Editor's Note: How can legislators ignore statistics that high–74% of the state's residents support marijuana for “terminally or seriously ill patients,” according to this Marijuana.com article. Plus, Idaho's marijuana laws epitomize the very war on prohibition that most of the industry is trying to fight: In Idaho, possession of marijuana–or even just paraphernalia–is punishable by one year in jail. One year.

Especially considering that:

- there are now four states in the country where recreational use of marijuana is legal

- 23 states and Guam now have legalized medical marijuana programs

- 18 states have decriminalized marijuana (removing criminal charges, or jail time, in favor of civil charges, or fines for possession of small amounts of marijuana)

- some of the nation's largest cities have decriminalized marijuana (including Philadelphia and New York)

… how can other states continue incarcerating people for possession of small amounts of marijuana or even paraphernalia?

Marijuana advocates in states across the country are shaking off the failed attempts of the past and uniting groups to face the future together. That’s what happened in Idaho where former members of Compassionate Idaho, a now-dissolved advocacy group, and Moms for Marijuana International joined to fight prohibition together.

The Moscow-Pullman Daily News reported Friday that New Approach Idaho plans to bring an initiative in 2016 to legalize marijuana. While a Boise State University poll from 2010 showed 74% of Idaho residents supporting marijuana for “terminally or seriously ill patients,” the group faces stiff opposition in a state whose legislature formally opposed any legalization in 2013.

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Tabare Vazquez easily won Uruguay’s presidential election Sunday after campaigning to support implementation of a plan to establish a government-run marijuana marketplace. This will be the second presidential term for Vazquez, 74. He previously was president from 2005 until 2010. He is a member of a leftist party currently running the government.

Sunday’s was a runoff election between Vazquez and Lacalle Pon, who represented a center-right coalition. Vazquez prevailed with 53 percent of the vote to Pon’s 40 percent. Pon had called for overturning the implementation plan for establishing the marketplace, which remains a controversial issue among many citizens.

While the victory by Vazquez assures the plan will proceed, there is still much uncertainty about how the plan will be put in place.

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Editor's Note: If the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation has anything to do with it, Alaska might just be on a path to some solid and sensible regulations. The coalition is pushing for the state to learn from what worked and didn't work in Colorado and Washington, avoid a lottery-based system and create laws (and prices) that "won't stifle businesses."  

ANCHORAGE, Ak. – It's still unknown what sort of regulations will come out of Alaska's marijuana rulemaking process, but the Coalition for Responsible Cannabis Legislation wants to help shape them.

"The best thing is to keep the rules as broad as possible and let the market decide who makes it or who fails," said Bruce Schulte, a marijuana advocate and public relations chairman of the organization.

The group, made up of about half a dozen people with interest in starting marijuana businesses, wants to make sure business voices are represented when it comes to establishing rules for Alaska marijuana sales. Not technically lobbyists, but more organized than the average group of citizens, the group hopes to bring a professional voice to the conversation about how to craft marijuana rules in Alaska. 

[Press Release] SEATTLE–December 01, 2014 – Le Herbé is excited to announce the launch of their new company, LeHerbe.com; the company will be producing organic cannabis products for U.S. markets that have legalized marijuana for medical and/or recreational use. You will soon be able to purchase quality organic cannabis products in participating dispensary locations. Their website details a wide assortment of THC infused products including marijuana edibles, lotions, balms, tinctures, beverages, and much more. To find out more about Le Herbé products visit: leherbe.com

“When we think about Cannabis, we need to start focusing on what matters... millions of people who want an alternative to pharmaceuticals,” said Vincent Villarosa, Vice President, Product Development at Le Herbé. “You should have the right to use a cannabis plant to cure your ailments. Our goal is simply to develop the alternative to bad policy. Therefore, produce the highest quality organic cannabis products for the health and well-being of people everywhere.”

Le Herbé is hoping to change the status quo and is pursing a disruptive business model to firmly plant their presence as the leader of organic cannabis products. It will be interesting to see how Le Herbé measures up as "Big Cannabis" is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. A recent study by Le Herbé stated that sales of recreational and medical marijuana in the United States could top 15 billion dollars per year if more States start to legalize medical cannabis.

Learn more about Le Herbé by visiting leherbe.com

About Le Herbé

LeHerbe.com opened for business on the world wide web in December 2014. The company is pioneering organic cannabis products and is guided by four principles: focused on the customer not the competition, quality over quantity, disruptive innovation and long-term thinking. THC Infused Oils / Balms / Lotions, Marijuana Edibles, Cannabis Concentrates, Vape Pens and Clothing are some of the products currently in development at Le Herbé.

Source: Le Herbé