TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — A constitutional amendment for medical marijuana in the Sunshine State will make the 2014 ballot.
Supporters of the amendment announced Wednesday evening that they have collected enough signatures to make the 2014 ballot.
Ben Pollara, the campaign manager for United for Care, sent out an email to supporters that organizers have collected more than 1.1 million signatures.
“This is an enormous achievement,” Pollara wrote.
 
Full Article:
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2014/01/15/medical-marijuana-supporters-in-florida-claim-victory/

 
ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI)– Over a dozen petitions have been submitted to amend the Missouri State Constitution regarding marijuana.
The petitions relate to production, sales, distribution, and consumption of marijuana and hemp products.
 
Full Article:
http://kplr11.com/2014/01/15/over-a-dozen-petitions-submitted-to-make-marijuana-legal-in-missouri/

Nat Williams, Field Editor

 
“The research shows that if hemp leaves fall they compost in the ground and work into the soil,” Gain said. “That compost kills 50 percent of the soil-borne cyst nematodes. So just by rotating soybeans with the hemp crop you could eliminate problems with insects and diseases, potentially.”
 
Full Article:
http://agrinews-pubs.com/Content/News/MoneyNews/Article/Hemp-in-rotation-could-help-fight-cyst-nematode–advocate-says-/8/27/9432

(Photo: Brennan Linsley, AP)
 
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Amnesty boxes are going up at the Colorado Springs airport for those who didn’t realize that it’s illegal to carry pot on a plane.
Under the Colorado law legalizing recreational marijuana, it is legal to leave the drug in a parked car at the airport. Bringing marijuana inside is, however, prohibited. Officials are encouraging people to leave their marijuana behind, but they also want to help people who broke the law and don’t want to miss their flights. Installation of the boxes begins on Wednesday.
 
Full Article:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/15/marijuana-pot-colorado-airport/4489053/

By Larry Gabriel

 
One of the biggest arguments anti-marijuana warriors use is the “we don’t know enough about this stuff” ploy.
I’ve been guilty of saying that myself.
But the truth is there’s plenty of information available about marijuana’s effects, both medically and recreationally. We know its potential and its pitfalls. We also know how a population will deal with marijuana in an unregulated atmosphere. Think of the United States before pot was criminalized, back when it was part of the pharmacopoeia of its day.
 
Full Article:
http://metrotimes.com/news/higher-ground/medicine-has-yet-to-find-something-wrong-with-marijuana-1.1616435

By: Charisma Madarang

 
With kush now legal in Colorado — sales surpassed $1 million on the first day – the  cheeky folks over at 7Deadly Mag thought this would be an appropriate moment to introduce us to the delectable world of marijuana pipes.
To kick things off, they’ve brought us the Starburst pipe — a completely edible smoking device made entirely of the classic candy. Check out the recipe and watch the tutorial below.
Psst, we heard it makes a great post-sesh snack.
 
See instructions here:
http://foodbeast.com/2014/01/14/how-to-make-a-marijuana-pipe-out-of-starburst/

Hemp Shield creators detail the development and properties of Hemp Shield Wood Finish and Deck Sealer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vdwat3Gbx0

 
 
According to a joint news release from the Senators, the bill marks the first time in Senate history that a medical cannabis bill has been drafted with bipartisan support.
 
Full Article:
http://www.wfmj.com/story/24447019/medical-marijuana-bill-introduced-into-pennsylvania-senate

by Johnny Green

Courtesy of The Joint Blog
 
New Jersey’s Senate gave unanimous approval today to Senate Bill 3110, a proposal to legalize industrial hemp. A companion measure, Assembly Bill 2415, has already been approved through two committees, and now awaits a full Assembly vote, which could come as soon as this week. If approved through the Assembly, the measure will go to Governor Chris Christie for final consideration.
 
Full Article:
http://www.theweedblog.com/new-jersey-senate-unanimously-approves-hemp-legalization-legislation/

JEREMY DAW, ALTERNET

Marijuana buds, including their cost and degree of potency, are shown in a medical marijuana dispensary in Oakland, California June 30, 2010. Picture taken June 30, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith (UNITED STATES – Tags: SOCIETY) (Credit: Reuters)
 
When you look at the facts, it’s clear that racism governs American drug policy. While five times as many white people as black people report using illicit drugs, the U.S. criminal justice system sends blacks to prison for drug offenses at 10 times the rate of whites according to the ACLU.
Unfortunately, racism is nothing new when it comes to substance regulation; it defines the U.S. drug policy paradigm going back almost a century.
Even before alcohol prohibition, the development of the 1914 Harrison Narcotic Act (the first federal law in American history to criminalize the sale of drugs, which in this case was opiates) stemmed from the hatred and oppression of ethnic minority groups by white elites. The Act resulted from the brewing of a perfect political storm.
A massive worldwide recession had left job markets reeling and the first rumblings of the Great War in Europe increased xenophobia at home. Chinese immigrants in particular had flocked to western states to help build infrastructure. The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad left many Chinese-Americans in search of other work in a rapidly shrinking job market, and racial tensions were strained to breaking.
 
Full Article:
http://www.salon.com/2014/01/14/the_racist_roots_of_americas_medical_marijuana_policy_partner/