Author: News Room

More than a half dozen U.S. states where marijuana is legal notched record-breaking monthly sales in December, with many relatively new adult-use cannabis markets continuing to expand and American shoppers in general stepping up holiday spending. Most of the monthly sales records were seen in states that legalized marijuana more recently and, as a result, are still experiencing the early growth of markets in their emerging stages. Connecticut, for example, which started sales a year ago, set new monthly sales records every single month of 2023. Maryland also set records during every single month of sales last year, though retail…

The Justice Department has already started issuing pardon certificates for certain marijuana offenses covered under an expanded proclamation that President Joe Biden issued last month. Chris Goldstein, a cannabis activist who was arrested over possession of marijuana on federal land while protesting for reform in 2014, shared the certification he received from DOJ’s Office of the Pardon Attorney on Tuesday. Goldstein was among those whose cannabis cases were omitted from Biden’s original mass pardon in October 2022, which only covered statutes related to the general offense of simple cannabis possession under federal or Washington, D.C. law. The president’s newly expanded…

A key U.S. farming association has restated its support for raising the THC limit for industrial hemp crops from 0.3% to 1.0%, suggesting the change would give growers more options in choosing the varieties they grow.The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) included the recommendation in a broad statement of policy priorities for this year. NASDA represents state agriculture officials in all 50 states and four U.S. territories.NASDA has been on record as supporting the THC increase since Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky introduced the concept in the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan Act in 2020.Farm Bill delayedStakeholders had hoped U.S. lawmakers would…

About one-third of marijuana consumers say they would go back to the illicit market if cannabis was rescheduled and only made legally available as a Food and Drug Administration- (FDA) approved prescription drug, according to a new poll. As federal agencies work to complete an administrative review into cannabis scheduling, the survey from Nugg MD shows wariness about how the government could hypothetically become involved with marijuana in the event of a reclassification. Of course, even though the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recommended moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances…

Life is short—so smoke the best weed in human history. Shoot, help vote for the next best weed in human history.More cannabis competitions are coming coast to coast, and even across oceans, in 2024. High Times results come in hot this month, and entries are already open for multiple East Coast competitions. To help you keep up with deadlines and ceremony events, we’re tracking dates for the cannabis cups, contest, and championships you can’t miss. Keep an eye on upcoming deadlines, and make sure to grab your tickets early to be the cannabis culture you want to see in the world.…

A coalition of hemp industry organizations are calling on a House committee to hold a hearing addressing the ongoing lack of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for products made with constituents of the crop such as CBD. In a letter addressed to House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders, 28 state and national  nonprofits focused on hemp and dietary supplements said that “the time for a hearing has never been riper” to examine regulatory pathways that FDA could enact to allow for the lawful marketing of hemp products for humans and animals. “In the more than five years since the…

The governor of Massachusetts is promoting the testimony of activists who spoke in favor of her veterans-focused bill that would, in part, create a psychedelics work group to study the therapeutic potential of substances such as psilocybin. During a hearing before the legislature’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs on Tuesday, psychedelics reform advocates urged members to pass the Honoring, Empowering, and Recognizing our Servicemembers and Veterans (HERO Act) that Gov. Maura Healey (D) introduced last month. This comes as lawmakers are also being asked to consider a separate proposal to legalize substances such as psilocybin and ayahuasca for…

“We’ve spread a wide net on this. And we believe that this is really the compromise path.” By Ben Botkin, Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon Democratic legislators plan to fight the state’s war on drug addiction and overdoses on multiple battle fronts. They want to build residential facilities to treat people, give police the ability to arrest people for possession and have programs to help people get off drugs, from offering medication in jails to sobering centers and clinics. They want dealers to face tougher penalties when they sell drugs in parks or within 500 feet of homeless shelters and drug…

“I think there should be some regulation, and I think that what this calls for is a slight change in business model as opposed to a complete closure.” By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Ashley Guy runs a smoke shop in Tallahassee. She says she’s thrived since she moved from Seattle to Florida five years ago, with profits of more than $5 million from the sales of cannabis hemp products. But if a new proposal in the Florida Legislature passes, “this would just decimate business” she said on Tuesday. She added that if the caps on THC—the compound in the plant…

Uber and the office of Colorado’s governor are among those who’ve disclosed federal lobbying on marijuana reform legislation this past quarter, newly released reports show. Meanwhile, Amazon, American Express, pharmaceutical companies, labor unions, cannabis businesses, prohibitionist organizations and others have also continued to put pressure on Congress over various marijuana-related proposals, according to the 2023 4th quarter reports that were filed with the Senate and House of Representatives as required by law. This appears to be the first time that the ride-sharing and delivery service company Uber Technologies has become involved in federal marijuana lobbying, with a report filed on…