Cannabis In Politics

As congressional lawmakers gear up for discussions on the forthcoming Farm Bill, a diverse array of stakeholders—from hemp businesses and marijuana companies to state regulators and prohibitionists—are advocating for their respective cannabis priorities, reports indicate. One point of contention revolves around proposed restrictions on intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids like delta-8 THC, which has sparked disagreement among

A group of four individuals cultivating cannabis in Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against state cannabis regulators, asserting their right to sell their homegrown products without obtaining a license, according to MinnPost. The plaintiffs reference Article 13, Section 7 of the Minnesota Constitution, which stipulates that individuals may sell or peddle products cultivated on their

Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate have reintroduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity (CAO) Act, spearheaded by a coalition of Democrats including Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Ron Wyden, and Sen. Cory Booker. The bill aims to dismantle the federal prohibition of cannabis and prioritize safety, research, workers’ rights, and restorative justice. Sen. Schumer emphasized

The Alabama Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee voted to approve two bills aimed at restarting the state’s medical cannabis licensing process. Sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, SB 306 would restart the licensing process and involve the Alabama Securities Commission in verifying and evaluating applications. The bill seeks to address inconsistencies in scoring applications by

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is once again pushing for legislative action to address concerns related to marijuana consumption and the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids like delta-8 THC. During his State of the State address, Governor DeWine emphasized the need to respect the will of Ohio voters who approved marijuana legalization at the ballot last

Minnesota is making significant strides in rectifying past cannabis-related injustices as it expunges more than 60,000 misdemeanor records ahead of schedule. This expedited process, which was initially slated for August, comes as a result of the state’s adult-use cannabis law passed last year. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Records reports that the expungements are expected

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has taken a significant step towards protecting the rights of medical cannabis patients in the state by signing a bill that shields state employees from discrimination based on their status as registered patients. This legislation covers a wide range of public sector workers, including firefighters, emergency service providers, teachers, and civil

Lawmakers in Washington state have forwarded a proposal to Governor Jay Inslee’s desk that would permit cannabis operators to repurpose their green waste into commercial composts and other products, as reported by the Spokesman-Review. The bill would enable cannabis operators to transform the byproducts of commercial cannabis harvests, such as stalks, stems, leaves, and roots,

The Biden Administration’s budget proposal, continues to include a rider preventing Washington D.C. from utilizing funds to establish its voter-approved adult-use cannabis marketplace. This measure, initially introduced by U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) in 2014, has persisted despite D.C. voters’ overwhelming support for Initiative 71, which legalized cannabis possession and cultivation for adults. Despite efforts