CANNABIS & MARIJUANA POLITICS
LATEST NEWS
Seven years ago, Colorado became the very first U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana. What…
Voters in New Zealand will have the chance to approve a referendum granting the country’s…
Lawmakers Call for Cannabis Businesses to Gain Access to Federal Pandemic Aid
While many businesses are gaining access to coronavirus relief funds, the cannabis industry has been left out due to federal restrictions. A group...
Black People Continue to Be Targeted for Marijuana Arrests Even in Age of Legalization, Report Shows
A new report from the ACLU shows that law enforcement continues to pursue cannabis arrests despite cannabis reform, and that racial disparity...
Virginia Governor Signs Cannabis Decriminalization Bill
Gov. Ralph Northam signed a decriminalization bill into law lowering the penalty for simple marijuana possession to a $25 civil penalty and sealing...
Coronavirus Could Delay Marijuana Legalization Along East Coast, And in Other States
Several states were on track to marijuana legalization in 2020, but those efforts have been sidetracked with a new prioritization on combating the...
Top Cannabis Industry Stories for the Week of March 16-20, 2020
In this week's issue, we recap the biggest cannabis industry news stories for the week of March 16 - March 20, 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has...
FDA Re-Opens Public Comments On CBD Regulation
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to craft CBD regulation, the agency hopes the public will offer additional feedback particularly...
4 Takeaways from FDA’s New CBD Report to Congress
After months of waiting, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a report on CBD regulations without really saying much that isn’t already...
Federal Marijuana Legalization: When Will it Happen?
When will marijuana be federally legal? Looking ahead, we examine what it will take to get marijuana legalization at the highest level, ending...
Trump Proposes Deleting Policy That Shields State Medical Marijuana Programs in His 2021 Budget
In his fiscal year 2021 proposed budget plan, President Trump has stricken a policy that has been in place since 2014 to protect state medical...
USDA Announces Two Hemp Insurance Programs Offering Natural Disaster Coverage
Federal agriculture officials are offering farmers in select states and counties in the U.S. two options to protect hemp crops against natural...
2020 Governor’s Cannabis Scorecard Review: A Look at Governors in 11 States on the Verge of Marijuana Legalization
A review of U.S. governors finds that support for marijuana legalization among state leaders is on the rise. Each year, the National Organization...
Vermont Lawmakers Urge State to Launch Regulated Marijuana Sales
Using and possessing marijuana in Vermont is legal, but buying it is not. Now a bill is making its way through the legislature to change that. Could...
10 Statistics You Probably Don’t Know About Cannabis in 2020
How much do you know about cannabis in the United States? We have compiled a list of 10 interesting statistics on cannabis that you can use to...
California Cannabis Bureau Proposes Mandatory QR Codes to Discourage Illicit Shops
A proposed change from the California Bureau of Cannabis Control would require marijuana dispensaries and delivery vehicles to post Quick Response...
Marijuana Legalization: The Story of Uruguay
The second-smallest South American country, Uruguay, made history in 2013 by becoming the first in the world to legalize recreational marijuana....
Austin City Council Unanimously Approves Resolution to Stop Criminal Penalties for Low-Level Cannabis Possession
Despite the city council’s unanimous decision to decriminalize marijuana, Austin’s police chief made it clear the state law will still be enforced....
Mexico Senate to Debate Recreational Marijuana Legislation in Upcoming Session
A new “sensible amount” marijuana bill, backed by the ruling MORENA party, will be debated by the Mexican Senate in the upcoming Feb. 1 to April 30...
Missouri Cannabis Advocates Gear Up to Put Recreational Marijuana Initiative on 2020 Ballot
While Missouri state officials work to launch the state’s medical marijuana program, advocates are rallying for a possible recreational cannabis...
Rhode Island Governor Pushes for Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Proposed Budget
Gov. Gina Raimondo wants state-controlled recreational marijuana dispensaries opened by March 2021, according to her proposed budget. Rhode Island...
Hemp Export Included in New U.S./China Trade Deal
The new trade agreement requires China to import more American-grown hemp, opening trade flow for the next two years. A new trade deal between the...
New Mexico Governor Announces Cannabis Legislation Ahead of Opening Day for Session
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham unveiled the Cannabis Regulation Act with hopes to gain support from lawmakers as opening day for the 2020 session...
Montana Marijuana Advocates Submit Ballot Initiative to Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Marijuana-reform advocates in Montana have turned in two proposals to state officials for review, one to legalize recreational use cannabis and one...
New Hemp-Derived CBD Bill Could Open Pathway For Hemp Products
A bipartisan bill to allow hemp-derived CBD to be marketed as a dietary supplement has the potential to resolve the stall in federal CBD...
Federal Officials Pressed About Cannabis Research Gridlock During Congressional Hearing
House officials questioned federal officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institute on...
California Governor Proposes Single Regulatory System For State Cannabis Market
California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to streamline cannabis licensing and change cannabis tax structure with the 2020-2021 budget. California’s...
Austin City Council Will Vote On Decriminalization Of Low-Level Cannabis Possession
A Texas law legalizing hemp may have given cities like Austin a chance to halt tickets and arrests for small amounts of cannabis. Later this month,...
New York Governor Vows Adult-Use Marijuana Will Be Legal In 2020
During his State of the State address, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledged to legalize recreational marijuana in 2020 and proposed to create a...
House Committee Hearing on Cannabis Policies Scheduled for Next Week
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing Wednesday on future federal cannabis policies and review current federal...
Mississippi Voters Will Decide on Medical Marijuana Legalization in 2020
Mississippi state officials announced that a medical marijuana ballot initiative has qualified for the 2020 state election. Whether Mississippi...
It’s Official: South Dakota Voters Will Decide on Recreational And Medical Marijuana in 2020
Marijuana advocates in South Dakota have cause for celebration this week after state officials okayed enough signatures to trigger a voter...