A vote over the holidays puts the brakes on recreational pot shops.

It’s been two weeks of ups and downs for those celebrating Massachusetts’ new legal marijuana law. While many were taking their first-ever fully legal puffs inside their living rooms over the holidays, lawmakers gathered almost completely without public scrutiny to slow things down—keeping in place, for a little while longer, a temporary system that allows adults to possess and use marijuana, but not to sell it or to buy it in a store.

In less than two weeks, on January 15th, cannabis becomes legal for those 21 and older in Maine.

This is thanks to portions of Question 1 taking effect. With a possession limit of 2.5 ounces, it’s the most progressive of the eight states that have legalized cannabis. The seven other states have a limit of one ounce, though Oregon and Massachusetts allow more at a private residence.

There have been several major developments for cannabis research in 2016 amidst unprecedented debate about marijuana’s medical potential among federal officials and congressional lawmakers. The most significant growth in the cannabis industry happened during the eight years Barack Obama has been president. Before then, there were roughly a dozen states with medical cannabis laws and now that has more than doubled with several of those states formally allowing commercial adult use.

Dr. Joseph Dorn has had a unique vantage point when it comes to the burgeoning medical marijuana industry in Florida.

Dorn was the medical director of Surterra Therapeutics, which is one of the six dispensing organizations licensed to grow and distribute medical cannabis in the state. He resigned from that position two months ago and has opened a medical marijuana treatment center as Amendment 2 takes effect on Tuesday.

The constitutional amendment, which was approved by 71 percent of Florida voters, allows higher-strength marijuana to be used for a wider list of medical ailments. However, the true measure of what the amendment means won’t be immediately seen until a new set of rules are adopted and implemented by the Florida Legislature and the Department of Health.

Many of you are familiar with the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions. A new year provides many with a feeling of a fresh start; as such, they make resolutions to themselves and others about the ways they plan on improving their lives and/or the lives of others.

It’s also a great time to reset, whether it be your life or your relationships or your career. A time to evaluate where you are and where you want to be.

The upcoming Montana Legislature is likely to address many questions about medical marijuana, from taxes on its sale to cannabis storefronts, all while waiting to see what the Trump administration will do at the federal level.

Montana voters in November passed I-182, a citizen initiative that repealed the three-patient limit placed on medical marijuana providers, though language in the initiative initially prevented it from taking effect until June 30 — after the Legislature ends. A Dec. 7 district court ruling, however, implemented the new patient limits immediately.

Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker [official website] signed Senate Bill No. 2524 (SB 2524) [materials] on Friday, which will delay part of a voter-approved marijuana legalization initiative [text] by six months. Massachusetts citizens voted 53.7% to approve the "possession, use, distribution, and cultivation of marijuana," with the condition that it would be regulated similar to alcohol. The licensing of cannabis shops was set to begin on January 1, 2018, but SB 2524 moves that date to July 1, 2018. The legislature says the delay is necessary to conduct further surveys regarding patterns of use, incidents of impaired driving and hospitalization, and the economic impact of marijuana legalization.

As we look back at 2016, pro-legalization enthusiasts, as well as hopeful investors, have every reason to smile at the progress that's been made with marijuana.

Two San Francisco Bay area lawmakers are proposing a new law that would make it illegal to smoke marijuana and drive.

In November, California voters decided to legalize recreational marijuana under proportion 64. However, the new law only makes it illegal to have an open container of marijuana in your car. 

Sen.Jerry Hill (D-California) told KGO-TV the current law doesn't go far enough. 

"It didn't say anything about if you were driving and smoking a marijuana cigarette or joint while driving or ingesting a brownie at the same time," Hill said in an interview. 

Senate Bill 65 sponsored by Hill and state representative Evan Low in Silicon Valley could close what they call a loophole, according to KGO-TV. 

Nevada will ring in a new era for marijuana use on Jan. 1. Adults 21 years old and older will legally be allowed to used pot recreationally

"It's about time the rest of the world benefited from what I've been benefitting from for years," said actor and pot advocate Tommy Chong.

While marijuana will be legal, there will be restrictions on where the drug can be used.

Cannabis can only be smoked or consumed on private property such as a home. It can’t be used in public places like on the Strip.

A person can possess up to an ounce of marijuana or 1/8oz of marijuana concentrate. Possessing drug paraphernalia will no longer be a crime.

While possession of pot will be legal, there will be nowhere to legally purchase the drug for now.