/  Cannabis News

TULARE – While Tulare was the fourth city in the county to approve recreational marijuana sales, it will be the first to approve CBD products for sale at any retail store. At its Sept. 1 meeting, the Tulare City Council revised its cannabis ordinance to allow cannabidiol (CBD) products to be sold at any store within the city limits. CBD is the non-psychoactive portion of cannabis and does not contain delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main ingredient causing the “high” from marijuana, according

A coalition of advocacy groups and marijuana businesses have unveiled a unique plan to legalize interstate cannabis commerce regardless of ongoing federal prohibition. The Alliance for Sensible Markets campaign will be pushing governors from legal and likely soon-to-be legal marijuana states to enter into an interstate compact—a constitutionally recognized agreement between two or more states—establishing a framework for cannabis to be transported and marketed across state lines. Such an arrangement hasn’t been tried before for marijuana, but if the new effort succeeds

California took in more than $208 million in marijuana tax revenue during the last quarter, slightly exceeding figures from the first quarter of the year, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) announced on Wednesday. While numerous industries are suffering amid the coronavirus pandemic, the report from California is another example of how the cannabis market seems to be riding out the storm. “Total tax revenue reported by the cannabis industry is $208.4 million for 2nd Quarter returns due by

As a rabbi who works in the cannabis industry, I’m considered safe. Neighbors, friends, even fellow clergy approach me with questions and requests: “How do I join the program?” “Does cannabis help with [fill-in-the-blank]?” “Do you have any samples?” The questions vary, but the conversations usually end the same way: “Rabbi, please keep this between us.” “Of course,” I respond, “Your secret is safe with me!” But inside, I know that keeping quiet about cannabis is ultimately dangerous. Secrecy perpetuates the stigma and shame that have for too

The series of wildfires ravaging Northern California have inflicted major damage on several marijuana farms, with possibly more outdoor grow operations threatened in the region. “There are a ton of farms that are located in the fire’s path. No one’s out of the woods yet. This is just starting,” said Keala Peterson, whose small, family-run cannabis operation, Sweet Creek Farms in Sonoma County, was damaged by the fires. Peterson noted that many of the largest fire complexes were either not contained at

For one, CDPH rule 40175(c) bans the use of hemp or CBD in cannabis products even though there is no real reason to continue to prohibit the use of hemp-derived cannabinoids. California’s three cannabis agencies — the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) — aggressively regulate every aspect of the state’s licensed cannabis industry. Most of the agencies’ rules make sense or have some justifiable purpose. Today, I

Wildfires are raging across California, leaving hundreds of thousands of charred acres in their wake. In addition to burning homes and landscapes, the fires have destroyed potentially hundreds of cannabis grows. David Downs, California bureau chief for Leafly, says that damage goes beyond simply being burned. “Crops can burn of course, but they can be tainted by wildfire smoke that makes the weed taste smoky. They call it campfire kush as a joke,” Downs says. Cannabis that has been tainted by

With only a few days left in the 2020 legislative session, California state lawmakers are still considering three significant bills related to both marijuana and hemp that could yet become law. The measures include: Assembly Bill 1525, which would make it easier for legal marijuana companies to obtain banking services. Assembly Bill 2028, which would establish new hemp industry regulations if an amendment is formally adopted. The legislation in effect would impose stricter regulation on hemp and CBD products. Senate Bill 827, which

Any news article focused on "section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code" is bound to sound like a snooze. But in a case involving the Oakland-headquartered Harborside cannabis dispensary, that part of the U.S. tax code reveals the perversity of cannabis being illegal at the federal level, but legal in numerous states. How the courts decide the case will have ramifications throughout the legal cannabis industry. Eleven million dollars is at stake for Harborside, which deducted expenses on its 2007–2012

Many California marijuana growers are up in arms over a recent proposal before the state Energy Commission that would require all indoor cultivation operators to use only LED lights by 2023. If implemented, the proposal could cost cannabis businesses hundreds of millions of dollars, the growers say. The proposal is part of a lengthy report issued this month by the Codes and Standards Enhancement (CASE) Program. It would force indoor growers to transition away from lower-efficiency grow lights, such as metal halide or high-pressure