Cannabis And Culture

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the smell of raw odor provides legal grounds for police to conduct vehicle searches. The decision stemmed from the case of Vincent Molina, charged with misdemeanor possession following a 2020 traffic stop where a state trooper smelled raw odor and discovered joints and a sealed box in the vehicle.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI granted pardons to nearly 5,000 people convicted of or wanted for illegal cannabis cultivation, according to a report by Reuters. The move is part of a broader strategy to transition the country’s cannabis industry from illicit to legal cultivation, which is expected to boost farmers’ incomes and stabilize the agricultural sector.

Connecticut’s Governor, Ned Lamont, has halted the distribution of $33.4 million from the state’s marijuana social equity fund while the program undergoes a comprehensive review. This decision comes in response to complaints from the state’s legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and other stakeholders about the transparency and recipient choices of the Social Equity Council

As state governments nationwide grapple with how to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids, California could integrate marijuana and hemp producers under new legislation. Assembly Bill 2223, introduced by Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry in February, passed the Assembly Floor with bipartisan support in May. The bill builds on AB 45, legislation from 2021 that permitted hemp-derived CBD

In a pioneering move, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) in North Carolina, which recently launched medical marijuana sales, is now gearing up to introduce recreational cannabis to its community. The Tribal Council of the EBCI voted decisively to amend the Tribal Code, paving the way for the sale of recreational marijuana, as reported