Justice

AUSTIN-- As the Texas legislative session draws to a close this Memorial Day, the future of medical cannabis expansion in the state remains uncertain. Crucial legislation aimed at broadening access to low-THC medical cannabis products for chronic pain sufferers hangs in the balance, awaiting approval from a Texas Senate committee before the session ends. House ...

LOS ANGELES-- The Minnesota legislature has passed a comprehensive health policy bill that includes provisions to establish a psychedelics task force in preparation for potential legalization. The bill, which had previously passed the House and recently cleared the Senate, is now headed to the desk of Governor Tim Walz for final approval. The legislation creates ...

In a legal battle that could have significant implications for the cannabis industry in Illinois, a coalition of 13 licensed cannabis transporters has filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Agriculture, accusing regulators of allowing illegal cannabis delivery operations to thrive unchecked. The lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday in Sangamon County Circuit Court, ...

LOS ANGELES-- Illinois-based cannabis company, Green Thumb Industries is navigating stormy waters as it continues to negotiate employment terms with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. This follows a nearly two-week-long strike at several of Green Thumb's facilities, involving unionized workers. The company is also bracing for potential financial implications from ten federal complaints lodged by ...

OKLAHOMA-- Despite concerns over a potential crackdown on Oklahoma's medical cannabis market following the failure of a recreational marijuana legalization ballot question in March, the state's cannabis industry has managed to avoid a disastrous outcome during the recent legislative session. Lobbyists representing the cannabis sector have been working diligently to mitigate the impact of several ...

WASHINGTON-- In a progressive move to foster diversity within Washington's cannabis sector, Governor Jay Inslee approved a law amendment on Monday, enabling the state's Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) to assign 46 forfeited or unutilized cannabis licenses to social equity candidates this year. Seattle State Senator Rebecca Saldaña spearheaded the initiative to combat the industry's ...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In a major win for hemp farmers and CBD product manufacturers, the Florida Senate has passed a bill that eliminates THC caps on hemp. The legislation, which was approved on Monday, will allow for the cultivation, processing, and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products without any restrictions on THC content. This is ...

LOS ANGELES-- The Colorado Senate has approved a bill aimed at regulating psychedelic substances, following a voter-endorsed initiative. The proposed legislation would establish guidelines for the legal use of psilocybin and psilocyn in authorized therapeutic centers under the supervision of trained professionals. The bill also outlines licensing standards for businesses involved in producing, testing, storing, ...

DOVER, DELAWARE - In a historic move, Delaware has become the 22nd state to legalize recreational use of cannabis, joining a growing number of states that have taken steps to decriminalize and regulate the drug. The legislation, which passed the Delaware Senate on Thursday and the House on Friday, allows adults aged 21 and over ...

ALABAMA -- Alabama is gearing up to launch its medical cannabis industry later this year, with up to 17 companies expected to be granted licenses to cultivate and process cannabis for patients in the state. The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has announced that it will issue licenses to companies to grow plants in enclosed facilities ...

LOS ANGELES-- Former Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson and three others have been charged with federal corruption charges related to the state's legal cannabis industry. The charges are likely to signal just the beginning of a much broader investigation. All four defendants have accepted plea deals, which highlight the early challenges of launching Michigan's legal ...

LOS ANGELES-- On April 20, a group of cannabis advocates will gather at the Capitol Visitors Center of the Congressional Auditorium for a policy forum. The event, which is symbolically scheduled on the unofficial cannabis holiday, will bring together activists and leaders from government, business, healthcare, veterans groups, and civil rights organizations to discuss the ...

LOS ANGELES-- Cannabis industry trade groups are pushing for a Senate hearing on the upcoming SAFE Banking Act, even though it hasn't been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives yet. The bill is designed to give state-legal cannabis companies access to the wider U.S. banking system. A letter from five marijuana industry ...

LOS ANGELES--In response to persistent corruption concerns in California's cannabis industry, the state government is launching a new crackdown in several jurisdictions that have not yet been identified. This move follows allegations of bribery, pay-to-play schemes, and other wrongdoing at the city and county level. State Auditor Grant Parks informed California lawmakers on Wednesday that ...

LOS ANGELES-- Clinical research firm Reunion Neuroscience Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Mindset Pharma Inc. in federal court, alleging that the latter copied its psychedelic formula and presented it as its own invention while applying for a patent. Reunion is seeking to have its Chief Scientific Officer, Nathan Bryson, added as an inventor of ...

MICHIGAN-- Skymint, the brand name for Green Peak Innovations Inc., has been placed into receivership by a Michigan judge after the company failed to pay back loans provided by SunStream’s affiliate Tropics LP since March last year. Skymint owes investors at least $135 million, and several investors have sued the company, alleging that it had ...

LOS ANGELES-- Three US states are making progress in legalizing cannabis possession for people aged 21 and above, as the debate on cannabis legalization continues across the country. In Hawaii, lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 669, which seeks to legalize the use, production, and retail sales of cannabis for adults. However, the future of the ...

WASHINGTON, DC--The Justice Department is fighting back against a recent ruling that overturned a longstanding federal law banning cannabis users from possessing firearms. In early February, a federal judge in Oklahoma deemed the 1968 law unconstitutional, stating that using cannabis does not exhibit any of the characteristics historically associated with firearms regulation. The judge argued ...

MICHIGAN-- Skymint, one of Michigan's largest cannabis cultivators and retailers, is now under the control of a receiver as the industry faces an increasingly difficult market in the state. The Ingham County Circuit Court in Lansing appointed Gene Kohut, a partner at Detroit-based business advisory firm Trust Street Advisors, as the receiver in what could ...

NEW YORK-- New York’s state Cannabis Control Board has announced it will double the number of “justice-involved” retail permits from 150 to 300, in an effort to expand the market and support social equity retailers. While the move was partly driven by the fact that many qualified applicants can now afford to pay for their ...

RICHMOND-- Virginia lawmakers have approved strict new regulations on products containing delta-8 THC, a hemp-derived cannabinoid. The legislation, which was hammered out on the last day of the General Assembly session, will require sellers of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid products to obtain a state license. The new regulations also prohibit the sale of products with more ...