If Maureen Dowd ever decides to go back to Colorado and give weed edibles another chance, she may have more success figuring out how strong that chocolate bar is — but she also won’t be able to buy any marijuana gummy bears: New state laws going into effect Oct. 1 require more prominent potency labels on edibles, as well as prohibiting certain shapes that could be mistaken for regular candy treats. [More]
recreational marijuana
Nevada Court Lifts Block On Marijuana Wholesalers Because Stores Desperately Need More Pot
By 8.18.17
Good news for the recently legalized recreational marijuana industry in Nevada: To help meet overwhelming local demand, a state court judge has opened up the pool of applications for pot distribution licenses. [More]
Nevada’s Marijuana Stores Are Running Out Of Drugs And It’s Officially An “Emergency”
By 7.10.17
Days after Nevada became the fifth state in the U.S. to allow recreational marijuana stores, the drug has proved so popular, the state’s governor is pushing for a “statement of emergency” because dispensaries can’t keep up with the demand. [More]
City Leaders Call “Shenanigans” In Battle Between Pot Store & Dubious Arcade
By 6.16.17
As more states legalize recreational marijuana, regulators face a steep learning curve when it comes to rules on when and where pot retailers can set up shop. For example, it might make sense to restrict marijuana sellers from operating near places where you’ll find lots of kids, but could that same rule be gamed just to prevent a retailer from opening a legal business? [More]
Colorado To Spend Marijuana Tax Money To Fight Addiction And Homelessness
By 5.31.17
The state of Colorado collected more than $100 million in taxes on retail recreational marijuana sales last last year. So what’s it going to do with all that extra cash? The governor’s new budget allocates that money for supportive housing, health screening in public schools, addiction treatment, and on regulating the cannabis industry. [More]
Vineyards Now Pairing Wine And Weed With New Marijuana Crops
By 5.25.17
What pairs nicely with a fine Oregon Pinot Noir? I have no idea, but now that recreational marijuana is legal in that state — and will soon be in neighboring California, as well — vineyard owners are taking advantage of the burgeoning market by adding pot plants to their fields. [More]
Vermont Gov. Vetoes Bill Legalizing Recreational Marijuana, Sends It Back For Some Changes
By 5.24.17
Vermont residents will have to put off their dream of lighting up a legal joint for a bit longer after the state’s governor vetoed a bill legalizing small amounts recreational marijuana, and instead sent it back to legislators for some revisions. [More]
Vermont Lawmakers Pass Bill Legalizing Recreational Marijuana
By 5.10.17 — Updated: 5.12.17
Your dreams of getting a good buzz in the Green Mountain State have moved one step closer to reality, as Vermont is on the verge of becoming the first state to enact legislation legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. [More]
If Feds Crack Down On Recreational Pot, State May Let Marijuana Stores Reclassify As Medical Dispensaries
By 4.12.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
With the shadow of a possible federal crackdown on retail marijuana looming, Colorado lawmakers are taking steps to try to protect the state’s pot businesses by letting them re-classify as medical weed purveyors if the need arises. [More]
Oregon Lawmakers Trying To Prevent Marijuana Shops From Selling Customer Info
By 4.11.17 — Updated: 4.12.17
If you live in a state with legalized recreational marijuana and take advantage of your right to shop at your local pot shop, that retailer might know things about you that you’d rather keep private. That’s why Oregon may soon make it against the law for marijuana retailers to collect or sell their customers’ information. [More]
Slew Of New Bills Aim To Reform Marijuana Laws At Federal Level
By 3.30.17
While the Trump Administration has hinted at a coming crackdown on non-medical use of marijuana, federal legislators continue to introduce new bills — some with bipartisan support — intended to further legitimize the cannabis industry. [More]
Illinois Lawmakers Propose Bill Legalizing Recreational Marijuana
By 3.23.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Medical marijuana is already legal in Illinois, and newly introduced legislation hopes to add the Land of Lincoln to the small but growing list of states allowing the sale and use of recreational pot.
[More]
New Legislation Seeks To End Federal Ban On Marijuana
By 3.2.17
The same week that the White House likened legalized recreational marijuana to the opioid epidemic, and let it be known that the Justice Department will likely begin cracking down on non-medical pot, a Republican Congressman from Virginia introduced a law that, if passed, would put an end to the federal criminalization of marijuana. [More]
Despite Possible Crackdown, Nevada Will Allow Recreational Pot Sales In July
By 2.24.17
Yesterday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said that he expects the Justice Department to ramp up its efforts against non-medical marijuana. In spite of that statement, Nevada says it still plans to allow recreational pot sales to begin this summer. [More]
White House May Crack Down On Recreational Marijuana
By 2.23.17
Even though federal law currently prohibits the Justice Department from using any of the funding it receives from Congress to prosecute medical marijuana in 40 states (and D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico), no law blocks the DOJ from going after recreational marijuana operations, even in the growing number of states where it’s been legalized. This afternoon, the White House likened recreational pot use to the opioid epidemic and hinted that it may opt to crack down on non-medical pot. [More]
The Dream Is Still Alive For Alaska Pot Shop Smoking Lounge
By 2.7.17
Although an Alaskan retail marijuana shop’s efforts to get permission to open a pot lounge on the premises failed recently, there is still some hope for businesses in the state who are interested in providing on-site consumption. [More]
Recreational Marijuana Use Just Got Legalized In A Bunch More Places
By 11.9.16
Yesterday, voters in nine states voted on ballot initiatives related to marijuana — decriminalizing it, regulating it, taxing it, or legalizing for either medical or recreational marijuana use. So who voted yay, dude, and who voted nay? [More]
Californians Will Vote On Legalizing Recreational Pot In November
By 6.29.16
California residents may no longer have to complain to their doctors about raging headaches in order to get their hands on legal marijuana soon, as an initiative to legalize the use of recreational pot in the state will be on the ballot this November. [More]
