Author: News Room

A proposed Florida law that would ban intoxicating hemp compounds and impose tight restrictions on CBD products is expected to get a vote in the House of Representatives soon, after its approval by a key committee last week.The House Appropriations Committee signed off on the legislation, sponsored by Rep. Tommy Gregory, which carries the same provisions as a Senate bill that was unanimously passed last week.The intoxicating hemp products, sold as alternatives to products that contain the more common delta-9 THC that occurs in high levels in marijuana, emerged after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp and its downstream products…

The sponsor of a Washington State marijuana homegrow bill that died in committee this month tells Marijuana Moment that she’ll continue to advocate for the policy change and plans to introduce yet another legalization measure next year. “I am committed to this issue, and plan to run a bill again next session,” Rep. Shelley Kloba (D) said in an email. “Every session has its own character and constraints, which so far have meant that the bill has not advanced to the Senate. But I am not giving up.” Despite being among the first states to legalize marijuana for adult use,…

“Will the agency continue to cling to its long-held ‘flat Earth’ position? Or will it finally take steps to move marijuana policy into the 21st century?” By Paul Armentano, NORML Hundreds of pages of recently released documents provided by the Department of Health and Services affirm what the overwhelming majority of the public has known for decades: Marijuana is therapeutically useful. And its harms are not on par with those of heroin—which federal regulations currently consider it akin to—or even alcohol. Those were the explicit conclusions of the nation’s top federal health agency, along with the Food and Drug Administration…

Acclaimed American poet and novelist Charles Bukowski is known for his writings that challenged the fabric of society as he rose to become a champion of the downtrodden. Beginning with his first collection of poetry, entitled Flower, Fist, and Bestial Wail (1959), he set the tone of his writing career, focusing on the desolation and decline of mankind. Bukowski didn’t publish his first novel until he was 50 years old, Post Office (1971) a semi-autobiographical account of his life as Henry Chinaski, the ultimate antihero and a loose alter ego of himself, a loner. Chinaski became a recurring character and…

“You never know when there is going to be a year where big decisions are made and you want to be able to talk to these people and express your point of view.” By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current Spencer Blier was expelled from his first college for smoking weed, then spent the next decade as a perpetual University of Rhode Island student while growing marijuana for state medical patients in his on-campus log cabin. Not a promising start, but the 35-year-old Warwick native and cannabis cultivator ended 2023 with the third-highest sales among the state’s 60 licensed growers: $2.2…

Committees in both Maryland’s Senate and House of Delegates heard testimony this week on legislation that would protect workers from being penalized for off-duty marijuana use. If the legislation is enacted, employers would instead have to demonstrate that an individual was impaired while on the clock in order to fire them or take other adverse action. The proposal would also bar companies from discriminating against people with prior convictions related to cannabis distribution. On Thursday, members of the Senate Finance Committee heard SB 513, sponsored by Sen. Alonzo Washington (D). A day later, the House Economic Matters Committee took testimony…

With Chef Chris Binotto’s extensive experience in fine dining as well as his love for cannabis and creativity, he’s always seeking to create one-of-a-kind experiences. Binotto has worked under famous culinary figures such as chef Graham Elliot and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and on many teams that have achieved Forbes 5 Star and Michelin Star awards. Following his experience in fine cuisine, Binotto moved on to become a corporate chef for a company that develops menus for numerous creative pop-up restaurant concepts such as Beetle House (a Halloween and Tim Burton-inspired restaurant with locations in Los Angeles and New York),…

Germany’s parliament has officially approved a bill to legalize marijuana nationwide. Two days after the cannabis legislation was considered by eight committees of the Bundestag, the full body voted 407-226 on final passage on Friday. The bill—which will make possession and home cultivation legal and authorize social clubs that can distribute marijuana to members—now heads to the Bundesrat, a separate legislative chamber that represents German states, though its members cannot stop the reform from being enacted. While supporters have said legalization would take effect in April if it’s enacted, there are new questions about that timeline. The Bundesrat may move…

Move over, Oktoberfest! On February 23, Germany’s parliament voted to legalize both cannabis possession and social consumption lounges. Once the country’s Federal Council signs off on the law, Germany will become the largest country in Europe to legalize cannabis.Germany’s new policy is complex, and full of nuance and caveats. Got questions? We’ve got answers. Earlier today, Leafly Senior Editor David Downs hopped on IG live with Alex Rogers, owner and CEO of the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC), to get the inside scoop. Listen / watch the conversation below to learn more about the timeline for the rollout, possession limits,…

Rescheduling marijuana could set the country back “another 50 years” on the path to federal legalization, a Democratic lawmaker who leads the Congressional Cannabis Caucus says. At a National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) summit in Sacramento on Thursday, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) told Marijuana Moment that she’s “opposed” to moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recommended to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Because sometimes you take an incremental step such as this, which took us years and years and years to get through, it will take another…