On September 1, HB 46 took effect, significantly expanding the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP), Texas’ restrictive medical cannabis law. Some parts of the law, however, required administrative rulemaking to implement: The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has proposed rules to license more dispensing organizations and to allow satellite locations.    The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has proposed rules including to create processes for requesting approval of devices for non-smoked…

In a testament to the power of grassroots activism, the third attempt to criminalize hemp-derived THC failed again

The Texas Senate passed Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s latest hemp-derived THC ban — SB 5 — in a 21-8 third reading vote, sending it to the House of Representatives.

SB 5 is a bad policy that will negatively impact tens of thousands of Texans annually.

Let your member of Congress know this heavy-handed ban would squash states’ innovation, diminish freedom, and destroy jobs and small businesses.

Following strong-arming by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Texas House of Representatives voted to ban consumable hemp.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s proposal to ban hemp-derived THC products passed unanimously out of the Senate State Affairs Committee and now heads to the full Senate.

Idaho continues to lag behind other states on marijuana policy reform — it is the only remaining state in the country that does not acknowledge any form of medical marijuana under state law. However, lawmakers this year have proposed two bills to move the state in the right direction. Rep. John Gannon (D-Boise) is cosponsoring legislation with Rep. Bryan Zollinger (R-Idaho Falls) to replace penalties for first-time marijuana possession offenses involving half an ounce or less with a civil infraction…

The Rhode Island legislative session came to close early on Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, despite overwhelming public support for reform, leaders of the House and Senate did not allow legislators to vote on the Marijuana Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act this year. Other notable outcomes of the 2016 legislative session include: -- Passage of Article 14 in the state budget, which makes significant changes to the medical marijuana program. You can find a summary of the new regulations here. --…

Two bills that would improve Kansas’ marijuana policies have passed the House and are moving in the Senate. The first bill, now called SB 147, would permit patients with seizures to access low-THC cannabis, called medical hemp preparations in the bill. While it is not a full medical marijuana law and would leave many patients behind, the bill proposes a workable system to provide immediate relief to some seriously ill Kansans. In addition, by passing the House, it has advanced much further than any…