U.S. News Updates

Alaska

Stanford engineers are hitting the breaks on driving under the influence of marijuana with a roadside device that can tell whether someone’s too stoned to be behind the wheel.

Their new “potalyzer” applies the same magnetic nanotechnology used in cancer screenings to detect THC molecules in saliva after someone lights up, and to also measure the concentration of the drug in someone’s spit.

Deep into the looong November ballot, many voters will be sorting through a typical mix of school bond measures, sales tax hikes and the like. But this year, in dozens of cities and counties in California, communities will also face pivotal questions about the future of marijuana.

A campaign to legalize recreational cannabis statewide has dominated the political debate over weed this year. Less noticed, and in some respects more significant, is a proliferation of local ballot measures that will help determine whether, where and at what cost cannabis products will be available – regardless of the outcome of the state vote.

The wholesale price of marijuana in Colorado has continued to plummet since recreational use of the drug was legalized in 2014, according to a report by Business Insider on Sept. 1.

Data from Tradiv, a marijuana distribution platform, shows the price of one pound of marijuana has decreased by approximately 40 percent between October 2015 and August, from $2,400-$2,600 to $1,400-$1,600.

An increase in overall product supply is the main culprit for Colorado’s marijuana growers who are taking a hit in profit margin now, each being virtually unlimited in how many plants they can grow.

The $1 trillion War on Drugs launched by President Nixon in 1971 created the Mexican drug cartels, now legalizing weed is killing them.

The Mexican drug cartels are finally meeting their match as a wave of cannabis legalization efforts drastically reshapes the drug trafficking landscape in the United States. It turns out that as states legalize cannabis use and cultivation, the volume of weed brought across the border by Mexican drug cartels dramatically decreases — and is putting a dent in their cash flow.

Is marijuana the new sin-tax gusher for the states? It sure looks that way.

In November, voters in five states will decide on whether to allow recreational use of the drug, while citizens in four other states have the option of legalizing medical marijuana.  

Alaska marijuana regulators have delayed by at least another month a decision on allowing people to buy marijuana products to smoke, inhale or consume in food in authorized stores.

The Marijuana Control Board has wrestling with the issue since last year. But board member Loren Jones said Wednesday that he wanted more time to consider it.

The matter was tabled until next month's meeting, over the objections of the board's two industry members.

The board is in unchartered territory. The three other states that have legalized recreational marijuana ban its public use, including in pot stores.

Cannabis Ancestor There’s a lot we don’t know about the evolution of cannabis, and we’re still not sure exactly what’s going on with cannabis as it exists today – it is one species or several? What does “sativa” and “indica” mean in real terms? We’re still finding the answers to those questions, and a deeper understanding of the past could help our efforts enormously.

The early evolution of cannabis is mostly unknown, and scientists still haven’t reached firm conclusions on exactly what’s going on with cannabis as it exists today – it is one species or several? What does “sativa” and “indica” mean in real terms? We’re still finding the answers to those questions, and a deeper understanding of the past could help our efforts enormously.

A new report shows that the Netherlands is the leading supplier of drugs among dark net vendors.

Internet-facilitated drugs trade was released by the Dutch Justice Ministry and took into consideration the size, scope, and the role the Netherlands is playing in the online drug business.

Researchers scanned 50 dark net markets and vendor shops to find that the Netherlands calls a very huge portion of the markets and sites home.

In part with data from the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction, the study suggests that the Netherlands is the main producer of MDMA and Ecstasy, as well as a key distribution hub from cannabis resin and cocaine.