Over half of US states have enacted laws legalizing some form of marijuana use — either medical or recreational, or both in the cases of Colorado and Washington.
And Americans, as a unified group, favor marijuana legalization.
When asked by Pew Research, "Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal or not?", a whopping 57% answered yes (while just 37% responded with no).
Cases of newborn exposure to illicit substances are much less likely to be reported to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) than to the Department of Public Health (DPH) in Illinois, despite regulations that mandate both agencies receive reports, according to a study forthcoming in Child Abuse & Neglect.
As more states legalize both medical and recreational marijuana, products containing extracts from the plant are appearing on shelves around the country too. Cannabidiol, commonly abbreviated as CBD, is one such compound that’s now available in various formulations at smoke shops, health food stores and dispensaries.
A new working paper from scholars at the University of Connecticut and Georgia State University finds that alcohol sales decreased in states that have legalized medical marijuana since 2006.
