cannabis regulatory update

Colorado: Bipartisan Cannabis Bill To Streamline Regulations Heading To Governor  The Colorado General Assembly gave final approval Wednesday to a bipartisan bill aimed at streamlining the state's marijuana regulations. It is now headed to Gov. Jared...

Local Leaders In Queens Are Against Licensed Pot Shops, Here's Why Some New York City politicians don't want any new licensed cannabis shops until illegal ones are eradicated, reported the New York Post. Sherry Algredo, chairwoman of Queens Community Board 9 reached out to state regulators to...

Congressional Progressive Caucus Names Marijuana Legalization A Priority Ahead Of November Election As the November elections approach, efforts to garner more support among voters are doubling down. A new legislative agenda by the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) that was published last week...

Kansas Proposes Harsh Penalties For Hemp THC Levels In Kansas, a proposed amendment could significantly impact hemp farmers by introducing severe penalties for THC content exceeding 1%. State law mandates hemp THC levels be under 0.3%, but the new proposal suggests imprisonment for levels above 1...

Massachusetts Cannabis Sales Remain Steady In March Massachusetts saw $154 million worth of cannabis products sold in March, representing a 2.3% year-over-year increase, according to the data from the Cannabis Control Commission. The sum included $136.8 million in recreational and $17.2 million in...

Expanded Medical Marijuana Tax Holiday In D.C. Washington, D.C., is enhancing its medical marijuana program by extending the tax holiday from April 15 through April 28, in honor of the 4/20 holiday. This initiative aims to boost transactions at dispensaries with a tax rate usually set at 6%....

Iowa: Senate Committee Approves Bill Adding 25% Excise Tex On Consumable Hemp Products  State Senate Ways and Means Committee passed a bill Wednesday that would place a sin tax on consumable hemp products. Under Senate Study Bill 3186 consumable hemp products would have a 25% excise tax...

The Maryland General Assembly has advanced a bill designed to curtail the extent of local government's power in dictating the placement of new cannabis dispensaries. This legislation, aimed at forestalling excessively stringent zoning regulations by counties, marks a pivotal moment as Maryland...

Controversial Bill Threatens Access To Kentucky’s MMJ Program A measure that according to its sponsor would “clean some things up" within Ketucky's medical marijuana law is advancing through the legislature, reported Forward Kentucky. House Bill 829 from state Rep. Jason Nemes (R) seeks...

Several cannabis companies are challenging the federal ban on marijuana, arguing it has no legal basis. They claim the government’s original justification for prohibition - curbing illegal interstate trade - is no longer valid since many states have legalized marijuana. This lawsuit counters...

South Carolina’s Medical Marijuana Policy That Raised Eyebrows Up For Debate South Carolina lawmakers are pushing for medical cannabis policy reform yet again. However, this time around, a measure green-lighted by the state Senate last month is viewed by many as the "most restrictive cannabis...

More Pot Shops Than McDonald's  In a significant shift over the past decade, a majority of Americans now reside in states where the recreational use of marijuana is legal. This change comes only twelve years after Colorado and Washington led the way in legalizing the plant for...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated a proactive stance toward establishing a regulatory framework for Cannabidiol (CBD) while continuing to monitor kratom closely. Kimberlee Trzeciak, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation and International Affairs, announced the agency...

Virginia House Panel Green-Lights Marijuana Bill, Pushes Sales Launch Deadline To Mid-2025 A Virginia House panel green-lighted a revised “compromise” version of a bill to legalize and regulate retail marijuana sales in the commonwealth on Thursday. SB 448 from Sen. Aaron R. Rouse (D)...

Since New York legalized cannabis in 2021, marijuana DUI arrests have fallen by 20%, from 2,225 to 1,771, sparking concerns over the state's monitoring of impaired drivers amid market expansion and 109 new licenses. However, the challenge of accurately detecting marijuana-impaired driving...