Licensing & Legislation
Embracing Cannabis Consumption Lounges
Between all the excitement around sweeping legalization measures and a focus on ensuring an equitable and reparative industry, many seem to have forgotten an important element that could lead towards further social acceptance of cannabis consumption: safe spaces to consume. People have long gathered together to share in the consumption of cannabis and cities across…
Read MoreDoes Your Cannabis Business Need Insurance?
Distinct aspects of the cannabis industry separate it from other types of business, however, all business includes elements of protection and preservation. Just as banking has been a thorny subject, cannabis insurance held the same reputation until recently. Today, however, the ability to obtain coverage for all divisions of the industry is less convoluted. Diligence…
Read MoreNew Marijuana Banking Bill: What’s Included and What’s Missing
The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (a marijuana banking act) has been reintroduced to the House by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO); this bill protects financial institutions that service state-legal marijuana businesses from being penalized by federal regulators. Previously, the bill had cleared the House but did not advance in the Republican-controlled Senate. There…
Read MoreMichigan Legalizes Cannabis-Infused Beverages
One of the many benefits of legalization is the opportunity to research and develop new ways of consuming cannabis. Cannabis-based beverages are an example, and the state of Michigan has taken notice. Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency Director Andrew Brisbo had noted in October 2020 cannabis-infused beverages were “an area of interest to a lot of processors…
Read MoreCan New Jersey’s Slow Start to Cannabis Legalization Recover?
Is recreational weed legal in New Jersey? Despite the recent bill NJ Governor, Phil Murphy signed to finally legalize cannabis in New Jersey and put an end to arrests for possession, some say it’s long overdue. The main position from his 2017 campaign for governor included committing to sign any cannabis legalization that ended up…
Read MoreWill Kentucky (Finally) Legalize Cannabis?
Both medical and recreational cannabis are illegal in Kentucky but times may be changing for this southern state. In early 2020, House Bill 136 passed 65 to 30; this bill marked the first occasion in which a medical marijuana bill had been taken up by the full House. Proposed in the Kentucky cannabis laws bill…
Read MoreMichigan Cannabis Licensing Expansion
Although Michigan has been a recreationally and medically legal state since 2018 and 2008 respectively, the laws that govern the businesses are not static. Nearly two full years into recreational legalization, the medical side is under review and proposals are in play to ease one burdensome aspect of the industry that impact people with a…
Read MoreOklahoma Boom! The Sooner State Spin On Cannabis
The state of Oklahoma has proven to be fertile grounds for the thriving cannabis industry. Medical marijuana was legalized June 2018 via a ballot referendum, and in a short time, the Oklahoma marijuana market truly became a Boomers Paradise. Learning from other states as well as diverging from some standard practices in the United States…
Read MoreCannabis Legislation and the Coronavirus
Cannabis legislation and the coronavirus update as of May 2020. As the world adapts to eradicate COVID-19, lawmakers from the United States have not forgotten the cannabis industry. Although relief to other small businesses has been rolled out by the federal government in the form of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs),…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah
Below is a compiled listing of marijuana legislation and cannabis business licensing in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Vertical growing is a growing trend within the cannabis industry. This practice of producing plants in vertically stacked layers or vertically inclined surfaces previously hit a particular roadblock of distance required between plants and high-pressure sodium…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing in Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada and Montana
Recently, members of the UK parliament (MPs) visited Canada for an exploratory review of their expanding legal marijuana industry. The resulting tone was one of enthusiasm, with one MP noting the UK could shake off cannabis prohibition within a year. Medical marijuana has been legal in Great Britain since November 2018 but the country still…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Washington, Oregon, California
The following is a list of marijuana legislation and cannabis business licensing in Washington, Oregon, and California, as of January 7, 2020. Firsts are ever-present in the cannabis world but a new proposal in California includes furry friends. The bill would allow veterinarians to recommend medical cannabis products for pets, furthering last year’s state regulators…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
PBS recently released a series under their News Hour segment entitled “The Green Rush” which is a review of the cannabis industry in the United States, including legalization, attitudes, and benefits plus challenges. The insight provided includes information from researchers, experts, and financial analysts and focuses on the latest wave of cannabis legalization. The following…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee
The following is a summary of marijuana legislation and cannabis business licensing in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, as of July 2019. Eleven U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational cannabis use. Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from Minnesota doesn’t think states individually mandating is the best course of action. Rep. Omar called on the federal…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida
The following is a summary of marijuana legislation and cannabis business licensing in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, as of July 2019. Recently, Jimmy Buffett partnered with Surterra Wellness on a cannabis brand called Coral Reefer (also the name of his touring band). Concentrates, vape pens and cartridges are all part of the…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington, D.C.
Newly introduced to the cannabis world within the education sector is the nation’s first master’s degree program in medical cannabis through the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Both on campus and online, classes in this two-year program will include basic science, clinical use, adverse effects and public health, and federal and state laws and…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut
The annual “The State of Legal Cannabis Markets” report in June released findings that indicate the world’s cannabis market could notch $15 billion this year. Industry insiders are forecasting global cannabis sales could total $14.9 billion in 2019, up 36% from 2018, driven in part by CBD product sales and recent legalization in Canada. For…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts
According to a recent article published in the May-June issue of Marijuana Business Magazine, manufacturers of cannabis products are often in a constant evolution of new products and scientific advancements, all to retain and expand their customer base. As the industry continues to grow, it is essential to keep abreast of legality. Below is a…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas
A federal appeals court ruled May 30 to hold open a case challenging the scheduling status of marijuana under federal law. While progress is made at the federal level, each U.S. state is deciphering its own path in the legalization of cannabis, medical and recreational, as well as CBD and hemp cultivation. CannaCon is hosting…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota
If you are starting a cannabis cultivation or marijuana-related business, then it’s wise to pay attention to the latest cannabis news. Cannabis legislation is consistently developing throughout the United States, creating opportunities for business owners everywhere. But every state is different, especially when it comes to cannabis business licensing. CannaCon is heading to the Midwest…
Read MoreThe State of Cannabis Legislation & Licensing: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio
The following is a list of marijuana legislation and cannabis business licensing in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio, as of January 6, 2020. State by state, legislation is changing in the cannabis business. Licensing regulations also vary and can often be a moving target. As of late 2018, industrial hemp is federally legal in…
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