It’s time for our weekly news roundup, and as usual, politics make up the majority of the news in the wide world of cannabis. But don’t worry, it’s not all legislation and talking heads. We’ve got Colorado clubs handing out free pot for picking up trash (and going viral in the process), new cannabis vodka, and a weed-inspired back tattoo that you won’t believe.

Big News

The Supreme Court has denied the year-old suit that Nebraska and Oklahoma brought against their neighbor, Colorado. The two states sued Colorado, claiming that "officials in Nebraska and Oklahoma say Colorado's pot law has become a destabilizing force in their states, where their legal systems are struggling to enforce the federal ban on marijuana. They believe Colorado isn't doing enough to keep pot from leaving the state," reports NPR. The Supreme Court ruled against the suit without explanation. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas were the only two dissenting opinions on the matter (shocker).

This may not count as “big” news, but it was certainly viral news this week. Nearly every stoner on social media shared this story about Colorado cannabis clubs offered free joints to volunteers who helped clean up area parks. Posts were accompanied by various wishes that a park cleanup that ended with a weed reward would come to their town, and we’re extremely inclined to agree with them. Green for greening is a pretty brilliant idea, and according to KOAA, even a local city councilman joined in the effort. Naturally, his name is Bill Murray: “When News 5 asked if he supported the distribution of free marijuana, he pulled a joint from his pocket and replied, ‘As a matter of fact, yes. My wife has cancer, and this is for her, so that's why I'm here. I'm here to support my community, support the voters and assist my wife as she needs it.’”

Legislation & Politics

The Motley Fool digs deeper into the three states that are most important in upcoming elections regarding marijuana. California, Ohio, and Florida are considered battleground states when it comes to the future of cannabis in the US.

Whether it’s medical benefits or states’ rights, Rolling Stone reveals that each current candidate for president (now that Marco Rubio has dropped out) currently support legalizing weed. Sounds crazy, right? Reasons are as far ranging as all of their various politics, but Bernie Sanders is definitely still the most sympathetic to stoners.

Our next Supreme Court justice may be more cannabis friendly than Scalia and Thomas, Forbes points out. Leaders in the cannabis industry think that Judge Merrick Garland’s pragmatic approach to issues and reliance on scientific evidence will bode well for the industry if he is confirmed.

The New Orleans city council voted unanimously on March 17 to lighten punishment for low-level drug charges, giving police leeway to write citations rather than make arrests, the Times-Picayune reports. It is not legal to smoke weed in New Orleans, but this move to nearly decriminalize recreational amounts is a great step in the right direction.

The Pennsylvania state House of Representatives approved a bill to legalize medical marijuana on Tuesday, reports Fox 29. The bill still needs to go through the Senate, but is expected to do well based on how similar bills were treated.

Economics

The Oregonian is reporting that in its first month of recreational marijuana sales, Oregon exceeded its projected collections for the entire year. In January alone, $14mil worth of recreational cannabis was sold, which yielded in $3.48mil in taxes collected.
 

Everything Else

Some people go very far for the causes they care about, but “Radical” Russ Belville has got cannabis’ back in a serious way. In 2014 he got a back tattoo of all 50 states, with each state that has legalized marijuana shaded in green. In this great profile by KITV, he says that "I'm not stopping until all 50 states are legal. I'm not stopping until nobody has to fear a drug test for their job. I'm not stopping until every patient who needs medical cannabis can get it." The cannabis activist hosts a radio show on Scottsdale-based CannabisRadio.com that he calls “the NPR of P-O-T.”  

If you like you booze like you like your weed -- you know, tasting like plants -- you’ll want to check out Humboldt Distillery’s recently released Humboldt’s Finest. This cannabis infused vodka is suggested as a replacement for recipes that call for gin, reports Cannabis.net.

And lastly, light one up for your New Zealand homies tonight, as the Kiwis are currently experiencing an unprecedented dry spell, according to The Guardian. A variety of factors including gangs, police, and the weather are making it real hard out there for a stoner. Word of advice: If you’re one of those people planning to leave the country if Trump is elected, do not go to New Zealand.