Cannabis Legalization News

Nebraska Gov. Pete Rickets recently appeared in an anti-medical cannabis ad claiming that the plant is not medicinal and that the medical cannabis movement is a backdoor for adult-use reforms.

A new South Dakota poll found the majority of respondents disagreed with Republican Gov. Kristi Noem’s backing a lawsuit against the state’s voter-approved cannabis legalization law.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R), who has admitted to smoking cannabis, continues to oppose legalization at the state level while it is federally illegal but would like the state’s colleges and universities to study the plant.

New York state has shown a strong interest in the cannabis industry, with only 9% of towns and villages opting out of the market.

Researchers noted significant increases in the clearance rate for violent crimes following the legalization of cannabis in Oregon, relative to non-legalized states.

Officials in Malawi drew backlash for asking former professional boxer turned cannabis entrepreneur Mike Tyson to serve as the nation’s cannabis ambassador.

South Dakota’s highest court ruled against the state’s successful cannabis legalization initiative, which was passed by a majority of voters last November.

Ohio cannabis activists anticipate they will gather enough signatures by November’s end to force the legislature to either pass an adult-use cannabis bill or let the issue appear on the 2022 ballot.

Massachusetts has sold $2.3 billion worth of cannabis in the three years since the first adult-use stores opened in 2018.

Germany’s incoming coalition government is set to legalize adult-use cannabis nationwide and license dispensaries to conduct regulated sales.

Cannabis legalization in Germany could be worth around 3.4 billion euros in tax revenues and about 1.3 billion euros in cost savings.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) filed a bill with other GOP lawmakers to federally legalize adult-use cannabis this week but some Republicans are less-than-excited by the proposal.

Beto O’Rourke said that Texans “actually agree” on cannabis legalization when he announced his bid for the governor’s office on Monday.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) does not plan to call lawmakers back for a special session, tabling the medical cannabis initiative until the regular session begins in January.

A Republican-led cannabis legalization effort is aiming to federally deschedule cannabis and expunge some nonviolent cannabis crimes but stops short of social equity considerations.

U.S. Senate hopeful Thomas McDermott Jr., from Indiana, revealed on a podcast that he consumed cannabis at two recent “Grateful Dead” concerts and said he would work to legalize cannabis if elected to office.

Support for cannabis legalization in the U.S. has maintained a record high, first reached last year, of 68%.

New Mexico’s medical cannabis program patient count increased 72% over the last two years with the program reaching a total of 124,463 registered patients.

The head of New York’s Cannabis Control Board said last week she does not anticipate the state will begin issuing industry licenses until the spring of 2023 at the earliest.

Arkansas advocates are gathering signatures to put a cannabis legalization constitutional amendment on next year’s ballot.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sent a letter to seven Massachusetts cannabis companies asking them to remove their billboards from along Connecticut highways.

Cannabis cultivation-related cases are down 67.5% this year in New York after lawmakers approved legalization in March.

Costa Rica’s Congress voted to legalize cannabis for medical use despite opposition from President Carlos Alvarado.

The South Dakota Legislature’s subcommittee on adult-use cannabis voted 8-2 to move forward with a proposal to enact legalization reforms, despite opposition by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem.