A roundup of various movement in cannabis legalization in Europe.

While in the Americas in the last few years we have seen several waves of liberal reforms in countries like the USA, Canada, Chile, and Uruguay, we rarely hear similar news concerning European countries. But cannabis legalization is also winning support slowly in European countries other than the Netherlands Spain and Portugal.

In the UK last month, Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb raised a bill for decriminalization of cannabis – a second hearing will take place on May.

Public Health Director James Gillan says the rules and regs hit a snag with the Economic Impact Statement.

This next November election will mark two years since the initiative to implement medical marijuana on Guam was passed and now another holdup in the much-anticipated final draft rules and regulations.

A Vancouver pot shop entrepreneur says he’s in a real dilemma, as one of his locations is in the final stages of approval, while the other is facing closure.

Chuck Varabioff, owner of the BC Pain Society, says his Commercial Drive location was rejected because it’s within 300m of a school, but he’s vowing to stay open come Friday.

“If the city wants to come in, they want to come with a fine, I will be standing at the door with a post-dated cheque to pay my fines for an entire month if that’s what they want.”

“I’m not happy to pay the fines but I will pay the fines while I’m fighting and appealing for your right as well as my right as well as 15,000 other people’s rights who are members.”

An attempt in the Iowa Legislature to expand medical marijuana access in the state may have reached its end this session with a failed vote in the Republican-controlled House, though some Democrats said Tuesday they would keep pushing the issue in the days before a possible adjournment.

Both Republicans and Democrats in the chamber pointed fingers at each other following a Monday night debate that ultimately shot down a plan that critics said would not have done enough to expand the state’s medical marijuana law, which allows the use of cannabis oil for certain epilepsy patients.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton doesn’t have a firm stance on marijuana legalization yet — she wants to see more research first. But there are some challenges to getting that research, she said.

At an ABC town hall April 21, Clinton told audience member Evan Nison, a National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws board member, what she would do as president to address the marijuana legalization debate.

Women are becoming more aggressive in fighting for medical marijuana legalization. Women could possibly lead the legalization of marijuana across the globe.

According to She Knows, women are breaking the stereotype that men are more likely to smoke marijuana. It was mentioned that women nowadays are venturing the wonders of smoking marijuana in alleviating their daily stress.

When Colorado legalized pot in 2014, police weren't prepared to crack down on smoking and driving.

Law enforcement agencies should prepare for an influx of drug-impaired drivers before marijuana is legalized in Canada, says an American state trooper.

When Colorado legalized marijuana in 2014, police weren't prepared to crack down on those who light up before getting behind the wheel, said Lt.-Col. Kevin Eldridge. 

'You have to think about how you're going to deal with this increase of a drug in the society, and how you keep people from driving under the influence.'

Long-time proponent fears harsh 'Harperesque' restrictions on cannabis.

High-profile pot activist Jodie Emery wants a seat on the federal task force on legalizing marijuana.

She worries the panel will be stacked with "prohibitionists" who will push for overly restrictive regulations that would limit access to legal cannabis. 

​Emery has written to Bill Blair, the parliamentary secretary to Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, outlining her credentials for the job, including years of research, advocacy and political campaigning.

The Canadian government last week announced that cannabis will be legalised and regulated from spring next year.

George Murkin, of the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, says that it's time the UK followed suit.

Who should control the production and supply of drugs : Governments or gangsters? That’s the choice that politicians face – there’s no third option in which drugs don’t exist. Unlike the UK, Canada has recognised this reality.

The country’s health minister announced last week that the Canadian­ government will bring the cannabis trade under their control, by legalising and regulating it in spring next year.

As the federal government puts together a task force on marijuana legalization, Health Minister Jane Philpott isn’t saying no to pot activists taking part.

“I’m not ruling anything out,” Philpott said from the Liberal cabinet retreat in Kananaskis, Alberta.

But Philpott also made a point of saying experts would come from move conventional categories.

“It’ll be experts as I said in the past, in health care, experts in addiction care, public safety and justice,” she said. “Those’ll be the main categories that we’re looking at.”

Longtime pot activist Jodie Emery has sent a letter to Philpott and other cabinet ministers as well Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requesting a spot on the task force.