Author: Nicole Potter

[ad_1] The New York State Cannabis Control Board (CCB) recently voted to waive cannabis cultivator licensing fees for the next two years. Gov. Kathy Hochul celebrated this recent progress to help struggling cultivators. “Farmers are the backbone of our State, and we’re making sure the family farms across New York that are building our cannabis industry have a real chance to succeed,” Hochul said. “I have made it clear that New York State needs to issue more dispensary licenses and kickstart cannabis sales in New York, and this two-year promise to Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators will make sure these farmers can…

[ad_1] A recent property tax relief bill in Nebraska is seeking to create new income opportunities for the state, including a variety of sales tax exemptions. This includes adding sales taxes for products like candy and soda, as well as services such as pet care and grooming, but most importantly, adding a 100% tax to CBD and hemp products. Legislative Bill 388 was recently passed by the Nebraska Legislature’s Revenue Committee on March 21 in a seven to 10 vote. The bill was initially introduced by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan in January, who is also the chair of the Revenue…

[ad_1] The landlocked country of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), located in southern Africa, recently made a move to legalize medical cannabis. According to a report from VOA Zimbabwe, King Mswati III and the Eswatini government have introduced medical cannabis legislation hoping that it will help curb illegal sales and allow the country to benefit from tax revenue. “The legislation will also provide measures to guard against increasing the black market,” said spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo. “This has robbed government taxes, Eswatini, an opportunity to grow their economy and robbed even the farmers themselves who have been trying to make a…

[ad_1] Last year in October, a group of cannabis companies filed a federal lawsuit claiming that a federal ban on cannabis is unconstitutional, but the suit was dismissed in January. On Friday, March 15, a new federal lawsuit was filed in court as Canna Provisions, Inc. et al v. Garland. The case is represented by Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, is pursuing the rights of Verano Holdings Corp, Canna Provisions Inc., Wiseacre Farm Inc., and Gyasi Sellers, who owns a delivery service—all of which operate cannabis businesses in Massachusetts. The plaintiffs claim that the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) has hindered their…

[ad_1] The Cleveland School of Cannabis (CSC), located in Independence, Ohio, announced on March 6 that it is the first cannabis school in the U.S. to be recognized through the Middle States Association-CESS. “The accreditation of CSC by Middle States Association-CESS (MSA-CESS) marks a significant step forward for the cannabis industry, driven by a broader acceptance of cannabis and its related fields within the formal education system,” CSC wrote in a press release. “With over 1,100 graduates, CSC has already made substantial contributions to the workforce and knowledge base of the cannabis industry. This formal recognition could pave the way…

[ad_1] Last week, a psilocybin research bill in Indiana was sent to the desk of Gov. Eric Holcomb. The bill was recently passed in the Senate in February (Senate Bill 139), followed by the House Public Health Committee shortly afterwards. Following the end of the 2024 legislative session on March 8, bill sponsor Sen. Ed Charbonneau published a press release about his pride in working toward passing three different bills. The first would help make child care more affordable for Indianans, and the second included an expansion to health plans to include coverage for searching biomarkers for diagnosis or condition…

[ad_1] Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes recently issued a formal legal opinion on March 11, which addressed a question sent by Sen. Steve Montenegro and Sen. T.J. Shope, which inquired if selling delta-8 THC products (which also covers delta-10 products and any other “hemp-synthesized intoxicants”) at smoke shops or convenience stores violates state law. Mayes’ summary answer immediately responds to the presented question. “No, Arizona law does not permit the sale of delta-8 and other hemp-synthesized intoxicants by entities that have not been licensed by Health Services,” Mayes wrote. “Irrespective of delta-8’s arguable federal legality under the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act…

[ad_1] France is currently working toward the eventual launch of its official medical cannabis program, and a new update from the French National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) recently announced that access to cannabis flower is not currently included. France’s medical cannabis experiment began in August 2021, and 2024 is set to be the last year of the experiment, while patients will only be accepted if they applied prior to March 26, 2024. The official launch of the country’s medical cannabis program is set to occur sometime in 2025. ANSM published an update on Feb. 20, explaining that with an end date…

[ad_1] The Virginia Department of Forensic Science (VDFS) recently released a report regarding its federal funded study to research reliable testing methods for detecting THC in blood. DFS was originally granted $290,353 in 2020 by the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice. “The goal of this research project is to develop and validate an automated sample preparation technique for the quantitative evaluation of an expanded cannabinoid panel (CBD, CBN, THC, THC-A, CBC) in biological matrices…” stated the award description. More than $1,188,390 million was available in total, and the sum was divided between a total of five projects. “The…

[ad_1] The Missouri House Veterans Committee recently passed a medical psilocybin bill that would legalize psilocybin therapy for veterans and also grant funds for research on further therapeutic benefits. Currently the House bill is unpublished, but an identical Senate version of the bill was also passed recently as well. SB-768 was pre-filed in December 2023 by Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder and was most recently passed in the Senate Committee on Emerging Issues on Feb. 27, with revisions to allow military veterans over 21 to use psilocybin if they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or substance use disorders. Other qualifications include…

[ad_1] Senate Bill 5376 was recently passed in the House in Washington state on Feb. 29, which would establish new rules for cannabis waste if it became law. Currently, cannabis waste (specifically roots, stalks, leaves, and stems that aren’t considered to be “dangerous”) is dumped into landfills and produces methane gas as it decomposes. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 50% of landfill gas consists of methane, which is 28 times more effective than carbon dioxide to trap heat in the atmosphere. SB-5376 aims to reduce the amount of cannabis waste, and methane gas, that is being produced in…

[ad_1] Maryland-based dispensary, Far & Dotter, and Curio Wellness was recently hit with a fine of $26,000 for selling cannabis that was removed from a dumpster. According to a Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) consent order shared by The Baltimore Banner, a total of 64 units of cannabis (224 grams) product were thrown into the garbage outside of Curio Wellness’ Far & Dotter dispensary, located in Timonium, Maryland in July 2023. The order states that the store received a delivery of Amnesia OG flower in sealed jars, but does not specify the reason as to why it was thrown away. The…