News

Cannabis and driving: new briefing presents questions and answers for policymaking

What is the impact of cannabis use on driving? Do edible and smoked cannabis products affect drivers in the same way? These are among the questions addressed in a new policy briefing...

Dutch ministers outline 4-year trial to supply cannabis to coffeeshops

Today cannabis is sold openly in 573 ‘coffeeshops’ operating in 103 of the 380 municipalities in the Netherlands.

Vermont state to legalise recreational cannabis

On 22 January 2018, Vermont became the ninth US state to legalise possession of cannabis for recreational purposes, when Governor Phil Scott (Republican) signed House Bill 511 ( Text of Act as...

Gavel and scales with law books in background

Maine governor vetoes retail law, citing Federal policy

In November 2016, the US state of Maine voted to legalise the cultivation, production, sale, taxation and use of cannabis. Personal use is now permitted, but a bill to implement the regulations...

Washington State Institute reports on cannabis legalisation

As part of the legalisation in Washington State that took effect in July 2014, the state legislature instructed the Washington State Institute of Public Policy (WSIPP) to publish periodic evaluations looking at...

United States: Legalisation stalls in Vermont and Delaware

As legislators depart for their summer break, in two US states that do not have the ability to pass laws by popular vote, draft laws (‘bills’) for cannabis legalisation have yet to...

Gavel

Uruguay: recreational cannabis sales start at pharmacies

On 19 July 2017, sales of cannabis started at pharmacies in Uruguay. This is the final step of operationalising the 2013 law that legalised cannabis consumption and sale to over-18s for recreational...

EMCDDA highlights growing threats posed by new and established substances

Rising overdose deaths, the availability of new psychoactive substances and the growing health threat of potent synthetic opioids are among the issues highlighted in this year's European Drug Report.

Canadian government proposes laws to legalise cannabis and counter drug-driving

Following a manifesto pledge and subsequent report by an expert panel, on 13 April 2017 the Federal Minister of Justice of Canada proposed two draft laws (‘bills’). Bill C-45 proposes the ‘Cannabis...

close up of dried cannabis buds

Colorado publishes report on cannabis use trends

Following the legalisation of recreational cannabis in the US state of Colorado at the end of 2012, the state Senate mandated a report every two years on changes in cannabis use patterns...

Canada Task Force publishes recommendations for legalisation

In Canada, on 13 December 2016 the government-appointed Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation published its final report , which had been delivered to the ministers of justice, health and public...

Four more US states legalise cannabis sale

In the United States, a system of ‘ballot initiatives’ allows citizens to directly propose and vote on draft laws in about 24 of the 50 states. Proposals for legal systems of cannabis...