420 with CNW Archives - Page 50 of 308

FridayJan 12, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Retailer Goes to Court Over California’s Cannabis Excise Taxes

Catalyst Cannabis Co., a major marijuana dispensary chain in California, has initiated court action against an emergency rule alteration implemented by state tax authorities in December. The company, operating under the name HNHPC Inc., went to court on Dec. 28, 2023, in the Superior Court of Orange County. The suit alleges collusion between the state’s fee administration and tax department and the Administrative Law Office, accusing them of two key violations: imposing excise levies on nonmarijuana products such as accessories and exploiting emergency regulatory powers to hastily enforce retroactive regulations without sufficient notice to affected companies. The crux of the…

FridayJan 12, 2024 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Trend of Looking Beyond High THC in Cannabis to Gain Traction

As cannabis strains have become increasingly potent over the years, THC potency has become a major determining factor for consumers when they buy cannabis products. Brands have invested heavily in R&D efforts to develop more potent strains, and they regularly display high potency as one of their products’ selling points. Even though potency will continue to be a primary determining factor for the majority of consumers, secondary factors will also affect how cannabis genetics trends in 2024 across the country. Aside from high-THC genetics, experts on high-yield cultivars say that cannabis consumers are becoming increasingly interested in factors such as…

ThursdayJan 11, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Armed Services Personnel, Families, Veterans Support VA Doctors Recommending Cannabis

A survey from The Ohio State University (OSU) has found that a majority of active armed services personnel and retired veterans, as well as their families, believe Veteran Administration (VA) doctors should be allowed to recommend psychedelics and medical marijuana to patients who stand to benefit from these treatments. OSU researchers surveyed active-duty military personnel, veterans, their families, and even nonmilitary respondents from late August to early September 2023 on their thoughts about making medical marijuana and psychedelics accessible as treatment options. The 1,168 participants surveyed for the poll included 315 active as well as retired members of the military,…

ThursdayJan 11, 2024 4:20 am

420 with CNW — DEA Informs Congress It Has Final Say on Cannabis Scheduling Despite HHS Recommendation

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has asserted its ultimate authority in determining the scheduling of cannabis, regardless of the recommendations made by the U.S. Health and Human Services. Michael Miller, the DEA acting chief of the Office of Congressional Affairs, communicated this stance in a letter addressed to Representative Earl Blumenauer, cochair of the Congressional Marijuana Caucus. The scheduling review process, initiated by President Joseph Biden in October 2022, commenced with a scientific assessment from the HHS. The assessment purportedly advised the DEA to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). After…

WednesdayJan 10, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Biden Again Excludes Serving Military Personnel from Latest Cannabis Pardons

The latest round of pardons for American citizens with federal simple possession, attempted possession and use of marijuana by President Joe Biden have excluded serving military personnel again. First issued on Oct. 6, 2022, the presidential proclamation pardoned several federal simple cannabis possession offenses before another proclamation extended the number of pardoned offenses on Dec. 22, 2023. While the first round of pardons was lauded as a major step toward fixing the damage caused by decades of cannabis prohibition, many advocates noted that the pardons were severely limited in scope and did not provide relief to many drug-war victims. The…

WednesdayJan 10, 2024 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Five Predictions for the Marijuana Industry in 2024

In anticipation of the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) upcoming decision on marijuana rescheduling, the cannabis industry braces for what could be the most significant change in U.S. marijuana policy in half a century. The potential rescheduling carries the promise of tax reform, specifically the elimination of Section 280E from the federal tax code. The section has been a financial burden on state-legal marijuana retailers and has repercussions throughout the supply chain. As we look ahead, here are five predictions for the cannabis industry in the coming year: Rescheduling marijuana and eventual tax relief The DEA is likely to…

TuesdayJan 09, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Lawmakers in Wisconsin Introduce Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana

Wisconsin may be the latest state to pass cannabis reform measures after a bipartisan group of lawmakers formally introduced a proposal to decriminalize cannabis possession in late December. First previewed in early December, the noncommercial and relatively limited reform may garner enough support to advance past Wisconsin’s GOP-controlled legislature. The marijuana decriminalization measure was introduced by Representatives David Considine, Sylvia Ortiz-Velez and Shae Sortwell alongside Senator Lena Taylor. Assembly Bill 861 would remove criminal penalties such as jail time for cannabis-related offenses, such as simple possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana, and replace criminal charges for cannabis offenses…

TuesdayJan 09, 2024 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Federal Lawsuit Challenges Cannabis Advertising Ban in Mississippi

Clarence Cocroft, the owner of Tru Source, a medical marijuana dispensary in Olive Branch, Mississippi, is contending that the ban on medical marijuana advertising in Mississippi is hindering his dispensary’s ability to attract customers. He claims that this prohibition infringes upon his freedom of speech, a claim central to the federal suit filed on Nov. 14, 2023. The lawsuit targets the regulatory authorities overseeing these restrictions, including the state’s health department, the revenue department, and the state’s bureau of alcohol and beverage control. While medical cannabis is now legal in Mississippi for persons with qualifying conditions and a medical marijuana…

MondayJan 08, 2024 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Johns Hopkins Team to Track 10,000 Medical Cannabis Users in Federally Funded Research

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University will be studying the effects of marijuana therapy by closely monitoring 10,000 medical cannabis patients over a five-year period. The study, backed by a generous $10 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), is a collaborative effort with federal researchers and the nonprofit Realm of Caring. Together, the researchers will amass comprehensive data encompassing delivery methods, product chemical composition, dosage, potential medication interactions and other intricate facets of treatment. Ryan Vandrey, cocreator of the study and a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, expressed the research team’s objective to…

MondayJan 08, 2024 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Arizona Uses Cannabis Taxes to Give 18 Nonprofits Justice Reinvestment Grants

Arizona state officials recently announced that Arizona has started awarding the first round of justice reinvestment grants to nearly 20 nonprofits across the state. The state’s cannabis law, Proposition 207, created the grant program to support efforts such as substance-use prevention and treatment, public and behavioral health, mentorship programs and workforce development in economically disenfranchised regions. Using funds drawn from cannabis taxes, the program would also support efforts to address the root causes of crime, reduce Arizona’s prison population, expunge certain cannabis-related criminal records and restore civil rights. As per Proposition 207, the program receives 35% of Arizona’s Justice Reinvestment…