US (CO): Boulder Council passes hemp regulations, with difference over how to deal with odor

A philosophical debate played out Tuesday among Boulder City Council on how best to keep notoriously smelly cannabis businesses from too forcefully dominating the aromas sensed by passerby and workers in neighboring commercial spaces. City staff had been working on business licensing regulations for the…

US (MA): State fine cannabis companies for chemical crop protection use

The state Cannabis Control Commission on Thursday unanimously approved hefty fines against two cannabis companies for illegally using pesticides on their products, then trying…

US (CA): Medicinal requirement removed for cannabis cultivation in Oceanside

Cannabis cultivation facilities in town will be able to provide products for both medical and recreational cultivation uses. City Council introduced an ordinance that removes the medical restriction for cultivation facilities. The action follows a direction Council gave to staff in August 2019 to bring…

Consultations on the cultivation of cannabis for domestic use and export in Saint Lucia

National consultations on the cultivation of cannabis for domestic use and export are taking place in Saint Lucia, as the Caribbean country debates plans to diversify its agricultural industry. Saint Lucia is among an ever-shrinking group of countries in the Caribbean that have yet to enact cannabis…

US: House includes cannabis protections for states, banks and universities in funding bills

As Congress prepares large-scale legislation to fund federal agencies for the next year, cannabis reform seems to be making progress. House versions of spending bills unveiled this week include provisions to protect medical legalization laws from federal interference, ease cannabis businesses’ access to…

US (AR): Fort Smith-based cultivation center plans to provide low-cost products, create up to 150 jobs

With the additional cultivation and dispensary license issued by the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission June 30, Storm Nolan’s four-year quest to open a cultivation center…

CAN (ON): State to end delivery and pickup services for provincial shops

Ontario-based privately-run cannabis stores will no longer be allowed to provide delivery or curbside pickup services to customers this month when a provincial emergency order expires, according to a government spokesperson.  "As our province carefully moves towards recovery, the [emergency order] to temporarily…

CAN (BC): Updated order regarding industrial work camps

With the province beginning to reopen, the BC Provincial Health Officer has issued a new Public Health Order relating to Industrial Work Camps and workers within the…

Jamaica to help small farmers enter the cannabis industry

Jamaica is making it easier for its small business owners and farmers to enter the cannabis industry. The Cannabis Licensing Authority of Jamaica (CLA) announced in late June that its special permit policy is in an advance stage of completion and consultations with interested parties have begun. The goal…

Congress passes bill granting researchers access to commercially available cannabis

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at allowing researchers to have access to the cannabis available commercially in states where legal recreational, and/or medical cannabis programs exist. This new legislation would mark a major shift from the current practice where…

Cannabis businesses and TCPA litigation risks

Cannabis companies are facing a slew of class action lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which prohibits unwanted automated calls and text messages. These businesses should act now to take compliance steps to reduce their TCPA class action litigation risks. Potential Damages…

US (NV): Cannabis Compliance Board takes over state's cannabis industry

The Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board became fully authorized and took over regulation of the state’s cannabis industry today. Last year, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed AB 533, creating the CCB. “Nevada’s first-ever Cannabis Compliance Board will play a vital role in both supporting the industry and holding it…

US (NY): Why 'seed-to-sale' rules are key to NY legalization debate

For years in New York, the supply chain for pot has existed outside the legal realm, conducted through underground market distribution channels hidden from government…

US (CA): Santa Barbara grand jury criticized over cannabis industry

The Santa Barbara County grand jury criticized county supervisors this week for allowing “unfettered access” to cannabis lobbyists as the board voted to let cannabis cultivation explode in the Santa Ynez Valley region and Carpinteria with little regulation and a flimsy tax regime that has deprived the…

US (AR): State awards more licenses

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission on Tuesday voted to issue the state's final two licenses to grow cannabis, in response to a lingering debate over whether the state has enough supply of the drug to serve patients. Two prospective cultivators, in Fort Smith and Hot Springs, were made eligible to…

US (CA): Los Angeles to reset cannabis licensing program

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a makeover of its widely criticized cannabis licensing program to enlist more operators who endured the consequences of the…

US (MA): Energy and water usage report required for renewal of cultivation license

In November 2019, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) released new regulations dictating that Marijuana Cultivators engaged in indoor cultivation must include a report of their energy and water usage over the 12-month period preceding the date of their license renewal applications. This…

US (NV): Carson City moves forward on hemp lawsuit, policy

Carson City is working on a policy for hemp growing as it continues to fight a lawsuit brought by a cultivator who wants to grow on city open space land. The city recently responded to an amended complaint filed by Tahoe Hemp LLC, which now brings two other plaintiffs — James Jarrard as trustee of the…

Thailand to allow private sector cannabis production

Reopening its cannabis regulatory platform after months of disruption caused by the coronavirus, the Food and Drug Administration has prepared a draft bill to abolish a 5-year ban on the private sector making cannabis medicine. Two draft ministerial regulations, one on marijuana and the other on hemp,…

US (IL): State delays awarding cultivation licenses

Illinois will delay awarding more than 80 cannabis licenses meant to expand the industry, following setbacks in the application process brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The state’s Department of Agriculture, which regulates cannabis grow facilities, had been set to award 40 craft grow licenses, 40…

CAN: Two new industry councils to support cannabis producers

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce National Cannabis Working Group, comprised of over 70 industry-leading companies is pleased to announce the creation of the National License Holders Council and the International Cannabis Council. As Canada considers how to boost its economy after the devastating impacts…

US (ME): Cannabis cultivation project moves on despite town meeting opposition

Planning Board members decried a “shameful” situation at a June 29 meeting after finding out a Route 6 cannabis cultivation project was already given the go-ahead by another government body — ten days before failing for the second time at Town Meeting. Maine-based cannabis grower Casco Botanical had been…

The importance of site selection for cannabis businesses

Site control is paramount when considering any type of cannabis facility. The most recent New Jersey Department of Health Request for Applications (RFA) in 2019 made evidence of site control and support of the local community mandatory elements of the application process, which required proof of lease or…

US: How cannabis laws complicate doing research

In the humid rooms of industrial-sized greenhouses on the outskirts of Geneva live hundreds of hemp plants of more than 60 varieties, a large part of Cornell University’s hemp breeding and genetics program. At Surge Laboratory, a short walk from the greenhouses, doctoral student Jacob Toth preps several…

US (CA): San Diego creates cannabis permitting bureau

San Diego is creating a new Cannabis Permitting Bureau to step up enforcement of city regulations and potentially revoke permits of dispensaries and production facilities that…

US (CA): State cannabis licensing authorities offer license fee deferrals to additional licensees

The three state cannabis licensing authorities announced today that businesses with state commercial cannabis licenses expiring between July 1, 2020 and August 31, 2020 may request 60-day deferrals of their license fee payments. This allows for fee deferral financial assistance to be provided to…

US (IA): Bill signed to change THC cap for MMJ program

Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a bill that changes the cap on THC in Iowa's medical cannabis program and allows patients with more conditions to access the program. But the state's largest medical cannabis provider has warned the lower THC limit will not allow some patients currently in the…

US (WV): State to accept MMJ lab permits indefinitely

Efforts to provide qualifying West Virginians with medical cannabis are underway with new developments, three years after the Medical Cannabis Act was signed into law.  The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis is accepting permit applications for medical cannabis labs after previously closing this process…

UY: Uruguay agency sets roadmap for hemp sector development

Cannabis-derived food & feed, cosmetics, medicine and genetics offer the best export opportunities for Uruguay in the coming years, according to a recent report from the country’s Investment & Export Promotion Agency. Noting those sectors represent the potential for “short-term export impact,” the Agency…

US (OK): Cannabis businesses sue over residency, location requirements

Several medical marijuana businesses in Oklahoma are asking a judge to block the state from enforcing laws they say could prevent some licensed cannabis businesses from…

"Time for New Zealand to harness economic potential of medicinal cannabis"

"Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, we’ve heard a lot about resetting the economy and the need to focus on sunrise, not sunset, industries," Paul Manning, Helius Therapeutics CEO, explains. "At the same time, during the Alert Level Four lockdown in April, the Ministry of Health pushed play on New…

US (CA): Oceanside to allow commercial cannabis cultivation

Oceanside’s City Council voted 4-1 this week to add the commercial cultivation of recreational marijuana to its list of regulated cannabis businesses. All other businesses such as manufacture, testing and distribution will remain for medical uses only for now, but the council agreed to reconsider in six…

Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association

US (AR): No consensus reached on cannabis-grower permits

Lawmakers on Tuesday questioned whether there's a shortage of medical marijuana in Arkansas ahead of a looming deadline to award two outstanding cultivation licenses. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission has until July 10 to decide whether to expand the number of licensed marijuana cultivators from…

Pavel Aleynikov | Dreamstime.com

US: Why more states could legalize cannabis in 2021

Amid recession and social unrest, the cannabis industry sees its moment. Actions by states to reduce criminal penalties for marijuana use and possession are fueling momentum for the broader movement to legalize cannabis and have it serve as an economic engine for cash-strapped coffers, industry members…

US (IL): Waukegan could get marijuana craft grower

A long vacant warehouse in Waukegan could be the new home of a marijuana craft grower as early as next year. The Waukegan City Council voted 8-1 last week to grant Goddess…

US (CA): CDFA releases proposed rule for comparable-to-organic cannabis program

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released proposed regulations for the OCal program. The OCal program will be a statewide certification program to certify cannabis under a program based on the National Organic Program (NOP). Currently, federal laws prevent the certification of…

US: Whistleblower to testify Attorney General Barr anti-cannabis sentiment fueled cannabis industry investigations

A Department of Justice whistleblower is expected to testify on Wednesday that Attorney General Bill Barr improperly went after cannabis suppliers because of his personal feelings about the industry. According to testimony released on Tuesday, John Elias, a career department employee, will highlight…

US (VA): State cannabis office grading grower applications this week

The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis is in the final stages of reviewing grower applicants and will begin scoring applications this week. The state is limiting the…

US (CA): Federal govt. says no to help cannabis firms hurt by Corona crisis

While they pay taxes and provide jobs, North Bay cannabis businesses say they are facing a double standard when it comes to the COVID-19, because the federal view of their product as a controlled substance means no payroll relief loans. “It's just one more way the federal government is punishing cannabis…

IL: Govt. to approve cannabis legalization bill

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation is set to approve a bill on Sunday submitted by Likud MK Sharren Haskel that would decriminalize the use of cannabis for Israeli…

Stories from the roundtable that made cannabis regulations in Colorado

To allow an entire industry to come out into the sunlight requires a very long time and thorough planning. Many other industries, like the automobile one for instance, took decades and decades of fine-tuning before it became the industry that we all know. The same reasoning can be applied with regards to…

US (AR): State approves additional license to meet growing demand

A growing demand for medical cannabis in Arkansas prompted the state’s regulatory commission for the drug to approve an additional cultivation license on Tuesday. There are…

US: Lawmakers push USDA to let hemp growers to access Coronavirus relief funds

Two members of Congress representing New York recently wrote a letter to the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), asking that the agency extend access to a…

US (AR): Additional growing license issued to meet increasing demand

A growing demand for medical cannabis in Arkansas prompted the state's regulatory commission for the drug to approve an additional cultivation license on Tuesday. There are five licensed growers in Arkansas, though only three have harvested and sold their cannabis crop. Carpenter Farms Medical Group, a…

AU: Grower to be able to export MMJ into more overseas markets

Cannabis growers have been granted permission to begin exporting medicinal marijuana and hemp into more foreign markets.  Federal parliament passed a bill on Wednesday giving farmers…

Nepal parliament proposes new hemp cultivation rules

Members of Parliament in Nepal have introduced a new bill that would establish a formal medical cannabis sector and refine the existing hemp cultivation guidelines. Nepal has become well known around the world for its relaxed stance on cannabis, as the plant grows wild in many parts of the country. The…

Maui Grown Therapies

US (HI): Maui County proclaims June 14th as 'Medical Cannabis Day'

Maui County, Hawaii Mayor Michael Victorino proclaimed June 14 as Medical Cannabis Day in the county, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the state becoming the first to pass medical cannabis reforms via the legislative process. Victorino made the announcement on June 13 at Maui Grown Therapies, the…

CAN (BC): New resource helps cannabis producers enter the legal market

Cannabis producers looking to enter B.C.’s legal market can now use a step-by-step online guide that helps simplify and streamline the licensing process. The Cannabis Production Regulatory Navigator has been created to help prospective cannabis cultivators and processors work their way through the steps…

CannNext

5 hard knockouts for the successful start-up of a legal (medicinal) organization in the Netherlands

The regulation of the production of (medicinal and) recreational cannabis requires enormous efforts from all parties that want to be involved, including the government. Eric Uleman is the managing director of CannNext, a company with a state-of-the-art facility in the Netherlands where they grow medical…

US (IL): Social equity cannabis licensing could begin next month

Budding weed entrepreneurs will have to wait at least another month to learn if they’ve won one of 75 coveted dispensary licenses from the state. The licenses were supposed to be awarded May 1, but Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order at the end of April indefinitely suspending the decision, citing…

US (OH): Curaleaf gives up MMJ license for Clermont County facility

One of the biggest cannabis companies in the U.S. has forfeited its license to make medical cannabis products in Southwest Ohio, paving the way to acquire a more lucrative…

US (OR): Portland lawmakers vote to take cannabis tax money away from police department

The Portland City Council approved an amendment to a proposed budget on Thursday that would divest cannabis tax revenue funds from the city’s police department. The budget as a whole has not yet passed and will be taken up again next week. Amid widespread calls to defund law enforcement in response to…

CH: Tax refund for cannabis producers in Switzerland who were wrongly taxed

At the beginning of the year, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court ruled in favor of three plaintiffs that cannabis is not a substitute for tobacco and therefore is not taxable…

US (MP): Nothern Mariana Islands legalizes hemp

Authored by Rep. Marco T. Peter, House Bill 21-55, which is now Public Law 21-25, allows the Department of Lands and Natural Resources-Division of Agriculture to regulate the hemp industry in the CNMI “consistent with the federal requirements.” Hemp is similar to marijuana, but its tetrahydrocannabinol…

PT: Hemp in Portugal to be regulated by four agencies

The cultivation of hemp, for industrial purposes, including food, will be controlled by the Agriculture and Fisheries Financing Institute, Judicial Police, Republican National Guard and Public Security Police. According to a draft regulatory decree to which Lusa, the Portuguese news agency, had access,…

IE: MMJ private equity fund established

Ireland's first ever private equity medical cannabis fund has been established. The new venture has been set up by Crossroads Capital Management Limited (CCM) and Óskare Capital SAS. The alternative investment fund is now to be marketed to qualifying investors around the world. Óskare Capital is a French…

BR: Rio de Janeiro approves law for research and cultivation of medical cannabis

Rio de Janeiro is the first Brazilian state to pass legislation for the cultivation and research of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The new legislation follows the 78 court authorizations (Habeas Corpus) for self-cultivation by patients. It was a tight vote, but 41 state deputies in Rio de Janeiro…

IL: EU grants Israeli company certification to export MMJ

Panaxia became the first publicly held medical cannabis company in Israel to receive the requested certification for exporting medical cannabis.  Though Israel’s Ministry of Health,…

The rise of cannabis litigation against foreign entities

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, our firm has seen a rise in inquiries relating to litigation between domestic parties and international parties. By the simple fact that a dispute involves a foreign party, a host of special considerations come into play – one of which is, where will this be…

US (MI): Bill that would've given MMJ licenses to lawmakers' spouses backed off

A bill in Michigan that initially would have allowed the spouses of elected officials obtain medical cannabis business licenses has been scaled back on the floor of the House…

CR: Cannabis legal loopholes create unnecessary troublesome issues

Cannabis users in Costa Rica pay almost ten times more for every gram, obtained from illegal sources, compared to places near their border. The information was presented by…

NL: Dutch experiment on cannabis supply chain to kick off application process

After many years during which the cannabis industry in the Netherlands has been navigating a grey area, from the first of July, the Dutch experiment on a regulated cannabis supply chain will finally kick off the application process. The experiment will involve ten municipalities where cannabis will be…

US (CO): Social equity businesses would be defined under new bill

Colorado lawmakers advanced a newly introduced bill on Wednesday that would create a statewide definition of which businesses qualify as cannabis social equity license applicants and are eligible for certain incentives. The legislation, which is the product of months of dialogue between reform advocates,…

US (CA): Santa Barbara County cannabis tax revenues will exceed sales taxes

The county’s $1.2 billion budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, beginning July 1, includes an estimated $10.6 million in cannabis tax revenue, money that officials say will help backfill losses associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the recession. From July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, cannabis taxes are…

IL: Govt. announces plan to advance cannabis legalization

The two biggest parties making up the new government on Tuesday said they would push for increased legalization of cannabis use, a week after the police minister backed easing…

What is the legal status of CBD?

Recently a spokesperson for a state food regulatory agency told a reporter that cannabidiol (CBD) is not regulated by the state. Actually, use of CBD in food is illegal under that state’s food law, and the law is enforced by that spokesperson’s agency. Thus, confusion over the status of CBD proliferates. CBD is a component of…

Hemp license application and the "Bona Fide Farmer"

A not uncommon question persists regarding the use of the term “Bona Fide Farmer” in the hemp license application: “Is there a minimum farm income threshold to qualify as a ‘Bona Fide Farmer’?” It is a legitimate question considering the use of the term – related to zoning in the North Carolina General…

US cannabis companies eyeing Canada for bankruptcy protection

The recent filing for Canadian bankruptcy by cannabis company Green Growth Brands is perhaps another sign that U.S-based multistate operators are looking north for potential…

NORML: Cannabis legalization and the fight for racial justice

On May 25th, George Floyd was killed on camera by officers affiliated with the Minneapolis Police Department. As were many Americans, we were shocked and disheartened by this tragic and needless loss of life.  As the events of the past few days have unfolded, it is clear that America is in the midst of a long…

What’s needed to grow cannabis in Zimbabwe?

Cannabis, or ‘mbanje’ in Zimbabwe, is legally governed by the Dangerous Drugs Act, and is illegal to have or use. Found simply in possession, or using it, an offender can face up to 10 years in prison, and a fine on top of that. All smoking paraphernalia related to cannabis is illegal, as is…

US (OK): After veto, some OK MMJ businesses in license limbo

At 61, Matthew Koontz came to Oklahoma from Michigan hoping to provide a boost for his retirement savings by making his play in Oklahoma’s medical cannabis industry as a grower, and eventually, a dispensary owner selling his own products. But what looked to be a dream come true has slowly dissolved into…

New cultivation and export rules proposed for Czech Republic

On 11 May 2020, the Czech government approved a bill amending the Act on Addictive Substances (the "Bill"). The purpose of the Bill is to expand the possibilities for cultivating cannabis for medical use to a broader range of subjects, including natural persons, thus increasing its availability to Czech…

White House is reviewing CBD and marijuana research guidance from FDA

The White House is currently reviewing a federal plan for marijuana and CBD research. The Food and Drug Administration submitted draft guidance on the issue last week to the White House Office of Management and Budget. Details about the document — titled “Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Compounds: Quality…

US (NY): New York-based company accused of fraudulently appropriating license

A Florida company focused on low-THC cannabis sued a New York-based cannabis company in New York County’s Supreme Court Commercial Division Friday, arguing that a medical cannabis license worth tens of millions of dollars was fraudulently misappropriated. In the complaint, which accuses New York-based…

MT: Five companies applied for medical cannabis cultivation in Malta

Five companies have applied with the Medicines Authority to cultivate and grow cannabis for medical and research purposes, Julia Farrugia Portelli told parliament. The information was tabled in reply to a parliamentary question by PN MP Claudio Grech. Farrugia Portelli is tourism minister but also has…

US (CA): Santa Barbara supervisors to discuss commercial cannabis requirements

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will consider implementing new development standards and permit requirements regarding certain commercial cannabis activities. In July 2019, the board directed staff to have the Planning Commission come up with recommendations or strategies to help…

US (CA): Tulare County approves hemp cultivation ordinance

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved zoning ordinances and use permits to allow for hemp cultivation in the county. The ordinance essentially treats industrial hemp as any other legal agriculture crop, with some additional restrictions. The cultivation and production of industrial…

US (MN): Red Lake Nation approves MMJ

A historic vote for an Ojibwe tribe in Minnesota revealed mass support for medical cannabis. Red Lake Nation citizens voted on Wednesday in favor of medical cannabis on tribal…

US: USDA approves hemp plans for US Virgin Islands and four native American tribes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Wednesday that it has approved hemp regulatory plans from a U.S. territory and four additional Indian tribes. The U.S. Virgin Islands is the first territory to have its proposal accepted. USDA also signed off on plans from the Cheyenne River Sioux…

US (CA): Cannabis project denied in Santa Barbara County

The Santa Barbara County Planning Commission voted Wednesday to deny the Herbal Angels cannabis cultivation and processing project proposed for Cebada Canyon Road and is scheduled to take final action next month. Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny the project but didn't have findings prepared for rejecting…

US (CA): Calexico City officials charged with corruption over cannabis business licensing

Calexico City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem David Romero, along with Bruno Suarez-Soto, a commissioner on the city’s Economic Development and Financial Advisory Commission, were charged in federal court today with accepting cash bribes in exchange for promises of official action by the city. According to…

Zimbabwe grants full farm ownership to cannabis investors

Following the legalization of cannabis in Zimbabwe, the government has granted approval for all local and foreign cannabis investors to fully own farms and licenses. The…

European Court of Justice throws down on hemp

A company named Kanavape, whose CBD was extracted from hemp in the Czech Republic (in accordance with both Czech and EU law), exported their products to France in 2014. They were prosecuted in a country where the only thing that is legit is the plant’s fiber and seeds (products made from the entire plant…

CAN (BC): Grower applauds Manitoba cannabis retail expansion

"Delta 9 Cannabis is pleased to see the Manitoba Government pushing forward on the third phase of its retail cannabis expansion," the company states. Delta 9 will be undertaking multiple expansion strategies and applying for licenses to open additional cannabis retail outlets in Manitoba, as a part of…

US (NJ): Lafayette approves medical cannabis facility additions

A medical cannabis growing and processing facility yet to be built on Route 94 has grown by approximately 30,000 square feet. The Township Land Use Board, at its virtual meeting Thursday, unanimously approved the expansion for room to install HVAC equipment inside the building and to provide adequate…

Green Thumb

US: Cannabis binge in quarantine lifts hope for federal legalization

There’s a lot to be depressed about as a lethal virus spreads, leaving economic devastation and political division in its wake. But these difficult days haven’t been awful for the up-and-down cannabis industry. With nine in 10 Americans approving of either medicinal or recreational use, more than 20…

JM: Regulators push temporary measures in light of import and export licensing delays

Jamaican regulators are hoping to mitigate the impact of delays in the release of its final commercial cannabis import and export licensing regulations—which were due in April…

US (MI): Cannabis regulatory agency expands social equity program

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) announced today an expansion of the eligibility criteria to its social equity program, as well as increased benefits, further reduced fees, and enhanced eligibility for certain applicants. Beginning June 1, 2020, this expansion will increase the number of…

US (ME): Portland approves local cannabis ordinance that favors Maine residents

After more than a year of deliberation, Maine’s largest city joined 40 other communities to opt into the cannabis industry, but it broke ranks with the state by deciding to…

US (LA): House votes to expand MMJ program

Friday was a busy day at the Louisiana House of Representatives, though most of the bills lawmakers sent to the state Senate were approved without controversy. Perhaps surprisingly, given the vigorous debate on the subject during past sessions, a measure to expand the state’s medical cannabis program was…

US: House approves cannabis banking as part of Coronavirus bill

The House approved a coronavirus relief package on Friday that includes provisions that would protect banks that service state-legal marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. The vote was 208 to 199. Advocates, stakeholders and lawmakers have been pushing for some form of cannabis…

US (CA): State cannabis licensing authorities offer 60-day license fee deferral

The three state cannabis licensing authorities announced today that businesses with state commercial cannabis licenses expiring between now through June 30, 2020 may request 60-day deferrals of their license fee payments. This adds financial assistance to the relief provided to licensees from specific…

US: NCIA requesting DEA stay out of cannabis research

Some may think legal cannabis and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are less at odds than the DEA was with the illicit market, but that may not be true. A national cannabis trade group is publicly asking the DEA to keep out of medical cannabis research. They think doctors and other health…

Israel getting ready to begin medical cannabis export

Today, Israel announced its approval for exports of medical cannabis, meaning that sales outside of the country can now commence. The nation expects to earn millions in…

US (IL): Lake County may approve Benmore Valley-based cannabis farm

On Thursday, the Lake County Planning Commission will consider approving permits for two large commercial cannabis farming projects that would grow 54 acres of crop if carried…

Albania close to legalizing medical cannabis

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced today that the government is preparing a draft law that would legalize the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes. During a…

US: Cannabis industry access to banking services included in Coronavirus relief bill

One of the most needed things for cannabis companies in the US is access to banking services and loans. The contradiction between states and federal laws have led to widespread uncertainty when it comes to banking access for cannabis businesses. This has also affected other countries that are linked to…

US (MO): Amendment could lift cap on MMJ licenses

A proposal in the Missouri legislature would open the door for more businesses to land a medical cannabis license. An amendment tacked onto legislation being considered would essentially allow “any business owner to secure a license if they meet minimum state requirements,” according to local television…

US (AK): Cannabis rule to limit virus spreading rescinded due to conflict with federal law

Alaska cannabis regulators abruptly reversed themselves last week, repealing their own policy meant to limit the spread of coronavirus because they feared federal law preempted the state action. The state Marijuana Control Board said on Thursday that emergency regulations passed last month, which briefly…

US (UT): State to allow drive-thru and home delivery as demand increases

Since the first week of March, when they became legal in Utah, three medical cannabis pharmacies have opened in Utah. As demand for their products steadily increases, two of those pharmacies are preparing to offer drive-thru services in July. In addition to drive-thru, the state will allow pharmacies to…

JM: Cannabis export regulations delayed in Jamaica

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, those excited about the promise of commercial export of cannabis from Jamaica will have to wait even longer, as new regulations have been delayed.  It’s not yet clear how long the country will have to wait. Regulations were initially due at the end of April, but now, Jamaica’s…

Still a long way to go for cannabis legalization in Armenia

An American investor decided to invest in hemp cultivation in Armenia, in agreement with the authorities. However, just mentioning cannabis plantations caused a storm of indignation in Armenian society. The executive of the republic really didn’t want to lose the support of civil society. Although the…

AU: MMJ approvals remain steady despite pandemic

Medical cannabis approvals in Australia have remained steady amid the Coronavirus pandemic, new data reveals. According to figures released by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the national agency approved more than 7,300 collective applications between March and April under Special Access…

US (MO): Lawmaker seeking to remove limit of MMJ licenses

As a legislative probe into the rollout of Missouri's medical cannabis program has expanded into Gov. Mike Parson's office, a Neosho-area lawmaker is working to remove a cap on the number of medical cannabis licenses set by the state. Though he said he voted against Amendment 2 in 2018, Rep. Ben Baker,…

Exploring cannabis regulations in Zambia

The Republic of Zambia, or just Zambia, is located in south-central Africa, landlocked between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia, Angola,…

US: USDA approves additional hemp production plans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the approval of hemp production plans under the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program for Massachusetts, the…

US (FL): Case challenging Florida law on MMJ licenses

In a case that could have important implications for the medical-cannabis industry, Florida Supreme Court justices Wednesday waded into a battle about whether the state has…

Costa Rica govt to promote hemp cultivation to stimulate national economy

As part of his annual report, President Carlos Alvarado presented the measures with which he hopes to rebuild the economy after the COVID 19 Pandemic, which includes promoting…

AU: New laws allow hemp cultivation in Northern Territory

Hemp crops can now be grown legally in the Northern Territory as new laws take effect. NT growers will be able to cultivate and supply low range cannabis for food, fibre and seed production from Wednesday. Industrial hemp plants differ from regular hemp species in that they contain very low levels of THC…

New Zealand releases cannabis legalization plan

When Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister of New Zealand, in 2017, she promised a vote on cannabis legalization. Her party, the Labour party, in partnership with the Green Party, said they would make it happen before the end of their term, which is this year. That promise is one step closer to…

CH: Swiss parliament approves motion to change country's cannabis law

Despite being put on hold due to the pandemic, the Swiss Parliament has passed a motion calling for a change in the country’s cannabis law. The bill will do several things. The first is to allow the Swiss to export cannabis. The second is to authorize regular doctors to prescribe cannabis directly.…

US: USDA released guidelines for federal loans to hemp businesses

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released guidelines for processing federal loans for the hemp industry. Since hemp was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, it is now considered an agricultural commodity like any other crop, and USDA has taken several steps to sync the market…

US (CA): Proposed regulations released for comparable-to-organics cannabis standards

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has released the proposed regulations for the OCal Program, a statewide certification program that will establish and enforce comparable-to-organic cannabis standards. The release of these regulations marked the official start of the public comment…

US (CA): County invests over $2M to local equity program

Mendocino County announced April 20 an award of more than $2 million dollars from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. The award comes after three months of an intensive research collaboration between the county and the California Center for Rural Policy at Humboldt State…

US (CT): Growers and retailers expect new guidelines to stick around even after end of pandemic

Connecticut’s eight-year-old medical marijuana program has been tightly regulated from the start, but the coronavirus pandemic has forced the state to ease some restrictions, which could change the way the industry operates long term. Some in the industry are also hopeful Connecticut will follow other…

"Mexican cannabis legalization will help with economic recovery"

The Mexican senator Julio Ramón Menchaca Salazar said that new laws could give the opportunity to approve the regulation of cannabis and achieve the pacification of the country, because the illegal production of this plant has constituted mafias with enormous economic power that have caused violence and…

UK: Prescription-free cannabis through corona-crisis

The UK government published emergency legislation which, if activated, would allow patients to continue accessing controlled drugs for the duration of the pandemic, from local…

New Zealand takes lessons from Canadian legislation process

The New Zealand Government released details of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill. In this year's General Election, New Zealand inhabitants can also vote in a…

"Despite Corona, medical marijuana still on the table in 2020"

While the focus of Kansas governor Laura Kelly is mainly on taking care of the COVID-19 outbreak at the moment and reopening the state of Kansas, she says medical marijuana…