‘It gives a lot of people joy’: Kamala Harris and the evolution of marijuana and politics
President Bill Clinton admitted to smoking marijuana but famously said he never inhaled. President George W. Bush is believed to have partaken in illicit drugs in his youth, though he always played coy about it. President Barack Obama wrote candidly about his past marijuana and cocaine use but was... Read more
The World Health Organization Steps Up on Cannabis

On February 1, it was reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) made some significant and long overdue recommendations with respect to cannabis. Those recommendations have not been formally released, but we expect that to happen soon. If adopted wholesale by the United Nations (UN), the recommendations will have a significant impact globally as to…

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First bill emerges this year to legalize marijuana in Illinois — would allow up to 24 plants at home
A Democratic state lawmaker has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois that likely goes further than other legislators prefer, but it has officially started the debate over complex legislation that will need to serve many interests. The bill, introduced Jan. 25 by Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana,... Read more
The Future of Cannabis in Washington and Oregon

In late January, Portland hosted the Cannabis Collaborative Conference (“CCC” or “Conference”), an annual forum created by cannabis industry leaders, aimed at addressing the most pressing issues facing this emerging market. This year’s conference focused on the future of the cannabis industry. Rick Garza, Director of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (“WLCB”), was one…

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Why so many Americans now support legalizing marijuana
American views on marijuana have shifted incredibly rapidly. Thirty years ago, marijuana legalization seemed like a lost cause. In 1988, only 24 percent of Americans supported legalization. But steadily, the nation began to liberalize. By 2018, 66 percent of U.S. residents offered their approval, transforming marijuana legalization from a libertarian fantasy... Read more
The California Bureau of Cannabis Control’s Final Regulations Immigration Impact on Foreign “Owners”

On January 16, 2019, each of the three California cannabis agencies dropped a final set of regulations. In many senses, the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s (“BCC”) regulations were the most comprehensive and expansive (we summarized some of the highlights here, and summarized the highlights of the California Department of Public Health’s final regulations here). In…

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Cannabis and International Trade: Never the Twain Shall Meet?

Recently, we’ve been getting tons of questions from clients regarding the international import and export of cannabis around the globe. 2018 was a historic year for the cannabis industry not just in the United States, but also internationally. Canada legalized recreational marijuana for the entire country. Many countries (e.g., Thailand, New Zealand, Mexico, Lithuania, U.K.) took…

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Portland Awards Cannabis Grants to Minority Owned Cannabis Businesses

We have been critical of cities licensing cannabis businesses in the past. Cannabis businesses are taxed and regulated heavily enough at the state level–why involve cities as well? We have always thought that if a city is going to be involved in the licensing process, it might as well do some good along the way….

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New York assembly speaker casts doubt on quick marijuana legalization
New York’s Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo may not be able to hammer out a deal on legalizing adult-use marijuana in the next two months, according to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. In remarks Thursday following a criminal justice event in Manhattan, the speaker discounted the possibility of... Read more
Feds, local police launch raids on up to 50 black-market marijuana grow houses in Denver area
Scores of agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency fanned out early Thursday morning in a coordinated raid of up to 50 suspected black-market marijuana grow houses in the Denver metro area, authorities say. Dozens of search warrants were served on homeowners and residents across the metro area, said Randy... Read more
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