Cannabis is going global fast – Italy’s Parliament just voted for a legalized, regulated cannabis market, Denmark’s youth is consuming cannabis in droves but it’s no gateway, and the United Kingdom just reached a record high number of supporters for legalization in the isles. On this side of the pond, United States lawmakers are thinking ahead and making plans that could change the game completely. We’ve got the latest in cannabis legalization efforts:

U.S. Cannabis Updates

NATIONWIDE

Washington state’s county prosecutors have entered murky waters in the ever-evolving legal land of recreational marijuana.

Many are still unsure of how to handle charges leveled against state-licensed marijuana retailer employees who were caught making an in-store sale to an underage investigate aid sent in by the Liquor Cannabis Board (LCB).

In King County, three stores — one in Shoreline, one in Kenmore and one in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood — are among the 19 Washington stores that now have employees nervously awaiting news if they will be prosecuted.

It’s hard to say which direction prosecutors will sway, but what is certain, is that prosecution in multiple counties are reluctant to jump to any harsh conclusions.

The following is a release from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board:

Several new alcohol- and marijuana-related laws became effective on July 24. Among the new laws is a section of Senate Bill 5052, the Cannabis Patient Protection Act, which changes the name of the former Liquor Control Board. Effective immediately, the new name is the Liquor and Cannabis Board which reflects the regulatory responsibilities the agency has had since 2012. The name change is the first for the agency since it was established by the Steele Act on Jan. 23, 1934.

Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, but only Colorado and Washington have licensed dispensaries that can legally sell recreational cannabis. Since legalization and sale came to those communities, the budding pot industry in these two states has tried to shape a future of vineyard-esque tours of marijuana farms, and fatty-friendly salons reminiscent of Amsterdam’s cafes. (The phrase “Napa Valley of weed” gets tossed around a fair bit.)

Government health experts warn in a new report that the risks of consuming marijuana-infused edibles like weed brownies and other snacks mustn’t be understated following the suicide last year of a man whose death has been blamed on pot.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said on Friday that there’s “a potential danger” that comes with consuming marijuana-infused edibles, evidenced by an incident last March in which a 19-year-old man jumped to his death from the fourth-floor balcony of a Denver, Colorado, hotel while high.

Vancouver, British Columbia / TheNewswire / July 24, 2015- Vodis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CSE: VP / FSE: 1JV /Q:VDQSF) ("Vodis" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that after consulting with the City of Bellingham in Washington State, the Company needs only to install air flow systems in order that it may be granted permission to receive an inspection from the Washington State Liquor Control board. The company has ordered the necessary parts and expects the installation to be completed within 3-4 weeks.

SPOKANE — The only member of the so-called “Kettle Falls Five” marijuana-growing family to plead guilty has received a 16-month sentence, but will remain out of custody pending an appeal.

The Spokesman-Review reports that U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice did not accept Jason Zucker’s explanation that the plants he and others grew on property in northeastern Washington state were for medicinal purposes.

The federal case was widely watched because medical and recreational marijuana is legal under state law in Washington.

The Columbian reports that the changes are part of an overhaul recently approved by lawmakers.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries will now be considered qualifying conditions for patients hoping to receive a medical marijuana card.

Senate Bill 5052 was signed into law in April. Its goal was to align the state's medical and recreational marijuana systems to ensure the drug is delivered in a safe, regulated manner.

One controversial portion of the bill is the medical marijuana database. Although it's voluntary, those who don't register won't benefit from the same tax breaks and wouldn't be able to possess or grow the same amount of marijuana.

Washington state regulators are tightening their grip on medical marijuana this week by targeting dubious patient authorizations. But some clinics say the changes, which begin Friday, will put them out of business.

The new Cannabis Patient Protection Act requires any health care provider who authorizes more than 30 medical cannabis patients in a month to report to the Department of Health.

As a U.S. Army medic during the invasion of Iraq, Dante Cammarata was tasked with treating wounds, handing out pills and saving lives.

Back in the civilian world and grappling with his own less visible wounds, Cammarata, 34, says the cannabis plant probably saved his life.

Now the Olympia college student hopes to keep fellow veterans from taking their own lives by promoting marijuana as an alternative to prescription pills. By one estimate, post-traumatic stress disorder afflicts one in five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.