NewsRoom Articles - Page 315 of 592

ThursdayAug 13, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Thailand Hopes Medical Marijuana Will Boost Its Economy

Thailand's economy wasn't doing great even before the coronavirus pandemic struck. Similar to plenty of countries, the pandemic has resulted in a severe economic crisis, especially since Thailand's economy heavily relies on agriculture, tourism, and exports. The Finance Ministry forecasts a likely contraction of 8.5% this year, the biggest decline projected in Asia. In a bid to create revenue and new employment opportunities, the Cabinet is looking into passing rules that would ease the private cultivation and sale of medical cannabis. On August 10, 2020, the Cabinet amended the Narcotics Act, pending Parliament's approval, to allow private medical operators to…

WednesdayAug 12, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – States Ask USDA and Congress to Extend Hemp Pilot Program

Although the 2014 hemp pilot program is set to expire on October 31, various state agriculture and hemp industry advocates have expressed concern that some states aren’t quite ready to run their own hemp programs. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”), received letters from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (“NASDA”) and National Industrial Hemp Council (“NIHC”) asking it to extend the pilot hemp program. The groups say that while the USDA’s efforts at developing interim guidelines for the crop under the 2018 Farm Bill have been monumental, several states have been unable to create their…

WednesdayAug 12, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Arizona Court Rules in Favor of Marijuana Ballot Initiative

Cannabis legalization activists in Arizona can finally breathe easy after a judge dismissed a lawsuit claiming that their recreational cannabis legalization measure was unfit for the November ballot. Last month, Arizonans for Health and Public Safety filed a lawsuit arguing that the measure wasn't accurately described in the 100-word summary included in the petitions that voters signed. The group said that plenty of information was left out of the summary, denying voters all the information they needed to make an informed decision. On Friday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge rejected the claims that the 100 word summary on the initiative…

TuesdayAug 11, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Vermont Could Be Close to Legalizing Marijuana

2020 looked to be the year for cannabis. Several states had plans to legalize cannabis via either voting on the November ballot or inclusion in the budget at the start of the year, but the coronavirus threw everything into disarray. The resultant health and economic crisis forced many of them to postpone legalizing cannabis to 2021 and beyond. However, some states were able to take the steps needed to initiate legalization despite the crisis. Vermont, for instance, seems poised to advance legal marijuana sales very soon. S.54, legislation that will legalize retail marijuana sales in Vermont beginning in 2022 is…

TuesdayAug 11, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Regulators in Massachusetts Asked to Revisit Marijuana Telehealth and Delivery

Back in 2016, voters in Massachusetts elected to legalize cannabis in the state. Nearly four years later, the legal landscape of Massachusetts' legal cannabis industry is still changing and shifting. Like in most states with a legal cannabis program, the industry is fairly young, and regulators are working together with stakeholders and consumers to create a regulatory framework that works for everyone. Last Monday, there was a public hearing held to collect input on the cannabis industry from medical marijuana patients, caregivers and aspiring entrepreneurs. The information will help the Cannabis Control Commission (“CCC”), which was tasked with regulating the…

MondayAug 10, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Israel Health Ministry to Slash Medical Marijuana Prices in Half

Israel’s medical cannabis program recently went through a number of reforms that will see patients purchasing medical cannabis for up to 50% off the current price. The changes were presented by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein in the Knesset’s Labor, Welfare, and Health Committee. The reforms include switching from a license system to a prescription system, demanding a special budget basket from the Ministry of Finance, directing marketing and sale outside of pharmacies, the removal of cannabidiol (“CBD”) from the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, transparency of products components for patients, and more. According to Edelstein, he was exposed to the increasingly popular…

MondayAug 10, 2020 11:56 am

Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) is “One to Watch”

Pac Roots focuses on high-end genetics in order to maximize the quality of its products while maintaining high yields and profit margins Through a partnership with plant breeding management and analytics firm Phenome One and its massive genetics library, Pac Roots is well positioned to become a trailblazer in providing industry-leading strains not currently available in the regulated market Via over 350 analytically assayed and rigorously tested cultivars and the continued development of elite lineages, the company offers unique varieties focused on medicinal applications and featuring specific cannabinoid and terpene profiles The company’s selective breeding process results in a catalog…

MondayAug 10, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – 2021 Looks Promising for Pot Stocks

Had the coronavirus pandemic not struck, 2020 would have been a good year for cannabis. Several states were planning on legalizing cannabis either through a ballot or inclusion in the budget, but a lot of these plans have been put on the backburner. However, despite the ongoing health and economic crisis, cannabis stocks have fared relatively well. There was an initial dip in the industry’s value when the coronavirus struck but after a month or two, states were reporting record breaking cannabis sales. As we begin the last half of the year, investors are gearing up for 2021, which they…

FridayAug 07, 2020 4:20 pm

420 with CNW – Illinois Cannabis Sales Break Records in July

The months after the coronavirus broke out were characterized by a severe decline in commerce. Industries like airlines, food service and tourism were especially hit, with a large chunk of the more than 30 million Americans who lost their jobs coming from these sectors. Cannabis, on the other hand has weathered the storm fairly well. There was a spike in marijuana sales in the weeks leading up to the shutdown and self-isolation orders and in the months since, several states have reported record breaking sales. On Monday, Illinois’ Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced that the state had recorded…

FridayAug 07, 2020 4:20 am

420 with CNW – Senate Bill Seeks to Legalize and Tax Cannabis Like Tobacco

So far, 2020 has been pretty rough on drug reform initiatives. Marijuana legalization activists in states like Idaho and Florida have had to postpone their legalization activities after the coronavirus pandemic made signature collection almost impossible and kept lawmakers occupied with more urgent issues. However, the push for federal marijuana reform received a massive boost after a Democratic Senator filed a new bill to federally legalize marijuana in late July. Titled the ‘Substance Regulation and Safety Act,’ the legislation was sponsored by Senator Tina Smith. If passed, it would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and direct federal agencies…