COLUMBUS, Ohio — A caped green superhero stumping for marijuana-legalization votes at college campuses and bars in Ohio has sparked debate over its impact on children.

"Buddie" is a fuzzy, ever-smiling pot bud in a bulging white muscle suit with green trunks, gloves and boots. He arrives in a truck painted with marijuana leaves declaring: "Yes on legalization."

Children's health advocates opposed to legalization said Buddie is reminiscent of Joe Camel, the cartoon dromedary proven so effective at marketing cigarettes to teenagers in the 1990s that R.J. Reynolds was forced to retire his image. They said the pot mascot makes light of a dangerous illegal drug in a manner appealing to kids.

Nearly six months after the city of Denver began a crackdown on unapproved pesticides in marijuana products, a spot-check by The Denver Post found that the chemicals were still being sold to consumers.

Eight lab tests commissioned by The Post on recreational marijuana extracts purchased at two shops found most contained no pesticides that are not approved by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

But two tests on concentrated marijuana products sold at one store found levels of three pesticides the state says cannot be used to grow marijuana. Both items were manufactured by Mahatma Concentrates in Denver, which made its extracts from raw marijuana grown by Treatments Unlimited, which operates the Altitude shops in Denver.

In a little over three weeks from now, I will make my first legal purchase at a marijuana outlet in Oregon. It will not be my first time ever purchasing marijuana at a legal store, as I have already made a purchase in Washington and Colorado, but I haven’t made one in Oregon yet since it’s not legal to do so yet. But come October 1st, I will be one of the many people standing in line waiting make my first legal recreational marijuana purchase in Oregon. I personally plan to go to Panacea in Portland for my first purchase, and encourage others to do the same. To see why, check out a recent article I wrote about Panacea.

It's been 15 years since Nevada voters approved a ballot measure legalizing medical marijuana in the state, but it wasn't until August 24 that the first dispensary opened its doors in Clark County.

"We've been so busy, there are lines around the corner at some times of the day," said Euphoria Wellness Managing Director Darlene Purdy.

Located in southwest Las Vegas, the dispensary has seen more than 100 patients per day, according to Purdy, some of whom have been emotional about finally being able to purchase their medicine legally.

"Patients are so happy," Purdy said. "Some people have been waiting 15 years for this."

A few years ago, you might hear the name Herbal Risings Cannabis College and picture students in beanies and tie-dye T-shirts fighting over the last bag of Doritos. A class called “Budtending 101” might get a few wisecracks.

How quickly things change: When Chad Olshavsky moved to Arizona with his wife in 2012, they founded a training program that was rigorous and professional. Olshavsky wants to groom dispensary agents with medical knowledge, just like your neighborhood pharmacist.

Even in states where it’s legal, selling cannabis and related products is sticky business — sticky icky icky. By closely adhering to state and local laws and keeping a low profile, however, entrepreneurs can greatly reduce the risk of losing their livelihood (and freedom, in cases of imprisonment) to the federal government, according to Asheville attorney and author Rod Kight. He’ll discuss his new book, Cannabis Business Law: What You Need to Know, at Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 3 p.m.

Most Native American tribes are opting not to legalize marijuana, though at least two are poised to try it — just six months after a Justice Department memo indicated federal authorities likely would not interfere with growing marijuana on tribal lands if other federal crimes were not committed.

Many tribes exploring their options said that as U.S. citizens and sovereign nations, they deserve the right to choose to legalize as states have done. However, tribes continue to balk at the vague language of the Justice Department's so-called "Cole Memorandum" and the fear of federal prosecution.

Alaska cannabis businesses can sell you a hoodie, so long as the transaction is being recorded in high-definition.

The Alaska Marijuana Control Board covered allowable advertising strategies or retail dispensaries, as well as security protocol last week, on the second day of an extra meeting to consider draft regulations.

Board Director Cynthia Franklin argued Montana's greatest mistake was allowing too much advertising for medical marijuana. Montana legalized medicinal marijuana in 2004 only to have a ballot initiative introduced in 2014 to recriminalize it. This followed a ballooning industry that roused the ire of the state legislators and a 36 percent minority of the population who hadn't supported legal medicinal marijuana in the first place.

Cultural icon Tommy Chong’s voice is drifting out over a vast portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, uttering these silky words:

“Support MILegalize… I do.”

The message is born on the radio waves of WUPS; the issue is legalization of marijuana; the breakthrough is the acceptance of marijuana issues by mainstream radio stations. The Black Tuna, Robert Platshorn, just announced a similar accomplishment in a few other states where radio spots in support of his The Silver Tour are popping up.