Policy

Arizona Rec. Legalization Appears Likely on the 2016 Ballot

Arizona marijuana advocates need over 150,000 signatures supporting their initiative to legalize recreational marijuana by July 7th to secure a spot on the 2016 ballot. After beginning their efforts in April, following the state’s approval process, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona has already received about two-thirds of those signatures and appears […]

What’s Behind Colorado’s Drop in Cannabis Revenue?

Colorado’s recreational and medical marijuana revenue reached $94.6 million in September, which represents a drop of around $6 million from August’s $100 million in combined sales. The drop could have been due to a seasonal dip in sales, as the summer months come to an end, students return to school, and people get on with […]

Surrounded: Canada & Mexico Move to Legalize Marijuana

The United States may have pioneered the idea of legalizing adult-use cannabis on a state level, but the country may be the last to legalize the drug federally in North America. The Mexican Supreme Court ruled that individuals had the right to possess, consume, and grow marijuana for personal use in a 4-1 decision in […]

GreenWave Advisors Sees Marijuana Industry Hitting $25B by 2020

The U.S. marijuana industry could reach $25 billion by 2020, according to a new report by GreenWave Advisors, driven by the ongoing legalization of the drug across the country. After initially pegging the market at $21 billion, the cannabis research and advisory firm raised its outlook for the market, citing better-than-expected recreational use product sales […]

Ohio Voters Just Say No to Marijuana Legalization

Ohio voters rejected a proposal on Tuesday that would have marked the first time that a state moved straight from marijuana prohibition to recreational legalization. Despite its significant funding and star-studded list of supporters, including NFL player Frostee Rucker and fashion designer Nanette Lapore, many experts believed the measure was doomed from the start due […]

Donald Trump Shifts Stance on Marijuana Legalization

Donald Trump – the front-running Republican presidential candidate – indicated that he fully supports medical marijuana and also supports states making their own decisions about whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana during a Nevada campaign stop. “The marijuana thing is such a big deal,” said Trump during the speech. “I think medical should happen […]

Bernie Sanders’ Would Take a Unique Approach to Legalization

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is taking a unique approach to legalization, saying that he would remove marijuana entirely from the government’s schedule of controlled substances if elected as the next president. While the move wouldn’t amount to a federal legalization of the drug, it would strip the Department of Justice of its powers to prosecute individuals […]

Republicans Remain Divided on Pot Legalization

Republicans may seem to be oppose marijuana legalization on the surface, given their conservative values and opinionated action on issues like abortion, but the party has been split into two camps with very differing opinions on how the drug should be treated. On one hand, Republicans are firm believers in states’ rights and limiting the […]

DEA Raids Indian Tribe to Destroy Hemp Plants

The Drug Enforcement Administration has become increasingly aggressive in its crackdown on marijuana, despite the Justice Department’s past guidance instructing federal agencies from focusing on more harmful drugs and criminal activities. In the latest sign of this aggression, federal agents swarmed the Menominee Indian tribe’s Wisconsin reservation and eradicated 30,000 cannabis plants that were part […]

Feds to Cannabis Industry: You’re Only Legitimate Enough to Owe Taxes

Marijuana businesses may be generating more tax revenue than states can handle, but the government still refuses to provide basic banking services to the sector. Earlier this week, the Federal Reserve denied clearance for a new Colorado-based credit union looking to bank the state’s $700-million-dollar legal marijuana industry, despite the Treasury Department’s guidance last year […]

Oregon Sets the Stage for Legalization in 2016 with New Rules

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (“OLCC”) approved new rules for its recreational marijuana program that’s set to launch next year. From security to labeling requirements, the 77-page document were reviewed by attorneys for the commission and the Oregon Department of Justice before being approved. The regulations will officially go into effect in January when the […]

Marijuana Goes Mainstream & Society is Better Off

The number of Americans using marijuana has doubled over the past decade, rising to more than 22 million users representing 44% of respondents, according to a new Gallup poll, which analyzed health surveys sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Click Here: Sign-up for CannaLetter to Receive Stories like this in Your […]

Federal Court Slams DEA for Harassing Legal MMJ Operations

A federal court in California found that the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) interpretation of recent medical marijuana bills “defies language and logic”, “tortures the plain meaning of the statute”, and is “at odds with the fundamental notions of the rule of law” in a harshly worded ruling that promises to put the Department of Justice […]

What Does Trudeau’s Landslide Victory Means for Canadian Pot?

Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau will be Canada’s new prime minister, beating out Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper by a landslide. After nearly a decade of Conservative control, the Liberals promise to bring change in the form of economic stimulus, environmental reforms, middle-class tax cuts, and of course, marijuana legalization. The big question now is […]

CannaNative Wants to Bank the Unbankable

Cannabis businesses may be generating plenty of revenue with recreational and medical marijuana legalization becoming increasingly commonplace, but business owners are struggling to find a place to deposit their cash in a federally-regulated banking system. According to the Treasury Department, financial institutions in more than 25 states filed more than 1,700 reports for marijuana-related businesses […]

Dem Debate Uncovers Surprising Stances on Marijuana Legalization

The first Democratic presidential debate was predictably dominated by front-runner Hillary Clinton, but comments about the legalization of marijuana managed to surprise some viewers. Bernie Sanders Endorses Legalization Bernie Sanders, a socialist senator from Vermont, became the first major-party candidate to endorse marijuana legalization and even admitted to smoking marijuana in the past. In addition, […]

Upcoming Elections Will Determine the Fate of Canadian Cannabis

Canadians will vote in the most important election in the history of the country’s cannabis on October 19th, with Liberals boldly supporting cannabis and Conservatives looking to take a step backwards in cannabis policy if elected into office. Liberal Legalization The Liberal Party is committed to legalizing and regulating marijuana anywhere between a month to […]

Why California’s New MMJ Laws are a Big Deal

California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed three bills into law that comprise the California Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act – or MMRSA for short. Despite being the single largest market for legalized marijuana in the world, valued at over $1.3 billion by ArcView’s estimates, the state had woefully outdated laws surrounding its medical marijuana […]

Oregon’s Initial Pot Sales Point to a Booming Market

Oregonian dispensaries sold $10.8 million worth of recreational marijuana during the first six days that it has been legalized, according to the Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association. Based on these estimates, the retail group projects that sales will “wildly surpass” that state’s projections – for $9 million in tax revenue during the first full year […]

Georgia Cannabis Oil Research Looks Promising

The State of Georgia’s clinical trials exploring the medicinal uses of cannabis oil to prevent seizures is starting to show promise, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Commission on Medical Cannabis provided an update on the study saying that seizures caused by one of the most severe forms of epilepsy – Dravet syndrome – fell […]

Uruguay Anticipates Cannabis for Sale in 2016

Uruguay granted licenses to two companies to grow cannabis for commercial distribution and indicated that the drug should go on sale in pharmacies next year, according to Reuters. Start-ups Symbiosys and Iccorp were selected to produce two tonnes of marijuana each year with the government stepping in to provide security for the perimeter of the […]

Oregon’s Cannabis Workers Look to Unionize

Oregon launched its recreational marijuana program on October 1st and some workers have already decided to unionize, according to Oregon Live. The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555 negotiated a three-year contract on behalf of employees at a Portland-based dispensary and hope to broker similar deals across the state. According to the initial contract, […]

Trudeau Clashes with Harper Over Cannabis Legalization

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau ignited some controversy after vowing to legalize cannabis if elected a day after Harper called marijuana “infinitely worse” than tobacco in a French-language debate, according to CTV News. “We have spent a couple of generations trying to reduce the usage of tobacco in Canada with a lot of success,” said Harper […]

Ex-Police Chief to Lead UK Legalization Efforts

Tom Lloyd, a former chief constable of the Cambridgeshire police, will head a new cannabis law reform group called the National Cannabis Coalition, encompassing NORML UK, the UK Cannabis Social Clubs, and the United Patients Alliance, according to The Guardian. The alliance is calling for legal access to marijuana for adult recreational and medicinal use […]

Oregon Recreational Sales Could Face DEA Scrutiny

Oregon opened the doors to recreational marijuana on October 1st, enabling any adult over the age of 21 to possess and smoke marijuana, but a KGW investigation found that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has sent more than $750,000 to Oregon police this year to combat it. According to the investigative report, the majority of […]

New Mexico Munis Look to Decriminalize Minor Possession

The majority of Bernadillo County residents supported the decriminalization of cannabis in 2014, but the city of Albuquerque continues to face an uphill battle in implementing voters’ desires into law, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The Abaquerque City Council narrowly voted 5-4, along party lines, in favor of making the possession of small amounts of […]

Maryland Prepares to Issue Licenses to MMJ Industry

Maryland’s medical marijuana laws are finally on the cusp of implementation two and a half years after being passed. According to the Washington Post, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission is ready to issue business licenses to medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation centers, prompting a range of reactions from public officials. The state’s regulations will permit […]

Pennsylvania MMJ Framework Remains in Limbo

Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives spent the summer months drafting the initial framework for a medical marijuana system and plan to send the recommendations to the GOP House Majority Leader Dave Reed in the coming weeks. With nearly 90% support among the state’s residents, the House leadership has placed a high priority on passing the bill […]

Costa Rican Officials Visit Colorado for Medical Cannabis Insights

A group of Costa Rican representatives will travel to Denver, Colorado in October to see first-hand the results of the medical cannabis industry, according to The Costa Rican Star. With the Central American country considering medical marijuana legislation this year, the officials plan to meet with medical cannabis business owners, as well as city and […]

Cannabis Advocates in Iowa Target Presidential Candidates

The cannabis advocacy group Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis recently announced the release of a questionnaire that they plan to deliver to all presidential candidates over the coming weeks that’s designed to leverage the state’s unique position, according to Sioux City Journal. The move follows similar initiatives by the group to reach out to campaigns and […]