NewsRoom Articles - Page 29 of 605

MondayJan 27, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Arkansas Governor Says Medical Cannabis Taxes Will Help Feed Children

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas recently highlighted the advantages of medical cannabis tax revenue in her last week’s State of the State address, announcing a significant plan. The state approved medical cannabis through a voter-supported amendment in 2016, but it wasn’t made available to qualifying patients until May 2019. Since then, the program has seen significant growth, with nearly 109,000 active medical cannabis ID cardholders recorded at the end of 2024. In Arkansas, medical cannabis purchases are subject to a 4 percent privilege tax and a 6.5 percent state sales tax. The revenue collected through the sales tax contributes…

FridayJan 24, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — US Border Patrol Asks Court to Dismiss Businesses’ Lawsuit on Marijuana Seizures in New Mexico

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are asking a federal judge to dismiss a case brought by New Mexico-licensed cannabis businesses. The businesses allege that the agencies unlawfully seized state-regulated cannabis products and arrested staff members at checkpoints within the state. According to CBP and DHS, federal law takes precedence over state law as long as cannabis remains prohibited at the federal level. They argue that border agents are authorized to disregard state regulations and seize cannabis products. Furthermore, they assert that protections afforded to state cannabis programs through the Department of Justice…

FridayJan 24, 2025 10:00 am

California Data Breach Compromises 380,000 Customers’ Data

A ransomware attack in California has compromised the data of hundreds of thousands of cannabis customers across the state. Stiiizy, a marijuana brand based in California, recently notified 380,000 customers that their data had been compromised in a phishing attack against one of its vendors. The cannabis brand confirmed the alert via a data breach notification to the Maine Attorney General’s Office stating that on November 20, 2024, one of its point-of-sale processing services vendors notified it of a massive data breach at several retail locations. According to the data breach notification, an ‘organized cybercrime group’ was behind the data…

ThursdayJan 23, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Activists in Florida File New Initiative to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Marijuana advocates in Florida have submitted a fresh proposal aimed at legalizing recreational cannabis. The new measure comes only two months after a similar one failed to secure the required supermajority vote during the November election. Florida residents will have the opportunity to vote on the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2026 if the measure is approved. Smart and Safe Florida, the group behind the measure, officially submitted it to the state Elections’ Division on Tuesday. The initiative would legalize recreational cannabis use for individuals 21 years of age or older while establishing regulations for the cultivation, sale, and distribution…

ThursdayJan 23, 2025 10:00 am

Biden Commutes the Sentences of Almost 2,500 Inmates Convicted on Drug Offences

Former U.S. President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of almost 2,500 inmates convicted of various non-violent drug offenses (including marijuana) during his last days in the Oval Office. Biden noted that with this last round of commutations, he has granted clemency to more Americans than any other president in U.S. history. Biden also conducted two mass pardon rounds early in his term where he also granted clemency to Americans who had federal marijuana possession offenses on their records. He released a statement saying the last round of commutations ‘provided relief’ for people who had received long prison sentences based on…

WednesdayJan 22, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Marijuana is Widely Available in Texas Despite its Prohibitive Laws

In Texas, getting high has never been easier, despite the state’s reputation for strict policies and socially conservative values. While recreational cannabis remains illegal, Texas boasts over 7,000 marijuana dispensaries—nearly double the number in California. The market has expanded to include 24/7 marijuana delivery services, mobile dispensary trucks, vending machines, and even mail-order options. The contradiction arises from the state legislature, which has consistently opposed legalizing recreational cannabis. Yet, due to a rapidly growing and loosely regulated hemp market, Texas has unintentionally earned the nickname “the THC Republic.” It began when Congress passed Farm Bill 2018, which legalized hemp by…

TuesdayJan 21, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Illinois OKs Additional Conditions for Which Women Can Use Medical Marijuana

Cannabis regulators in Illinois have expanded the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana for the first time since legalization in 2019, focusing specifically on women’s health issues. The state’s public health department, following recommendations from the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board, approved four new conditions: female orgasmic disorder, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and endometriosis. While cannabis cannot shrink cysts or fibroids as some treatments might, it can help alleviate the pain brought by these conditions, explained Doctor Leslie Mendoza Temple, co-chair of the advisory board. She expressed satisfaction with the state’s decision to approve the conditions after nearly six years…

FridayJan 17, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Observers Say Budgetary Pressures Could Boost Efforts to Legalize Marijuana in Iowa

A significant portion of adults in the U.S. remains in favor of cannabis legalization. However, despite this momentum, three out of four recreational legalization initiatives—proposed in Florida, South Dakota, and North Dakota—failed during the November elections. Projections indicate that about five states might legalize cannabis this year, though Iowa appears to be an exception. As with many policy matters, expanding access to medical marijuana or legalizing recreational marijuana sales in Iowa involves multiple layers of complexity. Issues such as health, social justice, law enforcement, economic impact, agriculture, and employment are all intertwined in this debate. Observers note that financial considerations…

FridayJan 17, 2025 10:00 am

DEA Judge Calls Off Upcoming Cannabis Reclassification Hearing

Efforts to reclassify cannabis at the federal level recently hit a roadblock after a DEA judge canceled the upcoming reclassification meeting. The main agenda at the meeting would have been a proposal seeking to amend federal cannabis laws and reclassify the controversial drug, putting an end to several decades of prohibition. However, the Drug Enforcement Administration judge has effectively delayed the reclassification process for at least three months. The Department of Health and Human Services proposal sought to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the CSA, a move that would finally grant America’s state-level marijuana sector access…

ThursdayJan 16, 2025 4:20 pm

420 with CNW — Dallas Police Get New Instructions on Making Marijuana-Related Arrests, Citations

Dallas police have updated guidelines on handling cannabis possession cases after Proposition R was put into effect. An internal memo from the Dallas Police Department (DPD) outlines the changes, stating that officers are no longer permitted to arrest or issue citations for possession of cannabis weighing less than four ounces. Furthermore, cannabis odor alone cannot be used as probable cause for a search, except in high-priority narcotics or violent felony cases. Previously, the policy required officers to confiscate cannabis from individuals with less than two ounces without issuing citations or making arrests. However, the recent memo, circulated on Friday, declares…