Global Ganja Report

Trevor Douglas, 25, of Avon, Colo., was convicted of cannabis possession March 9, despite his claims that the plant is a crucial part of his spiritual practice and deserves First Amendment protection. Douglas told the court he uses cannabis as a religious sacrament, similar to the use of bread and wine in Catholic Holy Communion.

Alaska State Troopers are investigating a 15-plant cannabis grow discovered off Tower Circle in Seward on March 20. The local Peninsula Clarion reports March 25 that no one has been charged in the grow operation. "If you think something is connected and put the information out there that we're looking, the other people may go underground," state police spokesperson Peters said. "They could burn the evidence." Troopers apparently discovered the Tower Circle grow by following their noses. "Due to aromatic nature of the marijuana, a trooper was able to smell it during one of the contacts with the residence, and they went back later to verify," Peters said.

The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 will appear on California's November ballot, state election officials announced March 24. Secretary of State Debra Bowen certified that the petitions had hundreds of thousands more signatures than the 433,971 minimum needed to qualify. Supporters turned in 694,248 signatures, collecting them in every county except Alpine. County election officials estimated that 523,531 were valid.