The Molina plantation was exporting ten tons of cannabis per month to Holland

Eight people have been arrested by the Guardia Civil in connection with a marijuana plantation in Molina de Segura which has been described by investigators as “the most sophisticated yet found in Europe”.

A key Senate leader has included several pieces of good news for marijuana law reform advocates in a package of spending bills intended to keep the government operational for the next fiscal year.

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), chairman of the Appropriations Committee, filed the bills on Tuesday, and they have just been uploaded to Congress’s website.

Here’s what the bills’ language will do, if enacted:

* Prevent the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration from spending money to interfere with the implementation of state medical marijuana laws. Similar language was enacted last year and is current law.

The 2016 presidential field is taking shape, and many of the candidates are weighing in on the debate about marijuana.

Here’s a roundup of what the declared candidates have said about cannabis policy, as well as what they’ve admitted about their own marijuana consumption.

All candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Jeb Bush – Republican

The former Florida governor does not favor legalization, or even medical cannabis, but he does support letting states set their own marijuana laws without much federal interference.

Court Support Needed For Shona Banda At Prelim Hearing

Shona Banda, mother, author of "Live Free Or Die", and long-time cannabis activist is currently facing the possibility of 30 years in prison for invoking one of her most important human rights, the right to live. Now it's our turn to show Shona our support for her at her hearings. Supporters are needed in high numbers at the Finney County Courthouse located at 425 N 8th St., Garden City, Kansas on November 16th at 8:30am and November 23rd at 1:30 pm in Judge Wurst's courtroom. We ask that everyone shows up an hour early for coordinating and a rally. PLEASE SHOW UP DRESSED IN YOUR BEST ATTIRE! Shona asks that everyone is dressed to impress in formal attire. Please no t-shirts or jeans!

As the marijuana legalization movement builds up steam, prohibitionists are grasping at straws to defend an increasingly untenable status quo. The most recent argument for prohibition comes from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who claimed that marijuana was “infinitely worse” than tobacco.

Durban - The man dubbed “the Robin Hood of cannabis oil” is waiting to hear whether he faces prosecution after a Hawks raid on his operation in Richards Bay, while Parliament continues to look into the issue of legalising the narcotic weed for medicinal purposes.

Police spokesman Brigadier Vish Naidoo said certain explanations a man raised in his defence after a drug raid a week ago in the port town still needed verification.

“He was not charged. An investigation needs to be finalised,” he said, without confirming whether the person in question was Sheldon Cramer, whose Bobby Greenhash Foundation provides the oil to cancer sufferers and other patients free of charge.

People who use his oil phoned in on Friday singing its praises.

On Monday 12 October, at 4.30pm, MPs will debate the legalisation of cannabis in Westminster Hall. The debate results from an e-petition that garnered more than 220,000 signatures. Below is a briefing for MPs, to support the call for the government to take control of the cannabis trade by legalising and regulating its production and supply.

International context

Evidence of the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis in treating a number of conditions is overwhelming and it should be made available for those conditions immediately, Senator Richard Di Natale says. Photo: supplied

Richard Di Natale​ is forging ahead with his bid to legalise medical marijuana and warns the Turnbull government would be foolish to stand in the way.

The Greens leader will ask the Senate to vote on his bill – co-sponsored by Liberal, Labor and crossbench senators – next month and he's calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to get on board to ensure its success.

Senator Di Natale will personally press Mr Turnbull for his support when the pair meet in Canberra this week.

Police obtained a search warrant for a house in Fartown after smelling cannabis from outside the property and discovered two rooms being used for growing and drying the illegal plants.

Robert Galley, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday police called at the house in Abbey Road on May 7 last year and got no answer when they knocked on the back door.

There was a “strong smell of cannabis” and there appeared to be fans leading out of rooms upstairs.

After obtaining a search warrant officers returned on May 13 and found the occupier, Steven Netherwood, present in the living room.

• The California Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which will require police to get a court order before they can search messages, photos and other digital data stored on phones or company servers in the nation's most-populous state. Civil-liberties advocates called the new law that takes effect Jan. 1 an important advance and said it highlights the need for similar protections at the national level.

• A measure that compels crisis pregnancy centers that discourage women from getting abortions in California to provide information about abortions and other services. The measure imposes the first such statewide rule, after local communities around the country have tried similar efforts.