The clock may be ticking on 2022, but New York is still on track to open its first recreational marijuana dispensaries by the end of the year. That is according to the state’s Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, who said Wednesday that she expects the first official cannabis retailers to open their doors before 2023. “We […]
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In Historic Move, Biden Announces He Will Pardon Thousands of Federal Cannabis Offenses
Today President Joe Biden announced that he will pardon people with federal convictions for simple possession of cannabis. Going further, he announced that he will direct the U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to begin the process of reviewing the classification of cannabis […]
California’s Newsom Signs Bill To Offer Alternative Plea For Those Facing Drug Charges
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is drawing plaudits from drug reform advocates after signing a bill into law last month that will create the option for an alternate plea to individuals facing certain drug convictions. Titled the “Alternate Plea Act,” the law enables prosecutors to offer some defendants who have been charged with drug-related offenses a […]
Nevada Cannabis Industry Rings Up Nearly $1 Billion in Yearly Sales
The Nevada cannabis industry rang up more than $965 million in taxable sales during the 2022 fiscal year, showing a slight dip from the $1 billion in sales recorded the previous year. Regulated sales of marijuana generated nearly $150 million in cannabis tax revenue, providing critical funding for the state’s public school system. The Nevada […]
New Mexico Regulators Say 31 Cannabis Businesses are ‘Non-Compliant’
New Mexico’s recreational cannabis industry is barely six months old, but regulators say there are already more than two dozen businesses that are not in compliance with state rules. Local television station KRQE reported last week that the state’s Cannabis Control Division has conducted 100 inspections since adult-use pot sales kicked off in April, finding […]
Recreational Pot Sales Kick Off in Vermont
Recreational marijuana sales officially launched in Vermont over the weekend, with stores in three communities opening their doors to customers on Saturday. The three retailers to open this weekend were FLORA Cannabis in Middlebury, Mountain Girl Cannabis in Rutland and CeresMED in Burlington, according to the Associated Press, which noted that a “fourth business has […]
Japanese Health Officials Propose Revision of Law To Allow Import, Medical Cannabis
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare stated on Sept. 29 that it recommends an amendment to the country’s drug law, known as the Cannabis Control Act. According to Reuters, the agency expressed the need to allow cannabis to be imported and permitted for medical use, which would align it with other countries that […]
Washington State Settles With Unicorn Brands Following Synthetic THC Probe
The Liquor and Cannabis Board in the state of Washington said Wednesday that it has reached a settlement with Unicorn Brands LLC over a “a year-long investigation and multiple Administrative Violation Notices (AVNs) for creating synthetically-derived THC from hemp and distributing it into the state-regulated cannabis market.” The board said that Unicorn Brands “cooperated with […]
Canadian Government Tells Hockey Players in Russia, Belarus To Leave
The Canadian federal government recently sent word to hockey teams traveling in Russia and Belarus to leave as soon as possible, according to the Toronto Sun. Forty-eight Canadian hockey athletes are on the roster for the Kontinental Hockey League, and 44 of them are playing in Russia and Belarus (the other four are in Kazakhstan). […]
Colorado And Washington Got More Tax Revenue From Marijuana Than From Alcohol Or Cigarettes In Fiscal Year 2022, Report Finds
Colorado and Washington State took in more revenue from marijuana sales than from either alcohol or cigarettes in Fiscal Year 2022, according to a new report. Another eight states saw tax revenue from cannabis outpace cigarettes, while Nevada took in more from marijuana than alcohol. The analysis, published by the Tax Policy Center on Wednesday, […]