Marijuana : Latest News
Marijuana News
The history of marijuana in the last century has been a slow process toward social acceptance.
In the 1936 movie "Reefer Madness," marijuana smokers were portrayed morally-depraved pot fiends .
In the 1950s, marijuana was considered to be not just a dangerous drug, but a stepping stone to the use of heroin or even more dangerous controlled substances.
In 1979, 27 percent of Americans favored legalization, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll at the time.
Gradually, but consistently, social acceptance of marijuana continued to climb. By the 1980s, over 80 percent of high school students said they had easy access to marijuana. By 1988, no less an authority than the Drug Enforcement Administration's administrative law judge, Francis Young, concluded that "marijuana may well be the safest psychoactive substance commonly used in human history."
A 2009 CBS News poll found that more Americans now support legalization. Forty-one percent said they think marijuana should be made legal and 52 percent are opposed. That's even more than in a CBS News poll in March when 31 percent said they were in favor of legalization in all cases with another seven percent saying they would favor legalization if marijuana were taxed and the money went to projects.
Today the potent smell of marijuana legalization is in the air. States including California and New Mexico -- and, as of mid-June, Rhode Island -- already permit marijuana's use for medicinal purposes. The success of those initiatives, coupled with an economic downturn, a president who did inhale and governors who are willing to discuss complete legalization, make it seem possible that legal bans on recreational use of marijuana will, in the not-so-distant future, go up in smoke.
As for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use: So far, most politicians seem wary of the topic, and are being more conservative in their public statements than polls would suggest.
When Mr. Obama, who has admitted to smoking pot, held a virtual town hall meeting in March, tens of thousands of Americans voted via the Internet on questions that he should be asked. Marijuana legalization was by far the most popular topic, with questions such as this one: "What are your plans for the failing, 'War on Drugs', that's sucking money from tax payers and putting non-violent people in prison longer than the violent criminals?"
The president's answer: "No, I don't think this is a good strategy to grow our economy."
Another impetus that has been prompting calls for legalization is the lingering disparities in the legal treatment of affluent users who have tried marijuana -- and poorer Americans arrested on drug possession charges who are unable to navigate the legal system.
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- Los Angeles voters limit number of medical marijuana clinics
Proposition D caps number of dispensaries to 135 -- far below 1,000 that operated before -- with hopes to keep neighborhoods safer
- Cops: Rapper Chief Keef charged with disorderly conduct
Police say the rapper was arrested after responding to a call about illegal drug activity at a hotel just north of Atlanta
- Smoking marijuana linked to lower diabetes risk in study
Current pot smokers had 16 percent lower fasting insulin levels and 17 percent lower levels of insulin resistance than non-smokers
- Tommy Chong: Legalized marijuana could save country
One-half of famed comedy duo Cheech and Chong sees recreational drug as something more than fodder for jokes about stoned hippies
- Lawmakers open door to repeal Colo. marijuana law
If measure is passed, voters would have opportunity in fall to repeal retail pot legalization, approved by voters last November
- California Supreme Court: Cities can ban pot shops
Unanimous ruling likely to further diminish the state's once-robust medical marijuana industry
- Cops: Woman started fire because husband smoked all their pot
Police say argument over drugs escalated, then Chicago-area woman set fire and left the building
- Wash. judge to cops: Give back man's marijuana, or else
Police in Wash. St. might be found in contempt if they don't return marijuana seized from man during traffic stop
- Rapper 2 Chainz acquitted of drug charges
Maryland state troopers allegedly found a marijuana grinder and marijuana in the rapper's backpack during a traffic stop
- Colorado court: Pot smokers can still get fired
33-year-old quadriplegic who uses medical marijuana sued after company fired him in 2010 for failing company drug test
- 3 people hit by gunfire at 4/20 Denver "pot party"
First such gathering since Colorado legalized marijuana ends in panic after gunshots injured two attendees
- Conn. cancer patient battles bureaucracy over medical marijuana
Tracey Gamer Fanning says drug "gave me my life back," but while medical marijuana is legal, there's nowhere to buy it in the state
- Legal pot luring tens of thousands to Colo., Wash., for "national stoner holiday"
Events and crowds on "national stoner holiday" this weekend will test limits of new laws permitting pot use by adults
- Russian Wikipedia's 'smoking pot' page goes bong-less
After a threat by government censors leads to the removal of almost all references to "smoking devices," it has been deemed safe for public consumption... the page, that is, not the pot.
- Idaho triple slaying linked to dogfighting, marijuana ring
Police said 64 pit bulls and $95,000 worth of marijuana plants were found in the home where three people were shot to death
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