420 with CNW Archives - Page 175 of 310

FridayJun 25, 2021 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Senators Urge Banking Committee Chair to Call Vote on SAFE Banking Act

The state-legal cannabis industry in America has come a long way despite being just a decade or so old. It has employed hundreds of thousands of individuals, generated billions of dollars in revenue, and filled state coffers with millions of dollars in tax revenue. Cannabis is still considered a Schedule I controlled substance at the federal level, however, and this classification has consistently been a thorn in the sector's side. Fearing reprisals from the federal government, banking institutions refuse to work with state-legal cannabis businesses, forcing them to operate on a cash-only basis, among other things. The Secure and Fair…

ThursdayJun 24, 2021 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Oregon Marijuana Tax Collection Shatters Annual Record with Two Months to Spare

Marijuana tax collections in the state of Oregon have hit a new fiscal year record, having collected $15 million in April this year, which brings the total to about $146 million. Last year, the state of Oregon collected a total of roughly $133 million in taxes. At the start of the pandemic, marijuana sales in Oregon increased by 52% in the April to June period, in comparison with the April to June 2019 sales. In the two quarters that followed, increases of roughly 38% were also observed. Economists in the state acknowledged that at the start of this year, sales…

ThursdayJun 24, 2021 4:20 am

420 with CNW — As States Legalize Cannabis, Federal Trafficking Cases Dwindle

A recent analysis conducted by the U.S. Sentencing Commission (“USSC”) has observed a decline in the number of federal cannabis trafficking cases from last year as more states legalize cannabis. The organization, which is an independent agency of the government’s judicial branch, conducted an analysis of the number of drug trafficking convictions and discovered that last year, there were 1,118 marijuana cases, a 67% decline from the numbers recorded since 2016. Advocates of legalization maintain that the year-over-year decrease correlates with the increasing number of states that have enacted legalization, in addition to reflecting the deprioritization of the feds in…

WednesdayJun 23, 2021 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Everything You Ought to Know About the Marijuana Entourage Effect

Cannabis has become extremely popular over the past decade thanks to chemical compounds called cannabinoids. Produced by plants in the hemp family, these compounds interact with the body in unique ways and give rise to a variety of effects. THC is the main psychoactive compound responsible for marijuana's intoxicating effects while cannabidiol (“CBD”) is medicinal and is claimed to be effective against a wide variety of symptoms. Cannabis actually produces more than 100 cannabinoids as well as terpenes and flavonoids, but because of its federal status as a Schedule I controlled substance, little research has been conducted into these lesser-known…

WednesdayJun 23, 2021 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Massachusetts Regulators Extend Cannabis Telehealth, Curbside Pickup

At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic last year, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission permitted medical cannabis patients to access telehealth appointments and have their prescriptions delivered for curbside pickup in an attempt to increase safety. Consumers were allowed to place their orders either online or via phone; they could then pick up those orders curbside at the stores. Now, the agency notes, the measures will be allowed to continue for an extended period, despite the State of Emergency declared by Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts coming to an end. The State of Emergency was initially declared in the state…

TuesdayJun 22, 2021 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Medical Marijuana Activists in Pennsylvania See Workers’ Comp. Decision as a Win

Thirty-six states in America have legalized cannabis for medical use, and an estimated 3.6 million individuals are registered as medical cannabis patients in the United States. However, federal law classifies cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance with no accepted medical use; cannabis is ranked right alongside hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Consequently, insurance companies refuse to cover individuals who use medical cannabis to treat work-related injuries. Instead, most of these patients have to pay for their medical cannabis out of pocket. In Pennsylvania, however, a workers' compensation judge made a historic and possibly precedent-setting ruling after declaring…

TuesdayJun 22, 2021 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Canadian Firms Hope the US Eases Marijuana Restrictions

After decades of prohibition and intense policing, the American states are finally loosening restrictions against cannabis. So far, 36 states allow medical marijuana, 16 states have legalized recreational medical cannabis, and several more states are considering whether or not to pass cannabis legislation. The state-legal cannabis sector has been insanely profitable so far, earning billions of dollars in revenue and providing states with plenty of tax revenue, even amid the coronavirus pandemic, while other industries faltered. Consequently, cannabis firms from the Great White North have been eyeing the U.S. market, waiting for the government to pass federal decriminalization laws before…

MondayJun 21, 2021 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — California to Repair Drug War Ills Using Cannabis Taxes

Last week, the state of California revealed that it would be awarding roughly $29 million in grants funded by cannabis tax revenue to more than 50 not-for-profit organizations in an attempt to repair the harms of the drug war. The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development will be in charge of allocating the funds, which will be offered through the state’s Community Reinvestment Grants program. The notice released by the state states that the grants to be awarded will serve communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. It explains that the harsh state and federal…

MondayJun 21, 2021 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Legislation Introduced in Senate to Authorize CBD Interstate Trade

Last month, a bill that would make certain that CBD products derived from hemp fell under the domain of the FDA in the same way as other legalized products added to beverages, foods and dietary supplements, was introduced in the Senate. The legislation, dubbed the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, was tabled by Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. Wyden stated that CBD products were legally being produced and used across the country. However, because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hadn’t updated its regulations, producers and consumers remained in a gray zone.…

FridayJun 18, 2021 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — More American Adults Are Suffering from Chronic Pain, New Study Finds

Chronic pain is one of the most common medical issues Americans face, and it has become even more prevalent in the last decade. Although significant resources have been directed toward treating and finding ways to prevent serious illness, with the United States spending $194.2 billion on medical and health research and development in 2018, chronic pain hasn't received much attention. This is despite the fact that more than 20% of American adults are affected by chronic pain, with a new study finding that the rates of chronic pain have been steadily increasing across all adult demographics. Published in the journal…