WeedLife News Network
Hot off the press cannabis, marijuana, cbd and hemp news from around the world on the WeedLife Social Network.
New Zealand Concerned with Chances of Legalizing Cannabis In 2020
New Zealand was poised to make history this year by putting the national legalization of cannabis to a vote, but now advocates are concerned that it won’t make the cut in 2020 due to all the issues that have shifted the focus this year. If legalization does get pushed through, cannabis would be legalized for recreational use for those over 20, and
Arizona voters to consider another recreational marijuana bill
When voters head to the polls this November, they’ll decide on a marijuana legalization initiative that’s appearing on the ballot in Arizona for the first time since 2016. Medical marijuana has been legal in Arizona since 2010. More than 250,000 Arizonans are medical marijuana card holders today. This year’s Smart and Safe Act, or Proposition 207,
Canada: Legal pot sales continue to eat into illicit market
The legal cannabis industry continued to make inroads against its illicit counterparts, as one-quarter of all sales took place among regulated players in the first quarter of the year, according to new data from the Ontario Cannabis Store. The provincial pot distributor's quarterly review showed that the province controlled a 25.1-per-cent share of
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montana has plummeted into the worst economic recession since World War II. A recent analysis conducted by Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) projects that the state will experience a 7.3 percent decline in employment in 2020. While this downturn affects the spending power of individu
Missouri inched closer this week to its first commercial marijuana sales when a laboratory here got a green light to start testing samples of pot expected to hit shelves by late October. EKG Labs on Saturday became the first of 10 licensed medical marijuana testers to start operations after passing a state inspection. That means marijuana currently
Arkansans spent $154 million on 24,067 pounds of medical marijuana since the first dispensary opened in May 2019. This is according to Scott Hardin, who is a spokesperson with the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission. In Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley specifically, 8,416 pounds of medical marijuana were sold since August 2019. There are c
Market research company OH Predictive Insights finds that the legalization of recreational cannabis in Arizona is almost split amongst voters. The recent poll surveyed by 600 likely voters answered the question, “ Do you believe that marijuana should be legalized for adult use in the State of Arizona?” The survey was conducted between September 8-1
Petitioners claim that a recent DEA rule is unlawful because it exceeds the DEA’s authority and violates the 2018 Farm Bill. On August 21, the Drug Enforcement Agency (the “DEA”) released an Interim Final Rule (the “Rule”), which, in part, suggests that in-process hemp extract shall be treated as a schedule I controlled substance during any point a
The Cannabis Control Commission filled in the blanks Thursday of its long-discussed marijuana home delivery rules, agreeing upon a framework that creates two types of delivery licenses and settling on a timeline that would have new cannabis industry rules in place in about a month. The CCC adopted draft delivery regulations Thursday that would crea
The DEA recently issued an interim final rule addressing the implementation of hemp provisions of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (aka the Farm Bill). But the rule has left many hemp companies confused and concerned. Specifically, the DEA seeks to criminalize certain cannabinoids in what appears to be a direct contravention of the letter a
Potentially hundreds of thousands of Michiganders could soon be in line to have previous marijuana offenses expunged, thanks to a sweeping legislative package that is on the verge of becoming law. A total of six bills are heading to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk after clearing the final round of approval in the legislature, and all would si
A new measure would prioritize minorities, women, and those disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs for a marijuana business license. A bill that would create a licensed recreational marijuana market in Vermont is headed to Gov. Phil Scott’s office. Residents could legally possess and consume marijuana for the past two years, but had no leg
As the deadline to begin operating under the 2018 Farm Bill rapidly approaches, hemp growers following their state pilot programs may soon be getting the relief they’ve been asking for. The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced a bill (H.R. 8319) with a provision that would allow hemp growers to continue operating under their pilot programs
Hemp farmers—who have been hard hit by the COVID-19 crisis and hampered by slow reforms to federal drug regulations—are now eligible for federal aid under a second round of pandemic economic relief. The original installment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP1), which containe
MCN speaks with Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration about medical cannabis regulation and access. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which operates under the aegis of the Department of Health, is responsible for regulating therapeutic goods – including pharmaceutical and complementary medicines, medical devices, tests,
In 2020, state courts still seem to be a good bet for cannabis businesses in cannabis-legal states. But federal courts are sliding backward. A few weeks back, the Cannabis Law Institute invited me to discuss contract drafting for cannabis deals. A focal point for the panel was whether courts are willing to enforce cannabis contracts. The last time
Throughout all the major cannabis news that has been making headlines in Europe, the U.S., and across the globe over the past ten or so years, France has been almost nowhere in the mix. A parliamentary committee wants to change that as soon as possible and the members are urging the government to initiate a medical cannabis experiment and figure ou
Could marijuana legalization be on its way to South Dakota? As if 2020 couldn’t get any stranger, a new poll suggests that voters in the Mount Rushmore State could be ready to take the leap. The survey, conducted by South Dakota-based marketing firm Lawrence and Schiller and conservative pollster Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of a group oppos
It will be quite some time before we understand the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But history tells us one important thing: during times of crisis, how an industry is regulated often affects its ability to adapt and survive or even gain advantage. Take payments and banking. While most brick-and-mortar retailers have been instituting contact
