Millions more Americans now admit to toking up than just three years before.

That conclusion is based on a new Gallup survey, which found the number of Americans admitting to current marijuana use has nearly doubled in just three years. In 2013, 7 percent of US adults responding to Gallup admitted to smoking marijuana. This year, 13 percent did.

As Christopher Ingraham at the Washington Post pointed out, that 13 percent amounts to more than 33 million Americans — more than the population of Texas.

A group of 53 farmers in Colombia have created the country’s first medical marijuana co-operative. Colombia recently became the fourth state in Latin America to legalise marijuana production for medicinal use. In an attempt to move away from illegal production, the country has started granting licences to pharmaceutical companies that want to cultivate the plant to generate marijuana derivate products.

Medicinal Cannabis Sativex and Bedrocan are now available in many European countries, and several have infrastructure in place to supply patients with medicinal cannabis. So which countries are moving with the times, and which are dragging their heels? Where are medicinal and recreational users most (and least) free to utilize their drug of choice? Let’s take a look at the facts.

The mother of a child with a rare, life-threatening illness says nurses are refusing to administer the medicine that most effectively treats his seizures — all because of hospital politics surrounding children and medical marijuana.

Maria Niembro’s 11-year-old son, Francesco, has CFC Syndrome (Cardio-Facio-Cutaneous). “There are only 450 people like him in the world,” Niembro says. “I hit the lottery with him.”

That lottery though, is one no parent would ever wish to win. Francesco is non verbal, has severe developmental delays, is fed through a G-tube, and is plagued by life-threatening seizures.

His bedroom looks like a hospital room. From the industrial bed, to the dresser loaded with medications, to the cot where Maria sleeps beside him.

How far would you go to help a loved one in your life?

That is the question being asked by members of Oklahomans for Health.

For someone who is suffering from the pain of lupus, or for someone who is dying from cancer, members of Oklahomans for Health say to get medical marijuana legislation on the ballot in November.

To find the closest location to sign a petition putting the legalization of  medical marijuana on the ballot, go to the map at oklahomansforhealth.com. A list of businesses is provided that have petitions to sign. Less than 72 hours is left to sign the petition.

The pharmacological strategy for the treatment of schizophrenia has not changed in the six decades since chlorpromazine was introduced in 1952. Although several newer agents have recently gained approval, the mechanism of action of antipsychotics is still largely based on normalising dopaminergic neurotransmission which does not adequately address the symptomatology of a very complex disorder (Hyman, 2014). Moreover, they cause side effects such as extrapyramidal motor symptoms and metabolic syndrome which can worsen the patient condition.

Most of America is ready for the legalization of marijuana, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll. 

Americans support full legalization of marijuana by a 54 to 41 percent margin. Voters also support allowing adults to legally use medical marijuana if prescribed by a doctor by an 89 to 9 percent margin. 

So far, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. California, Maine, Nevada and Massachusetts will be voting on full legalization in November. Medicinal marijuana is currently legal in 25 states.

As Pennsylvania’s new medical marijuana program takes shape, the man who will lead the office begins his duties on Monday.

In a teleconference with reporters, Pennsylvania’s Health Secretary Karen Murphy announced the hiring of John Collins to be the director of the Office of Medical Marijuana. 

Collins actually joined the Health Department in April but prior to that, he served as chief operating officer for a firm that prepared radioactive materials for nuclear medicine procedures.

“I truly believe my experience, as outlined by Dr. Murphy, managing medical products and service organizations in heavily regulated industries provides for a perfect fit for the requirements of overseeing the implementation of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program,” said Collins.

The campaign to legalize marijuana in Michigan says there’s still time to get the question on the November ballot. That was a core issue in the most recent briefs filed last week in the MI Legalize campaign’s challenge to an elections board decision that petition drive fell short in the required number of signatures.

The Board of State Canvassers said too many signatures were more than 180 days old when the petitions were turned in. The rule exists to ensure that only the names of currently registered voters are counted. MI Legalize says the rule is anachronistic when it’s very easy to check the names against the state’s online database of registered voters. So the campaign is asking a state Court of Claims judge to order the state to count the older signatures.

The fight over medical marijuana has raked in big money from both supporters and opponents of the constitutional amendment, but far more donations have come from the campaign fighting for medical marijuana in Florida than those fighting against it.

Donations towards the Yes on 2 campaign outnumbered donations from Drug Free Florida by nearly 650 to one, with Yes on 2 receiving over 7,000 donations to Drug Free Florida’s 11 donations.

This isn't the first time Florida has seen a constitutional amendment to legalize medical pot. Voters last cast their ballots on the amendment in 2014, when it missed the necessary 60 percent to pass by only two points.