Like many other states struggling to develop safety guidelines for the much-maligned hemp derivatives, some Garden State lawmakers want to use cannabis regulators to monitor the hemp sector. The issue of how to regulate items containing intoxicating hemp derivatives (IHD) has swiftly become a topic of intense national interest for state legislatures, health officials, and consumers. The 2018 Farm Bill's legalization of hemp and its downstream products and uses for the first time in nearly a century has sparked a nationwide debate on the best approach to this burgeoning industry. Since then ..read more

The strong growth reflects a commitment by several native indigenous nations to expand their economies, affirm their sovereignty, and capture the first-to-market advantage in certain states. New and emerging markets are often characterized by maverick individuals or groups that recognize the overwhelming economic potential of the developing sector and seize the chance to enter the industry at its genesis, thereby establishing an advantage over their competition. During the internet boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s, dozens of start-ups and aspiring “dot coms” vied to control the myste ..read more

The President heralded the 'monumental' action as an overdue step in helping to reverse the 'historical inequities' caused by marijuana's classification as a Schedule 1 narcotic. The rescheduling of cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug as part of the Controlled Substances Act took a significant step forward this week when President Joe Biden announced that his administration would be moving to reclassify marijuana under federal law. The announcement, which comes two weeks after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) confirmed its decision to reschedule the plant, marks a ..read more

The biodegradable superabsorbent materials are substantially less polluting than those currently used. As developing nations race against time to address the ever-worsening climate crisis, some countries are turning to hemp to help stem the tide against the devastating effects of an increasingly warmer planet. The most recent example of how hemp is helping reduce carbon emissions is the work by researchers at Purdue University. As first reported by Marijuana Moment, scientists at the university say they are utilizing cellulose extracted from industrial hemp to develop biodegradable superabs ..read more

Mandated as a priority by legalization proponents and the governor’s office, the state is just beginning to address the judicial carnage created by the ill-fated “War on Drugs.” For most cannabis reform advocates, the main thrust of their collective efforts has centered on legalizing marijuana possession and sales for adults over 21. However, from the beginning of the legalization movement, criminal justice reform has also been a foundational tenet of ending the prohibition of weed in America. From the outset, when Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize recreational ..read more

Following months of delays, licensing controversies, and numerous lawsuits, the head of the Office of Cannabis Management will step down in September. As Frank Sinatra so often crooned when singing his signature song, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. New York. New York.” Well, for the soon-to-be former head of the New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), it appears he will not be achieving that Empire State dream of making Gotham City one of the most successful recreational cannabis spots in America. According to numerous local and national media outlets, New York Gov ..read more

The case seeks to use an obscure state constitutional provision enabling the unlicensed sale of cannabis by individuals cultivating their own plants for personal consumption. The issue of home cultivation by individuals is one of the most challenging "grey areas" of legalizing cannabis for recreational use. Most marijuana legalization statutes or ballot initiatives include some form of legalized home growth for individuals over 21. However, those provisions rarely address how to handle the right to sell cannabis cultivated by those who choose to grow their own plants. Now, a new lawsuit bro ..read more

A new study reveals the powerful effects of using the entire cannabis sativa plant, including its aromatic terpenes, to develop innovative treatments for a variety of ailments. The human sense of smell is one of the body's most essential yet mysterious functions. Scientists have long believed that the nasal cavity contained scent receptors corresponding to a matching molecule that the brain would identify upon connection.  However, in recent years, the prevailing understanding, primarily grounded in the principles of quantum physics, has been that scent receptors actually perceive the ..read more

In response to a measure that would impose heavy fines on companies caught selling intoxicating hemp derivatives (IHDs), many hemp business owners in the state are calling for more regulation over prohibition. With more and more states enacting severe restrictions or outright bans on products containing intoxicating hemp derivatives (IHDs), many law-abiding, tax-paying, and hard-working hemp business owners are tired of continuously taking a defensive posture in the legislative debates about their products and industry taking place across the country. In Illinois, several of them are throw ..read more

Hoping the third time is a charm, the group delivered almost twice as many signatures necessary to put the initiative on the ballot. 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most eventful years in the worlds of cannabis and hemp since Washington and Colorado became the first two states to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2012.  With the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently announcing its intention to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 narcotic, as well as Congressional lawmakers outlining a new Farm Bill to address concerns over intoxicating hemp derivative ..read more