Many people are drawn to cannabis for its effects physically, mentally and emotionally. Medically, cannabis has some legitimate uses, however the scope of this article is limited to the recreational use of cannabis. The following is distilled from a lecture given by Marco Lam of Boulder, Colo.

Cannabis has a lot of side effects and problems with overuse, though most users choose to ignore these problems due to its psychedelic effects. While I am not a fan of the recreational use of any drug, it is not helpful to attack a patient's choice from the get-go, rather, I must create a context for patients on how cannabis impacts their health. To do that, we must go back to the principles of Chinese medicine.

Paul Birch, the co-founder of Bebo and chairman of the recently established single-issue political party Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol (CISTA), was in Glasgow on Tuesday to launch his party’s campaign in Scotland, ahead of the General Election in May. CISTA campaigns for the reform of laws which prohibit the sale and possession of cannabis in the UK. After meeting CISTA candidates standing in Scottish constituencies, he spoke to the Glasgow Guardian.

Guardian: To have launched a single-issue party, you must be passionate about that issue, in this case, legalising cannabis. How did that come about?

Hemp recently had its first committee hearing in the Texas legislature, and it involved about a dozen supporters testifying in favor of the two bills, along with one very confused sheriff.

Two bills submitted by Rep. Joe Farias of San Antonio would bring hemp to the Texas agriculture scene. House Bill 557 would legalize hemp for research purposes through institutions of higher education, while House Bill 1322 legalizes hemp for Texas farmers to grow alongside other crops.

Many groups were represented at the hearing, including farmers, health food stores, an insurance company, and the Texas Hemp Industries Association. Both bills were heard at the same time.

California's current drought has been caused by the demand for water needed to cultivate cannabis, which, under state law, is illegal for recreational use. Streams are running dry, fish are dying, and it’s just the beginning, US scientists warn.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has recently published a study, the first of its kind, in the PLOS journal. The scientists, who studied the devastating environmental effects of marijuana cultivation in the region, concluded: “Due to climate change, water scarcity and habitat degradation in northern California is likely to worsen in the future.”

People ambled through the Oregon Hemp Convention on Friday, casually inspecting colorful glass bongs and trying samples of rice crispy treats and chocolates, chatting with vendors about growing marijuana plants at home and extracting cannabis oil safely.

Our more relaxed attitude toward marijuana is nothing new, but this was all still a bit surreal.

But as Oregon eases into recreational marijuana, bigger festivals and conventions like this weekend's event should become the norm, popping up throughout the year at venues in and around Portland.

Jacqueline Lasdon is a pharmaceutical heiress and self-proclaimed “opera singer gone rogue” who received a $2.5 million trust fund disbursement from her late grandfather, a pharmaceutical magnate. After the she received the money, she purchased a home at the upscale Onyx Condominium. However, it seems her fellow tenants are not too keen on Lasdon living in the building and are filing a lawsuit that includes abuses such as “offensive” levels of marijuana smoke coming from her unit and various “transients” entering the building to visit.

American Seed & Oil Company Brings DuBe Hemp Energy Shot to Three More States - Colorado, New Hampshire and Vermont

DALLAS, March 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Algae International Group, Inc. (OTC: ALGA), through its operating subsidiary American Seed & Oil Company, today announced an expansion of the previously announced  distribution agreement of the DuBe Hemp Energy Shot in Texas and Kentucky.  American Seed & Oil will now be selling the DuBe Hemp Energy Shot in Colorado,New Hampshire and Vermont.

A blue ribbon task force led by Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom — and including retired Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos — has been busy brainstorming on the prospect of statewide recreational marijuana legalization come 2016, and yesterday the group released a policy report [pdf here] identifying three key issues on the matter.

Walid Jumblatt’s call for the legalization of cannabis cultivation fits into a global trend, from the USA to Uruguay

Ganjaprenuer Josh Meacham can finally say he’s found a sweet spot to make his pot patches.

Meacham began production this week of the cannabis-infused patches at his lablike facility below the now-defunct Johnny McGuire’s Deli at 730 E. Cooper Ave.

RX Green is the name of the startup company with just a handful of employees. And it’s been awhile in the making.

At one time, Meacham had planned to manufacture the patches at the old Poppies Bistro Cafe building at 834 W. Hallam St., but that deal fell through, leading him to find a spot in the Buckhorn Arms building.