Birmingham, Alabama’s mayor reacted to criticism of his local reform advocacy from a former lawmaker by tweeting, “I will not be lectured on the rights and wrongs of pardoning people for marijuana possession by Former State Sen. The Bahamian minister of agriculture, marine resources and Family Island affairs said the Family Islands would be an ideal location to grow the cannabis industry.
Previously he reported for Marijuana.com and MassRoots, and handled media relations and campaigns for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow—at an event hosted by prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana and sponsored by D.A.R.E.—reaffirmed that teen cannabis use is “stable” even as more states are enacting legalization.
BREAKING: Journalism is often consumed for free, but costs money to produce! While this newsletter is proudly sent without cost to you, our ability to send it each day depends on the financial support of readers who can afford to give it. A group led by a former Arkansas House minority leader and funded by medical cannabis companies filed a new ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in the state.
A counterclaim by Curaleaf against a former executive for Grassroots Cannabis, which was acquired by the former company, is being allowed to proceed under an Illinois judge’s ruling.
Amazon’s vice president of public policy said the company has “no plans to sell cannabis and that is not why we’re doing this or being involved in this debate” about legalization.