Activists Push 'Grass' Roots Campaigns

It welcomes those licensed to smoke it legally

(NEWSER) - A cafe in Portland, Oregon, made a little history yesterday when it became the first in the nation to legally open its doors to pot smokers. The Cannabis Cafe welcomes those who are licensed by the state to smoke marijuana for medical reasons. It doesn't sell pot to members—that's still a no-no—but patrons can bring their own or share with friends, reports the Oregonian . More»

As pot grows semi-legal, connoisseurs wanted

(NEWSER) - In the midst of media layoffs, one Colorado newspaper is actually hiring: It’s looking for a pot critic. The number of medical marijuana dispensaries in Denver has exploded to more than 100 this year, and the alt-weekly Westword wants someone with a legit medical need to evaluate which are clean, which offer good service, and which are just plain “sketchy," the editor tells the New York Times. Unfortunately, "we can't expense your purchases, although that would be pretty cool," reads the ad. More»

(NEWSER) - A pro-legalization group has launched a statewide ad campaign in California stressing that pot smokers want to pay taxes, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Marijuana Policy Project ads feature an "actual California marijuana consumer" who points out that regulating and taxing marijuana could help save services being cut because of the state's budget crisis, More»

Goofy 'holiday' becomes touchstone for legalization advocates

(NEWSER) - Marijuana enthusiasts will toke up today in celebration of 420, the pot holiday that corresponds to the code for pot consumption across the nation, the Monitor reports. The term 420 was hatched in 1971 by a dozen high school pot smokers who used to meet at 4:20 in the afternoon to light up. “This has gone from a goofy cultural phenomenon to the conveyance of this cultural message,” says Allen St. Pierre, head of pro-decriminalization group NORML. More»

Allowing weed at airport would chill 'air rage,' pro-marijuana org in Denver says

(NEWSER) - Denver has a pretty lax marijuana policy (small amounts are legal) and pro-pot advocates are wondering whether, after a recent rash of "air rage" incidents, such permissiveness shouldn’t extend to the city airport’s smoking lounge, CW2 News reports. “This madness has got to stop,” said a proponent. “And we're providing a very viable solution.” More»