Arizona Pro-Marijuana Group AZFMR Halts 2016 Legalization Effort

A grassroots Arizona cannabis-legalization campaign halted its drive for a 2016 ballot measure on Wednesday after failing to reach its signature-collection goals. Campaign manager Jason Medar confirmed in an April 12 blog post that Arizonans for Mindful Regulation wasn’t gathering petitions fast enough to make the July 7 deadline to…

Marijuana Dispensary Fights for Site Near ASU

Swell Farmacy’s plan to build a marijuana dispensary near Arizona State University hit a roadblock with Tempe zoning officials and may end up in court because of allegations of a conflict of interest on the zoning board. Swell Farmacy, also known as Healing Healthcare 3 Inc., wants to build its…

Arizona Marijuana Activist Billy Hayes Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

A judge sentenced cannabis activist Billy Hayes to two years in prison on Friday for his role in two medical-marijuana businesses. Hayes, 40, is a hero to those who oppose monopolistic practices and tight restrictions in the marijuana industry,and was the subject of a November 2014 feature story in New…

Arizona Pot-Legalization Foes Take Bucks from Booze Biz

The height of hypocrisy for this Arizona campaign season may have been reached: The pot prohibitionists who want to keep cannabis a felony in Arizona have accepted a large donation from the alcohol industry, New Times has learned. A spokeswoman for Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, the anti-cannabis-legalization group led by…

How Donald Trump Could Help Legalize Marijuana in Arizona

Surveys of Arizona voters in recent months showed that a measure to legalize marijuana for all adults 21 and older — likely to materialize on this November’s ballot — could use some help. Donald Trump to the rescue? Possibly. Now that Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee, supporters of marijuana…

Arizona Marijuana Prohibitionist Group Denies Connection to GOP Drug-Bust Suspect

The top Republican fundraising company that employed drug-bust suspect Emily Pitha also raised money for Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, an anti-marijuana-legalization group. Pitha and her boyfriend, Christopher Hustrulid, were arrested this week after a raid on their Phoenix home turned up large quantity of contraband and evidence of drug-dealing…

DEA Approves Pot Study in Arizona and Colorado Aimed at Helping Veterans With PTSD

Veterans with post-traumatic-stress disorder will soon be able to take part in cannabis study in Arizona and Colorado after recent approval by the Drug Enforcement Agency. The study will be conducted by the California-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) with embattled Arizona Dr. Sue Sisley, fired from the University…

Pot-Prohibitionists’ Poll Shows Legalization Could Fail In Arizona

Arizonans could reject “recreational marijuana” on the ballot this November, according to a poll released on this week by a group that opposes the measure. Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, led by Seth Leibsohn and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, commissioned the poll from Data Orbital, a company run by…

Arizona Marijuana Legalization Campaign Close to Signature Goal

An Arizona citizens’ initiative campaign to legalize marijuana announced today that it has reached 200,000 signatures — more than needed to make November’s ballot. But the campaign is shooting for far more than it needs, at least 225,000 signatures, in case some invalidated.. “Voters want to have their say on…

Arizona Marijuana Legalization Campaign Says Bill Montgomery Took Booze Cash

Backers of an Arizona marijuana-legalization initiative blasted pot-prohibitionist Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery for taking alcohol-industry cash. J.P. Holyoak and other representatives of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona  gave a news conference at Montgomery’s downtown Phoenix office, using an over-sized, symbolic refund check for $8,050 to…

People Moving to Arizona Because of Weed

It’s not just the warm temperatures and golf courses that lure new residents to Arizona. Cannabis users are relocating here because of our medical-marijuana laws, cheaper pot prices, and access to dispensaries, according to a real estate blog. In a study by Estately.com, Arizona ranked among the 10 best states for…