Political

FLORIDA | House panel to explore cannabis legalization issues

With a marijuana legalization citizens’ initative barreling toward the 2020 ballot, yet another House panel will explore cannabis issues this week.

The Health Quality Subcommittee will hear Wednesday from out-of-state experts on public health concerns, potential trafficking issues, and “positive test results for cannabis in the workplace.”

Virginia legal landscape shifts as cannabis support grows

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — “We do grams, eighths, quarters, half ounces, pounds, wholesale pounds -- however you want it,” Jacob Stretch said, standing between crates of dried hemp in his living room that doubles as his hemp processing and drying facility. Stretch, owner of Chesapeake Blue, just finished his first season growing industrial hemp as a registered grower and processor on his family’s farm.

3 Scenarios for U.S. Marijuana Legalization by 2021

Don't totally write off the chances that the MORE Act or similar legislation could become law in the not-too-distant future.

Arguably the biggest legislative milestone to date related to the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. was achieved two weeks ago. The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted 24 to 10 to pass the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a bill that would legalize marijuana at the federal level.

Cuomo signs bill regulating New York’s hemp industry

A new law signed by Gov. Cuomo on Monday lays the groundwork for the manufacture and sale of home-grown hemp products — including popular CBD oil — across the state.

The regulations require growers, processers and sellers to obtain state permits and hire independent labs to test their merchandise.

The law also sets labeling standards and mandates that New York-based hemp companies use only crops grown in New York.

Rep. Ryan Winkler Discusses The Push To Legalize Recreational Marijuana In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — In the coming weeks and months, expect to hear a lot about the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana in Minnesota.

The legalization push has a powerful new advocate who will be introducing the bill when the next legislative session gets underway in February.

Behind the scenes, supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana have been working hard, holding listening sessions around the state, and meeting with officials from Colorado, which legalized cannabis in 2014.

Some fear new federal rules on hemp production may go too far

Image: (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Lawmakers and policymakers still aren’t distinguishing between hemp and marijuana, advocates say

Congress opened the door in 2018 to what many in the agriculture sector hope will be a 21st-century money crop: hemp. But the budding industry must first escape the shadow of marijuana, hemp’s botanical cousin.

ILLINOIS | J.B. Pritzker signed follow-up cannabis legislation today. Here's what it included.

SPRINGFIELD — One month before the scheduled rollout of legalized marijuana in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a follow-up bill to the initial reform Wednesday and took questions about the next phases of the implementation.  

“It’s new territory, we’re seeing that in some of the cleanup that we’re doing in this bill,” said Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, who sponsored the initial marijuana legalization measure.

California city sues itself, trying to escape controversial cannabis ballot initiative

Pasadena is asking a judge to erase a controversial ballot initiative from next year’s ballot. And it’s doing so by suing its own officials.

Yes, this is highly unusual. No, the city’s isn’t blaming its employees for the proposed measure which, officials have said, would subvert the city’s marijuana laws to legalize currently illegal cannabis stores.

This effort to decriminalize marijuana nationally is even getting Republican support

An historic House bill to decriminalize marijuana is moving in Congress with support from both Democrats and Republicans —legislation that would have a dramatic impact on people convicted of using or possessing the drug.

The bill, approved by the House Judiciary Committee last month on a vote that attracted both Democratic and Republican support, would allow marijuana convictions to be erased while allocating federal funds to help people whose lives were profoundly affected.

Marijuana Legalization: Can Virginia Expect it in 2020?

Marijuana is strictly prohibited in Virginia. All forms of marijuana are illegal in the state. Yet, recreational cannabis sales went live in Michigan on Sunday. To know more about this, read Recreational Marijuana Sales Go Live in Michigan. Furthermore, Illinois will legalize marijuana on January 1, 2020. While the other states are pushing for legalization, let’s see what steps Virginia is taking.

What actions is Virginia taking for legalization?