Author: News Room

Lawmakers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) have approved a bill to end pre-employment marijuana testing for most government jobs. About five years after the U.S. territory legalized cannabis—the first time the reform was enacted in a U.S. jurisdiction through an act of lawmakers rather than by a ballot initiative—the CNMI House of Representatives passed the employment protections legislation from Rep. Diego Vincent Camacho (D) in a 17-1 vote on Friday. It now heads to the Senate for consideration during a special session. Under the measure, government agencies could no longer subject most applicants to drug testing…

“I have expunged more than 800,000 low-level cannabis arrest records… We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to lift up communities most harmed by the failed war on drugs.” By Andrew Hensel, The Center Square A law now on the books in Illinois looks to make it easier for individuals who have been released from prison to smoothly reenter society. Senate Bill 423 supports the reintegration of individuals into the community while aiming to lower the possibility of recidivism and increasing public safety. Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed the measure into law on Friday. “In just a few minutes,…

Hello, stargazers, and welcome to another month of smoking under the stars. It’s Leo season, folks! Get ready for an exciting month as the sun struts its stuff, showering us with the lion’s sizzling charisma. Expect a boost in confidence and creativity, making you feel like a rockstar. This is the time to let your true self shine, express yourself, and embrace your uniqueness. But there’s a little hitch—watch out for Mercury’s retrograde around mid-month. It might cause some wonky communication and misunderstandings, especially for our Aries, Gemini, and Sagittarius friends. Take a moment to think before you leap, and avoid…

“This is going to be a huge economic driver for the reservation.” Buy Max Nesterak, Minnesota Reformer The first legal sale of recreational marijuana in Minnesota was made on the Red Lake reservation on Tuesday to a tribal employee before a throng of journalists and tribal leaders. Charles Goodwin, a Red Lake band member and employee of the tribal dispensary, selected some Nudder Budder and Caramel Creme—two of 12 cannabis strains the tribe grows on the reservation in rural northern Minnesota. “It’s an honor to be the first recreational customer,” said Goodwin, who was also the first customer when the…

A Minnesota law took effect on Tuesday that legalizes drug paraphernalia possession, syringe services, controlled substances residue and testing. The harm reduction reforms were included in a large-scale criminal justice and public safety omnibus package that Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed in May. They’re becoming effective on the same day that the state’s marijuana legalization law comes into force. The measure removes language from code that has criminalized the possession and delivery of drug paraphernalia. As revised, the new law only says that it is “unlawful for any person to intentionally manufacture drug paraphernalia for delivery,” omitting the previous possession…

A new law officially takes effect in Arkansas on Tuesday to clarify that medical marijuana patients can obtain concealed carry licenses for firearms. The governor signed the bill in April, just days after it sailed through the legislature with strong majority support. The newly effective law stipulates that a person’s status as a qualified medical cannabis patient in the state cannot be used “in determining whether an applicant is eligible to be issued a license to carry a concealed handgun.” State statute has also been amended to clarify that participation in the medical marijuana program doesn’t mean that a person…

Adults 21 and older in Minnesota can now possess and grow marijuana for personal use under a legalization law that was passed by lawmakers earlier this year and took effect on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the process of automatically expunging prior cannabis records is also being implemented by state officials. While traditional recreational cannabis retailers are not expected to open until at least next year, other key components of the legalization law that Gov. Tim Walz (D) enacted in May have now gone into effect. Meanwhile, two Indian tribes have been preparing to get a head start on adult-use cannabis sales, with…

Waves. Everywhere you looked, there were waves of people – 40,000 bodies moving, swaying, and flailing in the cool San Francisco breeze. This was the final Dead & Company show, an event brimming with tears of joy, gloriously goofy dancing, and, of course, epic jamming. Grateful Dead co-founder, Bob Weir, returned home for a trio of concerts at Oracle Park, marking the grand finale. Outside the stadium, the atmosphere exuded glee without a hint of bittersweetness. At a Dead & Company show, there was nothing to feel down about, even if it was purported to be the last gig. The…

The U.S. Senate has approved a large-scale defense bill that includes provisions to bar intelligence agencies like the CIA and NSA from denying security clearances to applicants solely due to their past marijuana use. Senators adopted a number of amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday before approving the overall legislation. That included attaching the full text of the separate Intelligence Authorization Act, which was itself previously amended in committee last month to include the cannabis provision from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR). Previously, the senator filed a broader amendment to last year’s version of the authorization legislation…

Bipartisan Pennsylvania senators have introduced a bill that would expand the state’s medical cannabis program by giving patients 21 and older the right to grow their own plants for personal use. The legislation, filed on Thursday by Sens. Sharif Street (D) and Dan Laughlin (R), along with six other senators, would allow registered patients to cultivate up to six cannabis plants. Medical marijuana dispensaries would be able to sell cannabis seeds to patients, wh0 could then grow them in their own residence in an enclosed and locked location that’s outside of “ordinary” public view. If a person doesn’t own their…