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. […]
The total number of persons arrested in the United States for violating marijuana laws rose for the third consecutive year, according to data released by the FBI. Police made 663,367 arrests for marijuana-related violations in 2018. That total is more than 21% higher than the total number of persons arrested for the commission of violent crimes (521,103). […]
Despite opposition from some cannabis legalization and social justice groups, the SAFE Banking Act, which would normalize banking for the cannabis industry, is set for a House vote this week. A letter from activists sent to House leaders last week urged lawmakers to bring the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act up for a vote before […]
Since 2008, Ferrell Scott has been serving a life sentence in federal prison for selling large quantities of marijuana. Ferrell Scott and hundreds of other people of color have been living behind bars, watching businessmen like Kevin Murphy, the CEO of one of the nation’s most lucrative marijuana companies, get rich. See the original article at USA Today
A new ruling out of the California Supreme Court this week will create yet another obstacle to the expansion of legal cannabis, at a time when more than half of the state’s cities and counties still ban retail stores. The state’s highest court ruled that San Diego failed to adequately analyze the potential environmental impacts of […]
America’s booming CBD market received a dose of reality this week when the FDA issued a letter to Curaleaf, a major US cannabis and CBD brand, warning that some of its product marketing violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The FDA has made one thing clear: if you claim your product will heal […]
Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak of Nevada signed a bill on Friday that prohibits employers from denying jobs to applicants because of their legal marijuana use. Under the measure, Assembly Bill 132 (AB 132), employers would be banned from discriminating against prospective employees based on a positive result for marijuana use in a pre-employment drug screening or an […]
The USDA has come out with a legal opinion on authorities for hemp production which states that hemp is no longer a controlled substance. The opinion states, “The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) authorized the production of hemp and removed hemp and hemp seeds from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) schedule of […]
The attorneys general of 38 states and territories sent a letter to congressional leaders, urging them to allow banks to work with cannabis businesses without legal repercussions. Federal law still considers marijuana illegal, which exposes banks to legal risk if they handle weed-related money or transactions. The attorneys general say they want to move the […]
William Barr, President Trump’s nominee to serve as the next U.S. attorney general, made headlines earlier this month when he pledged during his Senate confirmation hearing not to “go after” marijuana companies that comply with state laws. Now, in response to written questions from senators, Barr is putting that pledge on paper, in black and white. […]
New Jersey’s legislators advanced an adult-use cannabis legalization bill Nov. 26 in a joint Senate and Assembly Budget Committee vote of 7-3 and 7-2, respectively. The vote came after four hours of public testimony and debate. Collectively, the bills comprise a trio of cannabis reform measures that have been talked about in various forms since Gov. […]
As Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) takes over as chair, the House Rules Committee may no longer be the place cannabis reform goes to die. McGovern says he understands full cannabis reform on a federal level would be challenging, but he is committing himself providing protections from federal interference for individual states that do decide to […]
The 2018 Election had one clear winner: Cannabis. Michigan voters approved a ballot measure making their state the first in the midwest to legalize cannabis. Missouri and Utah approved initiatives allowing medical marijuana. Voters in several Ohio cities approved local marijuana decriminalization measures, and a number of Wisconsin counties and cities strongly approved ballot questions calling for cannabis reform. […]
Voters in four states will decide today whether or not to adopt huge reforms to their state’s cannabis laws. Michigan and North Dakota will be voting on full legalization while Utah and Missouri voters will decide whether or not to allow medical cannabis access. How will today’s election impact the cannabis industry? See the original article at Ganjapreneur
An Oregon man has been sentenced to eight years in prison, without the possibility for parole, for possessing medical marijuana he purchased legally in his home state. Patrick Beadle, who is a Rastafarian musician and registered medical marijuana patient in Oregon, said that he purchased the cannabis legally and that it was for his personal use. […]
President Donald Trump’s administration will soon unveil a plan for federal cannabis reform, according to Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California. Moreover, the congressman who represents coastal Orange County said the president had spoken about legalizing medical marijuana at the national level and allowing states to decide whether recreational use would be permitted as it […]
One in five batches of marijuana has failed laboratory testing since new state safety requirements kicked in July 1, according to data from the California Bureau of Cannabis Control. Failures have been triggered by inaccurate labeling or contamination from pesticides, bacteria or processing chemicals. Those testing requirements and results have left some retailers with severely […]
Three years ago, the First Church of Cannabis filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana for preventing the congregation from using cannabis as holy sacrament. Now, Superior Court Judge Sheryl Lynch has ruled that Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act doesn’t allow church members to smoke-up. Cannabis use is strictly prohibited in Indiana. But First […]
A powerful congressional committee voted on Wednesday to reject a measure to protect banks that open accounts for marijuana businesses from being punished by federal financial regulators. Supporters then scrambled to craft a more limited measure focused on medical cannabis businesses, but it was ultimately withdrawn before a vote could take place. The broader measure […]
Law enforcement seized almost 40 percent fewer cannabis plants in the U.S. in 2017 than the previous year, according to new numbers from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The annual data, published in the DEA’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Statistical Report, shows that the feds and their law enforcement partners seized about 3.38 million marijuana plants […]
Representatives of the cannabis industry are ramping up their lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to take action on taxes that affect their industry. The main request in meetings with members of Congress this week: overturning a regulation that prevents legal cannabis companies from deducting operating expenses. Members of the industry have been disappointed […]
As cannabis businesses compete for customers, communicating their products’ quality and value becomes key. Marijuana companies that understand the need to differentiate their business and products from those of their competitors need to know what they can do to enhance and protect their brands. To greatly simplify, the goal of branding is to efficiently communicate […]
If toking weed is a preferred habit of yours, try to avoid the Sunshine State. Evan Anderson at Muckrock compiled an extensive report on where not to smoke in America based on the number of citations handed out to smokers. Topping the list was Florida, which not only leads in yearly citations per capita, but […]
The University of Denver — founded in 1864 and one of the most prestigious private universities in the U.S. — is going green. DU’s scenic south-Denver campus is a stone’s throw from some busy recreational pot shops, and soon students at DU’s Sturm College of Law will have the opportunity to take a class on […]
Charlotte’s Web Medical Hemp Act of 2014, a bill just introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, would amend the Controlled Substances Act, the federal law that criminalizes marijuana, to exempt plants with an extremely low percentage of THC, the chemical that makes users high. If passed, it would be the first time that federal […]
The number of people who can obtain medical marijuana in Vermont could increase under a bill that has passed the legislature and is now on its way to the governor for his signature. Under Vermont’s current medical marijuana law, no more than 1,000 people can be registered to receive medical marijuana. Senator Jeannette White says […]
District of Columbia Mayor, Vincent Gray, has approved the decriminalization of possession of up to an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana in the US capital. The measure must still get final approval through the US House of Representatives. Congress has 60 days to review the law. If the decriminalization law gets House approval, marijuana possession will be […]
“Carly’s Law”, the bill in Alabama originated to help control violent seizures suffered by a toddler with a severe neurological disorder, unanimously passed both the Alabama House and Senate last week. Governor Robert Bentley said he will sign it into law. The bill makes it legal to possess a prescribed medical grade, non-intoxicating cannabidiol extract and includes $1 million […]
The IRS says it is following the law by not allowing the 2,500 medical marijuana dispensaries in the country, who pay taxes to local, state and federal governments, the same federal tax breaks that other small businesses can claim. Although 20 states and D.C. have legalized medical marijuana, the IRS still applies federal tax code […]
A Kentucky bill that will allow use of a cannabidiol extract oil in the treatment of childhood epilepsy heads to the House of Representatives for final approval. Experts believe the bill has a good chance of passing. Read Full Story On http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Beginning April 1, 2014, Nevada law will permit a limited number of medical marijuana dispensaries, cultivation facilities, testing labs, and edible marijuana product manufacturers to operate in the state. In anticipation of the potential conflict between state and federal law, the Nevada Bar Association filed a request with the state’s Supreme Court asking for protection for […]
Starting this summer in Washington, DC marijuana possession will be deemed a civil offense that includes a $25 fine, but public consumption will still be considered a misdemeanor. Read Full Story On http://www.theverge.com