September 15, 2020
These states are voting on cannabis legalization this November
In 2016, the US election resulted in a green wave as cannabis legalization measures passed in eight out of nine states. Now, the industry and its supporters are hoping for another big win in November. This year, voters in five states will decide whether to adopt either new medical or recreational cannabis laws -- or, perhaps, both in the case of one state. As it stands now, 33 states have legalized medical cannabis, and of those, 11 states have legalized cannabis for adult recreational use. If more states join that list, it could serve as a huge opportunity for industry growth as legalization supporters believe successful ballot initiatives could have a domino effect on other states -- especially those looking to address budgetary and social justice issues. "We've seen public support continue to grow every year," said Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, the legalization advocacy group backing several of the measures. Cannabis sales in states that have legalized the plant for medical and recreational purposes totaled about $15 billion in 2019, and are expected to top $30 billion by 2024, according to data from BDS Analytics, which tracks dispensary sales. Below is a look at the five states voting on legal cannabis this November. Four years ago, residents in the Grand Canyon State narrowly defeated an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis. It failed by fewer than 67,100 votes, with 51.3% of voters saying no. The 2016 measure was hotly contested, attracting a combined $13 million from high-profile donors such as soap company Dr. Bronner's, which was in favor of the measure, and opponents such as billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, tire retailer Discount Tire, and pharmaceutical company Insys. This time around, the backers of the recreational cannabis initiative include some of the biggest names in the US cannabis business -- an industry that has matured significantly during the past four years. State election finance records show that contributors supporting Proposition 207 include multi-state cannabis producers and retailers such as the Tempe, Arizona-based Harvest Health & Recreation (HRVSF) and firms such as Curaleaf (CURLF) and Cresco Labs (CRLBF), which have cultivation and retail operations in Arizona's medical cannabis industry. Still in staunch opposition are Governor Doug Ducey, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a national organization that opposes the legalization and commercialization of cannabis.
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September 15, 2020
Vermont house passes bill to expunge criminal records for low level cannabis offenses
The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill Friday that would automatically expunge all criminal records for past low level cannabis possession offenses. The bill would also decriminalize possession of cannabis in amounts that are up to twice the legal limit for adults, as well as reduce some cannabis penalties. The bill will require a final vote from the House and Senate before it moves to Gov. Phil Scott's desk for approval. House and Senate negotiators also appear to be heading toward a final agreement on legislation that would legalize, regulate and tax cannabis sales.
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September 14, 2020
Group Says Lift Limits on Cannabis Licenses
A free-market think tank said Illinois lawmakers should make the state's adult-use cannabis industry more equitable by lifting the limits on how many licenses are available. About 700 businesses applied to get one of the 75 licenses available in the state's upcoming license lottery, which was delayed by more than four months. Of the 21 entities that made it through to the lottery that could lead to a coveted cannabis business license, more than half are owned by people of color, state officials said. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said this week that the outcome was not perfect
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September 14, 2020
Nebraska court strips medical marijuana measure from ballot
Nebraska voters won’t get the chance to legalize medical marijuana this year after the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the measure set to appear on the November ballot is unconstitutional. The court’s ruling was a win for social conservatives, including Gov. Pete Ricketts, who argued that the state shouldn’t legalize a drug that isn’t approved by federal regulators. The court also ruled that a measure to allow casino gambling can appear on the ballot, despite opposition from Ricketts and other conservatives who say it will contribute to gambling addiction and bankruptcies.
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September 14, 2020
Pet owners could talk to their vets about CBD, marijuana products under Michigan House-passed bill
Products promising to alleviate a beloved pet’s pain with CBD oil or THC have long been available to consumers - but Michigan veterinarians are currently operating in a legal gray area when talking about those products with pet owners. Many Michigan lawmakers are hoping to change that. This week, a bill that would let veterinarians consult with pet owners about the use of marijuana or industrial hemp products for their animals passed the Michigan House unanimously. Rep. Greg Markkanen, R-Houghton, sponsored the bill after learning from veterinarians in his district that while clients often have questions about how products containing CBD or THC could affect their pet’s health, state law doesn’t explicitly allow veterinarians to discuss the pros and cons of the products with pet owners.
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September 11, 2020
New marijuana shops need ‘true social equity,’ lawmakers say in pitching change to weed law
As losing applicants for new pot shop licenses continued to raise alarms about the application process and an upcoming lottery to determine the winners, two Democratic lawmakers outlined plans Wednesday to formally review the scoring system and introduce new legislation to “make sure that true social equity is achieved.” During a Zoom call with a group of scorned social equity candidates, state Reps. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) and Kathleen Willis (D-Northlake) said they are formulating a “trailer bill” to introduce during the fall veto session that will reflect the litany of concerns from would-be pot shop operators
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September 11, 2020
Medical Marijuana Measure Removed From Nebraska’s November Ballot By State Supreme Court
The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a medical marijuana legalization initiative cannot appear on the state’s November ballot following a legal challenge. Activists turned in enough signatures in July to qualify the measure, but Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner filed a challenge against the secretary of state’s office last month, arguing that the proposal violates the state’s single-subject rule for ballot initiatives and would confuse voters. While the state rejected that argument, the local police official took it up in court. Lawyers for both the sheriff and supporters of the measure—including state Sens. Adam Morfeld (D) and Anna Wishart (D)—made their respective arguments during a hearing last week.
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September 11, 2020
Changed Regulations Threaten Burgeoning Hemp Industry
Participants in New York State's budding hemp industry are nervous about changes in state and federal regulations that they say could have catastrophic consequences just as it is starting to thrive. Though hemp cultivation was legalized nationally in the federal farm bill of 2018, New York initiated an industrial hemp pilot research program four years earlier, a provision of the 2014 federal farm bill. The state's program has grown from two growers and 30 acres in 2016 to more than 500 producers and 20,000 acres this year, but is set to expire on Oct. 31. The 2018 farm bill authorized a national licensing system for hemp cultivation under United States Department of Agriculture jurisdiction.
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September 11, 2020
Hemp or marijuana? After a year in the dark, Harris County prosecutors will finally know.
Local forensic labs in Harris County can now determine whether a leafy green is hemp or marijuana following a state policy that legalized some uses of the cannabis plant. The Houston Forensic Science Center and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will use the test on samples that could contain illegal amounts of THC, the results of which could be used to prosecute criminal cases. THC is the main active ingredient in cannabis.
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September 10, 2020
Campaign to legalize marijuana kicks off with 55 days until election
A coalition of activists and experts is readying to roll out a campaign to legalize marijuana in New Jersey for those over 21, framed through a racial justice lens seeking to end arrests for weed use and address the damage caused by the war on drugs. NJ CAN 2020 formed in March, just a week before the state began shutting down to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Since, the landscape of an election has changed drastically — no going door-to-door to spread the word, no rallies with motivational speakers to rouse voters. And the get-out-the-vote message has shifted to getting the ballot in the mailbox on time, as New Jersey plans to send mail-in ballots to all of its registered voters.“As people are self-isolating, quarantining, we need to go where people are,” said Axel Owen, NJ CAN 2020?s campaign manager. “Since we can’t go to their door, that means we have to go to their phone.” The coalition includes members of the ACLU of New Jersey, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, the Latino Action Network, the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, the NAACP New Jersey State Conference and the NJ CannaBusiness Association. It also has the support and funding of The coalition will take a virtual-first approach to reaching voters and educating them about the ballot question seeking to legalize marijuana. They will host online forums, live broadcasts and posts on social media as well as phone banking and text alerts. Despite a years-long battle to legalize marijuana, coalition members say the need to educate voters remains. “There are many people in New Jersey who think that we have already legalized,” said Amol Sinha, executive director of the ACLU of New Jersey and a coalition member. “I think we need to educate voters that no, it’s not done. And it’s going to be on the ballot.” With a decade-old medical marijuana program and three years worth of calls by Gov. Phil Murphy to legalize, many people wrongly assume the Garden State has already passed legislation. But the state Senate fell short of the number of votes needed to pass a legalization bill several times over the past two years; lawmakers have also let legislation that would decriminalize anywhere from two ounces to one pound of marijuana languish. Meanwhile, police continue to arrest nearly 100 people for possession of marijuana each day, and the illicit market thrives. That’s the main point the coalition wants to drive home to voters. This isn’t just about making it easier to purchase marijuana for recreational use, but about stopping the thousands of annual arrests that disproportionately impact Black communities. Weedmaps, individual donors and New Jersey advocacy group, including the ACLU.
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