From Our Writers

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has signed a bill creating regulations for the state’s adult-use cannabis industry, which was approved by voters in 2016. Former Gov. Paul LePage had vetoed similar reforms, stalling the market’s launch.

Hopeful medical cannabis patients in Missouri can officially begin applying for patient cards today after state officials moved up the start date for applications from July 4.

An Arizona State Auditor Office report alleges that cannabis regulators there inadequately investigated complaints, did not conduct health inspections at edible processing facilities, misallocated funds, and more.

Robert C. Clarke recently detailed his reasons for resigning from the Phylos Biosciences Scientific Advisory Board, saying he and the company no longer share the same cannabis research goals in the wake of its controversial breeding program.

Medical cannabis products are expected in West Virginia in two or three more years; this could mean a gap of up to five years between the bill’s signing and the market’s official launch.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed into law several cannabis policy updates, including a bill allowing the state to export cannabis products to other states with cannabis programs.

Massachusetts state officials have banned the sale of most CBD products, including CBD-infused food and beverages, CBD flower, CBD products that make medicinal or therapeutic claims, and any dietary supplements or animal feed containing hemp.

Ireland has established a five-year pilot program for medical cannabis access, two years after the health minister first announced the program.

The legislative task force assigned to consider the logistics of adult-use cannabis legalization in Maryland has convened for the first time; the task force’s findings will influence whether or not Maryland pursues adult-use legislation next year or turns the issue over to voters via a ballot initiative.

Illinois is officially the 11th state to legalize adult-use cannabis and will be the first state to regulate cannabis sales via the legislature. The new law, signed this morning, will also set up nearly 800,000 prior cannabis convictions for expungement.

Three weeks after its first public hearing on cannabidiol, the FDA says it will apply a “rigorous and science-based approach” to devising CBD regulations; however, despite the quickly growing marketplace, the agency has not yet set any official guidelines.

Just over 19,000 cannabis plants in Siskiyou County, California have been seized by law enforcement officials in the last month. County officials there have banned outdoor cultivation but patients can still grow up to 12 plants (up to six for non-medical users) indoors.

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy will offer the nation’s first master’s degree program in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics. Courses will take place online and at Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland.

A team of Australian researchers says CBD could have potent antibiotic properties after lab tests showed the cannabinoid was killing bacteria, including those that are highly resistant to existing antibiotics.

Only about half of Ohio’s registered medical cannabis patients have made a purchase at a state dispensary, with most patients saying they are deterred by high prices. In fact, for many patients, it’s cheaper to drive to a dispensary in Michigan.

Pennsylvania health officials have announced the first three clinical participants for the state’s medical cannabis research program.

New York lawmakers, after failing to adopt adult-use legalization this session, have approved legislation expanding cannabis decriminalization in the state and establishing a framework for the automatic expungement of low-level cannabis convictions.

The House of Representatives has approved a federal spending bill amendment that would block the Department of Justice from interfering in state-legal cannabis programs. The rider must now be approved by the Senate before it can take effect.

A new report from Arcview Group and BDS Analytics suggests that the global cannabinoid market could reach $14.9 billion by the end of 2019 – a 36 percent increase over last year.

Canada’s legal cannabis marketplace earned $186 million in general and excise taxes during its first five and a half months.

The House Committee on Small Business heard testimony on Wednesday from cannabis industry operators about the difficulties they face accessing Small Business Administration programs, despite the industry being primarily comprised of smaller firms.

The last-minute efforts to legalize or decriminalize adult-use cannabis in New York before the legislature adjourns for the year have failed; lawmakers will have to pursue the issue again next year.

Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the ban on public cannabis consumption is unconstitutional, effectively legalizing the public use of cannabis. According to one senator, the ruling was based on “technical legislative errors.”

Under new Health Canada regulations, single-serving cannabis edibles will have their THC content capped at just 10 milligrams of THC per package. Industry advocates call it regulatory overreach and warn that the rules will lead to excessive packaging waste.