Cannabis Legalization News

South Dakota’s Secretary of State’s office has validated a ballot initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis for the 2020 November election season.

The Brown County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office has reportedly made the state’s first cannabis arrest since the January 1 legalization launch date.

During the first day of legal sales in Illinois, dispensaries in the state generated nearly $3.2 million from cannabis.

Illinois’ adult-use cannabis market launches today, January 1, 2020. It is the first state-legal cannabis market resulting from action by lawmakers, not the voters.

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has outlined a sweeping plan to end cannabis prohibition and address issues including social equity in the future industry and keeping major corporations out of the picture.

Fearing that legalization would disrupt the existing resources that medical cannabis patients rely on, activists have withdrawn their petition for adult-use cannabis in Oklahoma.

Sensible Florida, one of Florida’s two campaigns pushing to put the cannabis legalization question on the 2020 ballot, has announced the suspension of their campaign.

New York Gov. Cuomo has hired Norman Birenbaum — who previously served as the top cannabis regulator in Rhode Island — to help oversee New York’s transition to legal cannabis, which lawmakers say is a priority for next year.

Illinois lawmakers promised that patients will be given priority access to state-legal cannabis products once the legal market comes online; the notice was made in anticipation of product shortages immediately following legalization.

New Jersey lawmakers have officially approved legislation that will allow voters to decide whether or not to legalize cannabis for adult use during the 2020 General Election.

Cannabis activists in North Dakota have submitted language for a legalization ballot initiative to the secretary of state; if approved, the group will need to collect 13,452 signatures by July 6 to put the issue on the 2020 ballot.

New Zealand citizens will get to choose next year whether or not to legalize adult-use cannabis; lawmakers there just revealed parts of their legalization plan if the vote were to pass.

Separate New Hampshire Senate committees have pushed back against cannabis reform legislation, effectively killing the state’s legalization opportunities for 2020.

Gov. Albert Bryan of the U.S. Virgin Islands is considering adult-use cannabis legalization as a means of reinforcing the Government Employees’ Retirement System with $20 million in annual tax revenue.

As the first piece of federal legislation that would end cannabis prohibition to make it through committee, the MORE Act deserves a closer look; unfortunately, the bill is expected to be dead on arrival if it ever reaches the Senate.

The Eastern Shoshone Tribe in Wyoming is pursuing a plan to legalize hemp and medical cannabis in an effort to diversify the Wind River Reservation economy and offer alternative medical treatments.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has started a push for statewide cannabis decriminalization, even as lawmakers are positioning to put the legalization question to voters next year.

Two cannabis advocacy groups in Florida have submitted petition signatures for two different cannabis legalization proposals; prohibitionist advocates, meanwhile, have formed their own campaign to push back against cannabis reforms.

New Jersey lawmakers proposed legislation this week that would have voters in the state decide whether or not to legalize cannabis for adults via the 2020 ballot.

A key congressional committee approved the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act today in a historic vote, setting the legislation up for consideration on the full House floor.

In a landmark occasion for cannabis reform, federal lawmakers in the House Judiciary Committee are expected to vote tomorrow on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act tomorrow; the bill aims to federally legalize adult-use cannabis.

Proposed changes to Thailand’s cannabis laws would allow citizens to cultivate up to six plants and sell their harvests back to the government, who would process it into medical cannabis products.

Former vice president and presidential hopeful Joe Biden said he would not support cannabis legalization without stronger evidence that the plant is not a “gateway drug.”

Experts predict that Minnesota could generate up to $300 million in annual tax revenue via by legalizing and regulating adult-use cannabis.