We need to tackle the folly and futility of drug prohibition, in which we have created an irrational and unscientific bifurcation of drugs. An archaic system that favours, promotes and culturally embeds the use of some drugs, while fiercely policing, prohibiting and punishing the use of other drugs.

I completely failed to see this one coming.

A brief history lesson:

Washington State has had a medical marijuana law since 1998. In 2011, the legislature passed a bill allowing the creation of “collective gardens” (aka stores) to grow cannabis for patients registered with the state, and regulating those outlets in various ways: all members of the collectives would have had to register with the state. The governor used her line-item veto to take out major provisions of that bill, including the part that would have created the patient registry.

David Cameron and Jon Snow discuss skunk and mental health, in the anchor's flagship leader interview at this general election.
In February, Jon Snow inhaled skunk - the most potent form of cannabis - on camera for an experimental programme on drugs for Channel 4.

The marijuana movement is transforming before our eyes, whether you're for legalization, against it, or are undecided.

Over the past two decades, nearly two dozen states have legalized marijuana for medical use. Meanwhile, four states have legalized the recreational, adult use of marijuana since 2012. Long gone are the days where the idea of legalizing marijuana derived 25% or less support from polling the public. Now, you'll find nearly overwhelming support for the legalization of medical marijuana, and a slight bias in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana.

Bali nine: Families arrive ahead of execution

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran's friends and families head to Nusakambangan island to spend the last few days with the Australian pair ahead of their execution.

Myuran Sukumaran has painted what could be his last self-portrait: a torso with a palm-sized black hole over the heart dripping with blood.

The eerie painting, brought back from Nusakambangan by their lawyer Julian McMahon, is a portent of Bali nine pair's  ghastly fate –  death by firing squad.

ukumaran and Andrew Chan were officially given 72 hours warning of their executions on Saturday.

The Mayor of Vancouver says he is frustrated the federal government has dealt the cards, but not finished the game when it comes to regulating medical marijuana.

Gregor Robertson says Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose is off base.

“She must be misinformed.”

She fired off a letter to the city saying Vancouver doesn’t have the authority to legitimize pot and it’s concerned with its proposal to regulate dispensaries.

“It is frustrating when there are comments made or letters from the federal government when this is the arena that they are responsible for setting policy on, and dealing with that the courts say, which people do have a right to access to their medicines, we are not seeing constructive steps coming out of Ottawa on this yet.”

DENVER — With smiles, selfies and a few nervous chuckles, a group of Nevada legislators and policymakers got a first-hand look at Colorado's fast-growing legal marijuana industry this weekend, coming face-to-face with thousands of green growing plants.

The small group is part of Nevada's efforts to understand what legalization could mean. The Silver State has permitted medical marijuana, and now there's talk voters might be asked to legalize recreational pot next year.

The group met its Colorado counterparts, and toured several marijuana stores, including the high-tech, 40,000-square-foot Medicine Man in Denver, one of the state's largest.

In a somewhat surprising move, a comprehensive medical marijuana bill passed in an Alabama Senate committee on Wednesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee gave Sen. Bobby Singleton's bill a favorable report on a 4-3 vote after little debate. The Medical Marijuana Patient Safe Access Act can now be considered on the Senate floor.

See related: Could medical marijuana legislation pass this year in Alabama?

Senate leadership could, however, refuse to put the bill on a calendar so it can be debated and voted on by the full body.

Possessing small amounts of marijuana in Illinois would be punished by ticket

SPRINGFIELD — A bill that cleared the Illinois House on Thursday by a bipartisan 62-53 vote would put possession of small amounts of marijuana on par with traffic tickets.

The proposal by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, would make a possession of 15 grams (about half an ounce) or less a civil law offense punishable by a maximum fine of $125.

The measure, House Bill 218, does not make marijuana a legal substance.

Cassidy said her intent is to bring uniformity to a patchwork of more than 100 local government ordinances that vary tremendously regarding amount of the drug and size of the fine.

Ecuador’s National Assembly is currently debating the Organic Law on Comprehensive Drug Prevention, which could decriminalize drugs like marijuana.

Ecuador may be on the verge of a landmark shift in drug policy, as legislators debate the newly proposed Organic Law on Comprehensive Drug Prevention. The initiative, promoted by the ruling party PAIS Alliance, opens the door for legalization, and could spell the beginning of the end for the War on Drugs in Ecuador.