420 with CNW Archives - Page 229 of 310

ThursdayMay 21, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Oregon Breaks Yet Another Monthly Marijuana Sales Record

The economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis will undoubtedly be felt for years. With more than 30 million Americans newly unemployed and all but the most essential businesses shut down in the meantime, most industries are in a downturn. One sector that was spared and almost seems to be thriving during the crisis is the cannabis sector. For years, one of the main arguments for legalizing marijuana has been the tax revenue states stand to earn from sales. With the coronavirus pandemic tearing across the country and most public coffers stretched thin, such revenue would be a godsend. Oregon, for…

ThursdayMay 21, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Louisiana Assembly OKs Medical Marijuana for Debilitating Conditions

On Friday, the Louisiana House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved bills that would significantly expand the state’s medical cannabis program. Residents suffering from debilitating conditions, especially those who cannot access medical marijuana, will now be happy to know that the medical marijuana program will have its list of qualifying conditions expanded to fit a wider range of ailments. Dispensaries will also be allowed to deliver marijuana products directly to the patients’ homes. Both bills were sponsored by Rep. Larry Bagley, with his medical condition expansion bill passed 76-15 and the delivery bill was approved 80-15. This comes a week after a…

WednesdayMay 20, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Cannabis Could Prevent Coronavirus Infection, Canadian Study Finds

A little over four months after the coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, China, the virus has infected over 4.5 million people worldwide and left at least 300,000 dead, and the hunt for a cure and ultimately a vaccine is raging on. However, due to insufficient data on the novel coronavirus and its penchant towards mutation, scientists are basically shooting in the dark and hoping for a favorable outcome. There have been rumors of numerous cures for the virus, from the anti-malaria drug hydrochxychloroquine, herbal cures and coronavirus oils to cannabis, all of which have been dismissed. However, based on…

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…