Marijuana

For first time, majority of Americans back legal pot

By Rob Hotakainen - Updated: 2:41 pm

Just five months after Washington state and Colorado voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use, a poll released Thursday found that a majority of Americans now agree and say it should not be illegal to smoke the drug.

Ex-world leaders press U.S. to alter drug policy

By Tim Johnson - Published: Saturday, March 9 2013 - 12:00 am

MEXICO CITY – Three former heads of state are urging the United States to engage in a serious discussion of drug legalization, saying its counternarcotics policies are becoming untenable in the wake of voter approval last fall of measures that legalized the recreational use of marijuana in Washington state and Colorado.

Field Poll: California voters favor legalizing pot for recreational use

By Peter Hecht - Updated: Friday, March 29 2013 - 3:55 pm

California voters favor legalizing pot for recreational use, strongly support the existence of medical marijuana dispensaries and want the feds to butt out of the California cannabis business.

Field Poll: Voters favor OK'ing recreational pot

Court tosses challenge to Tehama medical pot ordinance

By Denny Walsh - Updated: Thursday, February 7 2013 - 7:46 am

A challenge by medical marijuana patients to a Tehama County ordinance that regulates marijuana cultivation was rejected Wednesday by a Sacramento-based appellate court.

California high court justices grill lawyer defending medical pot dispensaries

By Peter Hecht - Updated: Wednesday, February 6 2013 - 8:50 am

California's highest court Tuesday took on the issue of whether cities and counties can ban medical marijuana dispensaries, and the pointed legal arguments that ensued seemed to put the state's nebulous marijuana laws on trial.

Pot-legalization activists aim for 2016 ballot in California

Pot-legalization activists aim for 2016 ballot in California

By Peter Hecht - Updated: Tuesday, January 29 2013 - 4:34 pm

Inspired by victorious measures to legalize marijuana in Colorado and Washington, California activists are readying a new ballot push to expand legalization in the Golden State – but not until 2016.

Medical marijuana partner pleads guilty to federal drug charges

By Peter Hecht - Published: Saturday, January 19 2013 - 12:00 am

A partner in a medical marijuana enterprise pleaded guilty to federal drug charges Friday, even as the debate rages over a federal crackdown against marijuana providers operating under California law.