Did Drug Decriminalization Cause a 'Catastrophe' in Oregon?
Many of the problems the state is experiencing are caused by the continuing impact of prohibition.
Drug Legalization
The Democratic Governor Who Wants Drug Legalization and Free Markets
"Government in general does a lot of things that aren't necessary," says Jared Polis.
Should Donald Trump and Hunter Biden Both Be Prosecuted?
Plus: A listener question concerning drug decriminalization and social well-being
The Biden Administration Still Insists That Cannabis Consumers Have No Right to Arms
As pot prohibition collapses across the country, that policy is increasingly untenable.
One Reason for New York's Pitiful Rollout of Legal Pot: License Preferences for Victims of Prohibition
More than two years after legalizing recreational use, the state has just a dozen licensed retailers.
Even After Legalization, Maryland Cops Wanted to Search People Based on the Odor of Pot. Legislators Said No.
Police have a long history of using the real or imagined smell of marijuana to justify outrageous invasions.
Minnesota Will Be the 23rd State To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Possession and home cultivation will be legal as of August 1, and licensed sales could begin in late 2024.
Pot Legalization Is a 'Big Mistake' Only If You Ignore the Value of Freedom and the Injustice of Prohibition
The harm caused by marijuana abuse does not justify reverting to an oppressive policy that criminalized peaceful conduct.
D.C. Smoke Shop Owner: 'I Know I'm Doing the Right Thing.'
Thanks to the city's Initiative 71, Lit City Smoke Shop is part of D.C.'s thriving weed-gifting industry.
This California Bill Would Mandate Punishment of Marijuana Debtors Without a Hearing
To address an "unpaid debt bubble," the proposed law would dictate contract terms and require regulators to intervene in commercial disputes.
A Bonus Reason Roundtable. Live From New York City!
Enjoy a special video episode recorded live from New York City’s illustrious Comedy Cellar at the Village Underground.
New York Legalized Marijuana, but a Legal Typo Is Hindering Implementation
Correcting the error will require new legislation.
Minnesota Is Poised To Join 22 Other States in Legalizing Recreational Marijuana
The debate over the details shows that, despite all the talk of treating cannabis like alcohol, legislators are not prepared to fully embrace that model.
Delaware Just Became the 22nd State To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Despite his reservations, Gov. John Carney let the bills become law without his signature.
New York City Should Have Always Smelled Like Pot
The smell of weed in the streets is a sign of progress and tolerance, not decline.
Federal Pot Possession Cases Plummet
The trend is driven by a huge drop in prosecutions in Arizona, the U.S. Sentencing Commission reports.
Ethan Nadelmann: How To Legalize All Drugs!
Q&A about the future of drug policy, drug use, and drug culture.
Legalize All Drugs. Live With Ethan Nadelmann, Nick Gillespie, and Zach Weissmueller.
Join Reason on YouTube and Facebook Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern for a discussion about the path to full drug legalization in America.
No, the U.S. Shouldn't Wage War Against Mexican Cartels
There's little reason to believe that any of the tactics Republican politicians are proposing would be effective in keeping fentanyl out of the country.
After Approving Medical Marijuana 5 Years Ago, Oklahoma Voters Reject Broader Legalization
A ballot initiative that would have allowed recreational use was defeated by a large margin in a special election.
Studies Link Marijuana Legalization to All Sorts of Positive Public Health Outcomes
Plus: San Francisco claims to have "significantly disrupted" sex trafficking, a nationwide injunction on abortion pills, and more...
'America Has Lost the War on Drugs,' The New York Times Says, but Should Keep Fighting It Anyway
The paper pushes modest reforms while endorsing continued criminalization.
The Argument That 'America Has Gone Too Far in Legalizing Vice' Ignores the Cost of Prohibition
Is it just to punish the many for the excesses of the few?
How a Drafting Error Made It Harder for New Yorkers To Obtain Relief From Marijuana Felony Records
Because legislators omitted a crucial letter, there is no straightforward way to downgrade convictions for offenses that are no longer felonies.
Under No Circumstances Did Joe Biden Save Social Security
Plus: a listener question on prohibition and a lightning round on the editors' favorite Super Bowl moments
New California Bill Proposes Legalizing Authentic Cannabis Cafes
Cannabis consumers should have the same commercial leisure spaces that alcohol drinkers do.
Mike Pompeo Says He 'Grew Up Libertarian'
These days, he may run for president. His politics have changed.
After Repeatedly Opposing Marijuana Banking Reform, Cory Booker Says It Is Urgently Needed
The senator bemoans the "cannabis crisis" he helped maintain by blocking the SAFE Banking Act.
Are We Making Any Progress on Police Brutality?
Plus: The editors consider the ongoing debt ceiling drama and answer a listener question about ending the war on drugs.
Pot Possession Cases Have Plummeted in Federal Courts, but Prior Marijuana Convictions Still Boost Penalties
Federal sentences for simple marijuana possession dropped by 93 percent over seven years.
Andrew Tatarsky and Maia Szalavitz: How 'Harm Reduction' Is Transforming Drug Policy
As the drug war retreats, individualist approaches to substance use and abuse will make us all better off.
How 'Harm Reduction' Is Transforming Drug Policy
Andrew Tatarsky and Maia Szalavitz push individualist approaches to substance abuse as the drug war retreats.
Colorado Voters Delivered a Win for Pharmacological Freedom
A ballot initiative approved in November decriminalizes consumption of natural psychedelics.
Rand Paul Complains That Democrats Squandered Their Opportunity To Enact Marijuana Reforms
The prospects in the next session, when Republicans will control the House, are iffy.
Why Take Responsibility When You Can Blame Somebody Else?
The year’s highlights in buck passing feature petulant politicians, brazen bureaucrats, careless cops, loony lawyers, and junky journalists.
California Bill Builds on Reforms That Could Herald the Surprisingly Fast Collapse of Psychedelic Prohibition
S.B. 58, which emulates an initiative that Colorado voters approved last month, would legalize the use of five psychoactive substances found in fungi and plants.
The Failure To Enact Marijuana Banking and Crack Sentencing Reforms Is a Window on Congressional Dysfunction
Although both bills have broad bipartisan support, they never got a vote in the Senate and were excluded from the omnibus spending bill.
Chuck Schumer Scrambles To Save the Marijuana Banking Bill He Blocked Last Year
The Senate majority leader is suddenly keen to pass legislation that he portrayed as a threat to broader reform.
Even States That Have Already Decriminalized Marijuana Use See Fewer Possession Arrests After Legalization
A study credits "an overall lower police search rate," the result of new priorities and legal constraints.
Merchants of Death, Swaps, and Shake-ups
Plus: The editors briefly celebrate a noteworthy shake-up in the Senate.
The FDA Is Doing Something That Could Actually Cut Overdose Deaths
Naloxone could be available without a prescription by spring.
Brittney Griner Has Finally Been Released
While Griner's release is welcome news, it's important to remember the thousands of Americans imprisoned for drug offenses here in the U.S.
Biden's 'Marijuana Reform' Leaves Prohibition Untouched
While Biden issued pardons and ordered a review of marijuana's Schedule I status, he still supports the federal ban on weed.
Wallowing Around in a Gerontocracy
Plus: The editors consider what type of fresh attacks the marijuana legalization movement is likely to encounter.
New York Is Setting Up Legal Marijuana Merchants for Failure
Nearly 20 months after the state legalized recreational use, no licensed pot shops have opened, but the black market is booming.
Will Congress Manage To Pass Marijuana Reform During the Lame-Duck Session?
Legalization is unlikely in the foreseeable future, but banking reform and expungement could be feasible.
Washington Has Been Much More Successful Than California in Displacing the Black Market for Pot
Lighter regulation is one likely explanation.
The Election Betting Markets Fell Short. They're Still the Most Flexible Predictor.
People with money on the line try harder than pundits to be right, and they adjust quickly when they've made a mistake.