Cannabis Legalization News

The Idaho Senate approved a measure to constitutionally ban any statewide legalization of non-pharmaceutical psychoactive drugs (including cannabis). The proposal still has to pass the House in a two-thirds vote and would then move to voters via a ballot initiative next year.

A bill to legalize medical cannabis in Alabama has advanced from the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee.

Minnesota Democrats are cranking up their efforts to enact sensible cannabis reforms with Democratic House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler calling adult-use legalization a “mainstream, bipartisan, broadly supported issue.”

New Mexico lawmakers have pre-filed two cannabis legalization bills for the coming session. Each measure would essentially do the same thing but differ on operational and enforcement details.

Kansas Gov. Kelly Chambers (D) has proposed adopting medical cannabis legalization in the state and using funds from the program to pay for expansions to Medicaid.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Cory Booker and Ron Wyden have announced the forming of a Senate coalition dedicated to legalizing cannabis at the federal level.

Lawmakers in Idaho are set to consider a bipartisan bill to legalize medical cannabis even after a proposal to constitutionally ban all psychoactive drugs (including cannabis) was advanced from the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Lawmakers in the New Jersey Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee have approved a piece of so-called “clean-up” legislation aimed at getting Gov. Phil Murphy to approve the state’s voter-backed legalization plan.

Cannabis industry analytics firm Headset released a new report estimating the annual value of Mexico’s legalized cannabis market at about $843.7 million.

New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham called for the legalization of adult-use cannabis in her State of the State address on Tuesday.

Minnesota Sen. Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R) said he has no plans to work toward cannabis legalization this year and that such reforms aren’t “right for the state.”

A recent state auditor report found that Delaware could net up to $43 million in annual cannabis tax revenue if the state were to legalize cannabis.

Adult-use cannabis sales have started in Arizona, making it the quickest state so far to move from voter approval to a fully-fledged recreational marketplace.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is reportedly discussing the prospects of legalizing adult-use cannabis with multiple state agencies.

A bill filed by Florida state Sen. Jeff Brandes seeks to allow adult-use cannabis sales in the state’s already-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries.

Cannabis dispensaries in Arizona could start serving adult-use customers within a day or two, about two months after voters there embraced full legalization.

The Compassionate Care Act in South Carolina, which aims to legalize medical cannabis in the state, has garnered new support from several powerful state Senators this year.

Idaho state Sen. Scott Grow (R) proposed legislation on Monday that would add the prohibition of cannabis and other psychoactive drugs to the state’s constitution, making legalization and other reforms more difficult.

Indiana state Sen. Karen Tallian has proposed two bills aimed at significant cannabis reforms, including the legalization of adult-use cannabis and the creation of a new “Cannabis Compliance Commission.”

The French government has launched a public consultation to ask citizens about their views on cannabis legalization and to determine which government policies the people would prefer.

A recent study found that adult-use cannabis legalization may lead to increased junk food sales.

Mexico health officials have published rules for the country’s medical cannabis industry and President Andres Manuel López Obrador approved regulations letting pharmaceutical companies conduct medical cannabis research.

New Jersey’s cannabis deal appears to have fallen flat after lawmakers pulled a piece of compromise legislation that was requested by Gov. Phil Murphy before signing into law the state’s legalization plan.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has once again stated the state will legalize cannabis in the coming legislative session.