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The New York Times editorial board frames its reconsideration of marijuana legalization as a thoughtful reassessment of new evidence. But it reads less like a discovery than a justification-an attempt to explain why a policy the board once championed did not unfold as cleanly as promised, with the responsibility shifted away from regulators and toward the public. Let’s start with what is obvious. Marijuana legalization did not fail because cannabis suddenly revealed itself to be dangerous. It faltered because the United States legalized first and governed later. When access expands without . . .

The Hawaii Senate has passed a bill to allow qualifying patients to access medical marijuana at health facilities. After receiving a favorable report in committee last week, the legislation from Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D) advanced through the full chamber in a unanimous 25-0 vote on Tuesday as part of the consent calendar. A House companion version of the proposal has also been moving through the process this session. The bill states that it’s the “intent of the legislature in enacting this chapter to support the ability of terminally ill patients and qualifying patients over sixty-five . . .

While marijuana may soon be rescheduled under federal law, that doesn’t currently exempt state-legal cannabis businesses from an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E that bars them from taking federal tax deductions, the agency argues in a new filing with the U.S. Tax Court. In response to a petition to the court filed by the New Mexico marijuana business Ultra Health-which challenged the conventional interpretation of the IRS code, which applies to tax deduction claims connected to the sale of Schedule I and Schedule II drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)-IRS said . . .

“Kiosk-based cannabis access for seniors can be a positive development only if it is embedded within a medically supervised, ethically structured care model.” By Jordan Tishler, Association of Cannabinoid Specialists A company recently declared its intention to roll out cannabis ordering kiosks in several senior-life communities in Arizona. The general idea is that residents would gain easier access to cannabis by being able to order products on the kiosk and have the product delivered right to them-kind of like online ordering but without needing a computer. But without appropriate . . .

Lawmakers in the South Carolina Senate are set to consider legislation to regulate hemp-infused beverages in the state with a system closely resembling the state’s regulatory framework for alcohol, WCSC reports. The bill would allow retailers, including grocery and convenience stores, to sell 12-ounce beverages containing no more than 5 milligrams of THC. Liquor stores would be allowed to sell cans of stronger 10-milligram beverages or “fifths” of even more potent products, according to the report. Restaurants and bars would be banned from selling THC-infused beverages. The proposal also . . .

The Florida Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by Smart & Safe Florida to restore signatures supporting the campaign’s 2026 cannabis legalization bid. The signatures in question, about 70,000, were disqualified by Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd under new rules approved by lawmakers last year that made the signature-gathering process for voter ballot initiatives in the state more difficult. The campaign sued to overturn the rules, but an appeals court ruled in the state’s favor. The appeal was the campaign’s last-ditch effort to qualify for this year’s ballot – the court already . . .

A congressional committee has approved a bill aimed at protecting children online that could create complications for advertisers trying to promote legal marijuana and other regulated substances. Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, sponsored by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), the chair of the panel, in a 28-24 vote. This comes about three months after a similar proposal from Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) advanced through a subcommittee, while a Senate companion version awaits action. Under the latest legislation, online . . .

Marijuana may be a “gateway,” but not in the stigmatized way it’s been portrayed by prohibitionists as a stepping stone to other drugs. Rather, a growing body of scientific literature signals cannabis is a “gateway to women’s orgasm” that could hold significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of female orgasmic disorder/difficulty (FOD), a new research paper says. For the analysis, published in the journal Current Sexual Health Reports last week, clinical sexologist Suzanne Mulvehill discussed how, even though FOD affects an estimated 72 percent of premenopausal women, there are . . .

A federal judge in Florida ruled in favor of compliance software provider Metrc in two claims it made against the former CEO of a startup it acquired. The judge ruled Marcus Estes, former CEO of Chroma Protocol Corp., who joined Metrc as an executive, violated his contract by refusing to return his $100,000 signing bonus. U.S. District Judge William F. Jung also ruled that Estes violated his contract when . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Metrc nets partial win in termination suit appeared first on WeedWeek.

The cannabis industry is entering a moment where it is time to reimagine healthcare and risk. CannaCoverage Insurance Services Founder & CEO Nichelle Santos is blazing a trail and taking the industry to a higher level. (Nichelle is going to be on our Women in NJ Cannabis panel at our show and party this Saturday [ . . . ] Source: CannaCoverage: Reimagining Healthcare and Risk in the Cannabis Industry from Heady NJ

The Hawaii Senate has approved a bill that would create a psychedelics task force responsible for studying and making policy recommendations on providing access to breakthrough therapies such as psilocybin and MDMA. After advancing through the committee process, the full Senate on Friday passed the legislation from Sen. Chris Lee (D) in a unanimous vote of 24-0, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. The measure would create a Mental Health Emerging Therapies Task Force that’d be tasked with spending two years reviewing the current scientific literature, supporting . . .

The Arizona Senate has passed a bill to penalize people who create “excessive” amounts of marijuana smoke or odor-a policy that’s received pushback from advocates who say the proposals amount to overreach that wasn’t envisioned under the state’s voter-approved legalization law. After being significantly dialed back in response to that criticism, the bill from Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R) advanced through the full chamber on Monday in a 20-9 vote. It now heads to the state House of Representatives for consideration. A separate companion resolution to put the issue before voters to decide failed, . . .

Just one dose of psilocybin combined with therapy is associated with “significantly increased long-term abstinence” from cigarettes compared to nicotine patches, according to a new study published by the American Medical Association (AMA) that indicates the psychedelic “holds potential in the treatment of tobacco use disorder.” Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Alabama at Birmingham conducted the study, published in JAMA Substance Use and Addiction, finding more evidence about the therapeutic potential of single-dose psilocybin in tandem with . . .

The Colorado House of Representatives has sent a bill to the governor that would allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana in healthcare facilities such as hospitals-with recently added provisions that advocates argue undermine the measure’s original intent. Weeks after advancing through the Senate, with amendments, the legislation from Sen. Kyle Mullica (D) cleared the full House on third reading in a 49-12 vote on Tuesday. It now heads to the desk of Gov. Jared Polis (D), who has long championed cannabis reform in the state. “This is a good bill,” Rep. Ryan Gonzalez (R) said on . . .

“For nearly five years, Alabama patients and their providers have lacked the ability to locally access medically necessary state-approved cannabis products from state-licensed dispensaries. Going forward, let’s hope lawmakers and regulators finally begin putting patients’ needs first.” The post Alabama: Commissioner Says Patients Can Likely Begin Accessing Medical Cannabis Products Next Month appeared first on NORML.

Florida’s Supreme Court has shut down a marijuana campaign’s appeal that sought judicial intervention to restore tens of thousands of signatures that the state invalidated for a legalization ballot initiative. After Smart & Safe Florida submitted the appeal last month, the court on Monday said it was declining to review the petition over 71,000 invalidated signatures and that “no motion for rehearing will be entertained.” The latest ruling comes after the court agreed to close a separate case involving a legal review into the ballot measure. The state’s First District Court of Appeal . . .

Wiz Khalifa’s appeal of a nine-month sentence stemming from him smoking joints on stage during a 2023 festival has been rejected by Romanian authorities.

Many people look for natural ways to feel calmer at night and rest more deeply. CBD gummies made for nighttime use have become a simple option for those who want to support relaxation and better sleep. They combine CBD with soothing ingredients like CBN or melatonin to help the body unwind before bed. To find [ . . . ] Source: Where to Buy High-Quality CBD Gummies for Calm and Nighttime Support from Heady NJ

“In addition to potential criminal penalties, the veto will force them, collectively, to lay off dozens of employees and will cost them millions of dollars in investments and lost sales.” By David Beasley, The Center Square The state of Ohio has until Friday to respond to a lawsuit by breweries challenging Gov. Mike DeWine’s (R) veto of portions of a bill that would have allowed beer companies to continue selling hemp beverages until the end of the year. Last Friday, a group of brewers sued the state, challenging DeWine’s “line item” veto of portions of Senate Bill 56 that would have given . . .

“With marijuana and hemp leaders working together toward a shared vision of more effective federal policy, the path ahead is brighter for the entire cannabinoid marketplace.” By Adam Rosenberg, National Cannabis Industry Association and Eric Berlin, Dentons Last fall, we wrote that marijuana and hemp businesses were working together as a group informally called the “Commission” to find areas of substantial agreement and that collaboration was going better than expected. Today, we share the first results of those discussions. The effort has brought together leaders from many of the most . . .

A Democratic senator is seeking to amend a House-passed housing bill with provisions that would allow people who work in the state-legal marijuana industry to qualify for federal mortgage loans. As the Senate prepares to take up the Housing for the 21st Century Act-which cleared the House last month with rare, overwhelming bipartisan support-Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) submitted an amendment to extend home loan eligibility for those working at licensed cannabis businesses. Specifically, the proposed amendment stipulates that income derived from state-sanctioned marijuana businesses would be . . .

Consumers in California now buy more cannabis vaporizers than traditional flower, marking a big shift in the state’s booming yet troubled weed market. This significant change was highlighted in the latest data from the state’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), tallied to the end of February. The change began in mid-2025 when vape sales edged out flower for the first time, and the gap continues to grow. According to Headset data shared with SFGate, the climb in vaporizer sales has been largely propelled by Gen Z consumers who prefer vape pens above all. These shoppers like vapes because of . . .

A bill proposed in Tennessee would legalize cannabis for adult use, with most of the revenue directed toward transportation projects, WTVF reports. State Sen. Heidi Campbell and state Rep. Aftyn Behn, both Democrats, launched the “Pot of Potholes” campaign on Friday, and their proposal would establish retail sales and allow adults 21-and-older to possess 60 grams of flower and permit personal cultivation of up to 12 cannabis plants. Under the measure, adult-use cannabis sales would carry a 15% excise tax with the funds earmarked for the state highway fund, counties, . . .

A bill proposed in Kentucky would impose a 4% regulatory licensing fee on sales of cannabis-infused drinks and alcoholic beverages sold to customers by retailers in the state. The legislation also would create new wholesale license fees for kratom, hemp-derived, and cannabinoid products, and establish procedures for retailers and wholesalers operating in the market. The measure would also impose a $0.016 wholesale-level regulatory license fee per milliliter or milligram of THC in cannabis-infused beverages. Under the proposal, 0.5% of the collected fees would be directed to the state’s . . .

New California data shows that vapes are now the bestselling cannabis category in the country’s largest market. Traditionally flower has been the strongest selling category. Vapes became California’s bestselling category in July, edging out flower with $117.8M in sales according to state data. The gap widened over the second half of last year. Data from Headset shows the change owes to Gen Z . . . Log in or become a WeedWeek Member to read this article. The post Newsbrief: Gen Z makes vapes bestselling category in Calif. appeared first on WeedWeek.