United States’ Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Wednesday set new cannabis extract laws by amending the Schedule I Controlled Substances Act to include tighter regulations for marijuana extracts, including cannabidiol (CBD).

The United Kingdom is falling embarrassingly, some say even dangerously behind when it comes to its domestic drugs policy. As the United States continues its journey towards total decriminalisation of cannabis, it’s as if things in the UK have somehow got stuck in a tired and frustrating loop.

That’s the warning issued to the British government by a group of experts, who have stated in the simplest terms possible that it is absolutely imperative that change be brought about is soon as possible. The legalization of cannabis in the United Kingdom would contribute no less than £1 billion if to the British economy every year, in combined taxation and the money that would be saved on pointless criminal justice costs that continue to stack up even today.

It is now legal to possess, use, and home-grow marijuana for Massachusetts residents over the age of 21.

It’s official.

Marijuana is legal for possession, use, and home-growing starting Thursday for adults 21 and over.

The Governor’s Council, a Colonial-era body that vets judges and accepts election results, formally certified the results of Question 4 Wednesday afternoon. The initiative passed last month with 1.8 million people voting for the measure, despite the opposition of top politicians, the Catholic Church, doctors and business groups, and an array of other civic leaders. About 1.5 million people voted against it.

Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito gaveled in the pro-forma session of the council to certify all state election results.

A Senate panel Tuesday began exploring issues surrounding medical marijuana as lawmakers prepare to carry out a constitutional amendment overwhelmingly approved by voters in November.

The Senate Health Policy Committee heard from a cannabis vendor, patient advocates, doctors and opponents of Amendment 2, which legalized medical marijuana for a broad swath of patients and set Florida in position to become one of the largest pot markets in the nation.

"The voters have spoken. It is our duty as their elected representatives to implement this amendment appropriately," committee Chairwoman Dana Young, R-Tampa, said at the onset of the two-hour meeting.

Flanked by retired police officers, children, veterans and musicians, two Tennessee Republican lawmakers ceremoniously introduced a bill Wednesday that would allow the use of medical marijuana for patients with a variety of medical conditions and 50 grow operations, 15 of which would be in "distressed" areas of the state.

Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, and Sen. Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville,  are leading the most concerted effort to legalize medical marijuana in Tennessee, and encouraged anyone who already supports medical use to "educate" others who might not support the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Minister says pot shops will have to meet the province's distribution requirements.

With marijuana legalization about to become a reality across Canada, the provincial government says it is not sure what taxes and distribution will look like in B.C. but warns many of the current pot shops in the province may not meet their requirements.

A federal task force appointed by the federal government to study how marijuana could be legalized and regulated in Canada released a report Tuesday with more than 80 recommendations.

In October, the MHRA announced its plans to regulate CBD containing products as medicines. have been following the story as the situation has developed and more information has been made available. Yesterday Drugscience published a letter by the MHRA responding to questions asked by Prof David Nutt, founder of Drugscience, about the regulation of CBD.

Most of the discussion around legalization has been centered on the provinces, but how will it affect the northern territories differently?

When the government begins to digest the marijuana legalization task force’s report, the feedback they will be reading will come from numerous stakeholders — from individual citizens, to activist groups, health professionals, and municipal, provincial, and territorial governments, to name a few.

We’ve covered a lot of issues arising from many of these groups, but we’ve not yet discussed in  depth the issues facing Canada’s territories.

The party is arguing that sections of the Criminal Prohibition of Dagga Act are unconstitutional.

The Dagga Party has called for marijuana related convictions to be declared invalid.

The party is arguing that sections of the Criminal Prohibition of Dagga Act are unconstitutional.

The matter is being heard in the Western Cape High Court.

The party’s Jeremey Acton says, “Obviously if a person is up for murder and cannabis we are not talking about them being freed for the murder side of things. It’s only about taking away the cannabis prosecution and jail time.”

Acton has also called for public spaces to be made available for cannabis smokers.

Mexico's senate has voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing medical marijuana. The bill falls short of demands among some critics who argue that wider legalization can help the country reduce drug-related violence.

Following a national debate on narcotics policy, the Mexican senate passed a bill on Tuesday approving the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Senators voted 98-7 for the legislation, moving Mexico closer to joining several US states and other nations in Latin America in allowing cannabis for medical uses.