Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States

Donald Trump has signaled his backing for a ballot initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana use in Florida, where he resides.

"Whether people like it or not," the Republican presidential candidate said on his Truth Social platform, "this will happen."

A visitor reacts while being photographed smelling medical cannabis flowers during Cannabisexpo 2020 exhibition of medical cannabis in Athens, Sunday. Greece was among the first countries to allow medical cannabis cultivation in Europe in 2017. [EPA]

The state of Illinois has legalized the use of marijuana, with the governor pardoning thousands of people with past convictions for use of small amounts of cannabis, AFP reported.

The law will allow residents over the age of 21 to legally purchase marijuana and repeal thousands of convictions across the state.

For Greek consumers and also for other Europeans using cannabis not as a drug but as a component of food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products is something new. This, after all, is the main reason the European market of 512 million people appears to have a particular potential for growth.

Taking a cue from the fight over immigration, some states that have legalized marijuana are considering providing so-called sanctuary status for licensed pot businesses, hoping to protect the fledgling industry from a shift in federal enforcement policy.

The head of the German police union BDC Andre Schultz has called for the use of cannabis to be decriminalized, the Associated Press reported.

Two Canadian marijuana companies merged to create a $ 6 billion corporation. A buyer on the deal is Aurora Cannabis, which acquires CanniMed Therapeutics, a small cannabis producer, the BBC said.

Vermont became the ninth US state to legalize the use of marijuana for entertainment, Reuters reported.

A ballot measure to make recreational marijuana legal for adults was approved in more states, including California, opening the most populous U.S. state to a burgeoning commercial cannabis market in a major victory for supporters of liberalized drug laws. 

Unlike Mark Twain?s experience with New York, returning to Washington D.C. after an absence of a mere six months in April I found quite of bit of moral decadence: Cannabis had been legalized. To my chagrin, only its consumption, but not its sale, was allowed.