When Governor Bobby Jindal signs HB 149 into law sometime this week (perhaps today), Louisiana will officially become America’s 19th state with decriminalized marijuana possession.

Just two weeks after the state’s Senate gave the bill its overwhelming blessing, Louisiana’s House too agreed that weed and those that inhale the stuff should be unchained, voting 74-19 in favor of the new legislation.

And here’s exactly what the bill will do:

The bill proposes the following changes:

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire is one step closer to giving qualifying patients access to medical marijuana.

The state's Department of Health and Human Services says it has selected three vendors to operate four dispensaries across the state, although specific locations have not been chosen. New Hampshire passed a medical marijuana law in 2013, and the state is running behind schedule in making the treatment available.

The dispensaries will be located in four specific geographic areas: Belknap, Strafford and Rockingham counties; Merrimack and Hillsborough Counties; Sullivan and Cheshire counties; and Grafton, Carroll and Coos counties.

A group called the Coalition for Dispensary Free Communities is protesting Vancouver’s proposed regulations for marijuana dispensaries ahead of its June 10 public hearing.

Currently, there are over 90 medical marijuana dispensaries around the city — but there are only 16 licensed producers in Canada. The new regulations put forward in a report by the Vancouver’s chief license inspector proposes marijuana businesses to be at least 300 metres away from schools and community centres. Under the new regulations, the businesses will also require to pay an operating fee of $30,000 per year, as well as acquiring a “Good Neighbour Agreement.”

Nearly a quarter-million dollars worth of marijuana was seized during a grow house bust in Tampa, deputies said.According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, deputies searched a home in the 15900 block of Timberwood Drive on Monday evening and confirmed it had been used to grow marijuana.Deputies seized 237 pounds of marijuana, which is valued at $240,000, and a 2007 Suzuki SUV, the report said.Ramon Soto Machado, 60, was arrested on charges of owning, leasing or renting for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a listed chemical with intent, trafficking in marijuana, manufacture of marijuana, grand theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. Machado was booked into the Orient Road Jail.

David Cameron will create a new criminal class with his crackdown on legal highs, a former health minister has warned.

Norman Lamb told IBTimes UK that the government's psychoactive substances bill, which will introduce a blanket ban on legal highs from April next year, is "ridiculous".

The legislation comes after 120 deaths were linked to the substances across England, Scotland and Wales in 2013, according to Home Office data.

Why the US Shares Responsibility for the 'Mexican Drug War' And Its Atrocities

The following is an excerpt from A Narco History: How the United States and Mexico Jointly Created the "Mexican Drug War"  by Carmen Boullosa and Mike Wallace (OR Books, 2015):

The term “Mexican Drug War” is a misnomer, as the phenomenon to which it refers was a joint construction by Mexico and the United States, erected over the last hundred years. If that’s true, then it suggests that ending the “war” would likely require a joint effort from both sides of the border. Are there any signs of this happening?

With the view that there is wide-scale misunderstanding on the rules governing the smoking of ganja in public, some stakeholders believe more needs to be done to clearly outline the new regulations that came into effect earlier this year.

"I am finding that there is a lot of confusion as it relates to the smoking of marijuana in public," stated David Wan, president of the Jamaica Employers' Federation.

"I am still going places, gas stations, for instance, and seeing persons smoking marijuana publicly. Too many persons are confused about whether the no-smoking rules apply to marijuana and we have to address this."

Recently, Latin America has surprised us with the giant steps taken towards the legalization of cannabis. Jose Mujica opened Pandora's Box and in a time when that regulation was in no man's land, Uruguayan citizens were quick to react and show support for their former president. Thus, and as if it were a domino effect, the voice spread like wildfire. As a result, today, the vast majority of countries in Latin America, are in favor of a real decriminalization of marijuana regulation. This article will discuss the recent news coming from Puerto Rico, Brazil, Uruguay and Ecuador.

Medicinal users rebel against the Government of Puerto Rico

A lot of high hopes are riding on the November 2016 general election in Arizona.

Paperwork for no less than six marijuana-related ballot measures has been filed with the state Secretary of State's Office in the last few months, each aiming to make fundamental changes to the state's drug laws.

Only two or three are actually viable, most likely. Each needs to gather about 150,000 signatures — a formidable and expensive task.

But if you come across petition-gatherers asking for your signature on any of them, here are the basics you need to know:

1) Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol

As a franchise lawyer in Vancouver, you wouldn’t believe the number of calls I get from people who want to establish a chain of franchised retail marijuana outlets.