420 with CNW Archives - Page 92 of 307

ThursdayFeb 23, 2023 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Schumer Meets GOP Senators Over Cannabis Legislation in New Congress

In January, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) convened a second meeting to discuss cannabis legislation for the 118th Congress. This time, he invited a group of Republican senators to strategize the next steps for drafting a bill that could pass. The first meet-up with Democratic colleagues occurred at the beginning of February. In the recent meeting, the GOP leaders present included Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Steve Daines (R-MT). The aim of these meetings is to establish a mechanism through which legislators can reach a bipartisan agreement on marijuana reform bill goals in the current Republican-controlled…

ThursdayFeb 23, 2023 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Questions Arise on Delays to Implement Presidential Cannabis Pardons

All American citizens who suffer from the burden associated with federal cannabis-related convictions on their prior record were meant to be granted unconditional pardons, per the president’s directive in October. According to the president, thousands of Americans have existing federal records for cannabis use and risk being denied work, residence or educational prospects. Never in history has a president-elect publicly acknowledged the shortcomings of America's almost century-long experiment with marijuana restriction, a measure that most states have already abandoned. Currently, about two-thirds of citizens believe it has to be done away with. Additionally, no president has ever shown commitment to…

WednesdayFeb 22, 2023 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — California Mulls Allowing Marijuana Cafes to Boost the Industry

Earlier this month, Assemblymember Matt Haney introduced a measure to legalize the sale of nonalcoholic beverages and food at marijuana lounges and retailers in the state of California. California was the first state in the country to legalize the use of medical cannabis in 1996, following the approval of Proposition 215. Two decades later, the state legalized the recreational sale and distribution of the drug following the passage of Proposition 64. Haney stated that while some cafes did permit the consumption of marijuana, the no-drinking and no-eating rule made them less than ideal. Under the proposed measure, called Assembly Bill…

WednesdayFeb 22, 2023 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Leading Addictions Treatment Group Supports Federal Drug Decriminalization

The American Society of Addiction Medicine, a top addiction treatment organization, is advocating for the legalization of all drugs that are currently illegal in the name of racial equity and public health. The organization, which has always sided with antidrug advocates and opposed even the mildest cannabis reforms, has significantly changed its stance on drug-related policies in the past few years. While the organization has advocated for decriminalizing marijuana since 2015, it is now urging the decriminalization of all drugs, including the elimination of criminal penalties for paraphernalia, citing the stigma and institutionalized racism that are deeply embedded in the…

TuesdayFeb 21, 2023 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Marijuana Reform Now ‘More Challenging’ in GOP-Controlled House

Despite polls showing that most Americans favor legalizing cannabis and the fact that it has spread to red states such as Missouri where adult-use sales began last week, some lawmakers and lobbyists still think that major, revolutionary change such as federal legalization is still a long way off. Even though there are some encouraging signs in Congress, such as support from South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace, there is still plenty of opposition, and the House appears to have "a lot on its plate" right now. Mace is a prominent conservative advocate for marijuana legalization. One significant barrier is the perception…

TuesdayFeb 21, 2023 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Cannabis Brand Strength Could Be More Pivotal Than Sales

In only a few short years, the cannabis industry has proven to be one of the fastest-growing and most profitable sectors in the country. Over two decades after California legalized medical cannabis, the marijuana industry has grown to a behemoth sector worth billions of dollars. The industry has sold billions’ worth of cannabis products, filled state coffers with billions of dollars in taxes and created hundreds of thousands of new employment opportunities. This landscape of constant growth and runaway profits attracted entrepreneurs from all over the country who were itching to gain a portion of the extremely lucrative cannabis market…

FridayFeb 17, 2023 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Senators in Nebraska Debate Refiled Marijuana Legalization Measures

Senators in Nebraska recently held a meeting to discuss a newly filed legislation that would legalize medical cannabis in the state. The lawmakers spent the hearing listening to testimonies from experts and advocates on the therapeutic benefits of the cannabis plant. The members of the Judiciary Committee discussed a medical cannabis bill that was filed by Senator Anna Wishart nearly a month ago, before meeting later in the day to discuss separate measures that would legalize recreational cannabis in the state. Wishart has been at the forefront of cannabis reform in Nebraska for several years now, pursuing this reform through…

FridayFeb 17, 2023 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Bipartisan Senators Reintroduce Revised Bill on Cannabis Research for Veterans

Last week, a group of senators re-introduced a measure to promote studies on the use of marijuana by veterans. It is expected that an identical bill will be introduced in the House in the near-term. A congressional source has revealed that the measure’s introduction in the House maximizes the likelihood of its passage through both chambers. The bipartisan measure in question, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, directs that the U.S. Veterans Affairs’ department look into the medical potential of cannabis for military veterans, in particular those who suffer from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. The measure was sponsored…

ThursdayFeb 16, 2023 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — California Releases Grants Worth $15M to Cannabis Social Equity Initiatives

On Feb. 10, 2023, the state of California announced that it had given out grants totaling $15 million to fund regional initiatives to advance fairness in the cannabis business. The Office of the Governor of Economic and Business Development (G0-Biz) gave the money to 16 counties and cities throughout the state through the Marijuana Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions. The applications began toward the end of 2022. This is in line with California's plans to finance future and ongoing fairness initiatives for individuals who are disproportionately affected by the war on drugs with money from the marijuana tax. The lowest grant…

ThursdayFeb 16, 2023 4:20 am

420 with CNW — Canada Yet to Make Progress on Cannabis Consumption Lounges

Cannabis consumption lodges have been controversial since the first consumption lounge was launched in Los Angeles in 2019. Consumption lounges have made little headway in the years since, and they are still a rarity across most of America. The situation is the same up north in Canada, where the country has had legal recreational cannabis for five years now but still hasn’t made any effort to craft a legal framework for permanent consumption lounges. The most regulatory authorities have done is issue temporary outdoor consumption licenses for events such as music festivals, but there has been little action, if any,…