How weed became ‘whatever’: Leagues are ditching old policies
Ricky Williams smoked marijuana a few times in high school, and a couple of times when he played football for the University of Texas. But the first time he noticed the drug helped him relax was during his senior year of college. “I had a really bad breakup with... Read more
Recreational pot supporters in Florida fire back on new law
With a hearing next week in the Florida Supreme Court, backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow people to use recreational marijuana are disputing arguments by the state Senate that a new law should help block the ballot initiative. Attorneys for the political committee Make It Legal... Read more
Cannabis In Colorado Isn’t Like A Normal Business. The Challenges Of Coronavirus Really Drive That Home
In about two hours, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock taught public officials a valuable lesson about the meaning of the word “essential.” When he announced the city’s stay-at-home order on March 23, Hancock said recreational marijuana dispensaries, as well as liquor stores, would not rise to the level of “essential.” The... Read more
Launch of adult-use marijuana in Maine delayed due to coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
The Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) is postponing the spring debut of adult-use marijuana retail sales in Maine. The OMP says the decision made due to the ongoing coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to stakeholders, OMP Director Erik Gundersen writes, “Just one month ago, as we announced the issuance of... Read more
Marijuana industry tested in virus crisis
The unofficial holiday celebrating all things cannabis arrives Monday as the nation’s emerging legal marijuana market braces for an economic blow from the coronavirus crisis, with many consumers reducing spending or going underground for deals. It was supposed to be a long weekend of festivals and music culminating on... Read more
Cannabis giant Canopy Growth further shrinks global footprint
Much like other larger North American cannabis firms whose growth far outpaced that of the market they served, Canopy Growth (CGC) is shedding operations to drastically cut costs and save cash. Last month, that meant shuttering 3 million square feet of greenhouses and laying off 500 employees. Now, the world’s largest cannabis company... Read more
Mass. Recreational Marijuana Shops Lose Bid To Reopen During Pandemic
A Suffolk Superior Court judge has denied a request by a group of recreational marijuana businesses to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. The businesses had sued Gov. Charlie Baker over his decision to shut down recreational pot businesses in his response to the public health crisis. The businesses said the closures... Read more
Montana marijuana initiative group sues state to collect electronic signatures during pandemic
A group trying to legalize adult-use marijuana on Montana’s 2020 ballot is suing Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton over the state’s ban on electronic signature gathering due to the difficulty and danger of collecting in-person signatures during the coronavirus pandemic. New Approach Montana filed its lawsuit in state... Read more
Marijuana Has Been Deemed ‘Essential’ — But Essential for Whom?
As the coronavirus spread across the country in March, and stay-at-home orders began to go into effect, every state with a regulated cannabis system allowed weed sales to continue in some form, deeming medical-marijuana businesses essential during the pandemic, along with groceries and pharmacies. This, The New York Times declared, was “official recognition that for some Americans, cannabis is as necessary... Read more
N.F.L. Bows to Marijuana’s New Status
The 10-year labor agreement between the N.F.L. and players union that was ratified on March 15 is filled with dozens of incremental changes, most notably the one-percentage-point increase in the share of league revenue that the players will receive. One of the biggest overhauls in the agreement, though, was a change... Read more
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