Federal marijuana prohibition in the United States started with a knock on a Denver man's apartment door. Seventy-six years ago, Samuel Caldwell became the first person arrested and prosecuted under a federal charge of selling marijuana, after drug enforcement agents busted him with 3 pounds of cannabis in his apartment. Three-quarters of a century and an estimated 26 million marijuana arrests after Caldwell's, legal marijuana sales were set to start at 8 a.m. in Colorado.
On January 1, 2014, Colorado becomes the first place anywhere in the world to allow legal marijuana sales to anybody over 21 for any purpose. You have questions about how it will work? Since the voter-approved Amendment 64 (ah, there it is) went into effect on Dec. 10, 2012, it has been legal for anyone 21 and over to use marijuana or possess up to an ounce of marijuana for any purpose. Here are 64 answers to commonly asked questions.
Political scientist and veteran global justice activist Susan George talks about her new book, How to Win the Class War, a satire on the wealthiest 1%.
How to Win the Class War satirist turns the spotlight on the shadowy global 'plot' to claw back working-class gains, in this interview with The Guardian's Claire Provost.
In Rosario, Argentina, the presence of criminal organisations involved in drug trafficking was a low priority for the government until New Year’s day 2012, when the killing of three innocent civilians by members of a gang sparked press attention.
"Los países de América Latina pueden asumir el liderazgo para asegurar que las políticas nacionales, regionales y, en última instancia, internacionales para el control de drogas se lleven a cabo en concordancia con el respeto a los derechos humanos de la población que consume drogas y de las comunidades afectadas más ampliamente". Coletta Youngers.
Ha hecho bien The Economist en declarar a Uruguay el país del año y en calificar de admirables las dos reformas liberales más radicales tomadas en 2013 por el Gobierno del presidente José Mujica: el matrimonio gay y la legalización y regulación de la producción, la venta y el consumo de la marihuana.
According to La Vie Eco, the Istiqlal Party has recently proposed a draft law to decriminalize and regulate the cultivation of cannabis for medical and pharmaceutical ends. The Istiqlal Party thus becomes the first party to take this issue to the parliament. The objective is to delimit the cultivation of cannabis to certain regions, namely Al Hoceima, Chaouen, Tétouan, Ouezzane and Taounate. Beyond these regions, the cultivation of this plant will be prohibited.
El Ayuntamiento de Barcelona calcula que hay unas 200 asociaciones en la ciudad. En toda Cataluña la cifra ronda los 400. La Federación de Asociaciones Cannábicas Autoreguladas de Cataluña (Fedcac) estima que entre todas las entidades pueden tener más de 165.000 asociados, 60.000 de las cuales consumen con asiduidad. Fuentes del sector estiman que estas entidades sin ánimo de lucro y sin apenas regulación facturan cada mes unos cinco millones de euros.
Juan Andres Palese was using a fake name in public when he opened Uruguay’s first store dedicated to cultivating marijuana, where he offered growing equipment and advice but no illegal plants or seeds. Now that President Jose Mujica’s plan to create and regulate the world’s first national marijuana market has the force of law, Palese’s got much bigger plans.
"Latin American countries can take the lead in ensuring that national, regional, and ultimately international drug control policies are carried out in accordance with respect for the human rights of people who use drugs and affected communities more broadly." Coletta Youngers
At least two of three marijuana legalization measures vying for the November, 2014 ballot would be good for California, according to the state Attorney General's office.The Marijuana Control, Legalization and Revenue Act would decrease drug enforcement costs and increase tax revenue, Attorney General Kamala Harris said this week. However, that initiative recently ran into a speed bump and might be cutting it close to a Feb. 28 deadline to file enough signatures to quality for the ballot.
The first licences in the United States that permit retailers to sell marijuana for recreational use from 1 January were issued in Colorado. Owners of cannabis dispensaries lined up to collect the permits in Denver: an initial batch of 42 licences were issued, most to growers but around a dozen to shops. The state already licenses more than 500 medical marijuana dispensaries, and only those outlets may apply to sell it for recreational use. (See also: Colorado issues first licenses for recreational marijuana businesses)
Uruguay's President Mujica has quietly signed into law the government’s plan to create a regulated, legal market for marijuana. He signed the legislation Monday night. That was the last formal step for the law to take effect. Bureaucrats now have until April 9 to write the fine print for regulating every aspect of the marijuana market, from growing to selling in pharmacies. They hope to have the whole system in place by the middle of next year. But as of Tuesday, growing pot at home is legal in Uruguay, up to six plants per family and an annual harvest of 480 grams.
El presidente José Mujica promulgó anoche la ley de regularización de la marihuana, por lo que la norma tomó estado en su total plenitud en todo el país. El proyecto se había transformado en ley el pasado 10 de diciembre cuando el Senado terminó con el ciclo legislativo pero restaba la promulgación del Poder Ejecutivo para que rigiera legalmente, acción que se concretó anoche con la firma del presidente José Mujica.
Argentina has given the first sign that Uruguay’s groundbreaking cannabis reform just may have started a domino effect across Latin America. Following the momentous vote by its smaller neighbor’s senate this month — making it the first nation in the world to completely legalize the cannabis — Argentina’s anti-drug czar Juan Carlos Molina has called for a public discussion in his country about emulating the measure. His comments are the clearest sign yet that Uruguay’s strategy has kicked off a trend in the region.
L’Istiqlal a présenté un projet de loi pour la légalisation du cannabis. «L'objectif est d'utiliser ce produit dans l'agriculture afin de promouvoir le développement économique local et régional», a déclaré Noureddine Mediane, président du groupe parlementaire à la Chambre des représentants, ajoutant que le parti s’est inspiré de la récente expérience de l'Uruguay. l’Istiqlal tente de «ressusciter» une loi qui existait à l'époque coloniale quand la culture du kif était tolérée avant d’être criminalisée après l'indépendance du Maroc en 1956. (A voir aussi: Cannabis: l'Istiqlal dépose une proposition de loi)
El Partido Istiqlal ha presentado una proposición de ley para legalizar el cultivo y la comercialización del cannabis, tras otra propuesta similar presentada por un grupo de asociaciones marroquíes. "El objetivo es aprovechar este producto en la economía agrícola para promover el desarrollo local y regional", dijo Nuredin Mediane, quien añadió que se inspiró en la experiencia uruguaya. Explicó que se trata de un intento de "hacer resurgir" una ley que existía durante la época colonial cuando se toleraba el cultivo del kif antes de criminalizarlo tras la independencia de Marruecos, en 1956. (Véase también: L'Istiqlal dépose un projet de loi au parlement)
El presidente de la Junta Internacional de Fiscalización de Estupefacientes (JIFE), Raymond Yans, acusó a Uruguay de actuar como un "pirata", por haber aprobado el autocultivo y suministro legal pero estrictamente regulado de marihuana.
