Chris@CNW, Author at CannabisNewsWire

ThursdayJan 30, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Pesticides, Bacteria Found in Marijuana Available in Dutch Coffee Shops

An investigation into marijuana sold in Dutch semi-legal coffee stores has uncovered a range of contaminants, including pesticides, lead, and harmful bacteria. The Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction study was designed to find a “baseline” for contamination levels typically found in cannabis products. The findings will guide a trial launching in April, where coffee shops in 10 municipalities will offer marijuana grown by licensed producers under strict contamination limits. Researchers tested a hundred and five marijuana samples, including weed and resin, purchased randomly from various sellers. Approximately 20% of the samples were found to have microbiological breaches such…

ThursdayJan 30, 2025 10:00 am

Spain is on the Brink of Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Spanish leaders are on the brink of legalizing medical marijuana and allowing tens of millions of adults to access the controversial drug. A Royal Decree that is expected to be signed and delivered before next summer will legalize medical cannabis in the country, adding Spain to the list of over 40 nations that have legalized the drug for either medical or recreational use. But while marijuana enthusiasts in Spain have declared their approval of the move, some critics say the medical marijuana legalization measure is half-baked and could have achieved more. The European Commission received Spain's draft Royal Decree for…

WednesdayJan 29, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Nebraskan Lawmakers Consider Proposals to Implement Voter-Approved Medical Marijuana Program

Three pieces of legislation have been introduced in Nebraska aiming to implement medical marijuana legalization and regulation initiatives approved by voters in the November election. The legislation, sponsored by Senators Terrell McKinney, Ben Hansen, and Danielle Conrad of Omaha, Blair, and Lincoln, respectively, center on setting up registry systems and outlining the Nebraska Medical Marijuana Commission’s regulating and licensing responsibilities. The proposed bills—LB 705 (McKinney), LB 677 (Hansen), and LB 651 (Conrad)—would allow residents to acquire registry cards after obtaining a healthcare provider’s written recommendation, confirming their eligibility as a medical cannabis patient. The registry system would also cover caregivers,…

TuesdayJan 28, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — President Trump to Play Pivotal Role in Marijuana Policy Reform and Rescheduling

With cannabis rescheduling currently on hold indefinitely, the $32 billion industry’s fate hinges on critical decisions—particularly President Donald Trump’s choice of the next Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) director. Trump made waves in September by becoming the first presidential candidate from a major party to support a state-level recreational marijuana legalization ballot initiative. However, since then, the topic has not resurfaced in his agenda. It also remained absent during the confirmation hearings for his attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi. In this information vacuum, speculation has emerged based on Bondi’s record and Trump’s posts on Truth Social. A notable detail is Bondi’s…

TuesdayJan 28, 2025 10:00 am

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Discuss Restorative Justice, Regulation as Hopes of Marijuana Legalization Grow

Pennsylvanian cannabis reform proponents are unsure if the state will legalize cannabis this year amidst silence from the Pennsylvania Capitol regarding the drug’s future. Dozens of states have already legalized cannabis and currently generate billions of dollars in sales taxes every year, making legalization an attractive prospect for Pennsylvania which is projected to lose its budget surplus this year. Despite the lack of official news regarding cannabis legalization, reform proponents and lawmakers have already begun pitching ideas for how cannabis reform would look in the state. These ideas include selling marijuana in state-owned retail stores or allowing licensed independent retailers…

MondayJan 27, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Arkansas Governor Says Medical Cannabis Taxes Will Help Feed Children

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas recently highlighted the advantages of medical cannabis tax revenue in her last week’s State of the State address, announcing a significant plan. The state approved medical cannabis through a voter-supported amendment in 2016, but it wasn’t made available to qualifying patients until May 2019. Since then, the program has seen significant growth, with nearly 109,000 active medical cannabis ID cardholders recorded at the end of 2024. In Arkansas, medical cannabis purchases are subject to a 4 percent privilege tax and a 6.5 percent state sales tax. The revenue collected through the sales tax contributes…

FridayJan 24, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — US Border Patrol Asks Court to Dismiss Businesses’ Lawsuit on Marijuana Seizures in New Mexico

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are asking a federal judge to dismiss a case brought by New Mexico-licensed cannabis businesses. The businesses allege that the agencies unlawfully seized state-regulated cannabis products and arrested staff members at checkpoints within the state. According to CBP and DHS, federal law takes precedence over state law as long as cannabis remains prohibited at the federal level. They argue that border agents are authorized to disregard state regulations and seize cannabis products. Furthermore, they assert that protections afforded to state cannabis programs through the Department of Justice…

FridayJan 24, 2025 10:00 am

California Data Breach Compromises 380,000 Customers’ Data

A ransomware attack in California has compromised the data of hundreds of thousands of cannabis customers across the state. Stiiizy, a marijuana brand based in California, recently notified 380,000 customers that their data had been compromised in a phishing attack against one of its vendors. The cannabis brand confirmed the alert via a data breach notification to the Maine Attorney General’s Office stating that on November 20, 2024, one of its point-of-sale processing services vendors notified it of a massive data breach at several retail locations. According to the data breach notification, an ‘organized cybercrime group’ was behind the data…

ThursdayJan 23, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Activists in Florida File New Initiative to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Marijuana advocates in Florida have submitted a fresh proposal aimed at legalizing recreational cannabis. The new measure comes only two months after a similar one failed to secure the required supermajority vote during the November election. Florida residents will have the opportunity to vote on the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2026 if the measure is approved. Smart and Safe Florida, the group behind the measure, officially submitted it to the state Elections’ Division on Tuesday. The initiative would legalize recreational cannabis use for individuals 21 years of age or older while establishing regulations for the cultivation, sale, and distribution…

ThursdayJan 23, 2025 10:00 am

Biden Commutes the Sentences of Almost 2,500 Inmates Convicted on Drug Offences

Former U.S. President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of almost 2,500 inmates convicted of various non-violent drug offenses (including marijuana) during his last days in the Oval Office. Biden noted that with this last round of commutations, he has granted clemency to more Americans than any other president in U.S. history. Biden also conducted two mass pardon rounds early in his term where he also granted clemency to Americans who had federal marijuana possession offenses on their records. He released a statement saying the last round of commutations ‘provided relief’ for people who had received long prison sentences based on…