Cannabis Legalization News

Arkansas’ election officials rejected the state’s cannabis legalization initiative ballot name and title, effectively blocking it from November ballots; advocates behind the proposal are planning to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.

Arkansas’ secretary of state said activists with Responsible Growth Arkansas have gathered sufficient signatures to put a cannabis legalization initiative on the upcoming November ballot.

Since Thailand’s government legalized cannabis cultivation and trade last month, the country has seen a surge of commercial cannabis-based products including toothpaste, snacks, and more.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is continuing to advocate for significant cannabis reforms and recently discussed the racist, classist, and authoritarian history of prohibition.

Officials from Luxemburg, Germany, The Netherlands, and Malta met recently to discuss EU adult-use cannabis reforms with an eye to quashing the illicit marketplace.

Ukrainian lawmakers are reportedly considering steps to legalize medical cannabis access despite an ongoing war against Russia’s invasion.

During a series of town halls on cannabis policy, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) stated that 90% of adults in the state support medical cannabis legalization.

A bid to put a cannabis legalization question on the midterm ballots in Missouri this year may be in jeopardy after early tabulations suggested the petition may fall short of signature requirements.

The U.S. Senate’s long-awaited cannabis legalization bill was finally filed this morning by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Several Minnesota towns have banned or are considering bans on cannabis-infused edibles and beverages following the statewide legalization of low-potency THC products.

Indonesia’s highest court upheld the nation’s drug laws, reaffirming that medical cannabis is illegal in a case regarding the treatment of minors with cerebral palsy.

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.

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.

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. 

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

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

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.

Niklas “Nik” Kouparanis is CEO, Co-Founder, and Board Member at The Bloomwell Group, a cannabis brand ecosphere based in Germany.

The Teamsters union has successfully recruited more than 500 cannabis industry workers and is looking to organize in multiple states with upcoming cannabis legalization questions on their ballots.

A Minnesota bill to legalize edibles containing no more than 5 milligrams of hemp-derived THC (including both delta-8 and delta-9 THC) took effect on Friday. Some Republican lawmakers may have voted for the bill without understanding its full scope.

Mississippi’s medical cannabis legalization law takes effect today, July 1, with plans for dispensaries and other facilities to open later this year. 

The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the statewide ban on smokable hemp, citing the state’s long history of prohibiting and regulating the production and possession of hemp.

A recent UN report noted an uptick in cannabis consumption tied to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as legalization policies around the world.