Medical Marijuana Archives

The Lone Star State Is Feeling Lonely At The Bottom Of The Cannabis Industry

by Irina Dashevsky | Jan 12, 2021 | Legislation, Medical Marijuana | Georgia, Texas

Texas is heading for a boom—it is attracting tech businesses and growing its population, as individuals transplant from other states looking for a lower cost of living and better quality of life. Texas also has a fledgling medical cannabis program that may be headed for a boom as well. Texas’s medical cannabis program is small in both patient size and product offering, but there is a seed that can sprout growth.

Breaking: House Passes MORE Act

by Douglas Sargent | Dec 4, 2020 | Legalization, Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Federal

In a historic move, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the MORE Act today, a federal marijuana decriminalization bill. Not surprisingly, the votes largely went along party lines—222 Democrats, five Republicans, and a Libertarian voted in favor, while 158 Republicans and six Democrats voted against the measure.

Mexico Inches Closer to Legalizing Recreational Marijuana as December 15 Deadline Approaches

by Douglas Sargent | Nov 20, 2020 | Legalization, Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Federal, Mexico

Yesterday, Mexico’s Senate approved a bill that moves it closer to becoming the third country to legalize recreational cannabis. While the bill still needs to be approved by the Chamber of Deputies before it goes to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s desk, there is renewed optimism that the three-year-old legalization process may soon be completed.

Election 2020: Cannabis Wins Big Again

by Ryan Holz and Akshita Singh | Nov 5, 2020 | Election, Legalization, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the only consistent thing in the past few American elections has been support for cannabis legalization. Democrats, Republicans, and independents in red, blue, and purple states all seem ready to decriminalize and legalize cannabis. 2020 was no different; voters approved cannabis legalization measures in every state offering them on the ballot.

“MORE” Votes for Cannabis Reform? We Shall See on September 21

by Ryan Holz | Sep 4, 2020 | Banking/Financial Services, Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Federal

On September 21, 2020, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the “Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act” or “MORE Act.” We have written about the MORE Act previously here and here. The MORE Act does not legalize marijuana nationwide, but it does remove cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (thus decriminalizing it under federal law and allowing states to decide whether to legalize). It also requires the expungement of certain marijuana-related criminal records and provides for grants to communities impacted by the War on Drugs.

Shaky Dominos: Pennsylvania Eyes Recreational Legislation and Voters in Montana, Mississippi and South Dakota Will See Marijuana Ballot Initiatives in November

by Irina Dashevsky | Aug 27, 2020 | Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Mississippi, Montana, Pennsylvania, South Dakota

In a recent post we explored where things stood at the federal level with respect to marijuana decriminalization and legalization. The takeaway was that the focus on criminal justice reform and economic variables continue to propel cannabis to the forefront of a national discussion.

Update—Florida Supreme Court to Hold More Arguments in Florigrown Case

by Irina Dashevsky | Jul 15, 2020 | Litigation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Florida

In a rare move, the Supreme Court of Florida has asked for a second round of oral arguments in the Florigrown matter. As we wrote about here, this case will determine whether Florida’s medical marijuana licensing framework, which effectively requires vertical integration by each licensee, is constitutional.

Will We See a Record Number of States Legalize Marijuana in 2021? One Expert Thinks So

by Douglas Sargent | Jun 26, 2020 | COVID-19, Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota

It is hard to underestimate the impact that the coronavirus and its related fallout—economic and otherwise—will have on the cannabis industry. Some of that impact will be decidedly negative. For instance, as we wrote about recently, cash is harder to come by for cannabis companies right now.

Sorry, You Did Not Win an Illinois Dispensary License. Now What?

by Akshita Singh and Ryan Holz | Jun 15, 2020 | Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada

As we arrive at the middle of June, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has not issued any conditional adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses and, as we recently wrote about here, it may be a while before the licenses are issued. Nevertheless, those licenses will be issued eventually, and it is important that cannabis entrepreneurs begin evaluating their next steps.

Early May Sales Figures Show Promise, Including New Record Highs in Illinois, Oregon, and Oklahoma

by Douglas Sargent | Jun 12, 2020 | COVID-19, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon

As we’ve discussed on our blog and our podcast, we have been closely watching how marijuana sales fare in the face of the recession created by the coronavirus. Sales figures for marijuana in May are still rolling in, but early returns appear favorable.

Topic: Medical Marijuana

The Lone Star State Is Feeling Lonely At The Bottom Of The Cannabis Industry

Election 2020: Cannabis Wins Big Again

Shaky Dominos: Pennsylvania Eyes Recreational Legislation and Voters in Montana, Mississippi and South Dakota Will See Marijuana Ballot Initiatives in November

Update—Florida Supreme Court to Hold More Arguments in Florigrown Case

Early May Sales Figures Show Promise, Including New Record Highs in Illinois, Oregon, and Oklahoma

Search

Topics

Jurisdictions

Archives

Legalized Marijuana Map

The Joint Status Report Podcast

Email the Editors

Share

Locke Lord LLP

Follow Us