D.C. Council Vote to Shut Down Cannabis Gifting Services Falls Short

A bill targeting shops “gifting” cannabis to consumers failed to receive enough votes in the Washington, D.C. Council this week. If approved, severe penalties would have been applied to shops offering cannabis as gifts...

1y

MG Retailer

The Adult-Use Cannabis Market Is Opening for Business in New Jersey

Recreational cannabis sales for adults 21 and over have been approved by New Jersey officials. Initially, a handful of sites already operating as medicinal dispensaries will be able to expand into the adult-use market. So...

1y

MG Retailer

The House Appears Ready to Legalize Marijuana Once Again

Cannabis experts everywhere are watching the House of Representatives this week, as they might pass legislation that would legalize cannabis on a federal level. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the industry has...

1y

MG Retailer

NY Considers Cannabis-Infused Food Sales at Pizzerias & Other Eateries

New York City has been famous for its brand of thin, crispy, deliciously-greasy pizza for the past century, and this year, the city’s mass of pizzerias might be working a new ingredient into their menus: cannabis. The past...

1y

MG Retailer

How to Customize Cannabis Lease Agreements and Stay Protected

The cannabis industry can be a minefield of potential legal, tax, and licensing issues. In particular, cannabis lease agreements can be a hotbed of hidden problems. Many operators have been forced out of business altogether...

2y

MG Retailer

Big Push to Reform Cannabis Banking Regs Renewed Ahead of Midterms

Members of the cannabis industry are intensifying their push to get a banking reform bill passed ahead of the November midterm elections. Industry members are fearful that a potential GOP takeover in Congress would present...

2y

MG Retailer

Europe Is on the Cusp of Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis

While the U.S. has moved steadily forward with its patchwork of state-by-state cannabis laws, a similar movement has been occurring in Europe for years now. Several countries in the European Union have established medical...

2y

MG Retailer

Illegal Cannabis Operation Could Net Conspirator Life Sentence

FARMINGTON, Maine – A Maine man faces life in prison and a $10-million fine after pleading guilty to conspiring to cultivate and distribute cannabis illegally. Randal Cousineau, 69, is one of twelve defendants charged with...

2y

MG Retailer

Cannabis M&A: How to Prepare Your Company for Sale

Although federal cannabis legalization feels closer than ever before, most would agree it’s not imminent, unfortunately. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has acknowledged he does not yet have the votes to push his federal...

2y

MG Retailer

Looking Back on 25 Years of Cannabis Legalization

The past several years have been a whirlwind of progress for cannabis legalization — medically and recreationally and on a global level. To date, thirty-six U.S. states have established comprehensive medical cannabis programs....

2y

MG Retailer

How Australia Accomplished Federal Cannabis Legalization

Over the past several years, I’ve been fortunate to travel the world thanks to cannabis. From rooftop parties in Tel Aviv and Toronto to underground events in Santiago and Sydney, the memories and stories are enough to...

2y

MG Retailer

EU Cannabis Industry Poised to Surpass U.S.

The global cannabis market continues to grow at a rapid pace, driven by factors including increased consumer demand for legal marijuana, eased government regulations, new and innovative technologies, a significant shift in...

2y

MG Retailer

Potential Municipal, State Bankruptcy Crisis Could Help End Prohibition

Financial institutions in the United States, including state-chartered banks, are inextricably intertwined with the federal banking system and federal law. Since cannabis is considered a Schedule I drug under the Controlled...

2y

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USDA, Vicente Sederberg Release Videos Explaining New Hemp Regulations

In a follow up to interim guidance formally issued by the organization, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a recorded webinar providing an overview of its newly established U.S. Domestic Hemp...

4y

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California Regulators Suspend Nearly 400 Cannabis Business Licenses

SACRAMENTO – The California Bureau of Cannabis Control (CBCC) this week moved to suspend the licenses of 394 cannabis businesses, citing that they had not complied with requirements for track-and-trace systems, which allow...

4y

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U.S. Senate Votes to Include Medical Cannabis Provisions in Funding Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As federal lawmakers work diligently to add amendments and provisions to ‘”minibus” appropriations legislation’ that will fund various federal agencies for the 2020 fiscal year, the Senate Appropriations...

4y

MG Retailer

State Updates: Kansas and Wisconsin Consider New Cannabis Policies

Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin are lobbying to eliminate all criminal penalties for possession of under 28 grams of cannabis flower. Unlike decriminalization measures in other states, civil citations or fines would not...

4y

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Students Sue Colleges Over Medical Cannabis Use

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Challenges between the rights of medical cannabis patients and continued federal prohibition in the U.S. are being tested on college campuses, as media reports this week brought attention to lawsuits—filed...

4y

MG Retailer

The Key to Doing Business in Any Newly Legalized State: Listen and Learn

In June, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation allowing recreational marijuana possession and sales starting January 1, 2020. In so doing, he gave final approval to a new opportunity for businesses to grow a...

4y

MG Retailer

Cannabis Industry Reacts After Gov. Newsom Signs Bill to Bring Tax Relief

Making it in the cannabis industry is notoriously difficult, but a new bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) could make things a bit easier for California businesses. Newsom recently signed several cannabis-related...

4y

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Northeast Governors Hold Regional Conference on Vaping and Cannabis

NEW YORK – Governors Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.), Ned Lamont (D-Conn.), Phil Murphy (D-N.J.), and Tom Wolf (D-Pa.), joined by other officials from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island,...

4y

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Cannabis Businesses Swept Up in National Political Scandal

SACRAMENTO – Several licensed businesses and the city’s licensing process are under investigation by the City of Sacramento, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as...

4y

MG Retailer

Maine Recreational Cannabis Sales Expected to Start in Early Spring

After years of waiting, residents and business owners in Maine can expect recreational cannabis sales to begin in March of 2020. Although recreational cannabis was approved by Maine voters almost three years ago, several...

4y

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Pennsylvania Governor Seeks Recreational Cannabis Legalization

YORK, Pa. – Governor Tom Wolf (D-Pa.) is seeking to legalize recreational cannabis for adults in Pennsylvania. Wolf, along with Lt. Governor John Fetterman held a press conference to make the announcement. Fetterman was...

4y

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House of Representatives Approves Cannabis SAFE Banking Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today, in a historic vote, approved legislation that would allow legal cannabis businesses access to banking services and other financial resources, under H.R. 1595:...

4y

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5 Things to Know Before Applying for a Cannabis License

If you follow news headlines, you may be familiar with the variety of articles currently analyzing cannabis stocks leading the “green revolution.” Legal cannabis is worth $50 billion in the U.S. today and is expected...

4y

MG Retailer

Bipartisan Bill to Legalize Medical Cannabis in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. – A bipartisan bill was introduced on Friday that would, if passed, decriminalize medical cannabis in the state of Wisconsin. The bill was introduced by co-authors Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), Representative...

4y

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Senator Mitch McConnell Urges FDA to Issue Temporary CBD Regulations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is seeking temporary rules from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to govern the sale of hemp-derived CBD products. McConnell has introduced...

4y

MG Retailer

Congressman Steube Introduces Bill to Reschedule Cannabis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) on Thursday introduced the Marijuana 1-to-3 Act of 2019. If passed, the act would reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled...

4y

MG Retailer

Texas-Sized Blunder? State Seems to Accidentally Allow Cannabis Possession

Texas is not known for cannabis-friendly regulations. Typically, pot enthusiasts are encouraged to be extremely careful in the Lonestar State—but new regulations may have inadvertently made Texas a much more 420 friendly...

4y

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Democratic Candidate Andrew Yang Adds Cannabis-Themed Campaign Merch

NEW YORK – Democratic candidate for president Andrew Yang has released a limited edition, subtly cannabis-themed baseball cap, which is being sold to raise money for his campaign. On August 24, Yang tweeted, “Our limited...

4y

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DEA Again Announces Intention to Process Cannabis Research Applications

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Although cannabis consumption has been rapidly increasing in recent years, formal research into the benefits and risks of the plant are lagging far behind. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has,...

4y

MG Retailer

The Highs and Woes of Medical Cannabis Reciprocity

More than two million Americans turn to medical cannabis to help them manage debilitating diseases, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions, according to 2018 statistics. In recognition of...

4y

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