Licensing & Legislation
New Jersey Cannabis Legalization Has Never Been Closer!
Recreational cannabis in New Jersey is so close one can almost smell it. Per Governor Phil Murphy: the state is “within weeks” of sales to adult use consumers beyond medical patients. As of today, however, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJ-CRC) has not approved recreational sales for any of the state’s 23 operational medical…
Read MoreIs the Cannabis SAFE Banking Act Already Cashed?
For those keeping track of the winding path taken by the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act legislation (a.k.a. the marijuana banking bill), we’ve got the latest information. The SAFE Act, which seeks to protect banks and other financial institutions that serve cannabis companies from federal money laundering charges, was removed from the National…
Read MoreRaw Cannabis Odor No Longer Cause for Vehicle Searches, Warrants
The odor of cannabis from a vehicle, dwelling or person has historically landed pot smokers in serious hot water. Due to long-standing search warrant criteria for cannabis, law enforcement officers have relied upon the smell of marijuana as probable cause for searching and often arresting citizens — even when the cannabis was in raw, unburnt…
Read MoreNew York’s New Marijuana Drug Testing Rules
A workplace drug test in New York may never look the same again. Per the state’s Department of Labor (DOL), employers there are not allowed any longer to test most workers, with limited exceptions, for cannabis THC. This is a bold step in the United States, as the legality of cannabis ranges from fully illegal,…
Read MoreAlabama Legalized Medical Marijuana, But What Does That Mean?
The South is no longer a desert for those seeking relief from ailments; recently, medical cannabis advocates of Alabama experienced hard-earned success when Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill into law that allows a medical marijuana market, albeit a restrictive one. Under the law, rules are to be adopted in time to allow business license…
Read MoreWhat Sets CannaCon Apart from Other Cannabis Conferences
Here at CannaCon, we’ve positioned ourselves as the nation’s best B2B cannabis conference. Our premier goal is to expand the cannabis industry by educating cannabis business owners on all things cannabis and CBD. We’ve developed a trade show that spans 6 locations, hosts over 800 exhibitors and more than 25,000 attendees, effectively covering most regions…
Read MoreThe California CBD Market is Opening to Global Operators
AB45, or Assembly Bill 45, has officially been signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom of California last week, opening the state to producers of hemp-derived CBD products worldwide. With California’s estimated $3.2 trillion gross state product, this change has garnered attention from the CBD industry’s largest operators. CBD companies in California could see some…
Read MoreRegulations on Cannabis Advertising by State [N – Z]
Welcome to part two of a two-part series about US cannabis advertising regulations. This state guide to cannabis advertising regulations provides concise information in alphabetical order. Click here for Part One of the state guide to cannabis advertising regulations! Nevada: here, advertising within the cannabis industry may not appeal to children, including without limitation, advertising using…
Read MoreTips to Market Your Oklahoma Cannabis Business
Marketing a cannabis business is not an easy job. With regulations on advertising, restrictions on social media and a myriad of other roadblocks, some businesses may choose not to market at all rather than face the obstacles – but that’s not the best method for growing a business. Cannabis is a rapidly expanding marketplace, with…
Read MoreCannabis Expungements Status in U.S.
It is essential the legalization of cannabis in the United States not only reshapes the future of the industry, but amends past offenses in the legal and penal systems. Due to the inordinately high number of people serving jail time and probation periods solely for cannabis convictions, expediting expungement must be kept in the limelight.…
Read More5 Reasons to Attend a Cannabis Expo in Virginia
Virginia possesses a rich history – from its early days as a colonial settlement and a strategic location during the Civil War, this capital city has an ever-changing landscape. Today, it’s a thriving hub for culture, shopping, outdoor adventures and…cannabis. Virginia passed adult-use cannabis legalization earlier this year and with this legislation, flocks of cannabis…
Read MoreCompassionate Cannabis is Back in California, Finally.
Compassionate care programs flourished for decades in the historically green state of California, but recreational use laws enacted in 2016 all but buried the long standing tradition. Thankfully activists and a few legislators rallied long enough to pass another version of compassionate care in California, Senate Bill 34, in late 2019. This post explores the…
Read MoreIllinois Fights Violence with Cannabis (and Other Positive Impacts)
The financial impacts of legalization have been long theorized and quickly proven. Other societal benefits have not always been easy to predict but some states that have passed laws allowing for medical and recreational cannabis are demonstrating what good can come from ending cannabis prohibition. Illinois, for example, is a leader in utilizing taxes to…
Read MoreWhat Minnesota’s Medical Marijuana Laws are Changing?
May was a merry, merry month for Minnesota’s card-carrying medical cannabis patients aged 21 and older, as the approval of smokable flower passed into law as part of a larger health bill. Although the Minnesota medical cannabis law change will most likely not go into effect for seven months, it is welcomed as an option…
Read MoreWhen Will Cannabis Be Legal in Texas?
Legislation in the Lone Star State is many things but swift to update Texas cannabis laws is not one of those descriptions. Widely pinpointed as the originating spot of cannabis prohibition in the United States, El Paso, Texas saw this movement begin in 1915 as a government-led exertion of social control over immigrant workers from…
Read MoreColorado is Issuing New Cannabis Licenses
For those looking to break into the market with a new Colorado cannabis license, Denver is welcoming entrepreneurs for the first time since 2016. Recently, city officials from the Department of Excise and Licenses announced the acceptance of licenses for new cannabis businesses. New applicants will still be required to follow all proximity restrictions, which…
Read MoreCannabis is Now Legal in Connecticut!
As of July 1st, cannabis is legal in Connecticut. This is a change in the Connecticut cannabis law that previously decriminalized cannabis use and means that adults can begin consuming legal cannabis in Connecticut in the coming years. It has been a long road for the state, but the recent change in the law was…
Read MoreThe CCC Has Launched an Online Marijuana Catalog
Identifying legal marijuana has become a whole lot simpler in Massachusetts thanks to the cannabis catalog. Learn more about the marijuana catalog. Massachusetts has taken a proactive stance when it comes to managing legal marijuana identification in the state. The first of its kind in the country, the Cannabis Control Commission launched its cannabis catalog…
Read MoreOklahoma Cannabis Convention: Welcome to Toke-lahoma
Since the legalization of medical cannabis in 2018, Oklahoma has become the wild west of legalized cannabis markets, surpassing the rest of the country in medical license carriers and licensed cannabis businesses. And with House Bill 1961 up for a vote in 2022, the legalization of recreational cannabis may not be too far away. All…
Read MoreUpdates on Cannabis Legalization in New York
Effective March 31, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo legalized adult-use of cannabis, and provided for the licensure of producers, distributors and retailers of marijuana throughout the Empire State. Under this New York legalization, the legislature has established the New York State Cannabis Control Board under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, and authorized this Board to…
Read MoreEmbracing 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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