Alberta's justice minister says marijuana has not been a "cash cow" for Colorado, but neither has it led to widespread criminal activity.

Kathleen Ganley travelled to Colorado late last week to talk to U.S. officials about how they dealt with the legalization of marijuana in their state.

The priority for the province, Ganley says, is to get a regulatory framework in place to ensure that pot stays out of the hands of children, and that our roadways remain safe from impaired drivers.

The federal Liberals intend to legalize pot in the spring of 2017, and provinces are scrambling to prepare for the change.

North Dakota voters will decide next month whether to legalize marijuana for medical use by siding either with opponents who say science is on their side or with supporters like a desperate grandmother who illegally purchased the drug to help her cancer-stricken daughter.

Four states have ballot measures this year asking to join the list of 25 states that have comprehensive medical marijuana programs and 17 states that permit limited access to the drug. Minnesota recently approved a plan, while several states are considering legalizing the drug altogether.

The first medical cannabis club in Chile, Botánica Orgánica Cannabis Internacional (BOCI), opened in the northern city of Arica in early September.

BOCI provides access to premium quality cannabis for people who are prescribed cannabis-based medicines but unable to self-cultivate. Such patients may be unable to do so because of lack of knowledge about the cultivation process, limited access to growing space, or simply the debilitating nature of their illness. The club currently has around 20 members.

The creation of BOCI is the latest step in Chile’s journey away from strict prohibition of cannabis. The country, once renowned for its conservatism, is now leading the way on medicinal cannabis in Latin America.

If you’re on the fence about whether to vote yes or no on Proposition 205—the Nov. 8 ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona—you’re not getting a lot of useful information through one-minute TV ads.

You’re probably not inclined to slog through the initiative’s 20 pages of legal jargon, either.

Fortunately, Will Humble has done that. He developed the regulations for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act as former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. At a recent Mini-Medical School lecture at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Humble impartially broke down Prop. 205 into everyday language.

Yes, Washington was part of the vanguard when it came to legalizing marijuana. And yes, voters in even more states might approve legalization in November for recreational use.

But if you think drug tests have fallen out of fashion in Tacoma, Olympia and elsewhere in this state, think again.

Now that the economy has improved post-recession, companies are fishing from a smaller pool of job seekers who can pass mandatory drug screenings, said Hans Kueck, an economic development specialist with Pierce County.

Max Groso, budtender at P.S.A. Organica in Palm Springs, discusses the concerns and hopes for Proposition 64, or the Adult Use of Marijuana Act on the November ballot. (July 21, 2016) Lauren Hernandez/The Desert Sun

When voters step up to the polls Nov. 8, they'll determine the future of recreational marijuana statewide. There are strong feelings from those on both sides of the aisle, but while some see legalization as a step forward for California, others say it could be the beginning of the end.

Support for weed legalization in the US recently hit an all-time high, but looking at the industry, it's been a long time coming.

Sixty-percent of Americans — up from 35% in 2005 — now support legalization, according to a Gallup poll from Wednesday.

The legalization of marijuana decision in Arizona is only weeks away, so many companies and politicians are trying to get their last endorsements in as Election Day draws near.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and U-Haul International Inc. are just the latest to join the fight against Proposition 205, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.

Ducey sent out a campaign email opposing the legalization of marijuana in his state, as he doesn’t want there to be problems like he said Colorado has to deal with.

While there’s been an increase in awareness of the environmental impact of cannabis production over the last several years, aided by journalists and sources in law enforcement, one sector that hasn’t weighed in on this concern as much is academia, but not for a lack of interest.

The increasing polarization and divisiveness of American politics might prove helpful in Jesse Ventura’s ongoing battle to legalize marijuana south of the border, said the author, former professional wrestler and governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.

"This could be the issue of revolution in the United States,” he told The West Block’s Tom Clark. “The people should rise up with this issue to send a message to Washington: we’re the boss, not you. We’re the employer, you’re the employee, and you’re there to do our bidding.”