The Five Biggest Marijuana News Stories in 2014

1. Obama admits to having smoked marijuana. The year began with the president of the United States taking a relaxed position with regards to marijuana: he recognised having tried cannabis, and stated that it is no more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. News of these statements swept the world, without any doubt influencing the debate on legalization in North America. 54% of Americans are already in favour of marijuana being legal.

 2. The legalization of marijuana in several U.S. states. In January marijuana was cleared for sale for recreational purposes in Colorado. In the middle of the year Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington D.C. approved similar regulations, although the measure in the US capital was blocked by Congress. Meanwhile, Maryland, Minnesota and New York legalized cannabis consumption with therapeutic aims.

3. Uruguay takes the lead. In the month of May Uruguay became the first country in the world in which it is totally legal for cannabis smokers to plant, buy or consume marijuana. But it will be necessary for companies and pharmacies to wait until next year to be able to apply the new law. For the time being one can grow up to six plants at home, while cannabis clubs are in the process of being regulated. And the change in leadership after the latest elections did not affect the measure: Tabaré Vázquez, the new president of Uruguay, has already stated that he will respect it.

4. The Basque Country, at the forefront of marijuana regulation in Spain.  The Basque Government presented a draft of a new Law of Addictions to regulate cannabis clubs, among other things. In Navarra a law was also approved that regulates these associations, and in San Sebastián a measure was passed to grant licenses to these clubs, although the Ministry of Health asked the State Legal Service to contest it.

5. The fight for medicinal marijuana: the extraordinary case of Mamá Cultiva. Although examples of support for medicinal marijuana can be found all over the globe, the case of Mamá Cultiva, a group of brave Chilean mothers who use cannabis to improve their children's quality of life, was of special note in 2014. Young mothers who risk prison time to cultivate the cannabis that eases their sick children's symptoms.

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With information from Dinafem,NBC, Boston Globe, CNN, Columbian, Republica.com and The Guardian.