Governor Asa Hutchinson held a news conference Monday to detail his opposition to medical marijuana proposals going before voters this fall.

He plans to give $10,000 from his political action committee, called Asa Pac, to a group fighting against two medical marijuana proposals.

During the press conference, Governor Hutchinson was backed by doctors as he talked about his opposition to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment and the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act.

Both ballot questions will be before voters in November.

In addition to concerns about regulation, cost to taxpayers, and violating federal law, Hutchinson disputes those who say the proposals will help suffering patients.

Australia is making a major move to legalize the use of medicinal cannabis across the entire country. Over the week, the Therapeutics Goods Administration reached a formal decision to legalize medicinal marijuana, although it will remain strictly controlled. This recent decision comes on the heels of the Federal Parliament’s resolve to support changing the Narcotic Drugs Act to allow cannabis to be legally grown and produced in Australia for medicinal purposes.

There will be more than Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on the ballot this November, voters heading to the polls in nine states will also be deciding on Marijuana.

Collectively, these marijuana measures mean more voters will be weighing in on cannabis issues than any other year in American history.

Rabbi Jeffrey Kahn and his family opened Takoma Wellness Center, a medical marijuana dispensary in the District of Columbia three years ago.

The push to legalize marijuana is in full force and a look at just how swiftly attitudes are changing nationwide is nearly enough to make anyone start buying pot penny stocks left and right. Though there has been both disappointing and encouraging signs from the federal government in regard to eventual reclassification or legalization of cannabis, we’re still seeing a state-by-state domino effect take place.

Arkansas election officials approved a medical marijuana proposal for the ballot Wednesday, putting two measures to legalize the drug for patients with certain conditions before voters this fall.

Secretary of State Mark Martin’s office said supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment turned in 97,284 valid signatures from registered voters, exceeding the 84,859 needed to qualify for the ballot. Martin’s office in July approved a competing medical marijuana proposal for the ballot.

Arkansas voters may have to choose between two separate ballot measures in the upcoming November election when trying to determine whether The Land of Opportunity should join the ranks of 25 other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing medical marijuana.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation is joining with the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce in opposing two medical marijuana initiatives that are likely to be on the ballot this November.

Representatives of those two organizations met Friday along with three other groups that oppose the measure: the Coalition for Safer Arkansas Communities, which was formed by members of law enforcement and the medical community to oppose the proposals; the Family Council; and the Arkansas Faith & Ethics Council. The five groups agreed to jointly oppose the marijuana proposals and will meet Aug. 15 at the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce for an organizational meeting.

Study from: 

Projectknow.com (http://www.projectknow.com/)

original study here :

http://www.projectknow.com/discover/high-school-drug-use/

American teenagers are more likely to smoke marijuana than binge drink, a new report reveals.

Meanwhile in Europe, marijuana consumption is minimal while drinking levels are far higher than in the United States.

The data, published in a recent report by addiction-awareness firm Project Know, will reignite the national debate on marijuana legalization as the election approaches.

Authorities in the Arkansas Ozarks region were joined by congressman Steve Womack in a marijuana eradication effort this week.

The Republican lawmaker posted on Facebook that the Arkansas National Guard and Boone County Sheriff’s Office eliminated 90 marijuana plants after flying the area by helicopter Tuesday. Womack, who served more than 30 years with the Arkansas National Guard, posted photos of himself in the helicopter and standing in the patch of marijuana.

Sheriff Mike Moore tells the Harrison Daily Times that Womack had planned to tour the Boone County jail, but decided to join in on the previously scheduled marijuana eradication run Tuesday morning. The sheriff says the helicopter then dropped Womack off at the jail for the tour.

An effort is forming to oppose ballot initiatives that would legalize medial marijuana, saying it would lead to increased use of the drug and, eventually, full legalization.

The Coalition for Safer Arkansas Communities held an informational meeting Friday that included a message from Terry Benham of Impact Management, who is managing the group’s campaign, Keep Arkansas Safe. The main speaker was Little Rock native and Colorado resident Henny Laster of Smart Colorado, a group that opposes marijuana legalization in that state.