Ancient tomb suggests cannabis use goes way back

About 2,500 years ago, mourners buried a man in an elaborate grave, and covered his chest with a shroud made of 13 cannabis plants, according to a new study. The grave is one of a select few ancient Central Eurasian burials that archaeologists have found to contain cannabis. This particular grave, located in northwestern China, sheds…

This Is Your Brain While Videogaming Turkey legalises controlled cannabis production in 19 provinces

New government regulations will allow highly-controlled and ministry-sanctioned cannabis production in selected provinces for medical and scientific purposes Turkey has legalised cannabis production in 19 provinces in order to crack down on illegal production, according to new regulations by The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. Published in the Official Gazette in late September, “Hemp…

New study finds that medical marijuana may be helping to curb the opioid epidemic

After states pass laws permitting medical marijuana, drivers in those states become less likely to test positive for opioids after fatal car accidents, a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health has found. Researchers analyzed federal crash data in 18 states over the period from 1999 to 2013. States that passed a…

CDC: More people are using marijuana, but fewer are abusing it

Marijuana abuse and dependency are becoming less common, even as states roll back restrictions on the use of the drug, according to a new federal report. In 2014, the number of Americans aged 12 and over meeting diagnostic criteria for marijuana abuse or dependency stood at 1.6 percent, a decline from 1.8 percent in 2002, according…

Mexico’s Supreme Court Declares Individuals Have the Right to Consume and Cultivate Marijuana

Today, in a 4 to 1 vote, Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that the prohibition of the consumption and cultivation of marijuana for personal use is unconstitutional. The Court determined that the prohibition of the consumption of marijuana – and its cultivation for non-commercial ends – violates the human right to the free development of one’s…

Illinois Governor Signs Bill Decriminalizing Marijuana

Jul 29, 2016 Gov. Bruce Rauner Signs Illinois Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Into Law Illinois is now the 21st state in the nation to remove the threat of jail time for simple marijuana possession; possession of a personal amount is now considered a civil violation punishable by a fine of $100-$200, similar to a traffic ticket…

Congress quietly ends federal government’s ban on medical marijuana

Reporting from WASHINGTON —  Tucked deep inside the 1,603-page federal spending measure is a provision that effectively ends the federal government’s prohibition on medical marijuana and signals a major shift in drug policy. The bill’s passage over the weekend marks the first time Congress has approved nationally significant legislation backed by legalization advocates. It brings almost…