The New York legislator who introduced a measure to legalize recreational marijuana in the state said Wednesday it's "clear" it won't get done in this legislative session. "This is not the end of the road, it is just a delay," Democratic state...
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Oregon governor signs bill in effort to rein in marijuana oversupply
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill into law that enables state regulators to deny new cultivation licenses in efforts to curb a cannabis glut that has led to price crashes and illicit market sales in the state. Senate Bill 218 specifically...
Cannabis legalization group Drug Policy Alliance downsizes as funding tightens
The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), one of the nation’s top marijuana reform organizations, cut nearly a third of its staff in the past month and is continuing to look at ways to restructure amid funding challenges.
Congressional measure offered to shield all state-legal cannabis programs
An amendment that would protect all state-legal cannabis programs from interference by the U.S. Justice Department was submitted for the fiscal year 2020 Commerce-Justice Science spending bill. The federal funding bill and amendments are scheduled for consideration...
NY lawmakers make last-ditch bid to legalize adult-use marijuana
New York marijuana proponents are hopeful about an 11-hour effort to legalize a billion-dollar-plus recreational market before the legislative session’s scheduled end on Wednesday. Lawmakers are making progress on a potential Senate-backed compromise that could be...
US House committee approves spending bill with cannabis banking protections
A key U.S. House panel approved a spending bill including a provision that would protect banks serving lawful marijuana businesses from punishment by federal financial regulators. The House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2020 Financial Services and...
New Jersey governor wants several changes in medical cannabis bill
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy outlined at least five changes he'd like to see in a medical marijuana expansion bill currently under consideration by state lawmakers, including the elimination of a 6.625% sales tax within three years. The changes, according to NJ.com,...
New Jersey Assembly delays action on medical marijuana expansion bill
The New Jersey Assembly postponed voting Monday on a medical cannabis expansion measure to avoid walking into a possible veto by Gov. Phil Murphy. Lawmakers instead plan to try to resolve disagreements with Murphy's office over the bill's tax...
Farmer advocacy group backs New York’s adult-use cannabis legalization effort
New York’s largest advocacy group for farmers has come out in support of a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, a measure that, in its current form, would give farmers priority status for cannabis cultivation licenses. The New York Farm...
Florida agriculture chief forms panel aimed at improving medical marijuana market
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced the members of her newly created advisory committee to advance the state’s medical cannabis policies, which could potentially bolster MMJ business in the state. The 18-member committee,...
Nevada’s top prosecutor won’t promise hands-off treatment of cannabis industry
Nevada’s top federal prosecutor is making things a little more uncertain for the fast-growing cannabis industry in the state, saying that he isn’t ruling out the possibility of prosecuting marijuana businesses - but it's not at the top of his list. U.S. Attorney...
Arizona may be on verge of requiring medical marijuana testing
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has until Saturday to decide whether to sign legislation that would require medical marijuana and derivative products to be tested by an independent lab for pesticides, fungus, heavy metals and other impurities starting Nov. 1, 2020....
