Nevada convenes the United States’ first ever majority-female state legislature
The female majority is having a huge effect: More than 17 pending bills deal with sexual assault, sex trafficking and sexual misconduct.
North & Central America
This archive covers progress stories from North and Central America, spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the nations of Central America. Readers will find reporting on health, environment, community resilience, and policy advances across the region.
Study finds CBD effective in treating heroin addiction
Given to patients with heroin addiction, cannabidiol, also known as CBD, reduced their cravings for the illicit drug as well as their levels of anxiety.
Connecticut passes $15 minimum wage
The Fight for $15 notched another major victory with lawmakers in Connecticut approving a plan to implement a $15 wage floor across the state by 2023.
Scientists claim to have created an environmentally friendly alternative to Styrofoam
Scientists at Washington State University say they have developed an experimental foam made primarily from nanocrystals of cellulose – the most abundant plant material on earth.
North Dakota becomes 25th U.S. state to decriminalize marijuana
The law makes it so first-time possession of up to half an ounce of marijuana is no longer a criminal misdemeanor that carries the potential for jail time, but instead is an infraction that only carries a fine.
Denver voters approve decriminalizing “magic mushrooms”
Denver voters approved a measure to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms. Psilocybin has been touted for treating a variety of psychological issues, including depression.
Scientists invent 100% recyclable plastic
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a recyclable plastic that can be disassembled into its constituent parts and reassembled without loss of performance or quality.
Los Angeles launches its own Green New Deal to go carbon-neutral by 2050
The plan requires all new city-owned buildings and major renovations to be all-electric, effective immediately. The plan also hopes to phase out styrofoam and to plant 90,000 trees by 2021, and to end plastic straws and single-use containers by 2028.
Mexico plans to legalize cannabis by October 2019
Mexican lawmakers will hash out the details of a marijuana regulation bill during the upcoming summer recess, with the goal of passing the legislation ahead of an October deadline, a key committee leader said.
Ohio congressional map is illegal gerrymander, federal court rules
The ruling, by a three-judge panel from the Federal District Court in Cincinnati, ordered new maps to be drawn by June 14 to be used for the 2020 election, when Democrats will fight to preserve their House majority.