Maine is moving forward with marijuana legalization as two pro-pot groups launch spring petition drives to ask residents to legalize recreational consumption in 2016. While their goals are the same, the organizations remain divided on who exactly should lead the charge. The Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, which played a key role in Colorado’s legalization effort, wants its proposal to go before voters next year. Legalize Maine, however, wants marijuana legalization in the state to be a domestic effort, according to the Associated Press.

Native American tribes are poised to move into the lucrative legal marijuana businesses. With spreading legalization and with taxes being levied right and left, tribal tax advantages could be huge. In California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, the Supreme Court ruled that in states permitting gaming, tribes can conduct gaming on Native American lands unhindered by state regulation. A year later, Congress enacted the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, creating a regulatory framework for gaming on Indian lands.

New manufacturing rules will affect state’s 4,098 registered patients, including Montclair residents.

Are you a registered medical marijuana patient in Montclair?

Good news… you may soon be able to get lozenges, brownies and other edible forms of cannabis directly from your local dispensary.

On March 10, more than five years after lawmakers approved medical marijuana in New Jersey, the state Department of Health issued guidelines for the production of edible medical cannabis products.

These new rules may change the way the state’s 4,098 registered patients ingest their medication.

After news broke that Florida’s Republican governor Rick Scott’s administration had forbid state employees from using the phrase “climate change” during official business, many conservatives claimed that people were overreacting. After all, they reasoned, Rick Scott wouldn’t seriously punish scientists for talking about climate change.

Oh yes, he would.

Source: Flickr user Mark

Just when marijuana supporters thought things couldn't get any better, last week brought incredible news.

Marijuana gets a double-dose of good news
On Tuesday, March 10, three Senate members introduced a bill that would make medical marijuana legal on a federal level and free legal medical marijuana users from the potential for federal prosecution.

In this May 30, 2013, file photo, "Companion Cannabis: Medical Marijuana for Dogs & Cats" by Holistic Therapeutics is displayed at La Brea Compassionate Caregivers, a medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Pets might soon be able to use pot under a bill introduced Tuesday in the Nevada Legislature.

Democratic Sen. Tick Segerblom is sponsoring the measure that would allow animal owners to get marijuana for their pet if a veterinarian certifies the animal has an illness that might be alleviated by the drug.

Segerblom said he’s concerned that some animals might have adverse reactions, but “you don’t know until you try,” he said.

The legislative season is in full swing across the country, and pot is hot -- especially in New England

And we’re not even talking about medical marijuana or decriminalization bills, we’re talking about outright legalization bills.

A key component of Jamaica’s business community wants regional leaders to determine whether Washington would oppose efforts by the island to export locally produced marijuana to the U.S. for the medical industry when they meet with President Barack Obama in Jamaica early next month.

Both the White House and Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced plans for the visit this week as Obama prepares to make his second official visit to a Caribbean trade bloc member state since taking office six years ago.

In 2009, he flew to Trinidad both to meet with leaders and to attend the hemispheric Summit of Americas which Trinidad had hosted also in April of that year.

TRENTON — Dozens of people gathered Saturday near the New Jersey Statehouse to show their support for legalizing marijuana.

Several people were openly smoking the drug during the rally, but apparently none were arrested.

The event drew a diverse crowd of roughly 200 people. Many said they wanted to show their support for legalizing or decriminalizing pot, while others said it should only be given to people with medical conditions that could be eased by the drug.

The event was led by Ed Forchion (FOR'-chun), a pro-marijuana activist known as NJ Weedman. He renewed his calls for lawmakers to legalize the drug, saying it should be treated like alcohol.