Regulations

The former chief of staff for Fall River, Massachusetts Mayor Jasiel Correia — who was arrested and accused of extorting local cannabis businesses — has pleaded guilty to extortion, bribery, and making false statements in the licensing corruption probe.

Utah is considering a proposal that would allow any doctor in the state to recommend cannabis for up to 15 patients per year.

Praxis Labs in Washington state has had its license suspended amid allegations that the cannabis testing lab was inflating THC results. The lab has decried the allegations as false, calling them libel and a case of “agency overreach.”

Arizona regulators released the first draft rules for the state’s adult-use cannabis marketplace. The license application period is set to open on January 19.

The New Mexico medical cannabis advisory board has called for increasing plant counts for licensed producers in an effort to bring product prices down.

Denver cannabis regulators announced new proposals that would allow for cannabis delivery and additional social use venues, as well as new provisions that would prioritize those licenses for entrepreneurs who qualify under the state’s social equity requirements.

The Thai government has ruled that most parts of the cannabis/hemp plant — including the leaves, branches, trunks, bark, fiber, and roots (not flower) — are now allowed in manufactured cosmetics and food.

Cannabis regulators in Guam are at odds with the U.S. territory’s tourism officials over cannabis advertising and product sales in Tumon, a vacation hotspot.

A judge has ruled that California cannabis regulators overstepped their authority by allowing cannabis companies to advertise on billboards along state freeways.

The European Union’s highest court has ruled that CBD is not a narcotic because it does not have any psychotropic or harmful effects.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is considering a bill to ban people from smoking or vaping cannabis or tobacco in apartment buildings containing three or more units.

A coalition of officials from around the U.S. has formed the Cannabis Regulators Association, a nonpartisan group dedicated to sharing resources and expertise related to cannabis and hemp regulations.

Nevada regulators have extended the expiration dates for cannabis industry employment ID cards by 90 days as the state works through a backlog of applications.

A combination of stricter regulations, the coronavirus pandemic, and industry consolidation has resulted in a dramatic 31% decrease in the number of hemp licenses in New Mexico this year.

Under a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling, individuals cannot make butane cannabis extractions and the practice — when done without a license — constitutes the manufacturing of a controlled substance.

The USDA has approved New Mexico’s hemp plan; the new rules will take effect for all growers licensed after October.

West Virginia has chosen Metrc to be the state’s seed-to-sale traceability vendor, moving the state one step closer toward opening its medical cannabis market.

Massachusetts cannabis regulators have approved new regulations expanding home delivery options for the industry.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has signed a bill to expand the state’s pilot hemp program and align its rules with those of the federal government.

Colorado officials have released new rules that will require cannabis manufacturers to test the emissions of vaporized cannabis products starting on January 1, 2021.

Washington state regulators have suspended the license of producer El Rey De La Kush for allegedly shipping cannabis products out-of-state.

Vermont is the 11th state to establish a legal cannabis marketplace after Gov. Phil Scott announced he would allow the tax-and-regulate bill to pass into law without his signature.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott says he’s facing pressure to veto the legislation recently approved to establish an adult-use cannabis market in the state.

A civil lawsuit filed in California alleges that Kushy Punch produced and distributed about $64 million worth of unregulated cannabis gummies, concentrates, and raw materials used for edibles and vape cartridges.