NewsRoom Articles - CannabisNewsWire

WednesdayOct 28, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Federal Prosecutors Indict Virginia Senator on Illegal Cannabis Enterprise Charges

Federal prosecutors have charged Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas and 6 other people in connection with an investigation into two Portsmouth cannabis businesses that authorities say were used to distribute marijuana illegally. The case follows federal raids conducted in May this year at the two cannabis outlets. The DOJ said that FBI agents executing a search warrant found firearms and cannabis at both properties. On October 22, prosecutors announced an eight-count indictment accusing the seven defendants of operating a criminal enterprise that allegedly sold recreational cannabis while presenting the businesses as lawful CBD and hemp retailers. Federal officials said the…

TuesdayOct 27, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Audit Flags Flaws in Colorado’s Cannabis Testing Mechanisms

A state review has identified weaknesses in Colorado’s system for detecting contamination in cannabis products and alerting the public when potential safety concerns arise. The audit examined testing and oversight by the state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED). While investigators found no signs of widespread safety and health issues, they concluded that several parts of the regulatory system leave room for improvement. Colorado approved recreational cannabis in 2012. The MED, part of the Revenue Department, is responsible for licensing marijuana operators and enforcing state requirements governing the industry. According to the review, several issues combine to make it harder for regulators…

MondayOct 26, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Latest Poll Predicts Dismal Failure for Massachusetts Measure Rolling Back Marijuana Legalization

An effort backed by a national group opposed to marijuana legalization is facing an uphill battle in Massachusetts, where voters appear increasingly inclined to preserve the state’s legal adult-use cannabis market. Recent polling from WCVB and the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that a proposed rollback of recreational cannabis sales has attracted the weakest support among the nine questions on the November ballot. The findings come as lawmakers and local officials across the state publicly rally behind an industry that generates an estimated $1.65 billion in annual sales. The campaign surrounding Question 8 has attracted national attention because it could…

FridayOct 23, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Poll Finds Most Veterans Favor Marijuana Legalization

A new survey of U.S. military veterans points to substantial support for marijuana legalization, medical access, and expanded research into cannabis-based treatments. The poll, undertaken by Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), surveyed 470 members of the veterans’ organization. Sixty-one percent said marijuana should be legal for adult recreational use, while 87 percent backed its availability for medical purposes. Awareness of federal policy changes was also relatively high. Almost 75% of those surveyed said they knew about the federal government’s move to shift medical cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 under the CSA. Among those familiar with the…

ThursdayOct 22, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Tax Audit Risks Cannabis Businesses May Be Unaware of Post-Rescheduling

The federal shift in cannabis policy is opening the door to broader tax deductions, but the transition is creating a new set of compliance challenges for businesses operating in the industry. For years, companies dealing with cannabis had limited options under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code. Because that provision barred most business deductions, operators generally tried to place eligible expenses within inventory costs, allowing them to recover those amounts through cost of goods sold. That approach was restrictive. Inventory costs could reduce taxable income only when products were sold, while ordinary business expenses, including administrative and corporate costs,…

WednesdayOct 21, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Lots of People Turn to Marijuana to Quit Cigarette Smoking, VA Study Finds

A new study has found that cannabis is nearly as common as prescription medication among people seeking help to stop smoking cigarettes. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New York University, the San Francisco VA Health Care System, and the University of California examined survey responses from 2,804 adults who either used nicotine e-cigarettes, smoked cigarettes, or did both. Among participants trying to stop smoking, 9% reported they had turned to marijuana as a quitting aid. By comparison, 9.4% relied on prescription medications designed to help people stop smoking. Most of the marijuana products used for this purpose…

TuesdayOct 20, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Nebraska Considers Modifying Medical Cannabis Rules

Nebraska residents will have another opportunity Thursday to comment on proposed changes to the state’s medical marijuana regulations, either by speaking at a public hearing in Lincoln or submitting their views in writing. The hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. and is expected to last as long as three hours. It could end sooner if there are no additional speakers. Each person will have three minutes to address the state medical marijuana commission, although that limit could be reduced to two minutes if turnout is high. Written comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Thursday. People speaking at the hearing…

MondayOct 19, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Study Casts Doubt on Marijuana’s Ability to Improve Sleep Quality

Millions of people in the U.S. turn to marijuana products when they have trouble sleeping, but new research suggests the drug may not deliver the restful sleep many users expect. The study found that people with a history of marijuana use tended to show poorer sleep quality when their sleep was measured objectively. The same pattern appeared among those who had used marijuana more recently. Yet, when participants were asked how well they slept, most did not report experiencing significant problems. Researchers followed participants for almost 35 years as part of the CARDIA study, which started in 1985/86. The project…

FridayOct 16, 2026 3:38 pm

420 with CNW – Washington Officials Seek Public Input on Easing MMJ Businesses’ Enjoyment of Marijuana Rescheduling

Washington cannabis regulators are considering a new certification system that could help cannabis businesses demonstrate their involvement in the state’s medical marijuana market and potentially gain access to federal benefits following the partial rescheduling of cannabis. The LCB recently voted to begin examining the proposal. The effort follows a petition from The Cannabis Alliance, which argued that businesses need a way to document medical cannabis-related operations under Washington’s existing regulatory structure. The issue emerged after the LCB stated that Washington marijuana businesses may not qualify for the federal changes since the state does not operate a separate licensing system for…

ThursdayOct 15, 2026 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – DOJ, Marijuana Prohibitionists Reach Agreement on Scheduling Court Briefings

The Justice Department (DOJ) and organizations challenging the federal government’s effort to loosen cannabis restrictions have submitted a joint proposal for moving their legal battle forward. In a filing submitted Friday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, the parties outlined a schedule that would complete written arguments by February 2027 and potentially allow judges to hear oral arguments before the court goes into recess. The consolidated litigation involves three separate challenges to the rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the CSA. The cases were brought by the NDASA and SAM, a coalition…