Thanks in large part to everyone who took action, the California tax rollback is now a reality!  Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed AB 564 into law. Now, cannabis consumers and business owners will feel relief from the 19% cannabis excise tax reverting back to 15% on October 1. We are extremely grateful to our allies at Cal NORML for not only sponsoring this bill, but playing a leading role in getting it across the finish line! Also, thank you to Assemblymember Matt Haney for championing the legislation.  As…

A California Assembly bill introduced this session would stop the cannabis sales tax increase that is set to bump the current 15% excise tax up to 19%.

Five years after California voters legalized cannabis for adults, the San Jose City Council is considering taking a giant step backwards. It is considering including cannabis in a proposed ban on smoking and vaping in apartments and condos.

Not satisfied with federal prohibition alone, some in Congress now want to limit state programs. In a shocking move, two powerful Senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Dianne Feinstein of California, issued a report on behalf of the U.S. Senate drug caucus indicating they may seek to impose federal caps on THC in products in legal state cannabis programs. Anything over the cap would be banned. 

A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health found little effect of adult-use marijuana laws on prevalence of marijuana use among youth.In this examination, researchers focused specifically on 504 justice system-involved adolescents in California, who, as they point out, have substantially higher marijuana use levels as compared to the general youth population. Among this population, they found marijuana use levels in the past 24 hours were similar in 2015 (before adult-use marijuana…

LD 1539 improves Maine’s medical marijuana program for patients and industry Today, the omnibus medical marijuana bill that was passed last spring goes into effect. The bill makes major improvements to Maine’s medical marijuana program. Among some of the changes, the legislation: removes the qualifying condition list so that any Mainer can use medical marijuana so long as their doctor thinks it would be helpful for them; eliminates the requirement that a patient must designate a caregiver or…

Another election, and another historic night for marijuana reform. Michigan has passed legalization! MPP played a central role in this campaign from start to finish. From coordinating the initiative drafting to overseeing the production of TV ads, MPP staffers worked alongside a excellent campaign team for two years to make Michigan the first state in the Midwest to adopt legalization. This is a huge win that will maintain our momentum in Washington, D.C. to pass a landmark federal reform bill through…

A new poll shows the Michigan marijuana legalization campaign ahead with 56% support. While we remain cautiously optimistic about success on Election Day, we are not out of the woods yet. A well-funded opposition campaign could still emerge. If that happens, we would likely see misleading TV and online ads telling voters that legalization has … Continue reading New poll on the Michigan legalization campaign

Two compassionate cannabis-related bills are advancing, and, if you’re a California resident, now is a good time to voice your support. Here’s a rundown: AB 1793 would make expungement automatic for cannabis-related convictions that today are no longer considered crimes. It passed the Assembly in May, the Senate earlier today, and it’s now headed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk! If you live in California, let Gov. Brown know it’s time to repair the harm caused by outdated marijuana-war policy. Californians…

Members of the public are invited to provide comments on California’s proposed rules for cannabis businesses. The Bureau of Cannabis Control and other agencies seek public comments as they consider a permanent set of rules — replacing those temporarily in place. For background, including the text of the proposed rules, summaries, and the agencies’ reasoning for seeking changes, visit the state’s website. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 27. For the most part, permanent rules…