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For quite a while, I have wanted to tackle the issue of medical marijuana and how it should be handled under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), but finding definitive information on the topic is hard. There are tons of questions, and very few clear answers. I’ve questioned many people and I have done a lot of reading. Now I think I have finally found some information worth sharing.
American Indian tribes may now grow and sell marijuana on reservation lands. A Department of Justice memo released in December of 2014 gave them the go-ahead, and dozens of tribes are considering the possibility of starting up production.
Some lawmakers in DC are making a big push for states’ rights when it comes to the issue of marijuana. Two bills have been recently introduced that would end federal control over marijuana and tax it, as well. Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) sponsored the two House Resolutions.
Three US senators unveiled what many are calling an historic bill to address medical marijuana. Senators Rand Paul (R- KY), Corey Booker (D-NJ) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) presented the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act (CARERS) during a press conference on Capitol Hill earlier this week.
The District of Columbia has been wrestling with several issues regarding legal marijuana. A majority of voters passed Initiative 71 during the mid-term elections, which was intended to make recreational marijuana legal, but Congress is withholding funds needed to make legalization a complete reality. Now, the D.C. Council has passed a new temporary law that will ban employers from drug testing job applicants.
Two of the Ducks most lauded players, Darren Carrington and Ayele Forde were banned from Monday’s game after failing an NCAA drug test that was administered at the Rose Bowl. This team has seemed unstoppable all season. According to Sports Illustrated they averaged 49 points over their last nine games… but ultimately finished their run by getting trounced by Ohio State 42-20.
Until recently, the topic of marijuana only came up in law school classes during discussions about criminal or constitutional law. Now, some schools across the country are adding courses that hope to tackle some of the challenges facing the nation as states begin legalizing the drug.
As of today, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized pot for medical purposes. The list of ramifications for employers is long and complicated, and new issues seem to crop up every day. One of the many interesting questions has to do with who pays for this “medicine” that is still illegal according to the federal government? Earlier this year, a New Mexico Court of Appeals answered, and their decision might surprise you.
Election night in America proved interesting as voters ushered Republicans into the majority while bringing marijuana a bit more out of the shadows.
When I was little, I remember my parents searching through my Halloween candy, throwing away anything that wasn’t wrapped or looked odd. For years working in TV news I told parents to check everything even get it x-rayed -- before letting their child dig in. Back then the worries were based on urban legends about creepy people messing with the treats. If you live in Colorado or Washington State, that boogie man might be real. Now that marijuana is legal in ALL its forms, police are warning parents in those areas that pot-infused candy looks a lot like the real thing.
Back in 2008, Massachusetts voters decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Four years later, the state became the 18th to legalize medical marijuana. The Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Initiative took effect on January 1, 2013. The law allows for 35 state-licensed, non-profit dispensaries, but now the state says they will only allow up to 11.
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