Alaska stands to make between $5.1 million and $19.2 million in tax revenue from commercial marijuana in 2016, according to a preliminary estimate by the Alaska Department of Revenue.

An estimate dated Jan. 2 looks at possible revenues that it calls “very uncertain.” The tax division had to estimate both how much marijuana is consumed in Alaska every year and what proportion of consumers will switch to marijuana from the legal retail market, said Ken Alper, Department of Revenue tax division director.

“To a certain extent you’re shooting in the dark here,” Alper said.

Rabat – Head of government Abdelilah Benkirane said on Tuesday that his government will not authorize the cultivation of cannabis in the country, saying that those who claim otherwise are selling ‘illusions’ to the small growers in the north of the kingdom.

Benkirane, who was speaking at the monthly session of oral questions in the House of Representatives, said that the policy of the state has not changed in this regard, adding that there is no evidence that all the cannabis can be used for pharmaceutical and medical purposes.

Chile looks set to decriminalise cannabis after the country approved a bill yesterday to allow its people to grow small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes.

The public gallery in the lower house of congress erupted into cheers and applause as 68 members – compared with 39 – voted for the bill.

The announcement has been praised as being a ‘big step forward’ in the usually socially conservative country’s stance on drugs.

Until now, planting, selling or transporting marijuana in Chile has been a punishable offence which could have resulted in up to 15 years imprisonment.

Now, Chileans will be able to able to grow six plants at home, allowing the possession of up to 10 grams (0.35 ounce).

By Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post

AURORA — The city of Aurora is considering a change in the number of pot plants allowed for home growers.

Under the proposal, the city would set a limit of 12 plants total per household. Previously, Aurora allowed six plants per adult resident in a household. Those numbers were set when medical marijuana was first approved.

The city would allow half of those plants to be flowering at any given time. The city’s pot ordinance already specifies where marijuana can be grown inside a house or apartment.

Police and fire officials have reported problems caused by people growing too many plants in their homes.

Medical cannabis patients and activists express hope that legislation may yet move through the PA House despite numerous roadblocks.

Recently the Pennsylvania Senate passed Senate Bill 3 40 – 7 which would have created a medical cannabis licensing and dispensing program, a regulatory Board, and which would have permitted qualifying patients access to medicinal cannabis products such as oils and extracts. While not a perfect bill from a patient perspective it at the very least provided a framework modeled after successful programs in other states.

As of February 2015, recreational marijuana is legal in Alaska. Just over half of voters voted in favor of Ballot Measure 2, which made it legal to cultivate and possess small amounts of marijuana in Alaska. Adults age 21 and over may possess up to one ounce of marijuana and have up to six plants in their homes. But before aspiring retailers can set up shop and start selling in Alaska, the state needs to develop a regulatory framework for its sale and consumption.

Enter the Marijuana Control Board, the five-member board that will create this regulatory framework and manage its future development and enforcement.

Who’s on the Board?

When Jim Carrey co-opted the image of a distressed boy with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in an effort to reinforce the actor’s views about vaccines, he inadvertently brought attention to TSC, which is, unlike vaccines, associated with autism. In using the image of Alex Echols, for which he later apologized, Carrey may also have brought attention to another topic of discussion in autism circles: the use of marijuana as a therapeutic.

But majority of British Columbians are opposed to banning the sale of edibles

The City of Vancouver’s regulations governing marijuana dispensaries are overwhelmingly supported by people throughout the region and province, according to a new survey by Insights West.

Sixty-seven per cent of British Columbians support the bylaw overall, including 65 per cent of respondents in Metro Vancouver and 75 per cent on Vancouver Island.

Charging dispensaries a $30,000 licence fee was supported by 64 per cent in B.C. and 68 per cent in Metro Vancouver.

Sri Lankan Navy personnel today arrested four Indians for trying to smuggle ganja from here to the island nation and seized from them 80 Kgs of the contraband, police said. 

Nambuvelu, Oomayyaraju, Murugaraj and Muthuraj tried to smuggle the ganja in a stolen boat. They tried to jettison the gunny bags containing the ganja into the sea on seeing the navalmen. But before they could offload all the stock, the naval personnel managed to nab 80 kg of ganja from them, police said. 

All the four had been remanded by a court in Sri Lanka, police said.