HARRISBURG, Jan. 23, 2018 /Weed Wire/ – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said Pennsylvania cannot afford to lose out on economic and social benefits from marijuana legalization as public support grows and more states allow possession of small amounts for personal use.
Tag Archives: NORML
Iowa State University’s Push to Ban Marijuana Shirt Leads to Huge Costs
Iowa State University’s unconstitutional crackdown on a pro-marijuana student group’s T-shirts will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs, according to a partial settlement approved Tuesday.
National Cannabis Industry Association Joins Forces with Michigan’s Marijuana Legalization Campaign
LANSING, Mich., Nov. 15, 2017 /Weed Wire/ – The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) announced today that it has added more firepower to its growing coalition of marijuana reform advocates with the addition of the National Cannabis Industry Association.
Study: Medical Cannabis Helps Kids Suffering from Chemotherapy Induced Nausea
Medical cannabis may help children suffering from chemotherapy induced nausea as well as seizures, according to a new study published in the October edition of the medical journal Pediatrics.
NORML Founder Keith Stroup to Speak at First Annual Cannabis Fund Gala & Awards
PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 4, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — The Cannabis Fund, a PAC created by Representative Earl Blumenauer to support cannabis-friendly candidates, will be hosting its first annual gala & awards on October 6th at the Marriott Waterfront in Portland, OR with NORML founder Keith Stroup as a featured speaker.
DelBene Introduces Bill to Protect State Enforcement of Marijuana Laws
WASHINGTON, July 31, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) reintroduced the State Marijuana And Regulatory Tolerance (SMART) Enforcement Act (H.R. 3534) to protect medical patients, recreational users and businesses in states that have legalized and regulated marijuana from being prosecuted now or in the future.
Michigan Marijuana Legalization One Step Closer to 2018 Ballots
It’s been a hot button issue for years, but action in Michigan to legalize recreational marijuana has hit the ground running.
You Can Now Weigh in on Virginia Marijuana Decriminalization
Marijuana arrests in the Old Dominion State disproportionately affect black communities, but reform could be on the horizon—officials have launched a Virginia marijuana decriminalization study and they want to hear from the public.
Vermont: Governor Rejects Marijuana Depenalization Measure
MONTPELIER, VT., May 24, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — Republican Gov. Phil Scott today Senate Bill 22, that sought to eliminate criminal and civil penalties for the adult use and possession of marijuana.
Atlanta City Council to Reconsider Decriminalizing Marijuana
Georgia’s capital city is once again thinking about decriminalizing marijuana within city limits. According to an update by Peachtree NORML, the Atlanta City Council will take a vote Ordinance 17-O-1152, an ordinance decriminalizing marijuana, on May 15, 2017.
Atlanta Delays Marijuana Decriminalization Decision
On April 18, 2017, members of the Atlanta City Council withdrew their support from Ordinance 17-O-1152, a statute that would have decriminalized marijuana in Georgia’s captial. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, the council opted to refer the ordinance to the Public Safety Committee.
Marijuana in Missouri: Kansas City Passes Decriminalization Ordinance
On April 4, 2017, voters in Kansas City, Missouri, overwhelmingly approved Question 5, a decriminalization ordinance that reduces the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana to a simple fine.
KC NORML Successfully Decriminalized Marijuana in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, MO., April 4, 2017 /Weed Wire/ – In a blowout victory for sensible criminal justice policy, the voters of Kansas City, Missouri have decided to approve Question 5 and decriminalize marijuana to direct their law enforcement officers to no longer target citizens for possession of the plant and would replace current criminal penalties with just a civil fine.
World of Cannabis: Medical Marijuana State Initiatives
Watch the World of Cannabis in Las Vegas tackle the details of medical marijuana state initiatives. Matthew Abel, attorney and director of Michigan NORML, covers recent medical marijuana developments in Michigan. Ari Gerstin, an attorney in Miami, and Michael C. Minardi, Senior Partner at Minardi Law, provide an update on medical marijuana in Florida.
Why Trump Could Be Good For The Cannabis Industry
“The Trump effect is good news for the cannabis industry,” said lawyer Lawrence Horwitz at the California Cannabis Business Expo in San Diego on Monday. That comment shocked many attendees who fear that the Trump administration is going to crack down on recreational marijuana.
Getting Cookie Faced at the California Cannabis Business Expo
Head down to San Diego for the California Cannabis Business Expo and find lots of education, information, and silly games involving cookies.
NORML Responds: White House Threatens To Crack Down On Legal Marijuana
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer suggested that the Trump administration will step up enforcement of federal laws against recreational marijuana.
Keith Stroup Brings “NORMLization” and the Future of Marijuana to the California Cannabis Business Expo, March 5-8
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Feb. 23, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — Keith Stroup, founder of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), brings his team and the group’s thoughts on the future of marijuana legalization to the California Cannabis Business Expo, March 5-8, Sheraton Marina, San Diego.
Wyoming Medical Marijuana Initiative Does Not Make 2018 Ballot
A Wyoming medical marijuana initiative that had been in the works since 2015 won’t be on the ballot in 2018.
Dana Rohrabacher to Keynote California Cannabis Business Expo March 5-8
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Feb. 16, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) will be the opening keynote at the Third Annual California Cannabis Business Expo, March 5-8 at the Sheraton Marina, San Diego. There will be an opening night reception for Rohrabacher, who has been a staunch supporter of legal cannabis.
Nation’s Leading Cannabis and Drug Policy Reform Advocates Commend Congressional Members on Formation of Congressional Cannabis Caucus
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — The nation’s leading cannabis and drug policy reform organizations commended Congressional members Thursday on the formation of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.
Will Michigan Be Next State to Legalize Recreational Pot?
An EPIC-MRA poll released Friday indicated the majority of voters living in the state would approve a law allowing adult use of the plant.
NORML Forms Multi-State Workplace Drug Testing Coalition
DENVER, Feb. 14, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — The fact that 190 million Americans now live in states where marijuana has been legalized to some degree is raising a number of questions and issues about how to integrate the American workforce and marijuana consumers rights in regards to drug testing.
Iowa State Chapter of NORML Wins Free Speech Case Against University
On Feb. 13, 2017, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Iowa State University cannot prevent students from using ISU logos on t-shirts that advocate for marijuana reform. The decision upholds a previous ruling by U.S. District Judge James Gritzner in 2016.
Campaigning Against Censorship, CannaSmack Announces “Free The Leaf,” Partnership with NORML
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 14, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — To date, 28 of 50 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam, have legalized forms of medical and recreational marijuana. Enter CannaSmack, a woman-owned and operated company that manufactures all natural, cruelty free, hemp-infused lip balms and lotions plus a line of SPF products made entirely in the USA using domestic hemp sourced from Oregon.
US Attorney General Says ‘Good People Don’t Smoke Marijuana’
Jeff Sessions was sworn in as the new U.S. Attorney General Thursday. Sessions was confirmed Wednesday with a 52-47 vote, vowing in his subsequent speech to “defend the lawful orders” of President Donald Trump. The Attorney General is known for his criticism regarding the legalization of marijuana.
Arkansas Governor Amends State’s Medical Marijuana Law
On Jan. 23, 2017, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed two medical marijuana bills, House Bill 1026 and House Bill 1058, to amend the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016.
NORML Calls Marijuana Implementation Delays an “Affront to Democracy”
WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — Legislators in a number of states are pushing forward measures to delay the enactment of voter-initiated marijuana laws. NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri strongly criticized the delays, calling them “an affront to the democratic process.”
Report: Legal Marijuana Industry Has Created 123,00 Full-Time Jobs
SEATTLE, Jan. 12, 2016 /Weed Wire/ — The legal cannabis industry is responsible for the creation of an estimated 123,000 full-time jobs in the United States, according to data provided by the online content provider Leafly.com.
Colorado: Marijuana Sales Surpass $1 Billion in 2016
DENVER, Jan. 13, 2017 /Weed Wire/ — Retail sales of marijuana in Colorado totaled well over $1 billion in the first ten months of 2016 and are estimated to reach $1.3 billion by year’s end, according to data provided by the state’s Department of Revenue.
New MMJ Regulations Rolling Out in Michigan
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed three bills on Sept. 21, 2016, to overhaul the state’s medical marijuana system, and now the new laws are going into effect.
Houston NORML Suggests Putting Marijuana Laws Before Texas Voters
For Texas legislators, it might be easier avoid political repercussions by placing new marijuana laws on a ballot, instead of voting themselves, Jason Miller, director of communications for the Houston office of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, told the Houston Press for a Nov. 25, 2016, article.
NORML says Florida City Moratoriums on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Will Be Illegal
Now that Florida voters have allowed medical marijuana with the passage of Amendment 2, some cities have placed six-month or one-year moratoriums on medical marijuana shops. But a representative of NORML says those moratoriums will be illegal when Amendment 2 becomes law on Jan. 3, 2017.
A Freeze in Florida: Boca Raton Bans Medical Marijuana Sales
Even though 71% of Floridians voted to approve Amendment 2, the fight to deliver medical marijuana to Florida is far from over.
Pot Smokers Owe Last Night’s Historic Ballot Wins to This Man
Yesterday, Americans handed over the keys to the White House to a thin-skinned demagogue, but in eight states, at least, they also voted to legalize a way to cope with the cataclysm they wrought.
Medical Marijuana Emerges as Dark Horse in North Dakota
On Nov. 8, 2016, a majority of voters in North Dakota approved Measure 5, legalizing medical marijuana in the state and signaling a watershed victory in the legalization movement.
Marijuana Growers Prepare for a Price Crash if Prop. 64 Passes
By Jan. 1, 2018, licensed retail stores and farms would be open in many cities. It would bring huge changes to pot producers.
Defendant in Opioid Kickback Case Claims Right to Smoke Pot
A U.S. ex-pharmaceutical sales representative accused of paying kickbacks to induce doctors to write prescriptions for an opioid drug is asserting he has a constitutional right to continue smoking marijuana so he can remain clear-headed for his defense. “It is a very creative defense,” said Keith Stroup, the legal counsel and founder of NORML, a…
Pro-Pot Groups Address Marijuana Candy Warning
Pro-pot groups are addressing the marijuana candy warning sent out by the Florida Sheriff’s Association.
Florida Judge Rules Against NORML in Suit Over Missing MMJ Question
A Florida judge has ruled in favor of the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office in a lawsuit over ballots excluding Amendment 2, an amendment that would legalize medical marijuana in the state.
More Ballots in Florida Missing the MMJ Question
In Florida, more ballots appearing to omit Amendment 2, a ballot amendment that would legalize medical marijuana in the state, have surfaced.
Florida NORML Files Lawsuit Over Ballots Excluding MMJ Question
On Oct. 20, 2016, the Florida chapter of NORML filed a lawsuit against the Broward County Supervisor of Elections after it was discovered that Amendment 2, an amendment that would legalize medical marijuana in Florida, was excluded from several mail-in ballots.
Michigan Could Gain Millions in Tax Revenue in Legal Marijuana Market
A fully developed legal market for medical marijuana in Michigan could lead to millions of dollars in new state tax revenue.
Progress in Tennessee: Memphis Decriminalizes Marijuana
On Oct. 4, 2016, the Memphis City Council voted to approve a city ordinance that would allow city police the discretion of issuing civil fines for the possession of marijuana, making Memphis the second city in Tennessee to decriminalize marijuana.
Wyoming Considers Reducing Penalties for Marijuana Possession
Legislators in the state of Wyoming are considering reducing the penalties for simple marijuana possession. The consideration comes after legislators failed to impose penalties on those caught possessing edible marijuana products in the previous legislative session.
Neither Clinton Nor Trump Is A Hit With Marijuana Supporters
Marijuana supporters are crossing their fingers that the Obama administration will act soon to reschedule cannabis because neither candidates for president or vice president are giving them any positive feelings.
Activists March on Democratic Convention With 51-Foot Inflatable Joint
On July 25, 2016, activists marched down the streets of Philadelphia toward the Democratic National Convention with a 51-foot inflatable joint in tow to advocate for the legalization of marijuana.
Pot Activists Meet with Cops to Prep for DNC
Not wanting their protests during the Democratic National Convention to go up in smoke, the men who pushed for the decriminalization of marijuana in Philadelphia informally met with two of the city’s police supervisors.
US Senate Hearing: Researching the Potential Medical Benefits and Risks of Marijuana
On July 13, 2016, the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism will hold a hearing at 2:30 p.m. ET to review the benefits and risks of medical marijuana.
Cops Fight For Their Right to Bust You for Weed
The marijuana legalization initiative that will be on the November ballot in California is a disappointment to many in the cannabis decriminalization movement.