At today's judiciary committee hearing about HB 1284, a bill that aims to regulate the medical marijuana industry, Representative Sal Pace will offer an amendment to add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of ailments that can be treated by MMJ.

Actively lobbying against his proposal? The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which has been providing legislators with a fact sheet, on view below. Among the document's arguments: "There is no evidence of efficacy of marijuana for treatment of PTSD in the medical literature. In fact, the published literature suggests that such use leads to addiction and abuse of other substances."

This stand frustrates Steve Fox, director of state campaigns for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, who not only refutes this statement but points out that New Mexico has approved medical marijuana for PTSD treatment.

MU's chapter of NORML today is rallying at Speaker's Circle to argue that marijuana is safer than alcohol -- a popular and, for those 21 and older, legal substance on St. Patrick's Day.

Members were expected to gather from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to call into question laws and campus policies that "drive students to drink with harsh penalties for marijuana -- a far less harmful substance," according to the organization's announcement.

MU NORML argues that MU's penalties for pot should not be greater than those for alcohol, "otherwise the university is steering students toward drinking and away from making the rational, safer choice to use marijuana instead."

The rally follows last nights "Heads vs. Feds" debate at Jesse Hall about legalizing marijuana.

Pot advocate Mason Tvert filed language on Wednesday for a November ballot initiative that would allow Coloradans 21 and older to use marijuana. Does that mean Colorado is about to be embroiled in a full-scale movement to legalize weed?

Not necessarily.

"There isn't some large campaign being launched," says Tvert, reached during a business trip in San Francisco. "It's just something we wanted to make sure was possible if we decided to do it." He explains the he and his colleagues at SAFER, the marijuana reform organization Tvert runs, wanted to file the appropriate paperwork for such a contingency before key election deadlines had passed. But they're far from launching an official political operation.

Pot advocate Mason Tvert filed language on Wednesday for a November ballot initiative that would allow Coloradans 21 and older to use marijuana. Does that mean Colorado is about to be embroiled in a full-scale movement to legalize weed?

Not necessarily.

"There isn't some large campaign being launched," says Tvert, reached during a business trip in San Francisco. "It's just something we wanted to make sure was possible if we decided to do it." He explains the he and his colleagues at SAFER, the marijuana reform organization Tvert runs, wanted to file the appropriate paperwork for such a contingency before key election deadlines had passed. But they're far from launching an official political operation.

After all, Tvert, who's never one to turn down a press opportunity, wasn't really looking to get the word out about the filing at all. "If we knew this was happening, we'd be the first ones to let people know about it," he says.

Two new ballot initiatives could change the way Coloradans buy booze and pot.

The first is a plan to rearrange many of the regulations limiting how and where full-strength beer, wine and liquor can be sold in Colorado.

Initiative 48 has the backing of the Colorado Retail Council, and it comes as a Council-backed bill expanding alcohol sales looms on the legislature's calendar.

The initiative is more sweeping than the bill and could influence lawmakers set to consider allowing supermarkets to sell booze for the third time in as many years.