From Our Writers

Members of the New York City Fire Department will no longer be subject to random drug tests as per a Uniformed Firefighters Association leaked document.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) stated his objection to cannabis prohibition and emphasized the value of medical cannabis as evidenced by real-world data and research from similarly conservative states.

School districts in Rhode Island will have to develop protocols for providing medical cannabis to students according to a revised regulation by the state departments of Education and Health. 

For the first time in Australia, cannabis use has garnered more support than tobacco use, as reported by a recent National Drug Strategy Household Survey by the Australian Institute of Health.

Lawyers for Brittney Griner read a medical certificate showing she had been recommended medical cannabis by U.S. doctors during a court session in Russia.

The University of New Haven in Connecticut will be offering four online-only cannabis certificate programs developed by board-certified doctors and lawyers.

Some workers at province-run cannabis stores in Quebec have entered an indefinite strike over low pay. The workers are with the Syndicat Canadien de la Fonction Publique, which is affiliated with the largest trade union in the province.

Connecticut has awarded 16 recipients the state’s first social equity commercial cannabis licenses; the licensees still have to pay a $3 million fee and pass a background check before receiving their final licenses. 

Vermont’s hemp program will be operated by the USDA beginning January 1, 2023, but regulatory oversight for hemp testing and hemp-infused products will remain under the purview of the Vermont Cannabis Control Board.

California’s Department of Cannabis Control may establish standardized cannabis lab testing methods to combat the prevalence of “lab shopping” within the state industry. 

The National Basketball Association Players Association has entered a multi-year partnership for branded CBD products with Harrington Wellness, a CBD brand founded by former player Al Harrington.

New York regulators, after first refusing to publicly release the letters, have posted cease-and-desist letters sent to 66 retail businesses accused of violating the state’s cannabis regulations.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed a bill to protect banks and insurers who work with medical cannabis companies from state interference.

Democratic senators from four U.S. states sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling for his administration to deschedule cannabis and issue pardons to all individuals convicted of non-violent cannabis crimes. 

Arizona’s adult-use cannabis sales reached $75.5 million in April which represents a decrease of $5 million from March.

Cannabis advocates with New Approach North Dakota have submitted more than 25,000 signatures calling for an adult-use legalization ballot initiative this November.

Colorado has announced the recipients of its first social equity grant funding generated from cannabis tax revenue.

Hightimes Holding Corp. has purchased a cannabis social consumption lounge in California for $6 million in a mostly stock deal although the current stock value for the media company is essentially zero.

CannaSafe Labs has decided to phase out its cannabis lab testing services partially due to ‘lab shopping,’ which is when cannabis brands bring their products to different labs for testing and choose the most desirable results.

Cannabis advocacy group Responsible Growth Arkansas has submitted twice the number of signatures needed to place adult-use cannabis legalization on November’s ballots.

WNBA all-star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to cannabis possession in Russia. Following the plea, Griner now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Albania is planning to legalize the cultivation of medical and industrial cannabis and will allow companies to apply for licenses in 2023.

Nebraska medical cannabis advocates have turned in two petitions exceeding the 87,000-signature threshold for putting medical cannabis reforms on the ballot.

Burb Cannabis Corp. is set to open a retail shop on the University of British Columbia campus this fall.