumers To Grow and Possess Marijuana
Six years after the court ruled that pot prohibition was unconstitutional, the Mexican Congress is still dithering about how to license and regulate commercial suppliers.
Although 44% of Americans Live in States That Have Legalized Pot, Federal Prohibition Is Not Likely to End Anytime Soon
The president supports the ban, and his fellow Democrats do not seem serious about attracting Republican support for repealing it.
A Study Finds That Crash Injuries in 5 States Rose After They Legalized Marijuana Use but Not After They Allowed Marijuana Sales
Adding to the puzzle, another study from the same organization found "no increased crash risk" associated with cannabis consumption.
50 Years Into the War on Drugs, Drugs Are Winning
Plus: The federal government gets a jump-start on celebrating Juneteenth, the masks come off in California, and more...
The 9th Circuit Considers Whether the DEA's Classification of Marijuana Violates Federalism and the Separation of Powers
The puzzle of marijuana's Schedule I status invites a reconsideration of the agency's vast discretion to decide which substances should be prohibited.
On Pot Legalization, Biden Offers Only Inaction
The new administration does not appear to be interested in addressing the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws.
Do Democrats Realize They Need Republican Support To Legalize Marijuana?
The MORE Act, which was reintroduced today, is full of contentious provisions that go far beyond repealing federal prohibition.
Biden Hedges on His Promise To Free Pot Prisoners
The president still has not caught up with most Americans on marijuana policy.
This 87-Year-Old Republican's Bill Would Restore the Second Amendment Rights of Cannabis Consumers in States That Have Legalized Marijuana
Under current law, marijuana users who possess firearms are committing a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The Biden Administration's Obfuscation on Using Clemency To Free Pot Prisoners Is Not a Hopeful Sign
Press Secretary Jen Psaki repeatedly tried to muddy the issue by changing the subject to reclassifying marijuana.
How To Talk to Your Young Kids About Weed
Hint: The exact same way you should talk to them about booze, swearing, and scary movies.
Florida Supreme Court Nixes Pot Legalization Initiative, Worrying That Voters Might Think It Repeals Federal Prohibition
By the court's logic, the ballot summaries for many successful legalization initiatives were "affirmatively misleading."
How an Anti-Pot Governor Blocked Voter-Approved Legalization in South Dakota
Kristi Noem is determined to defy the will of her constituents. The South Dakota Supreme Court will decide whether she can.
