A secret memo released as part of a recent lawsuit demonstrates how the Trump Administration has quietly blocked marijuana research in the United States. In fact, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) suggest the restrictions around marijuana research aren’t harsh enough. The issue revolves around the United Nations’ 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs […]
Did you know you could use your leftover concentrates to make potent edibles? “All types of cannabis concentrates can be used in cooking,” said Jay Denniston, director of science at Dixie Brands. “However, the myriad of different types of concentrates, with variability in potency, form, flavor, and aroma, can create difficulty in choosing the right type of […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released guidelines for processing federal loans for the hemp industry. The seven-page document describes the various requirements a hemp business must satisfy in order to access USDA’s lending services. Chief among those requirements is for a prospective borrower to be licensed under a USDA-approved state or tribal hemp […]
Scientists have successfully forced the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release an internal document that was allegedly used to justify delaying the approval of additional marijuana manufacturers for research purposes. The document reveals that the Justice Department believes that the current licensing structure for cannabis cultivation has been in violation of international treaties for decades. […]
From 2018 to 2019, legal cannabis sales worldwide grew 46% to $14.7 billion, according to market researchers BDSA and Arcview Market Research. Comparatively, the sector saw a 16% growth in 2018. The analysts say recreational cannabis sales in Canada, California, and Massachusetts, and medical cannabis expansions in Florida and Oklahoma represented the largest contributors to 2019’s sales growth. Curated from Ganjapreneur
Black people in every single state are more likely to be arrested than white people for marijuana-related offenses, according to recently released data, despite legalization. Several states have legalized or decriminalized marijuana since 2010, yet the intended common goal to decrease discriminatory practices in marijuana arrests haven’t improved as well as expected. Regarding the evidence […]
A recent YouGov poll found 45% of respondents believed that recreational cannabis legislation has been “more of a success than a failure” or “success only,” with 19% saying that it was “more of a failure than success” or “failure only.” Only 10% of respondents believed legalization legislation was a failure. Among Republicans, 41% said the reforms had […]
A localized survey of 500 Hash Bash attendees in Michigan showed that even among the most enthusiastic consumers, knowledge about cannabinoid content and cannabis dosing can be very limited. The survey asked participants what amounts they considered to be effective doses for CBD and THC and included a box for “I don’t know.” The majority (53%) ticked […]
In a flurry of new bill signings amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the Virginia government will now regulate CBD products the same way it handles food. Prior to the signing of this bill, there was no testing or labeling required. Now, with more safety and regulation in place, people will know exactly what they are getting. […]
Federal law enforcement agents and their partners made fewer marijuana-related arrests in 2019, but seized a far greater number of plants, according to the DEA’s annual report. Figures published in the DEA’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Statistical Report show that the agency and its law enforcement partners confiscated an estimated four million marijuana plants in 2019 – […]
A former Amazon warehouse worker who sued the company after allegedly being fired over his use of medical marijuana is better positioned to win the case following a procedural ruling by a federal judge. In the case’s latest development, the federal court granted the ex-worker’s request for a motion to remand, meaning the dispute will […]
Colorado has made online sales of recreational marijuana legal during the coronavirus pandemic, fulfilling one of the pot industry’s biggest wishes and fueling its argument for more concessions that could be made permanent when the crisis eases. It’s one of several signs emerging from the virus outbreak of just how far ingrained marijuana has become […]
A group of Massachusetts marijuana dispensaries have sued Gov. Charlie Baker over his decision to shutdown recreational cannabis operations in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The lawsuit filed asks the court to allow recreational shops to reopen, saying the closure will cause serious harm to the industry. See the original article […]
New research shows that the amount of cannabidiol found in CBD products can vary dramatically by purchase location, with items from gas stations faring worse and delivering only 40% of the labeled potency. Fully 60% of items purchased at these retailers had no detectable CBD. The potency of items purchased from CBD stores also fell short of […]
State-legal hemp businesses are eligible for aid under the $2.2 million coronavirus stimulus package signed by President Donald Trump last week; however, medical and recreational cannabis firms will not have access to the relief package due to federal cannabis prohibition. To qualify for these ‘Paycheck Protection Program’ loans, businesses must employ 500 employees or less, […]
As New York lawmakers deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, it appears cannabis legalization is off the table for this session. During a coronavirus briefing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said the state would likely only be able to pass a “bare-bones” budget as it’s been the state hardest hit by the pandemic. See […]
Business analysts at DataTrek Research suggest more states could legalize adult-use cannabis in the near future to help their economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Traditional revenue-boosting strategies such as increasing income, sales, or real estate taxes could push taxpayers away and further weaken state economies. A brand new taxed and regulated cannabis marketplace, however, would help […]
The Smart and Safe Arizona ballot initiative, that could legalize marijuana for adults 21 years and older in Arizona, has quickly gathered more than the required 300,000 signatures necessary to get listed on the ballots in November 2020. Most of the signature gathering was done in front of Arizona dispensaries and at various mega stores like Target and Wal-Mart […]
Just hours after issuing a citywide order for Denver residents to stay at home, which included a temporary shutdown of liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries to limit the spread of coronavirus, Hancock reversed the decision. Originally slated to close at 5 p.m. on March 24, along with dozens of other retail operations deemed non-essential by […]
COVID-19 has become a global concern, and we all want to know everything we should be doing to increase our odds of staying healthy and safe. Infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Steffanie Strathdee says, “Right now, we are facing a pandemic where SARS-CoV-2 attacks lung cells, preferentially in the lower respiratory tract. In my view, better […]
Infusion is often the most challenging part of cooking with cannabis and the reason why many people turn to their vaporizer in defeat. Cannabis-infused oil is probably the most versatile medium and a great place to start, since it can be used for baking desserts, sautéing veggies, frying up your morning eggs, or putting in your salad […]
Amid a global pandemic that has changed the way we interact and live, the state of Illinois will allow medical marijuana dispensaries to conduct curbside sales for the duration of the month. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said that “medical cannabis patients may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to pre-existing conditions,” which was a factor […]
Cannabis dispensaries in San Francisco were allowed to reopen after city officials determined that they are essential businesses that should not be subject to closure during the ongoing shelter-in-place order. Under the shelter-in-place order, most businesses were ordered closed for three weeks, although essential businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies were permitted to stay […]
Customers around the world lined up around the block to get their supply of cannabis amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Shutdowns across the world will prohibit the opening of many businesses including cannabis dispensaries. Cannabis stores experienced a flurry of sales as shutdowns caused many businesses to close their doors. See the original article at […]
The Alabama Senate passed SB165 with a vote of 22-11. The bill would be the strictest medical marijuana bill to be passed in the United States, requiring patients to exhaust all other treatments before being prescribed marijuana and require consultation with two doctors. The bill also prohibits any smokeable medicinal products from being sold. See the original […]
Just over two years after commercial cannabis sales became legal in California, the state has collected more than $1 billion in taxes from commercial marijuana activity. The total includes $498.1 million in cannabis excise taxes, $123.4 million in cultivation taxes, and $403.1 million in state sales tax. Most of the money, after regulatory costs, has […]
Under federal law, any consumer of cannabis cannot own or possess firearms; a recent ATF memo, however, seeks to strengthen those restrictions specifically against “habitual marijuana users.” A recent memo from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has rescinded a 2006 allowance for gun dealers in Michigan to accept a state-concealed pistol license […]
Nearly four years after Massachusetts voters legalized recreational marijuana, Boston has its first adult-use cannabis store. Pure Oasis, which opened at 11 a.m. in Dorchester, is also the first marijuana store owned by people in the state’s economic empowerment program, designed to aid those who were targeted by the war on drugs. Its grand opening marked a […]
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the IRS faces “significant problems” due to the cash-only nature of the cannabis industry and urged lawmakers to address the issue “one way or another.” During his testimony to the House Appropriations subcommittee, Mnuchin didn’t take a stance on the issue of cannabis banking at large but said the […]
Bernie Sanders has repeatedly said that, if elected, he’d sign an executive order on his first day in office to legalize cannabis in all 50 US states. But could he really do it? Unfortunately, it’s not so simple. A Sanders administration would almost certainly mean a step forward for cannabis policy in the United States. But it’s virtually […]
MLB officials have announced that, while players are allowed to use cannabis in their personal lives, they are not allowed to partner with or accept sponsorships from cannabis companies. MLB said it plans to address the issue in the future but, “until such guidance is issued, any such investments or commercial arrangements are still considered to […]
The USDA has removed the requirement that hemp crops be tested by DEA-registered laboratories for the upcoming growing season. While the agency had reached an agreement with the DEA for this season, the law enforcement agency still expects states “to work with their laboratories to try to achieve certification for the 2021 crop year. See […]
After weeks of rumors that the Florida House was pushing an amendment that would put a cap on the amount of THC in all medical marijuana at 10% potency, the proposal was finally filed Friday afternoon in the Senate. Current law places a limit on the amount of THC in edible products only, which may […]