Not surprisingly, EJ Montini was noticeably vague in his recent op-ed (”Blowing marijuana smoke into opponents' faces") accusing Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy of using “questionable” information in its arguments against legalizing marijuana. Nothing could be further from the truth. Consider the following:

-- Since Colorado legalized marijuana, teen use has risen dramatically and is now 74 percent higher than the national average. (2015 SAMHSA report/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

Con el único representante de Reggae que me encanta

How has new legislation affected marijuana use in the United States?

The best available data suggest that marijuana use is increasing in adults but not teens, with a decrease in marijuana-related arrests but an increase in treatment admissions, according to an update in the January/February Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

When the U.S. Post Office seized a very smelly package of high-grade weed, they were sued – for intercepting a Church’s ‘sacramental’ cannabis.

The Oklevueha Native American Church says that cannabis and the powerful hallucinogen peyote are ‘sacred medicines’.

The Church said on its Facebook page, ‘Existing law requires government entities including the US Postal service and law enforcement to allow members of ONAC to possess, use and transport sacred medicines for spiritual and healing use regardless of whether or not those medicines and sacraments are otherwise controlled substances.

Lower IQ and poorer performance in education were often thought to be symptoms of cannabis use; however, new studies show it could actually be tobacco slowing progress amongst teens.

We've all been victim to the stereotypical stoner portrayal; often slow, forgetful teens who stare longingly into the distance. Coupled with over-zealous media attention, you'd be forgiven for thinking that cannabis rots the brain whilst you laze about playing video games on a diet of pizza and snacks. Well, the tide may have finally turned with the latest studies showing that tobacco could be the bigger benefactor in lower IQ levels amongst teens.

Cherylee Houston plays Izzy Armstrong in Coronation Street

Wheelchair-bound Izzy Armstrong (Cherylee Houston) confided in Erica Hulroyd (Clare King) that she was in a lot of pain after her accident and that her usual prescription medication wasn’t working.

Erica suggested that she could get her some of the drug to help ease her pain and later managed to procure the cannabis for her.

Many audience members took to social media to praise the programme makers for tackling such a controversial issue. 

Lydia Brindley posted on Twitter: “Good on Coronation Street Cannabis mentioned as an alternative pain relief!!!”

ITV

Eric gets Izzy the drugs after she is in crippling pain

A report from the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus revealed that Vermont’s police force has stopped training its police dogs to detect the odor of marijuana.

According to the Times Argus, this is the first year that marijuana detection has not been part of the regular training of the state’s police dogs. The paper reported that the decision was partially influenced by the likelihood that Vermont will legalize marijuana in the near future, which would lead to the possibility that re-training police dogs to cease detecting marijuana would exhaust additional time and resources.

Daily marijuana use has dangerous implications for teenagers, whose  brains are still developing, says the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, which is hosting a panel discussion in Vancouver on this topic Friday.

And misconceptions that marijuana is harmless are dangerous, because Canadian teenagers have among the highest rate of cannabis use compared to other developed countries, the researchers say.

"We want to shine some light on the problems without starting a controversy," said Michael Krausz, a UBC psychiatry professor who will be speaking at the panel. 

"We really want to help youth make informed decisions."

GLENDALE, Colorado (AP) — Colorado's newest marijuana shop has some wondering whether strippers and weed are too closely aligned.

The Smokin Gun Apothecary is opening next to the Denver area's best-known strip club, Shotgun Willie's, with just a parking lot between them. Both businesses have the same owner, who envisions pot shoppers getting discounted drinks at the strip club.

The development raises ethical and potentially legal issues about the state's growing legal recreational pot industry, one of the first in the United States.