What does our nation’s capital Washington D.C., Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Colorado have in common? Their economy is rapidly growing due to a huge spark in the use of recreational marijuana. Among the most common, Colorado, there are four other areas where the recreational use of the plant is legal. Since then, four out of the five areas discluding Alaska, fall onto MSN’s top ten best economies in the country. There are also 18 other states that have legalized the medicinal use of cannabis as well.

Federal prosecutors say a Colorado attorney charged in connection with major raids on state-licensed medical marijuana businesses is not protected by a new law that tells the feds to back off.

Attorney David Furtado was one of four men charged after sweeping raids two years ago targeting the VIP Cannabis dispensary and related businesses. The men were ultimately indicted on charges of money laundering and trying to deposit money from an illegal enterprise into a bank account.

Last month, Furtado raised a novel legal argument: That a federal budget amendment passed last year means the U.S. Justice Department is prohibited from spending money on prosecutions like his. He asked the judge to throw out the case against him.

Colombia's government plans to legalize the cultivation and sale of marijuana for medicinal and scientific purposes, officials said Thursday in a surprise shift by the longtime U.S. ally in the war on drugs.

The change is coming in an executive decree that President Juan Manuel Santos will soon sign into law. It will regulate regulating everything from licensing for growers to the eventual export of products made from marijuana, Justice Minister Yesid Reyes said.

Nevada, home of the casino kingdom that is Las Vegas, could join the growing list of states legalizing recreational marijuana when the state on Election Day 2016 votes on an initiative that would legalize and regulate recreational pot in the state.

According to the latest Roy Morgan poll, the Cannabis Party is ranked as New Zealand's 5th most popular political party behind National, Labour, The Greens and NZ First.

The September 28 - October 11 poll showed that Maori Party, ACT NZ, United Future, Conservatives, Mana Party and Internet Party were all on or below 0.5%.

While the 'Other' section which included the Cannabis Party as well as Ban1080, Democrats for Social Credit, NZ Independent Coalition and Focus New Zealand was up to 1% support.

Party leader Julian Crawford said the majority of the 'Other' section was support for the Cannabis Party.

A retired top cop, the Government's former chief drugs adviser and a police and crime commissioner are among a growing number of respected professionals joining stoners to call for a change in the law.

They claim the UK is wasting £500million a year and scant police resources on a "war on drugs" it CAN'T WIN and targeting patients and pot-heads alike for something 60% of young people have at least tried.

Many western countries – including the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Germany and half of American states – have legalised or decriminalised marijuana in some form.

Discussions of marijuana legalization are taking place among lawmakers and policymakers across the globe.

Although possession of marijuana is still illegal in most countries, many have decriminalized it – and a number of others could be next to legalize marijuana.

A large number of applications to grow or dispense medical marijuana in Maryland will delay the program's rollout, the executive director of a state commission said Thursday.

The commission announced it received 882 applications for grower, processor and dispenser licenses by a Nov. 6 deadline. Hannah Byron, the executive director of the Maryland medical Cannabis Commission, said the panel will extend the application review period and modify the timeline. The commission had estimated the first stage of the application review would be complete by mid-January.

"The commission will provide an updated program schedule in the near future," Byron said.

Marijuana legalization opponents in Colorado say Texas shouldn't legalize marijuana, citing, among others, marijuana-related traffic deaths. Meanwhile, marijuana advocates say legalized pot increases job and provides more taxes to the state.(Photo: KHOU)

The marijuana industry in Colorado now employs an estimated 16,000 workers, generates $1 billion in annual sales and in 2014 generated approximately $76 million in taxes funneled into the state’s general fund.

But marijuana legalization opponents like Bob Doyle, the co-chair of Better Way Colorado (formerly known as Project SAM – Smart Approaches to Colorado), offered this advice for other states like Texas.

LEGALISE IT: The campaign to legalise pot is no longer just students and hippies

A retired top cop, the Government’s former chief drugs adviser and a police and crime commissioner are among a growing number of respected professionals joining stoners to call for a change in the law.

They claim the UK is wasting £500million a year and scant police resources on a “war on drugs” it CAN’T WIN and targeting patients and pot-heads alike for something 60% of young people have at least tried.