420 with CNW Archives - Page 224 of 305

WednesdayMay 20, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – California Governor Delays Implementation of Proposed Marijuana Regulatory Changes

Although most states designated the cannabis industry as essential and allowed businesses to keep operating despite the lockdown, the industry as a whole has suffered a variety of setbacks due to the coronavirus pandemic. A number of campaigns to legalize marijuana have been put on hold all over the country due to social distancing measures. In California, lawmakers have been forced to postpone systemic reforms to the California regulatory agencies that oversee the state’s marijuana industry. When he announced his annual budget plan earlier this year, California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed that he wanted to; merge the trio of regulatory…

TuesdayMay 19, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Congress Passes Coronavirus Bill With Marijuana Banking Provisions

Although government-issued coronavirus-related measures were designed to curb the spread of the virus, they had an unintended consequence, economic downturn. With all but the most essential businesses ordered to close during lock-downs, the economy was in a free fall. More than 20 million Americans have lost their jobs since the start of March, and the government ended up deploying a massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill to help people and small businesses weather the storm. However, due to ongoing federal prohibition, businesses in the state-legal marijuana industry were denied access to these relief funds. Federal prohibition has made banking institutions…

TuesdayMay 19, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Study Shows Marijuana Legalization Boosts Hotel Bookings

For a very long time, advocates for legalizing marijuana have outlined the revenue states stand to gain from legalization. Indeed, states like Colorado have brought in massive revenues through cannabis sales in the recent past. Furthermore, results from a new study show that legal cannabis has a positive effect on the tourism and hospitality industry. Dubbed (Pot)Heads in Beds: The Effect of Marijuana Legalization on Hotel Occupancy in Colorado and Washington, the study was published online and appears in the latest issue of Regional Policy and Analysis. It states that Colorado had a considerable increase in room rentals soon after…

MondayMay 18, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Marijuana Panic Buying Slows Down in Canada

As the threat posed by the coronavirus grew bigger, governments around the world issued lockdown orders and instructed all but the most essential businesses to close down. In the days and weeks preceding the stay at home orders, legal marijuana saw a spike in sales as people stocked up for what they thought would be a long period of self-isolation. However, several provinces in Canada deemed the marijuana industry essential, giving consumers constant access to cannabis during the lockdown. According to cannabis company executives, the COVID-19 boom in cannabis sales is dissipating, and consumers have slowed down their purchasing frenzy.…

MondayMay 18, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – New Congressional Coronavirus Relief Bill Contains Marijuana Banking Access

The state-legal cannabis industry has been subject to tons of hurdles ever since marijuana was first legalized. Due to federal prohibition, institutions like banks have avoided the industry, denying them access to vital services like cashless payments. Once the coronavirus pandemic hit and the dangers of cash transactions were exposed, change had to be affected. Now, House leadership has unveiled a coronavirus relief bill that includes provisions to protect banks that service marijuana businesses from federal retaliation. This had long been a bone of contention for advocates, stakeholders, and lawmakers even before the pandemic, and they have been pushing for…

FridayMay 15, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Arkansas Medical Cannabis Sales Exceed $75 Million

Despite being illegal under federal law, cannabis has been legal in a number of states for a while now. Advocates for legal cannabis can talk about the benefits of legalization for days, but one of the main benefits has always been the potential for tax revenue. Like alcohol, the demand for cannabis is almost constant, and states that have legalized it have the potential of earning millions in sales revenue. Arkansas's first dispensary opened in May last year, and nearly $75 million and 12,000 pounds worth of medical marijuana has been sold since, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance…

FridayMay 15, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Pre-Employment Cannabis Testing Ban Takes Effect in New York City

Last year, the New York City Council approved a ban on pre-employment drug testing for marijuana. As of May 10, the ban took effect, and it stipulates that companies in the city can't conduct pre-employment tests for THC metabolites unless the position is safety sensitive. The original bill included language that exempted some jobs from the prohibition on testing, such as people charged with supervising or caring for children and positions "tied to a federal or state contract or grant." It also contains a provision that allowed the New York City Commission on Human Rights to expand the list of…

ThursdayMay 14, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Amendment Paves Way for More Medical Cannabis Business Licenses to Be Issued in Missouri

The Missouri House has voted in favor of an amendment that would lift the cap on the state's medical marijuana licenses. This would allow essentially any business owner who meets minimum state requirements to secure a license. If the state Senate passes the amendment, it would open up Missouri's market to more cultivators, manufacturers, and dispensaries. "We have a great opportunity in Missouri to create thousands of jobs like Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Florida. Embrace the farmer, embrace the opportunity. Give Americans the right to succeed or fail," says KC Clark, a local cannabis advocate and CEO of…

ThursdayMay 14, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Florida Supreme Court Hears Pivotal Medical Cannabis Case

For the past few years, the medical marijuana industry in Florida has been held back by legislation that puts an immense amount of pressure on sellers. State legislation requires that the medical marijuana industry be vertically integrated. Facilities that sell marijuana on a retail level must also cultivate, process, and transport the product. There have been plenty of complaints about the state's vertically integrated system. It caps licenses and essentially requires anyone who wants to opt in to be a one-man army, and critics say most players aren't skilled enough to handle everything from growing, processing to selling. In 2016,…

WednesdayMay 13, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – New Impediment to Maine’s Anticipated Marijuana Sales Emerges

Maine's burgeoning marijuana industry has been stuck in developmental hell for the past few years. Despite Maine voters approving a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in November 2016, there are still no retailers in the state. Since then, the journey to legal marijuana sales has been fraught with a number of legislative and regulatory changes, and in one case, a gubernatorial veto. The state released rules for adult-use cannabis businesses in June 2019 and began accepting applications for recreational retailers in December. The first conditional licenses were issued in March with the hopes of launching retail sales by spring. However,…