United States
Higher than US
Lower than US
US Average
Past-month marijuana use ages 12 and older, 2017-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health State Estimates.
Marijuana & Legalization
Kevin Zeese: Tireless activist, former NORML Director
9/6/20--Kevin Zeese, who played a major role in fighting the War on Drugs, died of a heart attack this month at the age of 64. The executive director of NORML from 1983-1986, he also founded the Drug Policy Foundation (DPF) with Arnold Trebach in 1987. Read Cannabis ballot measures finalized, Florida gets edibles, capital raises rebounding & more
8/29/20--A recreational marijuana legalization ballot measure in Arizona got the final go-ahead, while a medical cannabis legalization initiative in Nebraska is fighting to keep its place on the November ballot. And, the addition of edibles to Florida’s medical marijuana market became formal under state health department rules. Read Hemp Opportunity Zone Act
9/1/20-- Introducing the bill to amend the Internal Revenue code of 1986 to establish Hemp Opportunity Zones. Among other things, Section Six calls for a study to determine if 0.3% THC in hemp is adequate of if the limit should be moved up to 1% THC. ReadThe case against legalization and decriminalization of marijuana
8/24/20--In an editorial published in the Washington Examiner written by Kyle Reynolds, an Indiana University correspondent for Campus Reform, he candidly expresses his views on how disconcerting it is that the Democratic Party is moving with such force to decriminalize and legalize marijuana. Read Tell your representative to oppose the MORE Act
9/1/20--Big Pot is pushing hard for Congress to hold a full vote on the MORE Act, a bill to federally legalize and commercialize marijuana under the auspices of social justice. SAM is urging the public to tell representatives in Congress that moving the MORE Act is unacceptable. Read Marijuana & Health
Does anxiety sensitivity predict addiction severity in opioid use disorder?
9/6/20--Increased anxiety sensitivity (AS), defined as the fear of anxiety-related cognitive, social, and physical symptoms which are misinterpreted as having harmful implications, has shown a relationship with substance use disorders. People with substance use disorders also experience addiction-related problems across several domains of life functioning. Read Familial factors may not explain the effect of moderate-to-heavy cannabis use on cognitive functioning in adolescents: a sibling-comparison study
9/3/20--This study aims to examine whether moderate adolescent cannabis use has neurocognitive effects that are unexplained by familial confounds, which prior family‐controlled studies may not have identified. Results indicate that moderate adolescent cannabis use may have adverse effects on cognitive functioning, specifically verbal memory, that cannot be explained by familial factors. Read Common drugs and marijuana don’t always mix
9/10/20--Marijuana—or more specifically, a compound in the plant that produces its intoxicating effects called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—can have adverse effects when combined with some prescription drugs and vice versa, warns a new report from the University of Toronto. Read Vancouver is a disaster zone of Canada’s liberal drug policies
9/10/20--May, June and July have been the worst months in B.C. history for drug overdoses, with approximately 526 dead — more than double the 213 British Columbians who have died from coronavirus. At present rates, B.C. will again pass 1,000 overdose-related deaths by December. Read 2019 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Releases
9/13/20--NSDUH’s latest annual report focuses on substance use and mental health in the United States based on NSDUH data from 2019 and earlier years. The annual report presents estimates that meet the criteria for statistical precision and facilitate stable examination of trends over time to study changes in society and emerging issues. Read Marijuana & Safety
Workforce drug testing positivity climbed to highest rate in 16 years
8/25/20--New Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ Analysis finds that marijuana positivity climbed by double digits across nearly all employee testing categories, while opiate and heroin positivity decline. Additionally, analysis of more than nine million workplace drug test results showed cocaine and methamphetamine positivity surges in Midwest. Read Marijuana Regulatory Agency recalls contaminated pre-rolls, suspends processor licenses pending investigation
8/6/20--The Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) issued a public health and safety bulletin today, notifying the public of a marijuana product recall of contaminated “pre-rolls” from retail outlets located in Bay City, Hazel Park, Detroit, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, Lansing, River Rouge, Ferndale, Quincy, Lowell, Negaunee, and Lapeer. In addition, the MRA stipulated and agreed to a 14-day suspension of the medical and adult-use processor licenses of 3843 Euclid LLC in Bay City, pending further MRA investigation. Read National Governors Association selects 10 states for data-driven strategies to address impaired driving
8/10/20--As state and local governments adjust to the changing landscape of drug use, the National Governors Association will assist 10 states in developing and executing action plans to improve data collection and standardization efforts related to impaired driving. The states selected are: Colorado, Connecticut, Hawai‘i, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming. Read LaMalfa leads bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing bill to eradicate illegal marijuana grows on public lands
7/9/20--Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after he and Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Doug Lamborn, Rep. Salud Carbajal, Rep. Hal Rogers, and Rep. TJ Cox introduced the Protecting Lands Against Narcotics Trafficking (PLANT) Act. This legislation provides resources to help local, state, and federal law enforcement eradicate illegal marijuana grows on public lands and establishes a fund to restore land that has been damaged by illegal cultivation activities. Read Feds hire hazmat firm for marijuana eradication training
7/6/20--The U.S. Forest Service will spend nearly $50,000 to hire a hazardous materials consulting firm to train employees how to safely remove marijuana grown on public lands under a newly awarded government contract. The agency says the training is needed to protect employees, some of whom reportedly have been taken to emergency rooms after being exposed to hazardous chemicals while clearing marijuana plants in years past. Read Marijuana & Commerce
Cresco Labs launched Good News Cannabis Brand
9/9/20--Cresco Labs, one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, announced the launch of its newest cannabis brand to its growing portfolio of national cannabis brands, Good News. Read 
Charlotte’s Web swings to loss in Q2, citing pandemic and operating expenses
9/14/20--Charlotte’s Web Holdings, a CBD manufacturer in Boulder, Colorado, lost $14.4 million last quarter as the coronavirus pandemic slowed retail sales and operating expenses rose 82% from the same period a year ago. The company announced a plan to reduce operating expenses by 10% by the end of 2020, without elaborating. Read Curaleaf rises to the top of US marijuana industry with footprint covering about two dozen states
8/26/20--Massachusetts-based Curaleaf has become one of the largest multistate cannabis operators in the United States by adopting a broad-market approach – with scores of cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities now stretching across 23 states. Read Forecasts hazy for state marijuana revenue
8/10/20--According to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts, with more states considering legalizing marijuana, forecasting and budgeting difficulties for revenue from recreational marijuana taxes are likely to become widespread. These challenges have consequences: If tax collections come in below forecasted amounts, for example, programs that are funded by these dollars could suffer. Read You know what else has sold well during the pandemic? Weed edibles
7/13/20--Pandemic anxiety and mounting concerns about vaping have contributed to the increase of cannabis product sales. Since March, the cannabis industry has seen an influx of new customers, and as fear of inhaled products has risen — spurred partly by studies of “vaping illness” and exacerbated by respiratory risks associated with the coronavirus — many consumers have opted to enjoy cannabis in edible form. Read Marijuana & Culture
How legal weed destroyed a counterculture icon
9/4/20--Constantly running afoul of authorities, High Times magazine became an icon of the counterculture and an indispensable guide to the underground world of cannabis. It also survived the suicide of its outlaw founder, the war on drugs, and three federal grand jury investigations, as reported in a Politico article. But now that cannabis has become legal across much of the country, High Times finds itself in a different kind of trouble. Read Twitter partners with feds on campaign flagging ‘marijuana’ searches while giving ‘alcohol’ a pass
9/10/20--Twitter is partnering with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a federal drug agency, to promote substance misuse treatment resources when users of the social media platform search for “marijuana” or certain other substance-related keywords—but no such health warning appears with results for alcohol-connected terms. Read Commend Biden for resisting Big Marijuana | opinion
7/14/20--The Biden-Sanders joint presidential task force recently issued recommendations for a unity platform to move forward on a number of hot button issues. Among them: marijuana legalization, which the task force notably chose not to endorse, siding instead with decriminalization and research. Several commentators—from publications like National Review to The Atlantic and The Nation—chided Biden for not endorsing pot. But, according to a Newsweek op-ed by president and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana Kevin Sabet, the former vice president should be commended for siding with science, not politics. Read Congressman, leaders in the legal marijuana space to talk about reform, business at this special live event
6/27/20--Advance 360 in collaboration with NJ Cannabis Insider will host a national webinar “Cannabis Reform 2020: America’s Growing Pains & Possibilities” on July 13, featuring heavyweights in the cannabis space to discuss national and regional cannabis policy. Read Bipartisan senators file marijuana and CBD research amendment to defense spending bill
6/29/20--Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) are trying to attach marijuana and CBD research language to a large-scale defense spending bill that’s on the Senate floor this week. The senators are seeking to include the proposal—titled the Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act—in the annual renewal of the National Defense Authorization Act. Read Marijuana & Enforcement
“False and Misleading:” Suit claims select vapes contain less THC than labelled
7/31/20--A new class action lawsuit against Oregon cannabis company Cura CS LLC seeks more than $10M over claims that its Select Elite vape cartridges contained much less THC than labeled. Read SEC files charges in $25 million cannabis-related offering fraud
7/29/20--The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against six individuals and their companies for defrauding investors in connection with unregistered securities offerings that raised over $25 million. Read Cannabis companies facing proposed class-action lawsuit over alleged mislabelling
6/18/20--Some major cannabis companies in Canada are facing a multi-million dollar proposed class-action lawsuit over allegations the potency of their products is “drastically different” than advertised. The statement of claim filed in Calgary on Tuesday accuses the companies of failing to properly label their products and alleges negligence on their part. Read Scientists and veterans file lawsuit challenging DEA’s marijuana rescheduling denials
5/28/20--Researchers and veterans are challenging the DEA's denial of prior cannabis rescheduling requests. The Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) filed suit last week in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, asking for a review of DEA’s scheduling determinations in 2020, 2016 and 1992. In all cases, the agency denied the petitions, citing statutory obligations to maintain the status of cannabis as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Read Feds sue company over claims its CBD products can treat cancer
4/30/20--The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently sued the California-based Whole Leafs Organica over unsanctioned medical claims it was making about a line of CBD products and supplements by marketing products as treatment options for conditions such as cancer and COVID-19 without supporting scientific evidence. Read