As of Saturday, every Democrat running for president promises to, if elected, take marijuana off the list of Schedule 1 drugs — a move that doesn't require approval from Congress. At a Democratic candidate's forum at Clafin University — a traditionally African-American college in Orangeburg, South Carolina — on Friday, Hillary Clinton backed demoting marijuana to a Schedule 2 drug, a new position for her. Clinton said she supports the use of medical marijuana,explaining: "There is a lot of anecdotal evidence about how well it works for certain conditions. But we haven't done any research. Why? Because it is considered that is called a Schedule 1 drug and you can't even do research in it."

Medical marijuana became legal in Illinois on Monday, but qualified Metro East patients will have to travel at least two hours to pick up their prescriptions.

Illinois approved nine locations for the first day of dispensation. More sites are expected to open in the weeks ahead, but a spokesman for a state regulatory agency said he’s not allowed to say if any applications are pending for the Metro East or anywhere else.

Meanwhile, the nearest dispensaries are the Harbory, in Marion, 120 miles to the southeast, or Herbal Remedies, in Quincy, 140 miles north.

The second and third patients in line when the doors of the Harbory opened Monday were Trever Oliver, 25, and Drew Perkinson, 24, both of Godfrey. They got there at 7 a.m., Oliver said.

Pot activists can’t agree on how the drug should be regulated. Now some fear that picking sides could split the vote and not result in any legalization at all.

Amid the haze of pot smoke that floated above Boston Common as college-aged kids casually passed around blunts, Steve Epstein took to the stage and grabbed a microphone.

“We knew this day would come, when our Freedom Rally would be the initiative petition kickoff!” Epstein bellowed to the pot enthusiasts gathered at September’s annual marijuana festival.

While some have claimed that last Tuesday’s defeat for Ohio’s Issue 3, which would have legalized recreational marijuana in the state, is an example of liberals losing the culture wars, the actual dynamics of this proposed amendment’s failure are far more nuanced, and may even tell the opposite story. Instead of serving as a defeat for liberals in the culture wars, the failure of this referendum shows what happens when voters are faced with multiple, competing concerns as part of the same issue.

Moving pot to Schedule II is weak tea compared to Bernie Sanders' support for repealing federal prohibition.

During an appearance in South Carolina on Saturday, Hillary Clintonsaid marijuana should be moved from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the most restrictive category, to Schedule II, which is for drugs that have recognized medical applications but also "a high potential for abuse." Other Schedule II drugs include cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Here is how the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee explained her position:

Mike Whiter was a virtual recluse when he was on as many as 14 medications provided by Veterans Affairs—until he toked up.

PHILADELPHIA — Retired Marine Staff Sergeant Mike Whiter emptied a box full of orange pill bottles onto 22 people lying in the middle of Market Street at the end of Philadelphia’s Veteran’s Day Parade.

TOPEKA (KSNT) – The north side of the Statehouse became a graveyard Saturday afternoon.

And a funeral.

All symbols used by the advocacy group Bleeding Kansas to bring awareness of a bill they’ve been trying to get out of committee for years.

The group and other Kansans are asking legislators to consider making medical marijuana legal.

“We just would like to have a conversation,” said Lisa Sublett, the president and founder of Bleeding Kansas. “We would like to have the dialogue and show them the research.”

According to Sublett, there are lawmakers who support the bill but the group is letting those legislators come forward on their own because the subject of medical marijuana is often divisive.

Victoria will write to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for clarification on the federal government’s plans for the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

Meanwhile, the city will continue to develop its own regulations governing marijuana shops.

During the election campaign, the federal Liberals promised to remove Criminal Code provisions against possession and consumption of marijuana and to institute a federal system for sales and distribution.

Victoria councillors Marianne Alto and Chris Coleman suggested pausing efforts to develop regulations surrounding the marijuana retail trade until the city heard from the prime minister or Feb. 19 — whichever came first.

SAM Oregon is an affiliate of the national SAM organization, led by prohibitionist Kevin Sabet. I find it hilarious that SAM Oregon uses Ben Carson to support marijuana prohibition. SAM Oregon posted a quote from Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson where he states his opposition to marijuana legalization.