Under current state law, the possession, cultivation, or distribution of marijuana generally is illegal in California. Possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine, while selling marijuana is a felony and may result in a prison sentence. In November 1996, voters approved Proposition 215, which legalized the cultivation […]

In the debate on legalizing marijuana, which Californians will vote on in November in the form of Proposition 19, the health risks of marijuana are often overlooked.
Legalizing marijuana will almost certainly lead to a decrease in its price and an increase in its use, according to a recent Rand Corp. study. And because no drug […]

If Melanie Barniskis doesn’t take her medicine each night, chances are she won’t be able to walk the next day. “Without it, I can’t get out of bed to get the day started,” said Barniskis, 54, of Phoenix. “When there is a pain flare, it’s as if someone is driving two red-hot pokers into my […]

It is time for us to be realistic and manage the trade and usage of marijuana instead of simply moralizing about it. The honest facts are that today marijuana is the largest cash crop in California ( No. 2 is grapes ); with illegal dealers there are no controls whatsoever on […]

A month before California voters decide the fate of a ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that essentially puts those caught possessing small amounts of the drug on the same level as those caught speeding on the freeway.
The governor — who has come out against the ballot measure, […]

Concerns Abound That Initiative Could Allow a School Bus Driver to Be Under the Influence of Cannabis.
The Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education has directed its staff to draft a resolution opposing Proposition 19, a November ballot initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana for adults.
John Caldecott, the […]

On Nov. 2, California might just become the envy of Bob Marley fans across the country. Proposition 19, a measure that proposes legalization of marijuana possession for adults 21 and over, has blazed up more emotional reactions than iPod lighter apps at a Palo Alto High School dance.
Many Stanford students view […]

Joanne Clarke, a legal secretary in her late 50s, leads the way down a pale green hallway in her modest Costa Mesa home, past a small guest room on the right and a blue tiled bathroom on the left. At the end of the hall, she opens a door, pushes aside a thick black curtain […]

More than 60 vendors were showcased at the U’s third annual Hempfest. Vendors were selling a variety of hemp products such as clothing, hand bags, jewelry and an assortment of food.
Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a group that petitions for more lenient drug laws, put on the festival. However, students attending didn’t seem to understand […]

N.S. Woman: Missed Shipments Left Her Without Pain Relief
Playing by the rules has caused Dominika Somerton nothing but pain.
The Falmouth, Hants County, woman, who is prescribed medical marijuana for the pain caused by multiple sclerosis, says government red tape has made it impossible to get the drug when she needs it.
“I’m tired of it. . […]