Regulations

South Dakota lawmakers this week voted to raise the price of a medical cannabis business license by nearly 70%. Officials say the change will cover the program’s administrative costs.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) recently signed into law two bills expanding medical cannabis access for patients in the state.

New Jersey cannabis regulators have issued a product recall for cannabis flower sold by Green Medicine NJ after samples were found to include insects and human hair.

Virginia last year fined hemp product retailers collectively nearly $10.8 million for the sale of restricted products.

A federal judge has denied an injunction brought by a group of hemp companies against the Iowa law regulating hemp products and imposing THC caps on the products.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul this week signaled the government could drop its plans to re-list cannabis as a narcotic and opt instead for stronger cannabis regulations.

Oklahoma’s cannabis regulatory agency is laying off 10% of its workforce in response to the state’s shrinking medical cannabis industry. About 25-30 employees will be affected.

New Iowa hemp regulations restricting the sale and potency of consumable hemp products took effect on Wednesday. The rules are in place despite a federal lawsuit brought by a group of hemp companies seeking to block it.

A hempcrete wall product by Americhanvre Cast Hemp recently received a one-hour fire resistance rating, making the product more attractive for commercial construction projects.

A recent report by WeedWeek has revealed that a detective with the California Department of Cannabis Control faces federal charges for alleged illicit firearm sales.

Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro has called on state officials to appoint a receiver to oversee the Cannabis Control Commission, which is under scrutiny for regulatory delays and allegations of a toxic work environment.

A bi-partisan proposal in Michigan is seeking to ease the burdens of cannabis companies and “modernize” the state’s cannabis laws by merging its adult-use and medical cannabis regulations.

California this week ordered product recalls for five licensed cannabis products including four vape pens and a vape cartridge due to contamination with chlorfenapyr, which is a banned pesticide.

A group of Iowa hemp companies is suing to block the implementation of a new state law restricting THC content in consumable hemp products.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) has signed into law bills to regulate consumer hemp products and decriminalize the possession of cannabis paraphernalia.

The California State Fair announced it will be allowing cannabis retail purchases and consumption in designated areas during the event’s run next month from July 12 to July 28.

Massachusetts cannabis regulators have issued an administrative order to allow cannabis companies to transport cannabis products from the mainland to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket islands.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul this week appointed three new leadership members to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) as part of a “sweeping operational overhaul” of the state’s cannabis agency announced last month.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) has allowed a medical cannabis expansion bill to become law without his signature; the shift will give patients access to higher potency products without a sales tax.

New York’s Office of Cannabis Management this week awarded 105 new cannabis licenses, gave final approval to the state’s cannabis home grow rules, and introduced the agency’s new interim director Felicia A. B. Reid.

Louisiana state representatives last week rejected an outright ban on the state’s burgeoning hemp products industry. Instead, state senators passed a House-approved proposal to increase restrictions on products containing hemp-derived THC.

Chris Alexander, the inaugural executive director of New York’s Office of Cannabis Management, resigned last week following criticisms by Gov. Kathy Hochul against the agency and its roll-out of the adult-use cannabis industry.

A key Delaware House committee has advanced a proposal to allow early adult-use cannabis sales by letting medical dispensaries service adult-use customers; some industry advocates say the move would be giving certain businesses an unfair advantage.

The owner of seven unlicensed New York cannabis shops has been fined $15.2 million, including $7 million in disgorgement fines and $8.2 million in penalties for operating without a license, ignoring multiple notices by officials, and selling cannabis to underage customers.