With summer just around the corner, many legislative sessions are nearing an end, but that doesn't mean the end for cannabis progress! This week brings surprising and heartwarming news from down on the bayou in Louisiana, while California’s discussing legalization, New York is gearing up to select growers for their medical program, and India just held their first ever medical cannabis conference.

U.S. Updates

CALIFORNIA

Remember last year when the United States Congress passed a bill that de-funded medical marijuana raids in states where medical marijuana is legal? And remember when the Obama Administration replaced the head of the D.E.A. because he thought she was out of touch? The Los Angeles Times stated the following when Congress de-funded medical marijuana raids late last year:

Under the provision, states where medical pot is legal would no longer need to worry about federal drug agents raiding retail operations. Agents would be prohibited from doing so.

Lawmakers are prepping for what could turn into a "marijuana-vote-a-rama" Wednesday, sources say.

Pot advocates expect lawmakers to introduce at least half a dozen marijuana-related appropriations amendments that would roll back the Justice Department’s authority to enforce drug laws around the country.

The marijuana amendments would handicap the Department of Justice (DOJ) in its fight with states over the enforcement of local pot laws.

“The politics have continued to shift in favor of marijuana law reform,” said Tom Angell, chairman of the Marijuana Majority.

Medical marijuana user Ginnifer Hency told a group of Michigan lawmakers last week that a drug task force raided her home and kept ‘every belonging’ she owned — including her vibrator — even after a judge dismissed the charges against her.

Forbes contributor Jacob Sullum reported last week that Hency testified before the Michigan state House Judiciary Committee about what happened when her home in Smiths Creek was raided last July.

Cannabis is still an illegal, Class B drug in the United Kingdom — possession could result in up to five years in prison — but U.K. citizens are drawing inspiration from U.S.

Eindhoven, June 1st, 2015 – Earlier today around 9.30 in the morning, 4 police officers and one employee of Kusters Facilities busted the office of Dutch cannabis legalization NGO VOC Nederland in Eindhoven. A total of seven (7) cannabis plants were removed and taken.

“Over the years, several agents have been over who never made any issue of my plants. So much police deployment for seven tiny plants; It proves that the struggle we have with VOC is clearer ever”

An Australian English teacher has been deported from China after police found a commercial quantity of marijuana in his apartment.

The 34-year-old identified by the Xinhua news service as David Robert Ancel Green was caught with dozens of marijuana plants, a generator, heat lamps, and a fan.

Police also seized music and bird sounds the Australian told authorities he played to his crop.

Video of the raid shows police forcing their way into the man's rented flat in the eastern city of Changshu. The teacher's face in blurred in the video.

Green is said to have lived in the country for 14 years, the ABC reports.

Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill to allow cannabis oil for some medical treatments but says he opposes
legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use. Office of the Governor

Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a bill allowing epilepsy patients to use medicinal oils containing a therapeutic component found in marijuana. Could this be the toe in the water for legal medical marijuana use in Texas?

Not as long as Abbott is governor, he vows. How disappointing.

If you had asked me at the start of the session whether this bill had a chance, I would have said “no.” Texas and 15 other states have archaic laws to prohibit both medicinal and recreational use.

In response to Family’s desperate quest for cannabis oil Peter Dunne was engaged in a Twitter exchange. In this he made it clear there has been no chance of successive New Zealand governments decriminalising cannabis.

In response to Julian Buchanan ‏@julianbuchanan

Good to hear
Decriminalisation!
Way to go

Currently, soldiers caught using or possessing drugs, even on leave and only once, are prosecuted and, if convicted, given a criminal record - a much harsher policy than that of police toward civilians.

Army policies regarding consumption of light drugs are being re-evaluated, with an eye toward softening them, by military prosecutors. Particular attention is being given to light drugs consumed off base. Haaretz has learned that the possibility of softening army attitudes towards soldiers who are caught using light drugs on a one-time basis in civilian settings is being considered. Prevailing opinion is that such cases should no longer be automatically and indiscriminately transferred to military courts for prosecution.