By Tatyana Parkanskaia To (mis)quote Mark Twain, the “Death of Retail” has been greatly exaggerated. Consider the explosion of cannabis retail stores throughout southwestern Ontario. Even with some businesses suffering and in dire circumstances due to COVID, cannabis stores are thriving. In some neighbourhoods in downtown Toronto, there are multiple new stores on every block, […]
Policy & Legal
Work Gets Underway On Scotland’s First Medical Cannabis Cultivation and Production Facility
SCOTLAND’S first home-grown cannabis medicines could be in UK patients’ hands in early 2022 after work started on a new £15m cultivation and production facility in the Borders. With the UK’s one million-plus medical cannabis users currently reliant on imports, home-grown and black market suppliers this marks a significant milestone. Hilltop Leaf says it hopes […]
Recreational marijuana sales could begin in Arizona later in week
Arizona adults could be legally purchasing marijuana for recreational use by the end of the week. State health officials began accepting applications Tuesday to run some of the more than 120 recreational sites that voters agreed to in November to allow to sell marijuana to anyone. On paper, the state has up to 60 days […]
Four years later, California courts are failing on key promise of marijuana legalization
California voters legalized marijuana in 2016, positioning the state as a national leader on drug reform. The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, or Proposition 64, allows Californians to purchase and consume regulated cannabis products. For many, buying weed has now become as routine as buying groceries. Yet one important promise of legalization remains unfulfilled. In addition […]
After Two Years Of Work, USDA Publishes National Hemp Rule
THE FINAL RULE, WHICH TAKES EFFECT ON MARCH 22, SETS A HIGHER THC LIMIT — 1% — FOR DETERMINING WHEN PLANTS MUST BE DESTROYED AND MAKES IT EASIER TO DISPOSE OF THEM. Two years after the 2018 farm bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp, the USDA completed work on a regulation to oversee production. Some advocates […]
Could Arizona Dispensaries Start Selling Recreational Pot Soon? Like, Really Soon?
We know a few things about how the sale of recreational marijuana will begin in Arizona, following the successful effort to legalize it in November. We know that Tuesday, January 19 — that’s tomorrow — is the day the state will begin accepting applications for licenses from businesses that wish to sell recreational pot. We know […]
S.D. lawmakers off to slow start in regulating legal weed, but industry ramping up
Entrepreneurs across South Dakota are already taking steps to claim a share of the state’s soon-to-be-legal marijuana market, but legislators and regulators are off to a slow start in crafting laws and rules to govern the controversial new industry. The sale, possession and use of recreational and medicinal marijuana are set to become legal in […]
Why Cannabis Is Shut Out of $900 Billion Economic Aid Act
In tranches of up to $10 million, the federal government is doling out $900 billion of forgivable loans to borrowers other than “plant touching” marijuana-related businesses (MRBs). By Steve Schain In tranches of up to $10 million, the federal government is doling out $900 billion of forgivable loans to borrowers other than “plant touching” marijuana-related businesses […]
Dozens of CBD Brands In A State of ‘Absolute Panic’ With UK Novel Food Deadline Weeks Away
THE New Year has brought a realisation that the Novel Food deadline is less than three months away leading to ‘absolute panic’ for many CBD brands, say leading industry figures. Gavin Ogilvie is founder and Managing Director of Manchester-based Always Pure Organics, a business which has spent £450,000 submitting three Novel Food applications to the […]
A New Sales Record Isn’t The Only Milestone Colorado’s Cannabis Industry Saw In 2020
Like so many things about 2020, cannabis sales in Colorado were outrageous; people spent more than $2 billion on products. That’s more money than they ever have before. That total continues the industry’s upward trajectory and breaks the previous record set just the year before in 2019. “We definitely saw a huge uptick in sales […]
Illinois sitting on $62 million in cannabis revenue meant to foster businesses and help neighborhoods hurt by poverty and violence
Despite promises that cannabis legalization in Illinois would fund more minority business participation and neighborhood improvements, the state has yet to spend $62 million collected for those purposes. Part of the delay in awarding the money is due to problems with the state’s system to award new cannabis business licenses. The other reason for the […]
Thailand serves up cannabis cuisine to happy customers
“Giggling bread” and “joyfully dancing salad” aren’t the usual dishes on a menu in Thailand, but one eatery is hoping its cannabis-infused cuisine can lure foreign tourists and take the taboo out of the recently legalized leaf. The restaurant at the Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Prachin Buri started serving its own happy meals this […]
Marijuana legalization bills introduced in Nebraska Legislature
The push to make marijuana legal, whether for medical or other purposes, picked up steam Friday in the Nebraska Legislature. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha offered a proposal that would wipe the slate clean on marijuana. Legislative Bill 481 would strike marijuana from state laws criminalizing drugs and remove past convictions for marijuana possession […]
South Carolina medical marijuana bill sees increased support from Senate
The battle to see medical marijuana legalized in South Carolina restarts with the beginning of a new legislative session in Columbia. For roughly three to four years now, the SC Compassionate Care Act has passed through the SC Senate seeing support from members on the Medical Affairs Committee. This year, amid a pandemic and continued […]
Probe of Missouri’s troubled medical marijuana program may resume
Missouri lawmakers may resurrect their probe of the state’s beleaguered medical marijuana program. Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, the new head of the House Special Committee on Government Oversight, said Thursday he is open to continuing the panel’s investigation, which stalled in March 2020. Taylor, who was a member of the committee last year, said the […]
Bold Move To Free CBD From The Shackles Of Novel Food Features A Cannabis Soup Served To A Medieval Pope
EUROPE’S leading hemp trade group is set to make a significant move which could free much of the continent’s CBD industry from the shackles of the Novel Food regime. The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) has spent many months scouring centuries-old historical records to illustrate the widespread use of hemp extracts in foods. It has now amassed […]
Legal marijuana sales in Virginia could start in less than 2 years under Northam’s new proposal
Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration on Wednesday unveiled legislation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Virginia, proposing a 21% state tax on the drug and a licensing program meant to ease entry for people harmed by the disparate enforcement of marijuana laws. Following years of activism by civil rights groups, Northam threw his support […]
New York Takes Next Step Toward Legalizing Recreational Marijuana—How you can best prepare for and benefit from legalized recreational use
by Lori B. Green, Catherine A. Savio, and Brandon Coyle, Nixon Peabody LLP On January 5, 2021, lawmakers in New York reintroduced a bill that would legalize and tax adult-use recreational marijuana. The bill, S.B. 854, was introduced by Senator Liz Krueger of Manhattan, and is co-sponsored by nearly one-third of the senate chamber. If […]
Biden, once a warrior in the ‘war on drugs,’ may slowly retreat
The president-elect has reluctantly embraced decriminalizing marijuana, but he could struggle to change laws. President-elect Joe Biden built part of his political career on being known as a fighter in the “war on drugs,” supporting legislation as a senator that set harsh penalties for some drug offenses. But as president, Biden could potentially oversee broad […]
Cuomo vows New York ‘will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis’
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) vowed on Monday that his state will legalize recreational cannabis as he begins ramping up efforts in the new year to green-light legislation to legalize it. “We will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis, joining 15 states that have already done so,” he tweeted on Monday. The move, Cuomo said, will “raise revenue and end […]
November marijuana sales push Colorado’s industry to $2 billion annually for the first time
Colorado marijuana sales in November pushed the industry’s annual revenue to $2 billion for the first time. In November, dispensaries sold $175.1 million worth of products, according to figures released by the Department of Revenue on Tuesday. Recreational sales accounted for about $140.5 million, while medical sales accounted for nearly $34.7 million, the agency reported. While […]
Marijuana Next Target Of GOP Bids To Overturn Elections
With much of the nation transfixed by the drama in our nation’s capital over efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election, Republican leaders at the state level also have a target in the bid to block the will of the people: marijuana legalization initiatives. Voters in five states approved ballot measures to legalize cannabis in November, all […]
Backers renew North Dakota marijuana legalization effort
Supporters of an unsuccessful 2020 ballot measure to legalize marijuana through North Dakota’s constitution are trying again. They submitted their petition on Monday to Secretary of State Al Jaeger, who will review the filing’s format. If he approves it, supporters can circulate petitions to gather signatures. Supporters would have one year to submit at least […]
North Dakota medical marijuana program proving popular
More North Dakotans are participating in the medical marijuana program than the state Department of Health expected. “We have just under 4,400 patients that have a medical marijuana card,” Medical Marijuana Division Director Jason Wahl told Prairie Public. He had earlier projected about 4,000 patients by the summer of 2021, based on the experience in Delaware, which […]
Channel Island Firm Secures Britain’s First High-THC Commercial Cultivation Licence For Over 20 Years
CHANNEL islands company Northern Leaf has successfully secured a medical cannabis cultivation licence to produce medicines for the UK and European markets. The Jersey Government, under the guidance of the UK Home Office, has issued Northern the first British high-THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) commercial cultivation licence since 1998. The multimillion pound development will see Northern Leaf start commercial cannabis […]
Maine marijuana shops are seeing brisk business despite pandemic
Maine’s rollout of legal marijuana sales has been muted compared with other states because of the coronavirus pandemic, but shops are reporting brisk business nonetheless. Maine wasn’t able to replicate the grand opening scenes that have followed the first sales in other states. But regulators reported more than $1 million in sales in October, more […]
Medical marijuana proposals eyed in Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina
State legislators in Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina have filed or pre-filed bills establishing such medical marijuana programs, according to a Reckon South report. These states would join Mississippi, the latest state to adopt a medical cannabis program, making it the 35th state to legalize medical cannabis. In Alabama, state Sen. Tim Melson plans to file a medical cannabis bill similar to the […]
N.J. legal weed deal between Murphy and lawmakers suddenly collapses in stunning development
Just as it seemed Gov. Phil Murphy’s office and the state Legislature had come to an agreement that would end a years-long struggle to legalize marijuana in New Jersey, opposition from lawmakers has derailed the effort in another bizarre twist in the saga, NJ Advance Media has learned. State Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, who sponsored a “cleanup” bill (S3320) […]
South Dakota governor to challenge amendment legalizing recreational marijuana
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) on Friday issued an executive order allowing a legal challenge to the constitutionality of a November voter-approved amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. In the order, Noem argues that the “initiative process used to place” the amendment seeking to legalize marijuana and require the legislature to pass laws ensuring access […]
In Amsterdam, Getting High at Coffee Shops May Soon Be for Locals Only
Tourists hoping to light up a joint in one of Amsterdam’s famed coffee shops after the coronavirus pandemic passes are likely to be disappointed. Soon, all coffee shops in the capital of the Netherlands may no longer be allowed to sell marijuana to foreign customers. The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, on Friday proposed a plan expected to […]
Nebraska voters would decide whether to legalize marijuana under proposed constitutional amendment
Nebraska voters would be asked to legalize marijuana for all Nebraskans 21 and older under a proposed constitutional amendment introduced Thursday in the State Legislature. If state lawmakers advanced the proposal — which seems unlikely — the issue would appear on the ballot in 2022. The legislative proposal, from State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, […]
Montana Lawmakers Refuse Request to Fund Marijuana Program
Montana lawmakers have turned down the state Department of Revenue’s request for $1.35 million to start a recreational marijuana program. The state revenue department had requested from the House Appropriations Committee over a million dollars that would have been used to pay for 20 full-time employees, office equipment and operating expenses to launch the state’s […]
Texas’ Medical Marijuana Program Is One Of The Most Restrictive In The Country. Advocates Hope The Legislature Will Change That.
Five years after Texas legalized medical marijuana for people with debilitating illnesses, advocates and industry experts say the state’s strict rules, red tape, and burdensome barriers to entry have left the program largely inaccessible to those it was intended to help. But with a new legislative session gaveling in next month, some Texas lawmakers see […]
Oregon marijuana sales soared to new heights in 2020, topping $1 billion overall
Oregon recreational-cannabis sales surged in 2020, peaking during a difficult summer of protests and lockdowns. The result was a record year of business for the state’s marijuana purveyors, based on data from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which oversees marijuana sales. Total marijuana sales in Oregon jumped from $795 million in 2019 to more than $1 […]
What Georgia’s Senate Results Mean for Marijuana Stocks
All eyes were on the Georgia special Senate run-off elections on Tuesday with the control of the U.S. Senate hanging in the balance. It looks like that control will shift from the GOP to the Democrats. Democratic Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock has already been declared the victor in his race against incumbent Republican Sen. […]
Gov. Cuomo Announces Proposal to Legalize Marijuana in New York
“This program will generate much-needed revenue, while allowing us to support those that have been most harmed by decades of failed cannabis prohibition” Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that he will introduce a proposal that would finally legalize marijuana in New York state. “I’m announcing a proposal to legalize cannabis and create an equitable adult-use […]
Looking To The Future – Florida’s Emergency Edible Rules Provide An Opportunity For Profits – And Perils
by Edd Gaus and Matt Bernstein Nearly four years after Florida voters legalized medical marijuana, in August, the state’s Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use published emergency rules allowing licensed medical marijuana treatment centers to produce, package, and label edible marijuana derivative products. Although initially temporary when enacted in August of 2020, the Department […]
NJ legal weed deal in the works to lessen penalties for underage marijuana offenses
The governor’s office and Senate leaders are nearing an agreement that would remove criminal charges associated with underage marijuana possession and use, a deal that all sides hope will be the last one required before Gov. Phil Murphy signs the bills to legalize weed in New Jersey. While negotiations are continuing, legislative sources said Monday that a deal […]
Cuomo Calls for Legalizing Recreational Marijuana in NY
The governor’s new proposal calls for the creation of a new Office of Cannabis Management that would oversee recreational use as well as existing medical use New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling for the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use by adults, his third attempt in as many years to get the […]
Push To Legalize Marijuana In Minnesota Gains Momentum, But Faces Opposition In Senate
The push to fully legalize marijuana in Minnesota will be up for debate again this legislative session. The issue has gained momentum in the last month, with the House of Representatives passing federal legislation. It still faces opposition in the Senate. Voters in South Dakota, Montana, New Jersey and Arizona made recreational Marijuana legal in […]
A New Yorker’s Guide to Cannabis Legalization in New Jersey
In the 2020 general election, New Jerseyans voted two-to-one in favor of recreational cannabis legalization. Meanwhile, less than 10,000 feet across the Hudson in New York, the drug remains illegal. In order to figure out what New Jersey’s legalization means for cannabis use and possession in New York (for instance, when will we be able […]
Who will win the lottery to run Rhode Island’s six new medical marijuana dispensaries?
PROVIDENCE — David Spradin is the CEO of a California-based marijuana company called Perfect Union. It has 14 marijuana stores between Los Angeles and Sacramento, six stores in New Mexico and has had stores in Oregon and Washington, says Rick McAuliffe, a Rhode Island lobbyist who now also serves as a director for Spradin’s new local […]
Republican Files Legislation to Legalize Recreational Marijuana in Missouri
Missouri state Representative Shamed Dogan (R-Ballwin) is pushing for a constitutional amendment to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana in Missouri. The GOP representative filed a bill last week that would change the Missouri constitution and allow for voters to approve the legal sale of marijuana in Missouri for recreational use, with the goal of […]
North of the border, Wisconsin cops are monitoring the impact of legal recreational marijuana in Illinois
Despite dispensaries quickly popping up along Illinois’ northern border after that state legalized recreational marijuana almost a year ago, local law enforcement officials say they have not yet seen any major impacts in Wisconsin. Officials with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Janesville and Beloit said they have not seen any rise […]
Illinois starts new year by expunging nearly 500,000 marijuana arrest records
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said in an announcement hours before the start of the new year that his state had expunged nearly 500,000 marijuana-related convictions. The move follows Pritzker signing legislation in 2019 legalizing recreational marijuana use in the state starting in 2020. The expansive legislation also paved the way for 770,000 state residents to be […]
First year of legal marijuana in Illinois generated big bucks but no new minority license holders
Cannifem represents much of what state lawmakers hoped for when they legalized marijuana in Illinois. The startup business was formed by three Black women from areas hardest hit by the war on drugs. Yet the group failed to get any of the three cannabis licenses for which it applied. And the women spent tens of […]
Caliva Ends 2020 in Record-Breaking Fashion with Industry-Changing Announcements
PRESS RELEASE Caliva set the pace for cannabis innovation in 2020 by launching Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter’s MONOGRAM line, expanding its delivery and retail footprint in key California markets, and entering into definitive transaction agreements with Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp. (NEO: SVC.A.U, SVC.WT.U; OTCQX: SBVCF) (“SCAC”), a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), to form TPCO Holding […]
Global Pot Entrepreneurs Lured by Canada
Nation continues to attract pot investment from abroad Business owners still like its access to capital and markets Cannabis companies with their sights on an expanding global market are still finding it makes financial sense to keep Canada as their home base. CannaPharma Inc., for example, whose founders’ native Turkey strictly limits marijuana use, is […]
Celebrities, cash and questions: A new force roils the cannabis prisoner-release movement
The Last Prisoner Project brings fund-raising heft to a long-starved cause, but its fellow advocates say it isn’t necessarily a team player. With a founder who is one of the pot world’s most legendary activists and a board that includes Jim Belushi, Melissa Etheridge and two sons of Bob Marley, the Last Prisoner Project attracted […]
Marijuana: 4 things to watch for in California in 2021
New laws, lower taxes, and using “Humboldt” as a marketing term could boost the industry. Making predictions about California’s marijuana industry was a challenge even before a global pandemic changed everything. It’s not just that the legal cannabis market, which launched three years ago in California, is so new. It’s also the singularity of an […]
It may be legal, but high prices and inconvenience may drive black-market marijuana for years in Maine
Rufus St. Hillaire grew six marijuana plants with his husband behind their cabin on their 2-acre property in Poland this year. He has a medical card to purchase marijuana, but no longer needs it to legally buy weed and edibles since a handful of Maine retailers began selling cannabis recreationally to those older than 21 […]
Marijuana delivery, social equity reform and other Colorado cannabis trends to watch in 2021
Colorado’s marijuana industry experienced a banner year in 2020 — not in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, but because of it. Dispensaries across the state were declared essential businesses and allowed to operate while bars, restaurants and gyms were forced to close. That designation helped sales exceed analysts’ expectations. According to Roy Bingham, co-founder and executive chairman […]
N.J.’s cannabis industry is set to take off. Who can play? What do employers need to know?
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to sign two bills before New Year’s Day that will give birth to a new recreational marijuana industry in the Garden State and decriminalize the possession of up to six ounces of cannabis. The bills, which received strong bipartisan support in the state Assembly and Senate, will initially create 37 […]
High aspirations: Marijuana bills look to push Texas toward decriminalization, legalization in 2021
With the start of the 87th Texas Legislative session less than a month away, 20 marijuana bills have been filed as several lawmakers look to take the next step toward legalization in the Lone Star State. Colorado legalized marijuana just eight years ago. Eight years later, 15 states along with Washington D.C. have now joined, […]
How state marijuana legalization became a boon for corruption
By making local officials the gatekeepers for million-dollar businesses, states created a breeding ground for bribery and favoritism. Jasiel Correia’s star was rising. The son of Cape Verdean immigrants in the working-class Massachusetts port city of Fall River — famed as the home of Lizzie Borden — Correia was a home-grown prodigy. At 23, he […]
CBD: Shops for cannabis-derived products boom in France
Shops selling products that contain CBD – the non-psychoactive, “feel good” compound from cannabis – are spreading across France after a court ruled that the country could not ban the substance’s sale. CBD, or cannabidiol, can be found in everything from tea, to olive oil, honey, massage oil, cosmetics, and beyond. It is derived from […]
New Mexico: How much green would recreational cannabis bring?
During a legislative session where funds are expected to be at a premium, state lawmakers may look seriously at raising revenue through a controversial source: recreational cannabis. However, lawmakers and industry advocates disagree on just how much the industry might bring to New Mexico. Some see a potential windfall for a state looking to diversify […]
Will We See Mexico Legalize Cannabis In 2021?
This month, I visited Mexico City in an effort to bolster momentum toward the passage of the groundbreaking Senate bill concerning cannabis legalization in the United Mexican States. In November, the Senate cannabis bill was passed and moved to the lower chamber, the Mexican Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados), akin to the U.S. House […]
Legalize marijuana campaigns in Florida move ahead. But will politicians back recreational pot?
The momentum is building for marijuana legalization across the country. But will Florida leaders join in? Voters in states as varied as South Dakota, Arizona and New Jersey approved ballot measures legalizing recreational pot in November. In Florida, though, two separate marijuana initiatives failed to get enough signatures to make the ballot in 2020. Instead, […]
Cannabis Patents: Which Type is Right for You?
By Jihee Ahn, Attorney at Harris Bricken It’s been a little while since we’ve talked about patent protection on the blog, but a recent consultation reminded me a primer on the different types of patents potentially available could be beneficial. Here in the United States, there are three broad categories of patents, all of which […]
Judge tosses lawsuit challenging Missouri medical marijuana license caps
A Cole County judge on Monday threw out a lawsuit alleging limitations on the number of medical marijuana licenses issued by the state were unconstitutional. Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce ruled that the regulations at the heart of the lawsuit were “properly promulgated and are in compliance with Missouri’s laws and Constitution.” She ruled in favor […]
Medical & Recreational Marijuana Part 6: Legal Issues, Operational Challenges and Regulatory Hurdles That Marijuana-Related Businesses Frequently Encounter
PART 6 of 6: Issues That Cannabis Investors Should Consider Before Investing In A Cannabis Startup This article is the sixth and final part of a six-part series discussing the legal issues, operational challenges, and regulatory hurdles that marijuana-related businesses (MRBs) frequently encounter. The first article discussed the various fire, health, and safety risks that […]
The Persevering Pair Who Helped Open The London Stock Exchange To Cannabis
PERSISTENCE has paid-off for an Israeli businessman and a UK lawyer after the London Stock Exchange issued its first ever listing guidelines for cannabis firms. Roby Zomer, Co-Founder and Managing Director of MGC Pharmaceuticals, says the pending change sets-up the UK for a huge influx of cannabis capital. Nick Davis, CEO of Memery Crystal, says it is […]
Maine’s largest cannabis company sues to open state’s medical marijuana market to outsiders
The state’s largest cannabis company has asked the court to strike down the residency requirement in Maine’s medical marijuana law, making the same constitutional argument it used to successfully open the state’s recreational market to out-of-state investors earlier this year. Wellness Connection of Maine and its parent company, High Street Capital Partners of Delaware, filed […]
New European Ecosystem Highlights Emerging Opportunities For Cannabis Entrepreneurs
Inspite of its delayed arrival Europe has a first-class opportunity to become a world-leader in the emerging global cannabis industry. This is one of the key take-aways from the latest First Wednesdays’ Ecosystem cannabis legend – this time of the emerging European medical cannabis industry. Back in June, FW corralled its database and publicly-available information to […]
Cannabis producers expand for growth, legalization in Connecticut
The state’s four licensed marijuana growers are planning for the inevitable, if not imminent, approval of cannabis sales for adult recreational use in Connecticut by expanding their footprints. With the state’s fragile economy — all the worse in the coronavirus pandemic — 2021 could be the year state lawmakers approve full legalization, nine years after […]
Medical marijuana sales in Arkansas remain brisk
Medical marijuana sales in Arkansas have topped $200 million since the state’s first legal sale of the drug in May 2019, the state revenue agency said Thursday. The sales report the Department of Finance and Administration released Thursday reported $200.7 million in sales on 30,648 pounds sold through Wednesday. Daily sales averaged $622,727 during the […]
Why medical marijuana in Pennsylvania is some of the most costly in the U.S.
Bill Cobb uses medical marijuana to treat PTSD and chronic back pain. “I’m a 50-year-old Black man who’s been a civil rights worker,” said Cobb, now a criminal-justice activist in Philadelphia. “I smoke to have my brain slow down. But to be honest, I also smoke because I enjoy it.” Alleviating his physical and mental pain is difficult when he feels […]
Marijuana legalization looms in New York as deficit balloons
The debate over legalizing marijuana for adult, recreational use in New York has been brewing for the last two years after Democrats took control of the state Legislature, but disagreements on the issue coupled with a global pandemic have kept it out of reach for lawmakers. That could change next year as the Legislature returns […]
Mobilizing marijuana: Israel’s cannabis industry prepares to go legit
Israel’s budding cannabis industry has set its sights on expanding its manufacturing, production and export capabilities, as the country prepares to legalize recreational marijuana in the coming months. Hagit Weinstock is an attorney specializing in cannabis regulation who co-founded the Tel Aviv-based Weinstock-Zehavi & Co. law firm. She sits on a number of government committees […]
Ad restrictions frustrate medical marijuana companies in Ohio
Late December last year, the staff at Greenleaf Apothecaries received a surprising message from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. An advertisement for a talk by one of the company’s employees included the company’s logo. The board considered the image an advertisement for the company, and said that Greenleaf, whose medical marijuana dispensary in the Arena District […]
Washington Poised To Legalize Homegrown Marijuana Via New Bill
Policymakers in Washington State are poised to consider letting its residents cultivate marijuana at their homes. According to Marijuana Moment, the bill was pre-filed last week by Shelley Kloba, who represents Democrats and Republican rep Drew MacEwen. It would allow adults 21 and older to grow up to six cannabis plants per person. In addition, a single household […]
FTC Announces Crackdown on Deceptively Marketed CBD Products
PRESS RELEASE Companies made unsupported claims that their oils, balms, gummies, coffee, and other goods could treat serious diseases such as cancer and diabetes The Federal Trade Commission today announced the first law enforcement crackdown on deceptive claims in the growing market for cannabidiol (CBD) products. The FTC is taking action against six sellers of […]
NJ Passes Law To Legalize Adult Use Cannabis
On December 17, 2020, both houses of New Jersey’s legislature passed companion bills to create a new regulatory framework to govern the cultivation, processing, distribution and sale of state legal marijuana. The bill is expected to be promptly signed into law by Governor Murphy. This law will give effect to the constitutional amendment passed by […]
Lawsuit Targets Residency Requirement For Missouri Medical Marijuana Licenses
A federal lawsuit filed last week seeks to strike down a Missouri requirement that medical marijuana licenses go to businesses owned by residents of the state. A constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2018 that legalized medical marijuana requires facilities to be “majority owned by natural persons who have been citizens of the state of Missouri […]
Why Jersey’s Adult Use Program Will Ignite East Coast Cannabis
With 44 million consumers banging on its door, and $950 million of revenue projected over the next three years, New Jersey’s adult use marijuana program is poised to define cannabis across the eastern seaboard. With 44 million consumers banging on its door, and $950 million of revenue projected over the next three years, New Jersey’s adult […]
Marijuana milestone: more than 100 dispensaries open in Pennsylvania
Most Pennsylvanians don’t have far to travel to buy medical marijuana. The state’s 100th dispensary opened last week in Chester, quickly followed by the 101st in York and 102nd in Hazelton, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Patients have spent more than $1.1 billion at dispensaries across the state since the first one opened […]
New Jersey Legalizes Marijuana, But Growing At Home Is Still A Felony
New Jersey is set to become the only state in the U.S. where adults can legally use, possess, and purchase cannabis while still risking prison for growing marijuana at home—under any circumstances. On Election Day, more than two-thirds of voters in the state approved a constitutional amendment that legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over […]
Illinois’ weed windfall from taxes rivals booze haul — and could surpass it next year
Amid skyrocketing demand for legal weed in Illinois, statewide tax receipts from recreational pot sales are now rivaling those from booze. November’s tax revenues from adult-use cannabis, which reflect the record $75.28 million in sales tallied in October, reached nearly $22.88 million, according to figures released by the Illinois Department of Revenue. That’s less than […]
NHS Launching Patient Registry To Support Evidence Base For Cannabis Medicines
By Peter McCusker THE NHS is to launch is first-ever cannabis patient registry in a move which signifies an ambition for the medicines to become more widely-available to UK patients. Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered an urgent review into the lack of cannabis prescriptions, last spring. The creation of a patient database was one of […]
Haves, have-nots of Missouri cannabis industry in conflict as dispensaries open
While scores of would-be entrepreneurs sit out, barred from participating in Missouri’s medical marijuana program, a select number of cannabis businesses are racing to cash in on the state’s newest industry. The Department of Health and Senior Services, as of Friday, had cleared 17 dispensaries to open their doors, as well as 11 cultivators and […]
Arizona announces draft rules for adult, recreational marijuana sales
Arizona health officials have begun writing the rules for marijuana retailers the state will oversee following the passage of Proposition 207, which legalized adult, recreational use. Sales of the drug could begin in the spring. The election results were made official Nov. 30, meaning it’s now legal for adults to possess as much as an […]
Cannabis regulators may loosen California rules to help struggling industry
With California’s licensed pot shops still struggling to compete with the illicit market and facing the new challenges of COVID-19, a state panel that advises regulators on cannabis sales recommended Wednesday that several restrictions be relaxed to give legal businesses a better shot. The state Cannabis Advisory Committee recommended changes that included lifting the $5,000 […]
Supreme Court grants another extension to marijuana deadline in Mexico
The Supreme Court (SCJN) on Thursday granted an extension to the lower house of Congress to debate the recreational use of marijuana. The court, which ruled last year that laws prohibiting the use of marijuana are unconstitutional, had set a December 15 limit for approval after extending previous deadlines. The Senate approved a bill last […]
House passes bill to broaden marijuana research
The House on Wednesday passed legislation that would expand scientists’ ability to study marijuana in states where the drug is already legal. The bill, which passed in a bipartisan voice vote, is the second time this month the House has passed marijuana-related legislation. On Friday, the Democratic-controlled chamber approved legislation that would end federal marijuana prohibitions, though that […]
Clever Leaves Successfully Delivers First Shipment of EU GMP certified Cannabis derived Pharmaceuticals from Colombia to Germany
PRESS RELEASE Clever Leaves expands global capabilities and development of market specific pharmaceutical products NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clever Leaves (“Clever Leaves”), a leading multi-national operator and licensed producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids, today announced it has successfully delivered the first shipment of EU GMP certified cannabis standardized extract from Colombia to Germany, […]
2020 is already the highest-selling year for weed in Colorado
And the year isn’t even over yet Colorado dispensaries sold more marijuana in the first 10 months of 2020 than they did during a record-setting sales year in 2019. October sales totaled more than $199.7 million in October, pushing the state’s annual revenue to more than $1.8 billion, according to the Department of Revenue. By […]
Restoration Of Sanity To European CBD Market Boosts German Cannabis Firm’s $4.8m Fundraise
GERMAN cannabis firm Sanity kept a clear head to secure $4.8m of new investment – despite the European Commission’s recent narcotic CBD implosion. Its latest successful fund-raising round involves a number of high profiles celebrity investors including Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.iam, US actress Alyssa Milano and German international footballer Mario Goetze. Co-CEO Finn Hänsel, who is also chairman […]
Arizona Cannabis: Key Update from Department of Health Services; Rules Imminent!
By Ethan Minkin, Attorney at Harris Bricken Last week, the Arizona Department of Health Services released a new web page of information related to the Smart and Safe Arizona Act – Arizona’s new adult use marijuana law. The Department is the regulatory authority for marijuana in Arizona. In addition to links for the full text […]
House votes to expand marijuana research.
The bill passed with strong bipartisan support. The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would make it easier for scientists to conduct marijuana research in states where the drug is legal. The bill passed on a voice vote with strong bipartisan support. It’s the second piece of marijuana legislation passed by the Democratic-controlled chamber […]
Missouri’s Medical Marijuana Program Sees 67K Eager Customers Wanting More
Missouri’s fledgling medical marijuana program has approved nearly 70,000 patient and caregiver applications — so many, there is not yet enough legal cannabis in the state to serve them all. And for some patients, the prices seem pretty high. But people working in the industry say patience is necessary. The seeds of the solution to […]
Get with the program. Legalize weed.
Decades ago, our country outlawed a plant. This plant, then as now, has never resulted in a single overdose death. Since the plant is an outlaw, you’ll be branded one if you’re unlucky enough to get arrested for casually consuming it. What a profoundly odd and destructive national fixation — one that seems more like […]
As world moves forward on marijuana legalization, Iowa is stuck
Last week was a big one for marijuana reform across the world. The United Nations narcotics commission voted to remove cannabis from its list of most restricted drugs, with backing from the United States and the World Health Organization. The Mexican legislature advanced a full marijuana legalization bill, which is expected to earn final passage this month. And for […]
Marijuana has grown to become Maine’s most valuable crop
Cannabis is now Maine’s most valuable crop, besting the state’s signature agricultural products such as potatoes, milk and blueberries. Medical marijuana sales totaled $221.8 million from January through October, more than double what had been sold by this time last year, according to state sales tax figures. That puts the industry on pace to hit […]
What is the future of legal marijuana in Florida?
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to decriminalize marijuana. Most Democrats supported the bill that would enact that change. Most Republicans did not. The bill is unlikely to gain traction in the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. Was Congress’ historic vote an early sign of momentum to legalize marijuana across the United States? Or is was […]
Bill decriminalizing marijuana ‘great step’ but ‘largely symbolic,’ says cannabis COO
This week became historic for the “legalize marijuana” movement, with the House of Representatives passing the MORE Act by a vote of 228-164 on Friday. The bill would decriminalize cannabis and marks the first time that Congress has ever voted on the issue. The MORE Act would erase non-violent federal marijuana convictions. It stands almost no chance […]
How Black businesspeople were left out of Washington’s green gold rush after marijuana was legalized
The news spread like wildfire: Basketball legend Shawn Kemp would break barriers by opening a Seattle cannabis retail store. The October news release proclaimed Kemp’s Cannabis would be the city’s first Black-owned retail cannabis store. But much like racial equity in the cannabis industry in general, the reality was much murkier. The company later walked back its […]
NJ marijuana legalization: Phil Murphy, legislators reach deal on legal weed industry bill
Gov. Phil Murphy and legislative leaders have reached a deal on bills that would establish a framework for a legal weed industry, setting up a key vote in the coming weeks. In a statement, Gov. Phil Murphy, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and bill sponsors Sen. Nick Scutari and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano […]
House votes to decriminalize marijuana as GOP resists national shift on pot
The House endorsed a landmark retreat in the nation’s decades-long war on drugs Friday, voting to remove marijuana from the federal schedule of controlled substances and provide for the regulation and taxation of legal cannabis sales. The vote was 228-to-164 and marked the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on the issue of […]
The Shortest Road to Legal Weed Runs Through Georgia
A Democratic Senate would be good for the cannabis industry, but it’s hopeful for reform regardless. Marijuana isn’t technically on the ballot in Georgia’s Jan. 5 Senate runoff elections. But it might as well be: Cannabis advocates and trade groups are zeroing in on the state in hopes of ousting—or converting to their cause—its two […]
