From Our Writers

The United Kingdom has blocked a cannabis legalization package in Bermuda from becoming law, possibly throwing the Caribbean island territory into a constitutional crisis.

Ascend Wellness Holdings’ CEO and Founder Abner Kurtin was arrested last week on domestic battery charges; he was later released on a $1,500 bond and given a stay-away order.

The Smart and Safe Florida cannabis advocacy group has hired a signature gathering firm for more than $1 million in its effort to put a cannabis legalization constitutional amendment on the state’s 2024 election ballots.

Costa Rica will make its hemp licenses free for businesses and individuals interested in importing and/or exporting hemp derivatives as health, food, and industrial products.

Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried is seeking to overturn new medical cannabis dosage limits that took effect last month, calling the regulatory changes harmful to patients.

The Executive Director of New York’s Office of Cannabis Management said that applications for cannabis cultivation, processing, and other industry activities will be delayed until the middle of 2023.

The Yes on 4 campaign launched in Maryland on Thursday to support the adult-use cannabis legalization question on the state’s upcoming ballot; the group is backed by former NFL player-turned-cannabis entrepreneur Eugene Monroe.

Illinois has topped more than $1 billion in 2022 cannabis sales by the end of August which represents a 16% year-over-year increase from the previous year.

Seven cannabis companies received 54 citations from the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission from January 2020 to April 2022 over allegations including failing to register patients in the medical cannabis registry, security violations, and mold.

A poll conducted by the Minnesota State House of Representatives at the state fair found that 61.4% of attendees supported the legalization of adult-use cannabis in the state.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts is partnering with Green Flower to offer four cannabis education courses. Participating students will be handling hemp instead of THC-rich cannabis.

According to a new poll, a majority of U.S. voters believe banking access for cannabis businesses should be legal and would help reduce the risk of robbery and assault at the businesses.

Arkansas medical cannabis sales reached a new record high of $23,700,000 in August amidst legal troubles that look to quash the industry by classifying cannabis businesses as subjects of the RICO Act.

The Air Force and Space Force are considering a recruitment policy change that would no longer automatically disqualify new recruits who test positive for cannabis.

A North Carolina court upheld drug conviction charges against a man who mailed fifteen pounds of cannabis through FedEx; the defense had argued that law enforcement did not have cause to search the package due to the federal legalization of hemp, which is largely indistinguishable from THC-rich cannabis.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has signed a bill to protect patients’ access to medical treatment even if they test positive for cannabis and the rights of doctors to treat such patients without ramifications from federal law.

Scott Jensen, the Republican nominee for Minnesota’s governorship, said that he supports decriminalizing small amounts of cannabis and letting voters decide whether to adopt legalization reforms.

Denver Packaging Co. must pay a $15,000 fine for displaying products at its booth during the city’s Mile High 420 festival last April while regulators hold an additional $30,000 fine in suspension for a year, in case of future violations.

A recent study by UK researchers found that cannabis consumption is not associated with increased apathy among adults and adolescents.

Cannabis businesses operating in DC are not sure what to expect from the increased regulatory oversight. One business owner said, “This doesn’t seem like they’re working to bring us into conversations. It does follow a similar trend, that they are trying to crush small businesses.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman have announced the PA Marijuana Pardon Project is accepting applications for a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with minor, non-violent cannabis convictions.

Researchers at California Polytechnic State University and The University of New Mexico found that stock market returns for major pharmaceutical firms were 1.5-2% lower 10 days after the passage of cannabis legalization reforms.

Illinois has awarded 185 conditional adult-use cannabis retail licenses, closing out its first round of the social equity license lottery.

Dan Bilzerian’s Ignite International Brands is being investigated by the US Security and Exchange Commission and under regulatory investigation in Canada for alleged financial violations.