Cannabis News

The legalization of adult-use cannabis in Maryland took another step forward on Wednesday with the advancement of two bills in the state’s House of Delegates. 

The first measure, House Bill 837, would legalize possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis for adults and create an equitable path to cannabis legalization, according to the sponsor of the legislation. The bill would also allow adults to cultivate up to two cannabis plants at home.

House Bill 837 was created as companion legislation for House Bill 1, a cannabis legalization ballot planned for the November election. Both bills were approved by the House on Wednesday after a second reading and a 90-minute debate.

The legislation is based on the findings of the House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Workgroup, which began working on a legalization plan in September. The enactment of House Bill 837 is contingent on the passage of a cannabis legalization referendum planned for this year…

Not all is doom and gloom on the cannabis front in Europe, no matter the frustrating red tape, delays, and inevitable lawsuits.

Indeed, this week the European Commission released news of two important developments that will certainly move the industry forward regionally. This is true even if further legal action is required in specific jurisdictions. With reform at an EU level, this creates the opportunity for policy and regulatory changes in individual countries like never before. One very good example of this is the Kanavape case in France, which was raised to an EU-level legal challenge, and which, in turn, spawned a similar lawsuit in Germany to allow imported hemp products.

The first announcement is absolutely going to impact hemp production. The second is going to move the needle on setting EU-wide standards on the cultivation front.

No matter how long and torturous the wait has been, including thanks to COVID delays, there is indeed light…