Marijuana

The California Medical Association has called for the legalization of marijuana, although it acknowledges the drug does have some health risks.

Parents and officials are protesting the appearance of candy shaped like marijuana leaves in stores around the country.

United States attorneys in California have told dozens of marijuana dispensaries they must close or face criminal and civil action.

Drivers who test positive for marijuana or who drive within three hours of using marijuana are more than twice as likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes compared with those who don’t use the drug, according to a new review of studies.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has told all federally licensed firearms dealers that anyone who uses marijuana, including medical marijuana, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Four Americans are receiving marijuana from the federal government, the result of a 1976 court settlement, according to the Associated Press.

Rates of obesity are about one-third lower in people who smoke marijuana at least three times a week compared with people who are not marijuana smokers, French researchers have found.

In light of findings from a new national survey on drug use released this week, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy, said the days of treating drug use exclusively as a law enforcement issue are long gone. While the rate of overall drug use in America has fallen by roughly one-third since 1979, the survey found 8.7 percent of Americans say they regularly use illegal drugs recreationally.

Results from the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released today, have found marijuana use is on the rise, while methamphetamine use is on the decline.

The number of narcotic-related emergency room visits in New York City jumped 40 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to a survey by the city’s Department of Health.

A Michigan appeals court ruled Wednesday that medical marijuana cannot be sold in private shops or dispensaries. The Associated Press calls the ruling a major decision.

Hundreds of New Yorkers who have been found with small amounts of marijuana, or who have simply admitted to using the drug, have been accused of child neglect, even though they did not face criminal charges.

A new study suggests a majority of children who are removed from homes where drugs are produced are healthy and drug free.

Using the U.S. Postal Service and commercial carriers to transport contraband is becoming an increasingly popular choice among South Florida drug smugglers.

Vermont has the highest rate of underage drinking in the nation, a new federal report reveals.

Customs officials in South Florida say drug smugglers are finding a variety of creative ways to conceal their goods, from using submarines to hiding drugs in beans and nuts.

The office of California’s Secretary of State has approved the circulation of ballot petitions for a measure that would legalize recreational marijuana. The measure would be voted on in 2012.

Some Connecticut universities and colleges are considering easing their marijuana policies in light of a new state decriminalization law.

Seattle’s City Council voted this week to establish a system for licensing and regulating medical marijuana distribution under a new Washington state law.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has given approval to the state’s medical marijuana program. He says he believes the state’s narrowly focused program will not be subject to federal prosecution.

Researchers are asking the federal government for approval to study the effects of marijuana on veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder who have not responded to other treatment.

A year-and-a-half after New Jersey legalized medical marijuana, patients authorized to receive the drug have not yet been able to get it.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said Friday that medical marijuana has no accepted medical use, and should still be classified as a highly dangerous drug.

The U.S. Justice Department has announced that medical marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers located in states with medical marijuana laws are not immune from prosecution for violation of federal drug and money-laundering laws.

Drivers high on marijuana represent an unrecognized crisis, experts tell the Los Angeles Times.