Protesters blew up noise grenades and smoke bombs, as well as painted police cars.

In the Georgian town of Samtredia near police building takes place the rally of the youth organization "White movement" (the second name is "White Noise"), advocating for the decriminalization of soft drugs. It is reported by "Radio Liberty".

The reason for the rally was the recent suicide of 22 year old Demur Sturua, who spoke in a suicide note that one of the policemen demanded from him to become an informant for law enforcement, threatening otherwise to initiate a criminal case and arrest on charges of possession and consumption of drugs.

The world has had a long and complicated relationship with hemp.

It wasn’t until the twentieth century that hemp fell out of favor as one of the most important crops in the history of mankind. In 2016, however, anything is possible it seems.

So, it could be very soon where a variety of applications using hemp become economical, and hemp grows into a boon for society.

What was once a widespread plant became a taboo within decades. Its history shows it is useful for tens of thousands of applications and counting. 

The BRICS nations comprise of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The members are all developing or newly industrialised countries, with a significant influence on regional and global affairs. What is the Brics’ stance on marijuana and why should you care?

The war on drugs has failed, fuelling higher rates of infection and harming public health and human rights to such a degree that it's time to decriminalize non-violent minor drug offences, according to a new global report.

The authors of the Johns Hopkins-Lancet Commission on Public Health and International Drug Policy call for minor use, possession and petty use to be decriminalized following measurably worsened human health.

As the West throttles down on its 45-year-old war on drugs, acknowledging that the trillion-dollar price tag has only fuelled civil conflict in Latin America, crowded the prisons at home, and harmed more addicts than it has healed, another bloc of nations is gearing up to implement the self-same failed policies. So guess who’s with China, Indonesia, Russia and the Middle East on this? Yup, South Africa, under the inspired guidance of the Hawks. KEVIN BLOOM reports.

I. The Hawks and the Kremlin Drug Czars

March 8 is International Women's Day, celebrated in today's Google Doodle with a video asking women all over the world to finish the sentence, "One day I will..."

The answers run the gamut from personal dreams like "play in the Major Leagues" to more global aspirations like Malala Yousafzai's wish to "see every girl in school." And like International Women's Day itself, the video is both a celebration of women's lives and achievements, and a call to action to make their lives better.

What is International Women's Day?

These days, it's a corporate-sponsored global campaign to raise awareness of women's issues worldwide.

Ladies, to celebrate International Women’s Day we wanted to explore how independent women, and the characters they’ve inspired, have been celebrated on the silver screen. Below are our top picks for some great flicks to get you in the mood for IWD. 

The Accused (1988)

When Sarah (Jodie Foster) fights back against the men who brutally gang-raped her, she must not only face the men she accuses, she must defend herself against society’s deeply embedded view that ‘she was asking for it.’

Archaeologists have uncovered two 2,400-year-old pure gold ‘bongs’ that were used by Aryan tribal chiefs to smoke cannabis during ceremonies. The historic drug paraphernalia was found alongside 7lbs of other gold items when an area of land was dug up in Russia to make way for power lines. They items had been buried in a stone chamber before being concealed by a thick layer of clay. 

Criminologists have since carried out tests which indicate that the thick, black residue found inside the vessels comes from the cannabis and opium which the tribal royal smoked. Experts believe the items belonged to the Scythians, a nomadic warrior race who ruled large swathes of Europe and Asia between the 9th century BC and the 4th century AD.