Politics

Lab testing is an integral part of the legal landscape surrounding cannabis. Today, any cannabis product that you purchase from a licensed facility is required to undergo a series of tests by a state-accredited lab. These tests help ensure...

RICHMOND, Va. — When it comes to marijuana, Virginia has lagged behind many states where the drug has been decriminalized or legalized for recreational use. With lawmakers approving an expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program in 2018, supporters of...

As Democrats prepare to govern with majorities in both houses of New York’s legislature and a popularly re-elected governor, liberal priorities that have been bottled up since 2010 are on the verge of becoming a reality. Expanded voting rights, an...

In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, Congress members signed into law the first significant criminal justice reform bill in a generation on Dec. 21, 2018. The First Step Act of 2018, which passed overwhelmingly in the Senate and the House,...

(This is an abridged version of a column that appears in the November-December issue of Marijuana Business Magazine.) Hemp is making strides faster than activists dreamed even a couple of years ago. Farmers are planting thousands of acres. Processors are adding warehouse space...

PORTLAND, Ore. — The last year was a 12-month Champagne toast for the legal marijuana industry as the global market exploded and cannabis pushed its way further into the financial and cultural mainstream. Liberal California became the largest legal United...

by Kevin Mahmalji, NORML Outreach Director December 30, 2018 As Illinois lawmakers continue to consider input from various stakeholders for legislation that would legalize the possession and use of marijuana for adults 21 and up in 2019, some advocates are...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California would likely lose money and face insurmountable federal hurdles if it tried to create a state-backed bank for the marijuana industry, according to a report released Dec. 27, 2018, by the state treasurer. The report puts...

Every year during March Break, hundreds of high-school students from Ontario pile into cars and buses and cross the provincial border into Quebec. This annual quasi-pilgrimage has as much to do with the province’s relaxed drinking laws as it does...

by Kevin Mahmalji, NORML Outreach DirectorDecember 28, 2018 Looking back at 2018, it was another productive year for marijuana law reform advocates. In addition to advancing legislation in state houses around the country, NORML chapters played a significant role in...