Justice
California’s Cannabis Industry Faces Meltdown as New Tax Hike Begins
LOS ANGELES – California’s legal cannabis industry is sounding the alarm as a significant excise tax increase, which took effect on July 1, 2025, threatens to cripple an already struggling market. The excise tax on legal cannabis has risen from 15% to 19%, a move that industry leaders, including growers, dispensary owners, and advocates, warn ...
Texas Broadens Medical Cannabis Access Amid THC Policy Shift
LOS ANGELES- Texas has enacted House Bill 46, expanding its Compassionate Use Program for medical cannabis. The law, effective September 1, adds qualifying conditions such as chronic pain, Crohn’s disease and traumatic brain injury. It raises the per‑dose THC limit from 1 percent by weight to 10 mg (max 1 g per package), allows prescribed inhalers and vaporizers, and increases the ...
Mike Tyson Urges Trump to Act on Cannabis Reform
LOS ANGELES- Boxing legend Mike Tyson, alongside athletes including Kevin Durant and Dez Bryant, has urged former President Donald Trump to pursue federal cannabis reform after accusing President Joe Biden of failing to deliver on earlier promises. Tyson described cannabis as a "medicine" essential to his well‑being and criticized its Schedule I classification as “just ...
California Lawmakers Omit Cannabis Tax Relief from 2025 Budget
LOS ANGELES- California legislators did not include a freeze on the planned cannabis excise tax increase in the state’s 2025–26 budget, declining last-minute proposals to maintain the current 15% rate. The absence of this relief ensures the scheduled rise to 19% will take effect on July 1, 2025. This decision follows negotiations in which Governor Gavin Newsom ...
Colorado Governor Jared Polis Issues Pardons for Psilocybin and Psilocin Convictions
LOS ANGELES-- the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order granting full, unconditional pardons to individuals convicted under state law for possession of psilocybin and psilocin—substances that became legal for adults aged 21 and over following Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act vote in 2022 and enabling legislation SB 25‑297 passed earlier ...
Maryland Governor Expands Cannabis Pardons
LOS ANGELES- Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced an additional round of approximately 6,938 pardons for individuals previously convicted of simple cannabis possession, following a 2024 executive order that granted clemency to over 175,000 convictions for similar offenses. Signed during a Juneteenth event at Bethel AME Church in Cambridge, the new pardons correct technical omissions ...
Legal Cannabis Shows Economic Gains and Stable Teen Use Trends
LOS ANGELES— A recent analysis from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) indicates that legal adult‑use cannabis sales have generated approximately $24.7 billion in state tax revenue since legalization began in 2014, with $4.4 billion collected in 2024 alone . At the same time, data from multiple sources show that teen cannabis use has declined in most states ...
Texas Governor Expands Medical Cannabis Program, Vetoes THC Ban
LOS ANGELES— Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 46 into law, significantly expanding the state’s limited medical cannabis program, while vetoing Senate Bill 3, which aimed to ban hemp‑derived THC products—including delta‑8 gummies, vapes and edibles. Under the new legislation, known as HB 46, the Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) will broaden eligibility by adding ...
North Carolina Governor Proposes Cannabis Legalization to Curb Unregulated Hemp Market
LOS ANGELES- North Carolina Governor Josh Stein (D) has urged legalization and regulation of adult-use cannabis to address growing public health concerns surrounding the state’s unregulated hemp-derived THC market. In a video posted on X, Stein noted that “unregulated THC products that are intoxicating” are widely available in vape shops, with no age restrictions or ...
GOP Panel Requests Review of Cannabis Rescheduling by Biden Administration
LOS ANGELES- A Republican-led congressional subcommittee is urging a formal investigation into the Biden administration’s handling of the federal cannabis rescheduling process. The request, made in a report accompanying the fiscal year 2026 funding bill for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), centers on concerns that the administration deviated from long-established drug evaluation ...
North Carolina Governor Establishes Cannabis Advisory Council Amid Unregulated THC Market
LOS ANGELES- North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has issued an executive order forming a 24–30 member North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis to develop policy recommendations aimed at regulating cannabis products and formalizing legalization strategies, including adult-use proposals. The council will convene beginning July 2025 at least every other month until December 2026, submitting preliminary ...
Massachusetts House Approves Cannabis Oversight Reform Bill
LOS ANGELES- The Massachusetts House of Representatives has unanimously passed legislation aimed at restructuring the state's cannabis regulatory framework. The bill, designated as H 4187, seeks to address administrative challenges and enhance oversight within the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Key Provisions of the Legislation Under the proposed changes, the CCC would transition from a five-member ...
Texas Expands Medical Cannabis Access
LOS ANGELES- In a significant policy shift, Texas lawmakers have approved House Bill 46, expanding the state's medical cannabis program to include patients with chronic pain and those in hospice or terminal care. The bill also permits the use of additional cannabis product forms, such as patches, lotions, and prescribed inhalers, and increases the number ...
Pennsylvania Senator Introduces ‘Keystone Cannabis Act’ to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
LOS ANGELES- Pennsylvania State Senator Marty Flynn (D-22) has announced plans to introduce the "Keystone Cannabis Act," a legislative proposal aimed at legalizing adult-use cannabis in the Commonwealth. The announcement follows the recent rejection of a House-passed cannabis legalization bill by the state Senate's Law and Justice Committee. The Keystone Cannabis Act seeks to establish ...
Argentina Overhauls Medical Cannabis Program with Stricter Regulations
LOS ANGELES- In 2025, Argentina implemented significant reforms to its medical cannabis program, REPROCANN, introducing stricter regulations for cultivators, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and medical professionals. These changes aim to enhance oversight and ensure the program's integrity. Revised Categories and Permit Durations The updated regulations redefine participant categories within REPROCANN: Patients (Self-Cultivators): Individuals cultivating cannabis for ...
Colorado Court Dismisses Mammoth Farms’ Lawsuit Against Marijuana Enforcement Division
LOS ANGELES- A Denver District Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Mammoth Farms against the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED), ruling that the cannabis cultivator must pursue regulatory changes through administrative channels rather than the judiciary. Mammoth Farms, a prominent cannabis operator based in Saguache, Colorado, alleged that the MED failed to enforce regulations ...
Minnesota Legislature Advances Cannabis Market Framework to Governor
LOS ANGELES- Minnesota lawmakers have passed a comprehensive bill aimed at refining the state's adult-use cannabis program, forwarding it to Governor Tim Walz for approval. The legislation, known as SF 2370, seeks to address regulatory challenges and expedite the establishment of a legal cannabis marketplace following the state's legalization of adult-use cannabis in 2023. The ...
Pennsylvania Senate Committee Rejects Cannabis Legalization Bill
LOS ANGELES- In a recent development, the Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee voted 7-3 against House Bill 1200, a proposal aimed at legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state. This decision follows the bill's narrow passage in the House of Representatives, where it was approved by a 102-101 vote along party lines. House Bill 1200 ...
Legalization Significantly Reduces Canada’s Illicit Cannabis Market
LOS ANGELES- Recent analyses indicate that Canada's legalization of non-medical cannabis in 2018 has substantially shifted consumer spending from illicit to legal markets. Studies report that within five years of legalization, approximately 75% of cannabis expenditures transitioned to the legal sector, underscoring the policy's effectiveness in curbing unregulated sales. This transition is attributed to increased ...
Pennsylvania House Approves State-Run Recreational Cannabis Bill
LOS ANGELES- The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a bill to legalize recreational cannabis, proposing a state-controlled sales model. The legislation, approved by a narrow 102-101 vote along party lines, marks the first time such a measure has advanced in either chamber of the state legislature. Under the proposed framework, adults aged 21 and ...
The Hemp Surge: A Growing Challenge to Regulated Cannabis
NEW YORK — The legal line between hemp and cannabis in the U.S., drawn by the 2018 Farm Bill, was meant to clarify regulation. Instead, it created a set of inconsistencies that still affect how businesses operate, how laws are enforced, and how states build cannabis policy. While licensed cannabis businesses deal with strict systems ...
Navigating Local Cannabis Regulations: A State-by-State Guide
NEW YORK — Cannabis regulation in the United States functions as a multi-layered governance system, where legal authority is distributed across federal, state, and local levels—with local jurisdictions exerting the most immediate control over real-world operations. While public and investor attention often centers on statewide legalization milestones, the practical determinants of market access—zoning approvals, permitting ...
Fergus Falls City Council Approves Cannabis Dispensary Permits After Reversal
LOS ANGELES- the Fergus Falls City Council reversed its earlier decision and approved interim permits for two cannabis dispensaries, Sugar High and Elevate. The initial denial was based on concerns that the dispensaries were within 250 feet of local parks, potentially violating city ordinances regarding proximity to areas frequented by minors. The reversal came after ...
Calgary Authorizes Cannabis Sales at Adults-Only Events
LOS ANGELES- Calgary City Council has approved amendments to the Business Licence Bylaw, permitting licensed cannabis retailers to operate temporary sales at adults-only events, such as festivals and outdoor shows. This decision aligns the city's regulations with provincial policies established by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) in 2024. Under the new framework, ...
The Role of Government Relations in Cannabis Industry Success
NEW YORK — In highly regulated industries, success depends not only on how well a business operates, but also on how well it fits within the rules set by government. This is especially true in the cannabis sector, where the legal landscape is still developing, shaped by political shifts, and varies significantly between jurisdictions. Government ...
