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The state of the (green) union: Mapping the legalization of marijuana in America

The state of the (green) union: Mapping the legalization of marijuana in America

Joint efforts

Proponents for the legalization of marijuana will celebrate the fact that the majority — some 54% — of Americans now live in a state where recreational use of the drug is now legal, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

Since Colorado and Washington first legalized marijuana back in 2012, a wave of laws have passed across the country decriminalizing its use, following a broader trend of public support for legalization. As of today, some 24 states have legalized, with another 14 that allow its consumption for medicinal purposes. Although California has the most cannabis dispensaries in aggregate, with more than 3,600 in total, it is actually Oklahoma that has the most per capita — with 36 dispensaries for every 100,000 OK residents.

Zooming out: Last week, lawmakers in Germanyapproved the legalization of small amounts of cannabis for personal use. If signed off by the country's Federal Council, it will make Germany by far the largest of the few European countries to legalize.

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Google searches for “roman numerals” hit a new peak this Super Bowl

Following on from last year’s Super Bowl LIX, and Super Bowl LVIII before that, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the title “Super Bowl LX” might have created less confusion than previous iterations.

But it seems that the archaic notation denoting this year’s Big Game was no exception: monthly search volumes for “roman numerals” in the US were at the highest volume seen in over two decades this February, according to Google Trends data.

Roman numerals super bowl
Sherwood News

If people in shoulder pads throwing around a weirdly shaped ball is your Roman Empire, one thing you have to know is Roman numerals — or join the millions who turn to Google to work out how to read them every Super Bowl season.

Ironically, according to the NFL, the numbering system was adopted for clarity, as the game is played at the start of the year “following a chronologically recorded season.” And so, over its 60-year history, the NFL has labeled almost every Super Bowl with a selection of capital letters like X’s, I’s, and V’s — one of the rare exceptions being Super Bowl 50 in 2016, when the NFL ad designers felt Super Bowl L was too unmarketable.

At least stumped football fans in 2026 will be faring much better than those in the year 12,965 would be, who’d have to refer to the Big Game as Super Bowl (breathes in) MMMMMMMMMMDCCCCLXXXXVIIII.

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