It was a NORML day in the new year, on January 2nd, 2009, when in a major step towards repealing marijuana prohibition in the United States, Massachusetts decriminalized marijuana, hash and THC.

The Sensible Marijuana Policy Initiative, also known as Massachusetts Ballot Question 2, was an initiated state statute (i.e., a  new law that a state adopts via the initiative process), that replaces current criminal penalties with civil penalties on adults possessing an ounce or less of marijuana. The Question 2 initiative appeared on the November 4, 2008 ballot in Massachusetts. (Question 3, the initiative to ban greyhound professional dog racing, was also approved on the same ballot.)

From Mark Heinrich, writer for Treating Yourself.

South Australian Parliament member Sandra Kanck has introduced a bill legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes. Recently, it has come under attack from member A. Bressington in the form of outdated research and invalid reasoning. From the article:

Such manipulation is found in the honourable member’s initial second reading contribution. In a total disregard for the potential consequences of the words, the honourable member told this council and all those who read Hansard that cannabis does not cause schizophrenia but instead is a treatment for this most devastating mental illness.

The full part in the first reading of the bill is here, and the second is here. Also, the text from the second reading is here.