From Our Writers

Cannabis track-and-trace compliance software company MJ Freeway has rebranded as Akerna following a merger with MTech Acquisition Corp.; the new company begins trading on the NASDAQ today.

Medical cannabis company Columbia Care, which operates in 12 states, has launched its own credit card for patients in New York. According to the company, the option has boosted sales in an otherwise cash-only marketplace and there are plans to introduce the card next in Illinois.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring called for the decriminalization of cannabis in an op-ed published on Saturday, arguing that prohibition is “needlessly creating criminals.”

After receiving massive interest from students last semester, the University of Connecticut is bringing its cannabis horticulture class online.

The U.S. Postal Service has updated its policies to clarify that hemp and hemp products — including CBD — are legal to mail so long as they comply with hemp rules laid out by state agricultural programs.

Texas is the latest state to adopt hemp legalization language after the plant’s federal restrictions were lifted last year. The plan still needs USDA approval, which is unlikely to happen for this year’s growing season.

Cincinnati will become the fourth municipality in Ohio to decriminalize cannabis possession, following Dayton, Toledo, and Norwood.

Since its establishment in 2014, Colorado’s legal cannabis industry has generated just over $1 billion in tax revenue for the state. More than $6.5 billion worth of cannabis has been sold.

Nevada is the first state to prohibit employers from drug testing applicants for cannabis use during pre-employment. The governor also signed a bill creating industry oversight boards for the industry.

Archaeologists in China have discovered evidence of human cannabis use and cultivation dating back to 500 B.C.; researchers indicate that cannabis appears to have been used during burial rituals.

Despite the 2018 federal legalization of industrial hemp, banks are still hesitant to work with hemp-derived CBD companies, many of whom have lost their credit card processing capabilities in recent months.

Cannabis possession convictions have been overturned for five prisoners by a California Court of Appeals. The ruling effectively legalizes cannabis possession for inmates, though consumption while incarcerated remains a felony.

Oregon lawmakers have advanced legislation that would let cannabis operators in the state export their extra product to neighboring states with cannabis programs. The proposal, however, will require federal government approval before cross-state sales can begin.

Australian researchers are seeking 300 participants for a years-long trial investigating the effectiveness of CBD as a treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD.

Under a new law in Alabama, a commission of doctors, lawmakers, and other governor appointees will study the potential legalization of medical cannabis; the commission must submit its report by December 1, 2019.

Harborside Inc. officially started trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange on Monday, marking the company’s successful transition into a public equity firm.

UC Riverside researchers have received a $744,000 grant to research the long-term impact of cannabis use on metabolic disorders like Type 2 diabetes.

The New York Farm Bureau has announced its support for pending legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis. The legislation would give farmers priority consideration for cannabis cultivation licenses.

Grocery store chain Kroger has begun selling CBD topicals at its stores in 17 states, joining a growing trend of traditional corporate retailers who are embracing CBD products since hemp was federally legalized last year.

Recent polling data suggests that a strong 55 percent majority of New Yorkers support cannabis legalization, including an overwhelming 75 percent of young voters.

The Oregon House of Representatives has approved a measure easing the expungement process for low-level cannabis crimes, removing fees associated with the process and lowering ID requirements.

New Mexico has added six new conditions to the qualifying conditions list for the state’s medical cannabis program. The added conditions include opioid addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and three neurological disorders.

A Minnesota hemp farmer is suing the state to protect his business and current hemp crop after police say they found hemp products from his farm containing THC that exceeded the 0.3 percent industrial hemp threshold.

A cannabis legalization bill has advanced from the Delaware House Revenue and Finance Committee into the full chamber for consideration. A similar bill failed last year by just four votes — Gov. John Carney, however, has already voiced his opposition to legalizing.