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US (PA): Ag Secretary seeks proposals to help boost hemp sales and exports

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding recently called for proposals from nonprofit marketing and promotion organizations for projects aimed at increasing sales, export, or consumer awareness of Pennsylvania hemp products. The department plans to award $200,000 in matching funds to reimburse up to half of…

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US (CO): Cannabis watchdogs want more control over contaminated products

Colorado marijuana watchdogs don't think they have enough power to keep contaminated pot out of consumers' hands, so they're asking lawmakers for help. Recalls for medical and recreational marijuana products have been a regular occurrence since state regulators began requiring laboratory testing on…

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Australia amended their cannabis regulation regarding GMP Requirements

Australia´s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which regulates Medicinal Cannabis in Australia, has put out its latest Compilation regarding the production and import regulations (TGO 93). Manufacturing QualityBesides specific requirements for active ingredients and cannabinoids, microbiological…

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US (VA): Lawmakers approve bills on cannabis sales and 280E tax reform

Virginia lawmakers on Friday advanced bills to start adult-use marijuana sales and allow cannabis businesses to make certain tax deductions at the state level while they’re barred from doing so federally under the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) code known as 280E. The 280E bill passed the Senate…

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US (MI): Current industry challenges and the silver lining

The legalization of cannabis for adult use in Michigan in 2018 caused an explosion of cannabis businesses opening across the state. The industry was on an all-time high (no pun intended) for the first few years, but the honeymoon phase swiftly subsided, leaving many licensees struggling. Unlimited…

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No edibles: ND House votes down medical cannabis expansion

If you have a medical cannabis card, your prescription soon won’t cover edible products in North Dakota. 63 representatives: that’s how many needed to vote yes for the latest medical cannabis bills to pass. But two such bills hit the House floor Tuesday, and both failed: 55-37 and 20-72. Proponents of…

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Guam: Cannabis businesses wait on lab stalling license process

The Cannabis Control Board has so far approved 12 responsible official applications for cannabis businesses, but only one is currently anticipated to come before the board next month, February 2023, for the next step in the process: the cannabis establishment license. Businesses in the middle of the…

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US (CA): Officials take step toward interstate cannabis commerce

California officials are seeking a formal opinion from the state attorney general’s office on whether allowing interstate marijuana commerce would put the state at “significant risk” of federal enforcement action. The request for guidance from the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) is a key step that…

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France council proposes cannabis legalization to boost public health

France is one of the most popular places for cannabis consumption on the entire planet, which may shock some people, given the fact that France’s public cannabis policies are not as favorable as policies in many other countries, including countries in Europe. However, France has one of the highest…

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US (MT): Heavy metal testing, too much THC, and the fight over Montana’s budding cannabis industry

It was a public meeting in the middle of the holidays to discuss marijuana. When it happened, the rules that the state’s Department of Public Health and Humans Services was proposing were already suspended. And the way the proposed-but-suspended rules were scotched by an interim legislative committee…

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"Medical cannabis reform in Japan may be a double-edged sword"

Japan’s government appears to be set to adopt a limited medical cannabis legalization measure. A health ministry panel in Japan previously issued cannabis policy recommendations, including a recommendation that Japan allow medical cannabis products to be imported. Those recommendations are reportedly on…

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US (MP): "Health Department struggles to manage massive MMJ program"

Behind closed doors, Mississippi’s eight-person medical cannabis office is struggling against its workload. The Health Department office charged by the Legislature with running Mississippi’s new medical marijuana program is steeped in disorganization: agents rarely visit cultivation sites, application…

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FDA concludes that existing regulatory frameworks for foods and supplements are not appropriate for cannabidiol

Given the growing cannabidiol (CBD) products market, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration convened a high-level internal working group to explore potential regulatory pathways for CBD products. Today we are announcing that after careful review, the FDA has concluded that a new regulatory pathway for CBD…

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US (CA): Antioch approves operating agreement for new cannabis business

Natural Supplements, a cannabis cultivation, manufacture, retail, and distribution business, got the green light this week from Antioch’s City Council. The council OK’d the operating agreement Tuesday, January 24, on a 3-to-2 vote, with Councilmembers Lori Ogorchock and Mike Barbanica dissenting. City…

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NY cannabis regulators dinged by state agency for lack of transparency

A state committee that monitors transparency among New York’s government agencies recently published an opinion about how the state’s cannabis regulators have strayed from the law that governs public meetings and comments. The NY Committee on Open Government published an advisory opinion on January 20…

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US: Congress can bring cannabis tax policy in line with cannabis enforcement policy

Some would be appalled to know the taxes facing cannabis operators – specifically Internal Revenue Code at 26 USC § 280E. That provision discussed more fully below often subjects cannabis operators to effective tax rates far north of 50%, more than virtually any other businesses in the United States.…

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Japanese government set to legalize medical marijuana

The government is poised to allow the use of medical cannabis to treat patients with intractable diseases, according to the outline of bills revealed on Tuesday, January 24. The government is considering submitting the bills, including one to revise the Cannabis Control Law during the current Diet…

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US: Bankruptcy relief for cannabis-adjacent debtors? It gets hazy

You may have heard this before: As cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act ("CSA"), cannabis companies cannot seek bankruptcy relief under federal law. Not so fast. Access to bankruptcy can be highly fact-dependent. When the debtor in question is adjacent to…

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US: Pontiac sued as cannabis development delays continue

Pontiac is facing a $60 million lawsuit over medical cannabis rules and regulations. It’s the latest setback in the city’s efforts to achieve the mandate from voters five years ago to allow cannabis businesses. Rubicon Real Estate Holdings and Joseph Brown of Brown Design Consultants filed suit in…

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US: How the SAFE Banking Act can impact the cannabis industry

The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, a proposed legislation aimed at allowing banks to do business with companies operating legally within states that have legalized cannabis, had the potential to change the way the cannabis industry operates. Despite widespread support, the bill failed to…

US (NV): North Las Vegas cultivation facility gets suspension from compliance board

Pursuant to Nevada Cannabis Compliance Regulation (NCCR) 4.105, today the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) called an emergency telephonic board meeting to consider the…

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US (MP): City Council clears the way for cannabis grower to come to Jackson

The Jackson City Council has cleared the way for a cannabis cultivator to locate in Ward 2. On Monday, the council voted unanimously to approve a rezoning request from David Spradlin to bring in the business to 1369 College Hill Dr. “We searched all over the state for an ideal location. We feel this is…

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US (DE): Lawmakers approve bill to legalize cannabis sales

A Delaware House committee has approved the first of a pair of bills to legalize cannabis in the state, this one focusing on regulations for an adult-use program that’d be created if the complementary, simple legalization legislation is also enacted. The House Revenue & Finance Committee passed the bill,…

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Legalization delays are causing confusion in Luxembourg

At one point in time, towards the end of the last decade, Luxembourg seemed to be a sure bet to become the first country in Europe to pass a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. After all, a coalition agreement included the reform. Unfortunately, time has proven that agreement’s legalization…

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US: FDA releases final guidance for cannabis drug development as advocates await hemp and CBD rules

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its finalized guidance on developing cannabis-based drugs, outlining the process and unique considerations for scientists when it comes to hemp and cannabis. The guidance—titled “Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Compounds: Quality Considerations for…

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US (IL): New cannabis license process aims to focus on social equity

Aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs, get your keyboard fingers ready — it is almost time to apply for a license. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced the latest timeline and application process for obtaining a cannabis dispensary license. The office said it made some…

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US: USDA sends hemp survey for second annual report

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began sending out thousands of surveys to hemp farmers across the country on Thursday as part of its annual effort to learn about how the market has evolved since the crop was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA launched its first annual survey in…

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US (CA): Former Adelanto mayor to plead guilty to wire fraud charge for accepting bribes in support of a cannabis business

The former mayor of Adelanto has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge for accepting more than $57,000 in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for approving ordinances authorizing commercial marijuana activity within the city and ensuring his co-schemers obtained city licenses or permits for…

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Fake cannabis billionaire Justin Costello pleads guilty in $35 million fraud

Justin Costello, who posed as a billionaire and twice-wounded Special Forces Iraq veteran to dupe investors while portraying himself as a legal cannabis mogul, pleaded guilty to securities fraud. Under a plea agreement with Costello, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of 10 years in prison, with…

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US (MD): Governor releases $69M withheld by predecessor, $46.5M for cannabis industry

In his first official act as Maryland governor Thursday morning, Wes Moore continued last year’s work in the General Assembly, releasing $69 million that had been withheld by his predecessor. With the release of the funds, Maryland state agencies will begin work to create a new “green bank,” a medical…

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US (CA): Cannabis authority announces new publically available weekly cannabis market updates

The California Cannabis Authority (CCA) announced today that its public-facing dashboard of cannabis track and trace data, dubbed the Transparency Project, will now be updated weekly—increasing the level of transparency into cannabis sales, cultivation, and transactions in participating jurisdictions.…

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New Jersey senate committee approves bills to let cannabis businesses claim state tax deductions

A New Jersey Senate committee approved a pair of bills on Thursday that would allow licensed cannabis businesses to deduct certain expenses on their state tax returns, a partial remedy as the industry continues to be blocked from making federal deductions under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known…

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US Virgin Islands governor signs legalization and expungements bills, issues cannabis pardon

The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) has officially signed a pair of bills to legalize cannabis and facilitate cannabis expungements in the territory, making it the latest jurisdiction in the country to end prohibition. Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. (D) signed the legislation, sponsored by Sen. Janelle…

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US (CA): Cannabis grower can’t use RICO statute to sue for fraud

A California licensed cannabis grower can't avail herself of the federal racketeering statute to sue a group of former business partners because a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said, under that statute operating a cannabis business is considered a crime. The three-judge panel on Wednesday…

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US (AL): Medical Cannabis Commission moves forward with reviewing applications

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met on Thursday to review applications from business owners looking to join the new Alabama cannabis industry. The deadline to submit an application to the Commission was December 30. While 607 groups and individuals requested application forms, only 94…

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US (WA): State lawmakers approve interstate cannabis commerce bill in committee

A Washington State Senate committee recently approved a bill to set the state up to allow interstate cannabis commerce, pending a federal policy change. The Senate Labor & Commerce Committee passed the legislation on a voice vote. It now moves to the Senate Rules Committee. The action comes one week…

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US (MO): Carthage cannabis sales tax in voters hands

Carthage voters will decide whether the city adds a local tax on cannabis sales. City council members approved a measure for the April ballot which addresses the issue. It would charge a 3% tax on retail sales of recreational cannabis in city limits. That would be in addition to the 6% tax that state…

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US (CO): State suspends two Colorado Springs MMJ dispensaries

Two medical cannabis dispensaries in Colorado Springs are closed after the state suspended their business licenses. Plastered on the door of Canna Meds Wellness Centers’ two locations at 506 N. Chelton Road and 2218 N. Academy Place is a sign with “Notice of Suspension” in bold red letters. It states…

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US (MA): State cannabis industry braces for turbulent 2023

The Massachusetts cannabis industry is on the verge of an impressive milestone: $4 billion in revenue since recreational sales began in November 2018, a total that has also netted state and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. But when the state surpasses that mark — likely in the…

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US (WA): Important update for Social Equity License

The Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) website now features maps showing Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIA) in Washington State. These interactive maps are an essential tool for ensuring applicants have met one of the three qualifications for the social equity program. To qualify, each applicant must…

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US (OK): 2,000 cannabis grow licenses ID'd as potentially illegal, Oklahoma agency says

About 2,000 medical cannabis licenses have been identified by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs as potentially unlawful, an agency spokesman says. Mark Woodward of the OBNDD said those licenses are suspected of either having been obtained fraudulently or are being used to mask illegal…

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Missouri cannabis companies can now deduct business expenses on state income taxes

Cannabis companies will be able to deduct business expenses on their state taxes for the first time this year, a Missouri Department of Revenue spokeswoman confirmed to The Independent.  Missourians voted to legalize medical cannabis in 2018. But under federal law, growing, transporting, or selling cannabis…

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US (MI): "Cannabis growers and processors must be aware of applicable environmental laws"

In a potentially under-appreciated risk for cannabis growers and processors in Michigan, there are important environmental laws and permits that must be complied with in order to avoid jeopardizing business operations and state-issued licenses. There are several environmental laws that apply to growers…

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New medical cannabis industry regulations delayed in Spain

Back in June 2022, Spain's Health and Consumption Commission of the Congress of Deputies approved an opinion of the Medical Cannabis Subcommittee, which called for medical cannabis industry regulations. Part of that approved opinion involved tasking the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products…

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NY’s rollout of legal cannabis needs more speed, transparency, and oversight

Reporters at NY Cannabis Insider are putting on a clinic in accountability journalism as they scrutinize the slow, opaque, and often chaotic rollout of New York state’s legal cannabis industry. State government leaders convening in Albany this week need to exert some oversight and leadership to figure…

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Lithuanian president opposes cannabis decriminalization

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says he opposes the idea to decriminalise the possession of small amounts of cannabis in the country.  “I’m opposed to that idea at present because I think we have been failing thus far in our fight against the spread of drugs in schools and among young people who are the…

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US (OR): OLCC releases pre-roll testing and labeling guidance

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) are providing the following guidance to all marijuana licensees and hemp certificate holders regarding the testing of infused pre-rolls. This bulletin updates guidance contained in OLCC Compliance Education Bulletin…

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Government of Colombia declares mandatory insurance coverage for medical cannabis products

Khiron Life Sciences announces that the new Colombian government has included plant-based medical cannabis products (i.e., Khiron products) in the list of mandatory insurance-covered medications starting January 1, 2023, as well as the signing of a first-of-its-kind medical cannabis contract with one of…

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US (MN): Lawmakers unveil plan to legalize adult-use

Minnesota DFL lawmakers have unveiled their latest effort to legalize recreational adult-use cannabis in the state. "Over the last three years, DFLers in the legislature have listened and worked to build a Minnesota-specific model for cannabis legalization," bill co-author Rep. Zack Stephenson said at a…

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Minorities to benefit from Alabama medical cannabis business license applications

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has received 94 applications for a business license. According to state law, one-fourth of all the licenses and one-fifth of integrated facility licenses must be awarded to minority-owned businesses. Antoine Mordican is a Black business owner in the hemp industry.…

US (ND): Bill would increase THC purchase limit for North Dakota MMJ patients

North Dakota medical cannabis patients could purchase more products under a bill introduced in the state Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday heard Senate Bill…

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Why struggling cannabis companies may want to turn to a receivership

The cannabis industry in Oregon has been struggling in recent years. In addition to being impacted by inflation and an ailing economy, the vast overproduction of cannabis in the state has caused prices to fall. As the Portland Business Journal previously reported, the median price for usable cannabis has…

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US (AL): County enacts medical cannabis ordinance

Medical cannabis business owners will need to stop by the Lauderdale County permit office before submitting their license application to the state after the board of supervisors adopted a medical cannabis ordinance on December 15. Board Attorney Lee Thaggard said the county’s ordinance was built on a…

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US (AL): Cannabis Commission receives 94 license applications

Upon Friday’s deadline, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission said it received 94 applications for medical cannabis business licenses. There are several different types of licenses the commission will award and regulate. There were 12 applications for cultivator licenses, 12 for processors, 18 for…

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U.S. Virgin Islands lawmakers send legalization and expungement bills to governor

The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) is set to join the growing ranks of jurisdictions in the country to legalize cannabis, with the territory’s Senate approving a comprehensive cannabis reform bill and separate expungements legislation on Friday. Just two months after Sen. Janelle Sarauw (I) filed the…

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US: GOP congresswoman files bill to provide federal tax relief for cannabis businesses

State-legal cannabis industry operators would finally be able to take federal tax deductions that are available to any other business under a congressional bill that was filed on Friday, seeking to amend an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Nancy…

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Burlington city councilors question their own cannabis commission

So far, every time a cannabis license application has come before Burlington's Cannabis Control Commission, it has said "yes." But some members of the commission, which is made up of the entire city council, say they don't have enough information to weigh in at all.  "It's a bit of a farce to look at these…

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France lifts ban on CBD product sales

Roughly one year ago, on December 30, 2021, the government in France issued a ban on the sales of CBD products. CBD products have increased in popularity and availability throughout Europe in recent years, including in France. Due to ongoing cannabis stigma, some lawmakers and regulators have portrayed…

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Italian Army aims for self-sufficient cannabis market

In a bid to become self-sufficient in the field of legal medical cannabis, Italy is growing plants using secret nutrients in ultra-clean rooms managed with military precision. No wonder it called in the Army to handle the task. Next year, the Italian service plans to produce 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds)…

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US (VT): Cannabis Control Board will try to convince law makers to eliminate cap on THC

The Cannabis Control Board will soon be recommending to legislators to remove all potency caps for cannabis products. At its December 14 meeting, the board targeted the existing caps on potency, recommending that future legislation remove all THC caps and instead authorize consumer education programs and…

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US: Congress keeps ban on D.C. cannabis sales

A congressional spending bill released on Tuesday not only excludes the marijuana banking and expungements reform that advocates had hoped for but also preserves a rider that blocks Washington, D.C., from implementing regulated adult-use cannabis commerce. Adding to the frustration of advocates, the slew…

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US: D.C. medical cannabis bill to eliminate license caps

The Washington D.C. Council has unanimously passed a bill to make sweeping changes to the medical marijuana program in the nation’s capital. That includes eliminating cannabis business licensing caps, providing tax relief to operators, further promoting social equity, and creating new regulated business…

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US (FL): Moving forward with new rules to grant additional licenses statewide

State health regulators on Monday set in motion a process to issue up to 22 more medical cannabis licenses, in a highly anticipated move that could double the size of Florida's medical cannabis industry. The state Department of Health also published an emergency rule that would make it far more expensive…

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US (FL): Medical cannabis rules for new businesses released after years of delay

After the better part of a decade, the Florida Department of Health’s rules on how businesses can enter the state’s medical cannabis industry are finally here. Sort of. The Department of Health, which regulates the state’s multibillion-dollar medical cannabis industry, released two emergency rules on…

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US (AR): "Medical cannabis tracking software unreliable"

Medical cannabis dispensaries and cultivators told lawmakers Wednesday the state's software responsible for tracking their products is unreliable, has crashed their databases, and has mislabeled inventory. The software, known as ARStems, is the system the state uses to track the cultivation,…

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New recommendations for medical cannabis testing in Arizona could increase prices

There are new recommendations when it comes to testing for medical cannabis in Arizona. This week, a council of industry experts submitted its thoughts to the state health department. The Arizona Marijuana Industry Trade Association is made up of several people who work in the medical cannabis industry.…

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USDA delays enforcement of DEA hemp testing rule due to ‘inadequate’ capacity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is delaying enforcement of a rule requiring hemp to be tested at laboratories certified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) due to the “inadequate” capacity of such facilities. USDA announced the extended enforcement deadline for the hemp rule in a…

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Xebra provides update on its cannabis authorizations in Mexico

The Mexican Health Regulatory Agency (the Mexican FDA equivalent) (the COFEPRIS) has formally notified Xebra's Mexican subsidiary, Desart MX, SA de CV (Xebra Mexico), that it has complied with the Supreme Court mandate to grant Xebra Mexico cannabis authorizations, however, in the opinion of Xebra and…

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Health Canada finalizes amendments on cannabis research, testing, and cannabis beverages

Health Canada announced that amendments to the Cannabis Act and its regulations concerning cannabis research, testing, and cannabis beverages have been approved and are now in force as of December 2, 2022. A copy of the final regulations, as well as the Regulatory Impact and Analysis Statement, is…

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Cannabis regulators want big budget increase

Members of the Cannabis Control Commission voted to approve the fiscal year 2024 budget request of more than $23.7 million, including 26 new hires and $1.5 million to fund public awareness campaigns called for in this summer’s cannabis industry reform law. Fiscal 2024 does not start until July 1, 2023,…

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Brittney Griner released in swap with arms dealer Viktor Bout

The US and Russia have exchanged jailed US basketball star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, held in an American prison for 12 years.President Joe Biden said Griner was safe and on a plane home from the United Arab Emirates. "I'm glad to say Brittney's in good spirits... she needs…

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"Thailand’s cannabis legal vacuum spawns concerns"

Thailand has spent more than six months trying to pass a law to control the use of cannabis, but this legal vacuum is likely to continue for some time. Many lawmakers believe the Marijuana and Hemp Bill, which has already been shot down once, will not be passed during this Parliament, which is scheduled…

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What legalization of cannabis means for Maryland's criminal justice system

Marylanders voted last month to allow the legalization of cannabis for adult use, making the state the 22nd jurisdiction and the last state in the DMV area to do so. The legislation, which goes into full effect on July 1, 2023, allows the possession and sale of cannabis products up to one ounce for…

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Congressional lawmakers decline to put cannabis reform in defense bill

A large-scale defense bill that advocates had hoped would serve as a vehicle to enact cannabis banking and expungements reform does not include any cannabis language following bipartisan and bicameral negotiations. At the same time, details about the so-called SAFE Plus package that lawmakers have been…

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Thousands of cannabis possession convictions to be cleared for Connecticut residents

Governor Ned Lamont announced that thousands of Connecticut residents convicted of cannabis possession are set to have these records cleared in January using an automated erasure method. Records in approximately 44,000 cases will be fully or partially erased. The policy is an integral part of the 2021…

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Demecan supports the inter-association position on the use of medicinal cannabis

Demecan supports the inter-associational statement of the Federal Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies (BPC) on the new draft guideline of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) regarding the future handling of cannabis as medicine. The statements of various associations have been submitted to…

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Biden signs cannabis research bill, a historic first for federal cannabis reform

President Joe Biden has officially signed a cannabis research bill into law, making history by enacting the first piece of standalone federal cannabis reform legislation in U.S. history. The law gives the U.S. attorney general 60 days to either approve a given application or request supplemental…

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US (CO): New cannabis regulations go into effect

Redesignating medical cannabis as retail cannabis is one of several new rules regulating cannabis sales that went into effect at the start of this month.Another new regulation, partially prompted by the discovery of unsafe yeast and mold contamination by one cannabis vendor, calls for implementing use-by…

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D.C. lawmakers approve medical cannabis bill with license cap elimination

Washington, D.C. lawmakers have advanced an amended bill to fundamentally reshape the District’s medical cannabis program—including by eliminating cannabis business licensing caps, providing tax relief to operators, further promoting social equity, and creating new regulated business categories such as…

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"Transfer pricing is an often-overlooked necessity in cannabis"

Cannabis industry participants face a tough battle under a litany of regulations that may not change much in the near future. Transfer pricing rules must be considered and acted on properly to avoid even more tax problems for these businesses, say AB FinWright’s Simon Menkes, Abraham Finberg, and Rachel…

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Virginia hemp panel suggests tougher rules on unregulated THC products

A state task force studying the rise of unregulated cannabis products in Virginia is recommending stricter rules for businesses selling hemp-based delta-8 THC products that technically aren’t cannabis but produce a similar high when eaten or smoked. Virginia’s piecemeal approach to legalizing cannabis…

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Senator files bill to get country ready for federal cannabis legalization

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) on Thursday formally filed a previously announced bill to set the country up for federal cannabis legalization. The timing of the introduction is meant to roughly coincide with the 10th anniversary of his home state of Colorado’s vote to legalize adult-use cannabis. He…

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Colombian and Mexican presidents announce international effort to reshape drug policy

The presidents of Colombia and Mexico announced that they will be bringing together other Latin American leaders for an international conference focused on on “redesigning and rethinking drug policy” given the “failure” of prohibition. As lawmakers in both countries work to advance cannabis legalization,…

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Texas activists fight back after local lawmakers undermine voter-approved cannabis decriminalization measures

Texas officials in several cities have moved to overturn or undercut local cannabis decriminalization ordinances that voters overwhelmingly approved at the ballot this month—but activists aren’t going down without a fight. Five cities passed the decriminalization ballot measures with strong margins on…