Supporters of legalizing pot in Connecticut argued Tuesday that the time has come to control and tax marijuana in the same way alcohol is regulated, warning that pot prohibition has failed.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers said at a morning news conference that legalization of recreational cannabis would end the illegal market in pot, halt the unnecessary arrest of thousands of people for possession, bring in tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenue and create new jobs.

But opponents of legalization staged their own competing news conference in advance of the major legislative hearing today on pro-pot bills.

THE STONERS HAVE spoken: Recreational marijuana is now legal in eight states and Washington, DC. Thanks to the passage of Proposition 64, California is one of them, making it the country’s largest cannabis market—the state will start issuing sales licenses by January 1, 2018. Now, as long as the Trump administration doesn’t confiscate our stash, regulators, lawyers, and scientists have some big hazy questions to navigate, from how to keep digital tabs on up to 25,000 licensed growers to how to evaluate THC-­related DUIs.

The Vancouver park board has voted to ban 4/20 rallies and Cannabis Day events from city parks, even as organizers vowed this year’s April 20 event will go on, with or without the board’s approval. 

The decision by the board Monday night blunted plans by the Vancouver 4/20 Events Society, which applied for a permit to hold this year’s smoke-in at Sunset Beach park.

“This is not an anti-marijuana motion,” said commissioner John Coupar, who put forward the motion to deny permits for pot-related events at park board properties.

It’s a movement charging ahead — for now.

Legalizing recreational marijuana is currently a priority in more than a dozen states as polls show overwhelming support and lawmakers see a way to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue. So far, eight states have legalized recreational cannabis.

But in recent weeks, the Trump administration has alarmed some pot supporters by warning states that have legalized recreational marijuana — California, Colorado and Oregon, among them — that federal law enforcement agents could soon come after them.

Pennsylvania's elected fiscal watchdog says the state government could help its chronic budget deficit by raking in tax revenues from the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Monday the state could bring in $200 million or more annually, based on what has occurred during legalization in Colorado.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says DePasquale, a Democrat, calls the legalization of recreational marijuana something that "can be both good socially and fiscally."

Pennsylvania has legalized medical marijuana and is in the process of setting up a system to grow, sell and regulate it.

Germany is liberalizing cannabis access for the seriously ill. Both domestic and international firms are vying for a market potentially worth hundreds of millions of euros.

Germany is taking another step to make cannabis available to patients, mandating that health insurers cover the cost of the pain medication in certain cases for the seriously ill.

I’ve said it time and again — more state regulation of marijuana is going to lead to fewer and fewer cannabis cups and similar marijuana events and this in turn will force the purveyors of such events to get creative. Case in point: the 2017 High Times Cannabis Cup on the Moapa Band of Paiutes reservation in Nevada near Las Vegas. The most recent update on this particular Cup is that despite receiving two warning letters from U.S. Attorney David Bogden, the Tribe is moving forward this Saturday with the Cup as planned.

The state is also considering new laws to increase racial diversity in its medical marijuana program.

The Maryland legislature is currently discussing a proposal to allow recreational marijuana use in the state. However, no one expects recreational use to actually be legalized this year, not even the sponsors of the legislation. But legalization advocates are hopeful that this year's debate will set them up for next year's legislative session, when a full-on effort is planned to either put marijuana legalization on the next voters' ballot, or to get the state General Assembly to legalize pot outright.

While some South Africans are celebrating the announcement that government is taking a step toward legalising cannabis for medical use, activists and users of cannabis-based medicines are wary.

South Africans have been self-medicating with cannabis medicines – primarily in the form of oil – for a long time. It was only when the late IFP MP, Dr Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, brought the benefits of cannabis to the attention of Parliament in 2014, that the potential medicinal value of cannabis was seriously considered by South African legislators.

Legalizing recreational marijuana has a broad range of policy implications for government. Do jurisdictions have the IT systems in place to deliver on the will of the voters?

The government needs help.

On Nov. 9, four states — and the local governments they contain — woke up to a mandate from voters to fully legalize a product that has long been illegal. A product the federal government still treats as illegal. A product at once in high demand and very controversial.

But there are two advantages these states have when it comes to regulating the newly legitimate marijuana industry: technology and the experiences of states that came before them.