Every cannabis smoker knows that the major psychoactive ingredient of the plant is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but there is also a range of other chemicals in marijuana smoke. One of the other significant components is cannabidiol (CBD). Anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD can inhibit some negative side effects associated with marijuana, but does this claim stand up to scientific scrutiny?

Leading national and international experts and activists discussed barriers and opportunities at the first conference on medical cannabis in Hungary.  

A struggle for making medical cannabis legal in Poland: an article by Iga Jeziorska on our new video produced by Paweł Libera and the Polish Drug Policy Network.

Medical cannabis activists formed an alliance with a political party, in order to contest the parliamentary elections in Serbia. Read Irena Molnar’s report from Belgrade, and watch the video!

After a long gestation, the UN drug reform experiment suffered a miscarriage. It seems the UN is not the catalyst of change but its mirror. Reformers can learn many lessons – but can also be proud of their achievements.

The UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS) adopted the outcome document without a debate, right before the real discussion could have started.

A surprise decision from the otherwise super-conservative Polish government: it improves access to cannabis for medical purposes.

While Colombia and the Czech Republic spoke up for drug policy reform at the opening day of the CND, others such as Russia or Thailand prefer the status quo and oppose any changes.

Norway claims to have a progressive drug policy – but does it really? Our guest author from NORML Norway thinks otherwise.

ONEJ, a Slovenian cannabis reform NGO, has published a report on the criminalisation of cannabis users in Slovenia – a country which will soon see its first legal supervised injection room. The report also highlights the need to reform the country's drug laws!