Tunisian activist Azyz Amami’s trial on Friday (May 23rd) is sparking a national debate on the issue of criminal penalties for cannabis possession.

Amami and a friend were arrested May 12th in La Goulette for alleged possession of a narcotic substance.

The 31-year-old from Sidi Bouzid gained fame as an opponent of the Ben Ali regime. He was one of the first bloggers to write about the Tunisian revolution. He has also spoken out against police actions targeting young people.

Like them or hate them, UKIP have broken history by securing a record number of seats in the EU elections and the local elections; but how will this political earthquake affect the cannabis cause?

Nick Robinson, political editor for the BBC said today: “It is over 100 years since a national election has been won by a party other than the Conservatives and Labour.”

It should not be taken lightly; UKIP have shaken the political landscape, making waves for future policies throughout the country. The UK national independence party have used a fierce and highly controversial campaign to take advantage of voters who are frankly sick of the way politics work in this country.

A recommendation from The High Community to you – go watch True Detective now!

Someone once told me, ‘Time is a flat circle.’ Everything we’ve ever done or will do, we’re gonna do over and over and over again. And these politicians from conservative to lib-dem or labour, they’re gonna keep making the same promises again and again and again forever.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — President Jose Mujica says Uruguay's legal marijuana market will be much better than the system in Colorado, which doesn't track the drug after sale. And he says the medical marijuana laws many U.S. states have adopted are based on "hypocrisy" because they enable people to fake illnesses to get prescription weed.

Mujica also predicted Friday that Uruguay's system will be much tougher on drug users, and more effective in combatting illegal drug trafficking.

Mujica, who will visit President Barack Obama in the White House on May 12, says his government will license and regulate the entire marijuana business, enforcing pot possession rules as well as limits on production and sales so that violators get punished and addicts get help.

Conservative thinktank Bright Blue launches its Modernisers' Manifesto today with 2015's general election in mind. One of its many eye-catching recommendations is reform of Britain's cannabis laws, which, it argues, would appeal to young and ethnic-minority voters. But would the people who care about cannabis really vote for a pro-cannabis Tory party? Here's what three drugs reform campaigners have to say about the idea.

Claudia Gardner, Assignment Coordinator

WESTERN BUREAU:Harvard University's law professor Charles Nessen says the Westmoreland Hemp and Ganja Farmers Association (WHGFA) could take steps in protecting the interest of Rastafari and small ganja farmers by legally registering themselves as cooperatives.

Professor Nessen made the comments during his keynote address at the WHGFA's second monthly meeting which was held at the MXIII Lawn in Negril, Westmoreland, on Sunday.

The professor had flown back to Jamaica specifically to address the meeting after having met with the association's chairman, Ras Iyah-V, at the launch of the Jamaica Ganja Future Growers in Kingston earlier this month.

"We have no hostile position towards that, it will be looked into," he said in an online chat on social networking site Facebook on Tuesday.

He was responding to questions for an hour ahead of the May 7 general election.

Several controversial questions and remarks were put to Malema, including issues around homosexuality, electronic tolling, and his close relationship with former ANC Youth League leader Floyd Shivambu.

Malema said if the Economic Freedom Fighters came to power after the elections, it would get rid of e-tolling.

"We [will] remove e-tolls immediately when we take over. Physically," he said.

On fighting crime, Malema said he would empower and retrain police officers to focus more on criminals rather than protests.

Adults may be legally able to seek out clubs in certain Swiss cities to buy state-certified cannabis, free of chemicals, for personal use under a pilot project being drafted.

The Medical Innovation Bill, a bill to legalize Cannabis in South Africa for medical, economic and industrial purposes, was introduced in parliament today.

The bill was submitted by Member of Parliament, Mario GR Oriani-Ambrosini from the Inkatha Freedom Party. The Medical Innovation Bill aims to make provision for innovations in medical treatments by legalising the use of cannabis for medical, economic and industrial purposes.

WASHINGTON -- The federal government issued guidelines on Friday that officials said were intended to increase the financial services available to marijuana businesses that are legal under state laws.

Guidelines announced by the Treasury Department and a memo from a top Justice Department official were intended to ease concerns that the federal government would target banks working with marijuana-related businesses that are legal and regulated on the state level. Expanded banking access will enable them to function like traditional businesses, and implementing a reporting structure will allow the federal government to take a close look at how they operate.