Author: Marijuana Moment
[ad_1] “Even the claim of smelling cannabis can be discretionary. Honestly, it can be made up sometimes when officers are being less than honest because there’s no way to challenge it.” By Dilpreet Raju, Capitol News Illinois The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday as to whether the smell of cannabis alone is grounds for police officers to search a vehicle, marking a test of the state’s 2020 recreational marijuana legalization law. The court heard two consolidated cases of individuals who were in vehicles that were searched after an officer used the smell of cannabis as probable cause. In People…
[ad_1] “Marijuana should be dealt with like alcohol and other substances like that are dealt with.” By Evan Popp, Maine Morning Star A legislative panel on Wednesday voted down a measure to take marijuana out of Maine’s criminal code. The proposal from Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot) would have removed marijuana as a scheduled drug in Maine and eliminated crimes that include the unlawful trafficking and possession of the drug. I would also have removed the rule that a person who has a certain amount of marijuana is illegally furnishing it and eliminated any mandatory minimum term of imprisonments for marijuana-related…
[ad_1] “Social equity should not simply be a false mantra for politically connected and well-capitalized opportunists to distort new marijuana markets or exploit the public purse.” By Geoffrey Lawrence, Reason Foundation & Khurshid Khoja, Greenbridge Corporate Counsel Ohio voters recently legalized the recreational use of marijuana by adults. In total, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana use, and Florida, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin may all soon join these ranks. This metaphorical genie is not going back in the bottle, nor should it because drug prohibition breeds violence and has ruined many lives. As part of the growing bipartisan…
[ad_1] The judge also ordered that any dispensary owner that has already renewed its licenses under the new fee structure should be refunded by the state. By Justin Franz, Montana Free Press A Lewis and Clark County district court judge has struck down a new state law that dramatically increased the licensing fees for marijuana dispensaries with multiple locations. Under House Bill 903, a dispensary would have had to pay $5,000 to renew a license for its first shop, and then a cumulatively additional $5,000 for each additional location. Under the new law it would have cost marijuana retailers $10,000 to renew…
[ad_1] “This is the Judgment Day that we all predicted while sharing a conspiratorial joint in the dark days of prohibition. It’s surreal to see our fears manifesting in real time.” By Deb Tharp, NuggMD Politico recently published an extensive Q&A with Howard Sklamberg, a former top Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official who currently works at the law firm Arnold and Porter. Many advocates for legalization and restorative justice have concerns about the rescheduling of cannabis to a Schedule III substance—fears that Sklamberg believes are “alarmist and misguided.” As a longtime advocate, I have to say that I don’t…
[ad_1] “I’m committed to a medicinal cannabis program that is for the health and well-being of South Carolinians.” By Jessica Holdman, South Carolina Daily Gazette The medical marijuana debate is back at the South Carolina Statehouse and the Senate medical committee chairman wants a “redo.” The latest iteration of legislation to legalize and regulate the prescription of cannabis to treat the symptoms of cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism and other debilitating diseases is currently stuck in the Senate. Proponents are pushing for a vote early in the legislative session, which begins Tuesday. Speaking to a room…
[ad_1] “They should have the same rights of any other patient, and exactly the same restrictions.” By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix In 2021, Samuel E. Velez Ortiz, a corrections officer with the Florida Department of Corrections, was fired when a random drug test flagged him for cannabis metabolites. While he continues to challenge his termination in state courts, a new bill filed by South Florida Democratic state Sen. Tina Polsky would ensure that such an action couldn’t happen in the future to a state employee who is also a medical marijuana patient. The Public Employee Protection Act (SB 166) would…
[ad_1] “We found that, similar to how schools see a spike in applications and SAT scores when those schools have winning sports teams, schools see spikes when they are located in states that legalize marijuana.” By Christopher D. Blake, Emory University via The Conversation Colleges in states where recreational marijuana became legal over the past decade saw a significant but short-term boost in applications from top-notch students. They also got more applications overall. Those were the key findings of a new study our team published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Contemporary Economic Policy. In the year that a particular state legalized recreational…
[ad_1] “We are going to look at all the information to ensure that these are going to truly eligible individuals.” By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent More than 40 percent of the owners listed on applications for state’s social-equity marijuana licenses issued in October were from outside Missouri, according to an annual report released by the Division of Cannabis Regulation Wednesday. About half of those owners came from California, Michigan, Louisiana and Arizona, collectively. The microbusiness license program is meant to boost opportunities in the industry for businesses in disadvantaged communities, and it was part of the constitutional amendment to legalize…
[ad_1] “The court also notes that all three rounds of awards have been challenged as legally infirm” By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector A Montgomery County Circuit Judge Wednesday evening blocked the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) from issuing licenses for all-inclusive facilities amid ongoing lawsuits over the commission’s selection process. Judge James Anderson wrote in the order that the commission’s third round of license awards, in December, following two attempts earlier in 2023, started on “uneven grounds” because there are unresolved, ongoing litigation regarding the first two. “The court also notes that all three rounds of awards have been challenged as…
[ad_1] The proposed rules would change the definition of THC to include the percent of THC-A, leading to the potential ban of THC-A and some CBD flower. By Adam Friedman, Tennessee Lookout Tennessee lawmakers passed legislation to begin regulating hemp-derived cannabinoid products last year, banning the selling of them to those under the age of 21. But the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s new rules submitted in December go further and attempt to curb the selling of hemp-derived cannabinoid products like THC-A and CBD flower by changing the rules around what qualifies as THC, the psychoactive ingredient most commonly found in…
[ad_1] “If you can go in Walgreens and fill a prescription for an opioid and Walgreens can advertise, why can’t Tru Source and the other cannabis dispensaries and cultivators in Mississippi?” By Heather Harrison, Mississippi Free Press Mississippi’s medical cannabis advertising ban is preventing a small dispensary from attracting customers, Tru Source owner Clarence Cocroft is arguing in a federal lawsuit that casts the law as a violation of his free-speech rights. Though medical marijuana is now legal for Mississippians with qualifying conditions and a medical cannabis card, state law prohibits dispensary owners and cultivators from advertising cannabis products. “It’s…