Two congressmen behind a federal provision protecting state-legal medical marijuana operations are seeking an investigation into the Department of Justice's continued crackdown on medical marijuana patients and providers, saying the DOJ may be in violation of federal law.

"We request that you immediately investigate the Department's expenditure of funds to continue prosecuting these cases, which we believe are in direct violation of the prohibition on such expenditures established by Rohrabacher-Farr," reads the letter, addressed to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz from Reps. Sam Farr (D-Calif.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.). 

(WBNG Binghamton) A medical marijuana dispensary will be opening in Broome County, the New York State Department of Health announced Friday.

The dispensary will be located in Johnson City at 589 Harry L Drive. That plaza currently houses Papa John's and Apple Travel.

According to the department of health, out of 43 applicants, five organizations were chosen to manufacture and dispense medical marijuana under New York State's Medical Marijuana Program.

Empire State Health Solutions is the organization that will be operating in Broome. The company will also have dispensaries in Albany, Westchester and Queens counties. Its manufacturing facility will be located in Fulton County.

Drug couriers with a special taste for cocaine powder‚ fake documents‚ smuggling and rental car theft are amongst the crimes being fought by joint security forces at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

The South African Police Service says it requires a multi-skilled team to repel the syndicates and criminal suspects from transiting through the airport‚ explaining in a statement: “The types of crimes and challenges they are faced with requires certain specialities from the various role-players”.

“They encounter suspects‚ syndicates and crime from all over the world‚” also requiring the team to liaise closely with Interpol and regional police chiefs.

A policeman was sacked yesterday after being caught smoking cannabis in his marked patrol car.

PC Kirk Van Niekerk, who had been an officer for West Midlands Police for more than six years, was supposed to be searching for a missing person when he used the drug in the early hours.  

He was caught after a colleague noticed a pungent aroma wafting from the car and reported him.

Niekerk, a married father of one, denied smoking cannabis on duty but tests found traces in his system. Yesterday, a panel found him guilty of gross misconduct. 

PC Kirk Van Niekerk was caught after a colleague noticed a pungent aroma wafting from the car and reported him (file picture)

On Saturday at exactly 3pm, hundreds of people will converge on Parliament Square in London, inhale nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas”, collectively giggle for 30 seconds, and then disperse. The Psychedelic Society insists “this is not a party” but a serious act of political dissent. “We’ll all inhale together in a sea of coloured rubber to send the message: My mind, my choice.”

Banking regulators just said no to a financial institution that aims to be the first to serve the expanding marijuana industry in Colorado.

UPDATE: The op-ed that D.A.R.E published was done by accident, updated article here.

D.A.R.E., the organization designed to plant a deep-seated fear of drugs in the minds of every late-20th-century middle schooler, published an op-ed calling for marijuana legalization.

It’s not easy being the DEA these days. After an unprecedented losing streak on Capitol Hill, the once-untouchable Drug Enforcement Administration suffered last week what might be considered the ultimate indignity: A Senate panel, for the first time, voted in favor of legal, recreational marijuana.

Last Thursday, the Appropriations Committee voted 16-14 on an amendment to allow marijuana businesses access to federal banking services, a landmark shift that will help states like Colorado, where pot is legal, fully integrate marijuana into their economies. As significant as the vote was, it’s only the latest vote in a remarkable run of success marijuana advocates have had this year on Capitol Hill.

Multi-talented Michigan attorney Michael Komorn is calling on families of children with autism to attend a crucial vote of the Medical Marihuana Review Panel on July 31st.

The Panel is considering whether to recommend approval of a petition to add autism to the list of medical conditions that can qualify a patient for the use of medical marijuana in Michigan.

Under Michigan’s rigorous standards, a child must obtain two certifications from physicians that the patient may receive palliative care from the application of marijuana medicines.

As Vancouver struggled to regulate its explosion of marijuana dispensaries, top provincial health officials considered how they could legalize the recreational use of the drug across British Columbia.

In a series of e-mails released through a Freedom of Information request, the health officials acknowledged there would likely be little progress toward legalization while the staunchly anti-drug Conservatives hold power in Ottawa, instead suggesting such a radical change would likely come about only if the Liberals win the fall election.