Cannabis Legalization Bill Overwhelmingly Approved by Colombia's Senate
Colombia is home to one of the most favorable climates on earth when it comes to cannabis cultivation. Whereas in other areas the cannabis plant requires supplemental lighting and a buffet of nutrients, in Colombia the cannabis plant grows naturally on a large scale. Cannabis cultivation is not new to the South American...
Is Self-Regulation Essential to Effective Legislation?
The cannabis industry is characterized by regulatory uncertainty and volatility. State-by-state variation, frequent updates to the rules of the road, and an ongoing “will they or won’t they” federal stance have made it clear that this is not an industry for the risk-averse or the timid. Add to that a relative newcomer on the...
Ireland to See ‘Steppingstone’ Cannabis Reform Measure Introduced
A bill that would legalize the personal use of cannabis in Ireland was expected to be introduced last summer, however, that did not happen. People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, who has long advocated for cannabis public policy reform in Ireland, is expected to finally introduce the measure in the coming days. The Misuse of Drugs Acts...
U.S. Congress Passes New Bill Expanding Cannabis Research
In many ways the United States has historically served as ground zero for the war on cannabis. That changed recently when both chambers of the U.S. Congress passed a stand-alone cannabis bill. The U.S. is not the only country to prohibit cannabis at the national level, but decades ago it largely led the charge in support of cannabis...
The Cannabis Clock: Countdown to Legalization
One of the biggest questions when talking about cannabis is when will the United States legalize it? Will it ever happen? The short answer is yes, it’s coming. But when? To help others understand when legalization will arrive, I decided to create “the Cannabis Clock.” The Cannabis Clock is modeled after the Doomsday Clock. The...
It's Official! Maryland and Missouri Approve Adult-Use Cannabis
Five states voted on adult-use cannabis legalization yesterday. Two of the five approved the measure. Maryland and Missouri voted in favor of recreational use, while Arkansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota rejected cannabis legalization. The results are an encouraging signal that even conservative portions of the country are...
Where in the World is Cannabis Legal?
Cannabis has a complicated legal status in many countries. In the U.S., states have individual laws regarding medical and adult-use. Additionally, the rise in hemp-derived products like delta-8 THC and CBD can make it even more challenging to discern what is and isn’t legal when crossing state lines. Keeping up with the...
Cannabis policy changes in Africa are welcome. But small producers are the losers
Cannabis is a drug crop with a long history in Africa. Alongside coca and opium poppy, it has been subjected to international control for nearly a century. The International Opium Convention of 1925 institutionalised the international control system and extended the scope of control to cannabis. In 1961 a new international convention...
Cannabis Prohibition in France Over the Past 50 Years has Disproportionately Punished its Muslim Minority
In recent years, France has come closer to ending its national prohibition of cannabis, which has been in place since 1970. The rise of “CBD cafés,” the growing public calls for an end to drug prohibition and an ongoing medical marijuana pilot program signal that, in the near future, France – the European Union’s leading...
Cannabis Smuggling on the Decline Between Mexico and U.S.A.
Cannabis advocates have long pointed out that when cannabis is prohibited, people still consume it. That may seem obvious, however, cannabis prohibitionists try very hard to pretend that it’s not the case. Under prohibition, cartels largely control cannabis sales. That is not to say that every single piece of cannabis is cartel...
Missouri to Vote on Recreational Cannabis, Expungement Amendment
Nov. 8, Missouri residents will have the opportunity to vote on legalization of adult-use cannabis. Missouri passed a constitutional amendment for medical cannabis in 2018 and advocates are looking to build on the momentum in the state. Amendment 3, the Marijuana Legalization Initiative, is on the ballot in Missouri as...
10 Years Into Legalization and We Still Can’t Get Social Equity Right
On Feb. 7, 2022, New Jersey publication The Patch ran a story with the headline: “NJ Hasn’t Licensed Any Black Owners Since It Legalized Marijuana.” The next day, journalist and civil rights activist Shaun King picked up the story. If this were true, any backlash the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) received would...
State License Deadlines Present Challenge For California Cannabis
Cannabis businesses throughout California had to file for an annual state license by March 31 to meet guidance from the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). Those hoping to enter the industry during the start of this regulatory period and beyond are sure to face challenges. The DCC originally invested $100 million into...
UN Drug Report on Environmental Impact of Cannabis Legalization
Despite inherently flawed and overlooked data, the United Nations annual drug report tries to make sense of an increasingly expansive and convoluted global cannabis landscape. The United Nations released its annual World Drug Report on Monday, and, for the first time, it looks at cannabis legalization outcomes and the environmental...
What Is the Motivation Behind Unregulated Cannabis Purchases?
Legal cannabis is spreading across the planet, and with it, purchasing freedoms for some consumers. Yet, the unregulated market still exists even where cannabis can be purchased legally. Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario recently examined the factors that motivate a consumer or patient to purchase unregulated...
Are HIPAA-Style Privacy Regulations Coming to Cannabis?
As of Dec. 1, 2021, cannabis dispensaries and technology vendors operating in the state of Illinois must protect health information with the same stringent security and privacy standards required of medical providers under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). These regulations, applied by the...
Rhode Island Legalizes Cannabis With New RICA Law
Rhode Island announced Wednesday that it would be the 19th state to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis. Democratic Governor Dan McKee signed the Rhode Island Cannabis Act (RICA) into law, according to a press release on his website. Possession and Home Grow The RICA allows Rhode Islanders age 21 and over to possess up...
Department of Veterans Affairs Thinks Hemp Is Illegal. It's Not.
Zack Zindler and his hemp company, Native Ceuticals Tampa, were denied inclusion in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans First Contracting Program citing illegal substances, but legal experts say the 2018 Farm Bill states otherwise. The VA Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) announced Tuesday they have denied a...
U.S. Patent on Cannabis to Earn Millions for Government and Big Pharma
Fun fact: the U.S. Government held a patent on certain cannabinoids for 16 years. The National Institute of Health (NIH) licensed certain pharmaceutical companies to use some of these patented materials. In the event those companies develop a successful drug from those materials, the NIH receives a percentage of sales. To put...
New Jersey Cops On Front Line Of Legal Cannabis Battle
Can cops smoke cannabis in states where it is legal? It’s a question with no clear answer, mostly due to conflicting state and federal cannabis laws. And when the use of firearms comes into the equation, laws concerning the recreational use of cannabis by off-duty cops can become a quagmire. New Jersey is seeing this question...
Breaking Exclusive: Another Cannabis Company Sues the DEA
Attorneys representing a cannabis biopharma conglomerate and federal cannabis cultivation license applicant filed a petition in court today, citing that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is taking too long to issue a determination for its application. The petition, filed by Megan Sheehan of Sheehan and Associates in Rhode...
New York Senator Introduces Cannabis Community Reinvestment Act
Multi-state cannabis operators (MSOs) are making millions from the legalized industry. Meanwhile, many of the communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition have yet to experience an economic boost from legalization. To combat this troubling trend, New York State Democratic Senator James Sanders Jr. is introducing the Cannabis...
Is Cannabis Federally Legal Now?
Laws around cannabis can be confusing. Individual states have their own laws and regulations surrounding the plant and its products. Now, legislation called the MORE Act is being introduced that would legalize cannabis on a federal level. Current Federal Status Cannabis is legal for adult-use in 19 states and for medical use in...
New Mexico Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Earn $4.5M First Weekend
New Mexico launched adult-use cannabis sales on Friday, April 1, 2022. Sales were staggering. In just one weekend, the Cannabis Control Division reported a total of $4.5 million in sales. Nearly 70% are from recreational purchases. The state’s medical cannabis program has been in place since 2007. Friday’s change places New...
MORE Act Passes the House for Second Time
On Friday, April 1, 2022, the House passed the Marijuana Opportunity and Expungement Act (MORE) for the Second Time. The U.S. House of Representatives officially passed The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a bill that would end the federal prohibition of cannabis by removing it from the list of...
Meanwhile in Canada, the Smoke is Heavy
A recent editorial in the Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, by a University of Toronto sociologist reviewed the brief history of cannabis legalization in Canada and concluded in rather unequivocal terms that by and large, we as a nation have come through legalization and are now moving on. “Canada took a fairly restrained...
Inside the National Cannabis Party's First Year in Action
So, I know what you’re all thinking … what’s up with the National Cannabis Party? Well, we had a chance to catch up with them and get the scoop on where they are now and what they have in the works. January 2021 was the birth of the National Cannabis Party (NCP), and it seems they haven’t slowed down one bit! The NCP crew...
Mississippi Now 37th State to Legalize Medical Cannabis
Mississippi just became the 37th state to legalize medical cannabis. The law went into effect Wednesday immediately following Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signing of the legislation. In November of 2020, a majority of Mississippi voters approved a medical cannabis initiative. It would have permitted people to buy up to 5 ounces a...
Cannabis Legalization Up For Debate in Congress
It’s been more than 50 years since the Controlled Substances Act was signed into law, designating cannabis as a Schedule I illegal narcotic “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” In that time, millions of Americans were arrested and imprisoned for non-violent crimes related tothe...
The Devastating Aftermath of Incarceration
“It’s equally, if not more traumatizing than prison itself.” — Stephanie Shepard. Imagine paying for a crime for the rest of your life. You’ve paid your dues, and now you’re ready to begin life as a free American again. But it doesn’t work that way. The label “felon” restricts your every move, lessening...