Public support for the legalization of marijuana is on the rise.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 58 percent of Americans think it should be legalized. That's a 14 percent jump since Gallup polled Americans in 2009, and a 46 percent jump since Gallup first asked the question in 1969.

Recreational marijuana use is now legal in four states, and close to two dozen states have provisions allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Those numbers can be expected to increase as public support for marijuana legalization continues to grow, as can the number of businesses looking to grow and sell weed to consumers.

Harris County is Texas’ most populous county, and is the third most populous county in all of America. There are an estimated 4.337 (2013) million people in Harris County, Texas. To put that into perspective, there are less than 4 million people in the entire state of Oregon. Starting Friday, marijuana will be decriminalized for all first time offenders that are caught with up to two ounces of marijuana, per the directive of Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson.

The advertising agency behind the controversial "Stoner Sloth" anti-marijuana videos, which cost taxpayers half a million dollars, has hit back at criticism, saying the campaign's message is completely lost on adults.

After a week of relentless ridicule, Saatchi & Saatchi (S&S) has stepped out in defence of the NSW government's latest anti-drugs initiative, which it created.

The "Stoner Sloth" campaign has attracted attention around the world. Photo: stonersloth.com.au

A nonprofit in Denver, Colorado, gave away thousands of free, pre-rolled marijuana joints to the homeless and anyone else who wanted one on Christmas Eve, in an out-of-the box attempt to raise awareness about homelessness.

“Merry Christmas and a puff puff New Year’s!” said one woman who accepted a joint from the Cannabis Can volunteers, a local ABC affiliate reported.

Jeffrey Friedland speaking with Kevin McGovern about his book, Marijuana: The World's Most Misunderstood Plant, and the future of the marijuana industry.

Whether you realize it or not, marijuana is on track to possibly be one of the deciding factors in the 2016 presidential election. As marijuana's approval rating has soared in national polls over the last decade, it's forced politicians who'd previously tiptoed the issue to take a stance.

Facing a state deadline of March 1, the Chino planning commission voted 7-0 Monday to recommend the City of Chino adopt an ordinance to prohibit cultivation, delivery or dispensing of marijuana within the city limits.

Cities that do not adopt their own regulations by the deadline will be subject to regulation by the state under the recently signed Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, senior planner Michael Hitz told the commission. The state will permit the marijuana activities that the ordinance would ban, he said.

It was disappointing to learn that the Deschutes County Commission decided to punt Monday on marijuana land-use rules for the county.The three-person body is clearly worried about being sued over any rules it might put in place. It has chosen instead to delay action on them for at least 90 days. During the 90-day period it will create a citizens committee to make further recommendations on just what the county should do.The commission has already taken testimony. It has listened to its planning commission and its legal advisers. It should have exercised its own collective good judgment and adopted rules in accordance with what it’s heard.Commissioner Tammy Baney expressed concern about being sued if rules were too restrictive. Oregon has a right-to-farm law, for one thing.

CHICAGO, Dec. 24, 2015/ Weed Wire/– MJIC Media is raising its voice for cannabis with the launch of MJIC Radio. The most recent offering from the MJIC Media family, MJIC Radio offers thoughtful discussions about the benefits and drawbacks of investing in legal marijuana, as well as building and growing a brand in this nascent industry and interviews with top company owner and lobbyists.