California lawmakers regulated medical marijuana in black and white last year, but with rules set to take effect by 2018, there’s plenty of gray area to generate busts between now and then.

A popular medical cannabis brand in that gray area in Northern California was the subject of a local law enforcement sweep, according to scattered reports from sources today.

CBD lab at a Santa Rosa biz park raided in coordinated searches of at least four biz properties and homes #cannabis pic.twitter.com/HsBrpauhNX

— Julie Johnson (@jjpressdem) June 15, 2016

The American Civil Liberties Union of California on Tuesday endorsed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, or AUMA — Californians’ ballot measure that would legalize cannabis in the 2016 general election.

After conducting research proving  Black people and other minorities get arrested far more for pot than whites despite similar usage levels, the ACLU is supporting AUMA to help stem the mass incarceration epidemic in America.

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U.S. senators took a deep dive into issues surrounding the legalization of marijuana on Wednesday as part of a hearing on America’s demand for illegal drugs and alternative approaches to drug control.

Although one of the nation’s leading drug policy reform activists was in the room to testify, it was a lawmaker who delivered the session’s first criticisms of the failure of prohibition.

“Like [alcohol]prohibition fueled the gangs back then, what were doing right now is fueling drug cartels, which is the reason we have an unsecured border,” said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Marijuana dispensary owners, clerks and landlords got their first day in court Wednesday, with several calling it a waste of time and money as Canada moves toward full pot legalization.

More than a dozen people appeared at Old City Hall on provincial charges of contravening Toronto’s zoning bylaw that states only federal licensed marijuana distributors, who mail or courier pot, can operate in the city and only in industrial parts of Toronto.

Most accused received disclosure of the case against them and a date to return for trial in August on the charges that carry a maximum fine of $25,000 for individuals and $50,000 for corporations.

The nation’s largest organization in favor of marijuana legalization is formally endorsing the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president – Gary Johnson.

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), whose mission is to reform federal laws to ensure states can determine their own marijuana policies, said Johnson was the obvious choice as the most pro-legalization candidate on the ballot.

MPP made clear its endorsement was on the sole issue of marijuana reform and did not amount to an endorsement of the candidate’s other policies.

The Baltimore Ravens have released offensive tackle and medical marijuana advocate Eugene Monroe. Monroe has become increasingly outspoken during the last couple of months about the positive aspects of marijuana in comparison to the dangers that come with the league's use of opioids. While the Ravens didn't implicitly say parting ways with the 29-year-old was the direct result of his stance on weed, the team's website did address it in their post announcing his release.

Where there are markets, regulations, and money, special interests and self-serving behavior will not be far away. So argue Philip Wallach and Jonathan Rauch in this new paper that examines how special interests are likely to shape marijuana legalization and regulation in the United States.

It’s an exchange of Twitter barbs that might be dubbed a “dustup” if 49 people weren’t dead.

A report by Radboud University researchers which says legalising cannabis production would have benefits for public health and human rights, will not have an impact on government policy, justice minister Ard van der Steur has told MPs.

The report’s findings are no reason to change policy on cannabis cafes, known as coffee shops, the minister said in answer to questions from the Socialists and D66.

The study found that illegal cannabis production was linked to criminal violence, fires, environmental and noise pollution and the spread of legionella bacteria, the Volkskrant reported last month.

Marijuana legalization is no longer just a pipe dream; in several states, it’s become a reality. With Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Alaska all having passed voter-backed legalization initiatives, residents in three of those states are now free to engage in the purchase and consumption of marijuana and related products from licensed stores and retail locations. It’s a situation that would have been unimaginable just a decade or so ago.