Author: News Room

A top Maryland marijuana regulator says the state’s proactive approach to legalizing cannabis has allowed it to implement a system that effectively balances three key priorities: safety, access and equity. When the state’s legalization law took effect at the beginning of the month, nearly 100 existing medical marijuana dispensaries were already approved to start serving adult consumers. And a testament to the success of the rollout is the fact that Maryland retailers sold over $10 million worth of legal cannabis in the opening weekend. Maryland Cannabis Administration’s (MCA) Andrew Garrison says that the state uniquely prepared for the reform, with…

Learning about cannabis for the first time can be daunting. While canna-curious consumers can scour the internet in search of general tips on how to start using cannabis, nothing really beats hands-on guidance from a trusted source. Which is why Lexi Kafkis created New Rituals as an essential resource for new consumers, where she acts as a guide to educate and mentor those who want to try cannabis but aren’t sure where to start. Kafkis’s experience as a certified cannabis health coach, yoga instructor, as well as freelance creative director and brand strategist, led her to two important realizations. First,…

The Czech government will regulate but not ban synthetically produced “high”-producing compounds made from hemp-derived CBD, according to the Ministry of Health. The move reverses food safety officials’ earlier announced intention to ban such products altogether, in favor of establishing clear rules for their control and sale. Under a proposed amendment now before the Czech Parliament, HHC and other synthetic psychoactive products will be restricted to those over 18, may be sold only under supervision of a sales attendant and not in vending machines, and may not be advertised. Rules expected Regulations are expected for the CBD-based compounds made in the…

“We’re letting [lawmakers] know we’re still here, we’re still waiting, we’re still pushing.” By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom Days after meeting with high-level White House officials, the family of an American teacher imprisoned in Russia walked the halls of the U.S. Capitol complex Thursday, pleading with U.S. leaders to remember that Marc Fogel is staring down a 14-year sentence in a penal colony on a marijuana charge. Fogel, 61, an international baccalaureate history teacher from Pennsylvania with a lengthy resume, was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in August 2021. He was accused by Russian authorities of having marijuana in contact…

More folks enjoy cannabis legalization in more states than ever before. The downside? A patchwork of state and federal laws and rules on trains, planes, and automobiles.As America herds through a record year for travel, Leafly is here to keep pace with the changes. Listen to our updated rules for hitting the road or flying with weed in 2023—via this interview with Los Angeles’ National Public Radio affiliate KCRW.“There are a lot of people taking personal amounts of cannabis on domestic flights,” I told KCRW.Tap the play button to listen along to KCRW’s segment.Here are the tips in the audio:Legal…

The Office of Social Equity will provide technical assistance to social equity applicants seeking to enter the state’s cannabis market. By Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Monday announced nearly a dozen appointments to two new cannabis-related entities, just after adult-use sales became legal in the state. The governor appointed Audrey L. Johnson as acting executive director of the Office of Social Equity and Courtney Davis as its deputy director. Johnson comes to the agency from Johns Hopkins University and Health System where she served as senior director for economic innovation and strategy since 2021. Davis…

Maine Rep. David Boyer (R) has an interesting background for a Republican lawmaker: Before winning his election to the House last year, he led the campaign to legalize marijuana in the state as a staffer for a national cannabis reform organization. When the 34-year-old legislator reflected during an interview with Marijuana Moment on the unique, civil liberties-focused platform that ushered him into the statehouse in the 2022 election, he offered an anecdote: Down the road from where he lives, there’s a gun range and a cannabis retailer, and his campaign yard signs were posted in front of both of them.…

The Justice Department extending a public comment period concerning its marijuana pardon certification process that was established under a directive from the president last year. In a notice published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, DOJ’s Office of the Pardon Attorney said the comment window will now be open until August 15 as it requests authorization from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to process applications for cannabis pardon certificates for an additional three years, rather than continue to request approval on a month-to-month basis. The department launched an online portal for people to submit their request…

A new law legalizing the possession and personal cultivation of marijuana for adults in Luxembourg officially takes effect on Friday, the government has announced. The Ministry of Justice published a statement about the forthcoming policy change in the Official Journal on Tuesday—a procedural step that means the legislation will come into force in four days. This comes about a month after Luxembourg’s Parliament passed a legalization bill, making it the second country in the European Union to end cannabis prohibition following Malta’s vote to legalize in 2021. The law in Luxembourg, which was first proposed by the ministers of justice and…

New York City officials have announced they’re seeking lenders to support a marijuana equity fund that will promote participation in the industry by people who’ve been disproportionately impacted by criminalization. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) posted a request for proposal (RFP) on Tuesday, soliciting lenders and an administrator for its Cannabis NYC Loan Fund, which will provide low-cost financing to social equity applicants looking to enter the marijuana market. Officials are aiming to raise $20-30 million for the fund, which was developed in partnership with the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS). That includes an initial…