French police have seized more than seven tonnes of cannabis from three hired vans parked on a Paris street, France's largest haul in two years.

Customs officers found 7.1 tonnes of cannabis resin in the unoccupied vans in the affluent 16th district of the capital, the Finance Ministry, which oversees the customs service, said in a statement on Sunday.

A police source said the consignment had been transported from Morocco via Spain, a common route.

The French drinks group, which recently changed its name from Belvedere, describes Shotka as a “premium” cannabis-flavoured vodka targeted towards “rebellious night-clubbing fans”.

First launched in Spain this summer in partnership with nightlife company Matinée Group, Shotka is said to have the “unique” taste of cannabis, without its narcotic effects.

Spanish actress Rossy de Palma promoted Shotka through a video teaser played at Matinée Group’s Circuit Festival, while 600 Shotka parties were held around the country.

The brand now plans to roll out acorss the US, Canada, Poland, Denmark, Bulgaria, France, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia and Ukrains, as well as global travel retail.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a series of bills last week to finally regulate the medical marijuana industry decades after California first legalized cannabis for medical use and the major players are all claiming victory.

Environmentalists, business groups, pot farmers, local governments and consumer groups are all claiming benefits from the passage of three laws that regulate the sale, transport, and growth of medical marijuana.

Brown and state lawmakers crafted the regulations to help manage California’s unregulated billion-dollar medical marijuana industry, according to the LA Times.

A DRUG dealer has been arrested after passing around flyers advertising his wares – and including a sample of cannabis along with his forename and mobile number.

Using adverts typically seen in supermarket flyers, the 31-year-old man was attempting to boost trade and attract new customers in the Tonkin district of the Lyon suburb Villeurbanne.

His flyer even offered “Home delivery from €100” and included some cannabis resin stuck on with sellotape.

But his enterprising efforts were brought up short when one of the people who was given his advertising leaflet – a 50-year-old man leaving a hotel - promptly handed it to police.

You may imagine that with its liberal laws and Amsterdam’s cannabis coffee shops, the Netherlands would top a poll of cannabis use. But a series of maps has revealed that in fact Iceland smokes the most weed - with the Netherlands not even making the top five. The US tops the chart for prescription drug abuse as well as cocaine, while Norway consumes the most alcohol.

A US study suggests that marijuana use in adolescence does not cause health problems in adulthood. The work, however, have many limitations.

Cannabis is the subject of intense debate in many countries, including France. The question of legalization is at the heart of these. For several years in the US, states like Colorado, Alaska, Washington and Oregon in July, allow the recreational use of marijuana. However, numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the short and long term effects of this "soft drug" on health. But today, a study published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors newspaper calls them into question.

One might think that the legalization of marijuana allows smokers (whether in a medical or recreational setting) to be safe and harmless. Well no, reports Wired site. Because even when the grass is legal, nobody knows if it has been sprayed with pesticides. Annoying when joints are smoked by sick people for therapeutic purposes ...

Indeed, cultivating cannabis plants is not the most obvious. It is appropriate for it to get rid of pests. Farmers are turning to pesticides. And that's where the trouble begins. First, be aware that in the US the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot report what pesticides are authorized or which ones are allowed for the cultivation of marijuana. Because growing marijuana is not legal at the federal level but only in a few states.

A cannabis resin seized on Monday made port in the Caribbean, on a container ship came from Havre, highlights some new practices of "commercial" traffickers.

Researchers in Marseilles, France have substantiated what we all suspected, cannabis use is strongly associated with the so-called sliding sports: surfing, windsurfing, skiing, sailing and of course, snowboarding. A lot of athletes that practice these sports may do it for the thrill, and cannabis can complement this feeling while simultaneously helping athletes focus.