On November 2, 2016, Lok Sabha MP Dharamvir Gandhi announced that he had received clearance from Parliament to table a Private Member's Bill seeking to amend the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 to allow for the legalised, regulated, and medically supervised supply of "non- synthetic" intoxicants including cannabis and opium. India is one of the countries where marijuana is easily available, but is not entirely legalised. In fact, during a United Nations (UN) convention in 1961, India had actually lobbied against a carpet-ban on naturally grown-substances like cannabis or opium. This was also because these substances are used for religious and cultural purposes, in our country.

Marijuana legalization brought unexpected challenges to Colorado, and it was rarely clear what part of state government was supposed to solve them, or how.

Businesses were selling marijuana-infused, animal-shaped candy attractive to children. Residents growing pot at home were selling it illegally in other states. Growers were applying pesticides to cannabis plants even though none was specifically approved by the federal government for such use.

Enter Andrew Freedman, Colorado’s pot czar, who is bringing together the state’s bureaucracy, marijuana industry, law enforcement community, and public health advocates to fix problems no other state had faced.

Their position on marijuana is hardly the only difference between Canada's prime minister and the president-elect of the United States.

But when Justin Trudeau's government introduces legislation to legalize cannabis this spring, it could spark problems between Canada and the U.S., particularly since Donald Trump has indicated he will keep pot illegal at the federal level.

Here's a look at what could change in Canada-U.S. relations once Canadians start lighting up legally.

Border control

Len Saunders, an immigration lawyer in Blaine, Wash., predicts a boom in his business after Canada legalizes marijuana -- though it's one he has a hard time feeling happy about.

Nevada’s cannabis industry wants to be tested.

Hoping to avoid the pitfalls seen in other states that have legalized marijuana, several in Nevada’s marijuana industry want the state’s stringent testing of medical marijuana products to be carried over to the recreational market. Doing so is essential to protecting the consumers, they say, as well as the industry.

“We need to make sure this product is safe. And the only way to make sure it’s safe is to test it,” said Kelly Zaug, lab manager at DV Labs in Las Vegas, during a Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association panel discussion Thursday.

Puff, Pass & Paint, the nation's first cannabis-friendly art class, adds locations in Las Vegas and California as additional states legalize recreationally.

"Puff, Pass & Paint", the nation's first cannabis-friendly art class, continues to expand nationally with recreational legalization in California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine. Based in Denver, the smokey art session has also expanded to Portland, Seattle, and Washington DC, with dates available in San Francisco and Las Vegas starting January of 2017. The company will add additional events and locations as legalization allows, with Boston, Portland, ME, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange County, CA scheduled for immediate expansion as well. 

As California prepares for the era of legal marijuana, Israel is emerging as a potential overseas partner in new cannabis-related enterprises.

As a report in Sunday’s New York Times notes, Israel has been a leader in medical research into the benefits of marijuana, and is currently conducing more clinical trials than the United States, which one Israeli expert called “ridiculous.” With California and other jurisdictions legalizing marijuana cultivation, Israel is moving to expand it abroad.

Colorado’s Health Department announced Tuesday the state will provide $2.35 million for research on the effects of marijuana, with most of the money aiding in two studies analyzing the impact marijuana has on driving, Denver Post reported.

Another hurdle has been cleared for supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in Maine.

On Saturday, opponents of the ballot measure legalizing pot conceded to the Yes on 1 campaign. That followed a recount of somewhere between a third and a fourth of all ballots cast in Maine on Election Day.

A lawyer for the No on 1 campaign said it became clear this past week that the results of November's election wouldn't be changed by the recount. He also said many towns and cities in Maine may still consider banning recreational pot use.

With cannabis legalization coming down the pipe in 2017, Premier Rachel Notley said input from Albertans will help set the minimum age to purchase marijuana.

Notley weighed in on weed legalization following a report released by the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation recommending a national minimum age of 18 to purchase marijuana. The report also said provinces and territories should be allowed to “harmonize” the minimum age for cannabis with their minimum age for purchasing alcohol and tobacco.

“Not everyone is going to agree, but I think it’s really important that we do engage (with Albertans) because I know lots of families are concerned about safety on (marijuana),” Notley said.

"I think the first line of discussion is the individual Maine towns because they're going to have and should have the right to say we don't marijuana here", said Newell Augur, legal counsel for the No on 1 campaign.

The recount was expected to take up to a month to complete and cost taxpayers $500,000. Unofficial results from the secretary of state's office had put the margin of victory at 4,073 in the days after the election. Because the recount was ended early, the final price tag for the recount is expected to be much less. They No on 1 campaign had struggled to provide sufficient volunteers to perform the recount last week, only coming up with eight of the requested ten the state asked for on Wednesday, two days after the recount was to begin.