Cannabis News

National Expungement Week Sept. 19-26 Will Highlight Cannabis Industry’s Biggest Contradiction

by Joan Oleck

With an estimated 40,000 prisoners currently incarcerated for what are minor cannabis crimes, the third annual observance of National Expungement Week, Sept. 19-26, gets under way late this week. Activities range from an Aspen Institute forum featuring actress Anna Deavere Smith, to food donations and legal clinics and other events in multiple cities, plus the launch of at least one new cannabis brand whose profits will be allocated to the non-profit Last Prisoner Project....[READ MORE].

 

Better Marijuana Stock: Aphria vs. Aurora Cannabis

by David Jagielski

Canadian cannabis sales are continuing to balloon amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The latest data from Statistics Canada show that in June, retail sales topped 201 million Canadian dollars and were up 8% from May's total sales. And during the second quarter, which ended June 30, revenue from the nationwide legal market finally finished ahead of the black market: That's the first time the licit market has come out on top since the Canadian government legalized marijuana in October 2018. The Canadian pot market is showing more promise than ever, and two popular cannabis companies stand to benefit. Despite their historic difficulties in generating cash, paying off debts, and avoiding massive writedowns, Aphria (NASDAQ:APHA) and Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) could be poised to claim shares of the rapidly expanding marketplace. Today, I'll look at which stock is the.....[READ MORE].

 

Medical Marijuana Business Sues Traverse City Over Recreational Cannabis License Rules

by Chloe Kiple, Josh Monroe

A medical marijuana business is suing Traverse City after city leaders approved regulations that will only allow for four adult-use facilities whose licenses will be granted based on a scored criteria rubric. Traverse City currently has 13 medical marijuana establishments, which means only four of them will be able to also sell to a recreational audience. The city will favor recreational license applicants who invest in their community, use green energy and provide benefits for their employees. They also will favor applicants who build up housing on their lot.....[READ MORE].

 

Medical Marijuana Market to Witness Astonishing Growth by 2026

By Nischal

Brandessece Market Research recently added the Medical Marijuana Market research report which offers a thorough study of the market scenario regarding the market size, share, demand, growth, trends, and forecast from 2020-2026. The report deals with the impact analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted exports, imports, demand and trends in the industry and is expected to have some economic impact on the market. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the pandemic across the industry and provides insights into a post-COVID-19 market scenario.....[READ MORE].

 

Cheboygan City Council to Vote on Recreational Marijuana

by Paul Steeno

CHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Recreational marijuana could be coming to the city of Cheboygan. On Tuesday, Cheboygan City Council will vote on two ordinances that would allow for the licensing and zoning of recreational marijuana facilities. Officials said these facilities must be 1,000 feet away from schools and 500 feet away from churches.Cheboygan approved medical marijuana facilities earlier this year.....[READ MORE].

 

The History of Marijuana

by Alyssa Myrick

How did an unassuming agricultural plant, used for rope and textiles, end up classified as one of the most dangerous drugs in the nation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration? The journey taken by the cannabis plant to become the drug marijuana is indeed a strange trip. In this final part of the series on marijuana, from the Unified Prevention (UP!) Coalition for Doña Ana County, we delve into the drug’s history to bring perspective to its historical use, and misuse, and better understand why the controversy surrounding its use continues today.....[READ MORE].

 

Marijuana Use is on the Rise in Older Adults

by Linda Carroll

Marijuana use is on the rise among baby boomers in the United States, especially men, according to a study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings appear to reflect changing attitudes toward cannabis across the country, study co-author Bill Jesdale, an assistant professor of population and quantitative health science at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worchester, suggested. Use of the drug increased in older adults in both the states where marijuana has been legalized for recreational use and in the states where it has not, he said. “It seems that something has happened to the country as a whole.....[READ MORE].

 

Hemp Advocates Secure Major Win In New House Government Funding Measure

by Kyle Jaeger

Hemp industry stakeholders are celebrating the introduction of a House of Representatives funding bill that would extend a 2014 pilot program for the crop until 2021. While the 2018 Farm Bill more broadly legalized hemp, it required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop regulations for the market—and many farmers and processors have expressed concern about certain proposed rules. ....[READ MORE].

 

Cannabis Use Associated with Better Sleep for Seniors

by Addison Herron-Wheeler

Much research has looked at sleep and cannabis, as indica strains and CBD companies everywhere promote that cannabis can help with sleep. However, not much of this research has looked into sleep patterns in seniors until now. According to a new study, the daily use of cannabis by older adults is associated with improved sleep duration, as sleep is a major issue that patients medicate for. This new study from the University of California at San Diego is unique because it looks at cannabis use and how it can help sleep for seniors both with and without HIV.....[READ MORE].

 

Consumer Cannabis Buying Patterns Change Markedly in Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic

by Andrew Long

Consumer purchasing patterns involving marijuana have changed noticeably over the past several months in response to the coronavirus crisis. Marijuana shoppers are spending more money per visit to recreational retail outlets. But they are shopping less often, perhaps for safety, or scheduling, reasons.....[READ MORE].

 

US House Vote Delay Likely Won’t Derail Marijuana Reform Momentum

by Jeff Smith

The postponement of a U.S. House vote until after the November election to remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act is a disappointment to many in the industry, but it changes little in terms of the momentum of reform. That is, as long as the House remains controlled by Democrats, as is highly expected.....[READ MORE].

 

Congress Delays Marijuana Vote, More Record Cannabis Sales, Brazil Nears Legalization & More

by John Schroyer

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives decided this week to hold off on a floor vote for the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act until after the November election, essentially caving to Republican political pressure. MJBizDaily takeaway: The floor vote, which would have been historic as the first time Congress paid heed to.....[READ MORE].

 

Study: Cannabis Effective for Treating Chemotherapy Side Effects

by T.G. Branfalt

A study by researchers at Australia’s Chris O’Brien Lifehouse found a 14-25 percent reduction in chemotherapy side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, in patients who used cannabis capsules containing a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio, 9News reports. The trial involved 80 patients and Associate Professor Peter Grimison, a medical oncologist at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, said an extra “one in 10” had control over their nausea and vomiting compared to placebo. About one in three cancer patients experience nausea and vomiting, despite anti-nausea medications.....[READ MORE].

 

Cannabis Companies with Specific Plans for New Funding Find Success at Raising Capital

by Michael Regan

Capital markets remain very tight, but they started to open up again for marijuana companies in the third quarter of 2020, as shown in Viridian Capital Advisors’ deal tracker. Yet demand remains much greater than the supply of available funding, driven by the capital intensity of the industry and the limited participation by most institutional.....[READ MORE].

 

New Study Looks at Cannabis Users Pain Tolerance

by Addison Herron-Wheeler

A study by University of British Columbia Okanagan campus shows that regular cannabis use, unlike opiate use, does not make pain sensitivity worse, the way opiates do. Due to the alarming opiate crisis in the country, coupled with an increased interest in medical cannabis, there has been an uptick in research on how cannabis can help with pain. This new study is important because it means that, even if you use cannabis frequently to help with pain, you will not need more and more cannabis or find that you are no longer getting pain relief at all......[READ MORE].

 

Congress Delays Vote On MORE Act

by A.J. Herrington

Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives have delayed a vote on a marijuana decriminalization bill that was scheduled for next week, bowing to pressure from moderates in the party who want lawmakers to focus first on COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts. A vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act will instead occur later this year, according to party leadership.....[READ MORE].

 

Bill To Regulate CBD As A Dietary Supplement Introduced In Congress

by A.J. Herrington

A bill that would allow CBD derived from hemp to be sold as a dietary supplement was introduced in the House of Representatives last week in a bid to jumpstart an industry hampered by inaction from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). he bipartisan measure, The Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020 (H.R. 8179), was introduced on Friday by Democratic Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Rep. Morgan Griffith, a Republican from Virginia.....[READ MORE].

 

New Study Finds No Link Between Legal Pot and Pedestrian-Vehicle Collision Fatalities

by A.J. Herrington

A new study released last week has found that legalizing either medical marijuana or cannabis for recreational use is not associated with an increase in traffic fatalities that involve pedestrians. A report on the study, “An examination of relationships between cannabis legalization and fatal motor vehicle and pedestrian-involved crashes,” was published on Friday in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.....[READ MORE].

 

New Marijuana Coalition Unveils Plan To Legalize Interstate Cannabis Commerce

By Kyle Jaeger

A coalition of advocacy groups and marijuana businesses have unveiled a unique plan to legalize interstate cannabis commerce regardless of ongoing federal prohibition. The Alliance for Sensible Markets campaign will be pushing governors from legal and likely soon-to-be legal marijuana states to enter into an interstate compact—a constitutionally recognized agreement between two or more states—establishing a framework for cannabis to be transported and marketed across state lines.....[READ MORE].

 

Designing a New Cannabis Culture

by Anja Charbonneau

In the past few years, modern cannabis culture has blossomed. Minimalist dispensaries with steel and glass cases present the plants like rare jewels—sleek vapes and handcrafted pipes look like standalone works of pocketable sculpture. New magazines and podcasts map and chart newfangled conversations and ways of thinking. Like a field of quickly-growing weeds, this creative efflorescence nods to the vast potential of the cannabis plant itself. Designers, artists, and all kinds of creative professionals have been given a challenging gift: to pollinate the planet with ideas about what the....[READ MORE].