Author: News Room

The sponsor of a bill to combat the use of banned pesticides at illegal marijuana grow sites argued at a hearing on Thursday that the legislation will protect the health of consumers—especially medical cannabis patients. The House Natural Resources Federal Lands Subcommittee took up the bill from Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), which was introduced earlier this month. While the idea of yet another stepped up federal effort to crack down on illegal cannabis production might seem like an extension of prohibitionist enforcement at a surface level, the lawmakers have said that the primary intent of the…

It was nowhere near show time, and it was readily apparent that trouble was brewing. An Instagram post made by Harley Flanagan, founder of Cro-Mags, inarguably the forefathers of American hardcore, suggested that he had just entered the stinky ole brown eye of cultural division in the United States of America, landing smack dab in a gas station where chicken livers and confederate flags are such hot pieces of redneck commerce that they often receive top billing. It’s not every day that New Yorkers get slapped in the face with racism at the retail level, one as unapologetic and greasy…

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has now advanced a total 2,847 CBD products to the second stage of its three-stage approval process for new (or “novel”) foods. In the most recent development, 2,692 CBD isolate products submitted in a joint application from EIHA projects GmbH, a consortium of the European Industrial Hemp Association, were moved to the “validated” category on the FSA’s register. FSA is sorting out applications for roughly 12,000 individual products as it works to clarify a flourishing gray market that has seen retail outlets flooded with CBD products over the past several years, raising safety concerns. The EIHA consortium has…

Recession and inflation aside, cannabis can be expensive. But when it’s a regular part of your life, you need to treat it like any other life expense and budget accordingly. For medical marijuana patients, cannabis purchases are just as important as any other prescribed medicine. On the other hand, recreational aficionados need to stay vigilant, so as not to let a joyous hobby run away with them and their wallet.Boring as it sounds, budgets remain the responsible way to manage your finances, and there’s no reason cannabis shouldn’t be a part of your monthly spreadsheet. If you don’t know where…

The attorney general of Michigan says that a string of break-ins at marijuana dispensaries in the state underscore the need for Congress to pass cannabis banking reform. Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) said that 12 warrants have been issued for people suspected of being involved in breaking into 20 marijuana retailers last year. Their charges range from safe breaking (a felony that can carry a life sentence) to breaking and entering (a 10-year felony). As pressure builds on congressional lawmakers to pass cannabis banking reform, the state’s top law enforcement official said that the alleged criminal activity is “an unfortunate…

A House panel in Washington State took another step toward allowing interstate cannabis commerce on Thursday, advancing a Senate-approved bill that would one day enable businesses in the state to import and export marijuana products. The bill, SB 5069, from Sen. Ann Rivers (R), would give the governor the authority to enter into agreements with other legal states to permit interstate trade between licensed cannabis companies. But it would take effect only if there’s a federal law change “to allow for the interstate transfer of cannabis” between legal businesses or if the U.S. Department of Justice issues an opinion “allowing…

The secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says he’s aware that there’s significant public interest in the timeline for the administrative review of marijuana scheduling—but there are “a few hoops we need to jump through” before completing that assessment. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra took to Twitter on Wednesday to share a media clip of his interview about cannabis with KDKA-TV that aired earlier in the week, assuring followers, “I see the comments and I know a lot of you are asking about the status of marijuana.” “I hear you, and just know that we are…

A Hawaii Senate committee approved a House-passed bill on Wednesday that would create an advisory council to look into possible regulations to provide access to federal “breakthrough therapies” like psilocybin and MDMA. The psychedelics legislation from Rep. Adrian Tam (D) advanced, with amendments, in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in a 5-0 vote. Members took testimony from advocates and experts, including a representative of the Department of Health, which voiced support for the proposal. All 20 people and organizations that submitted written testimony ahead of the panel’s hearing were in favor of the reform. Part of the reason…

Lawmakers in Colorado, New Mexico and New York have approved bills to authorize safe consumption sites where people can use currently illicit drugs in a medically supervised setting and receive substance misuse treatment resources. As policymakers across the country grapple with an overdose crisis, three more states are seeking to prioritize harm reduction, with legislation to establish safe consumption facilities advancing out of the Colorado House, New York Assembly Health Committee and two panels of the New Mexico House. The latter bills now head to the floor of their respective chambers for consideration, while Colorado’s measure goes to the Senate.…

A Washington, D.C. bill to make fundamental changes to the medical marijuana program in the nation’s capital became law on Wednesday after undergoing a congressional review period. The measure includes reforms such as eliminating cannabis business licensing caps, providing tax relief to operators, further promoting social equity and creating new regulated business categories such as on-site consumption facilities and cannabis cooking classes. It also provides a pathway for current “gifting” operators that sell non-cannabis items in exchange for “free” marijuana products to enter the licensed market, while empowering officials to crack down on those who continue to operate illegally. The…