New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a marijuana legalization bill into law on Wednesday, the night before.“The bill creates automatic expungement of previous marijuana convictions that would now be legal,” the governor said. “This is a historic day—one that rights the wrongs of the past by putting an end to harsh prison sentences, embraces an industry that will grow the Empire State’s economy, and prioritizes marginalized communities so those that have suffered the most will be the first to reap the benefits.”: I just signed legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis.The bill creates...…New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a marijuana legalization bill into law on Wednesday, the night before.“The bill creates automatic expungement of previous marijuana convictions that would now be legal,” the governor said. “This is a historic day—one that rights the wrongs of the past by putting an end to harsh prison sentences, embraces an industry that will grow the Empire State’s economy, and prioritizes marginalized communities so those that have suffered the most will be the first to reap the benefits.”: I just signed legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis.The bill creates...WW…

The governor of Mississippi is not happy about the medical marijuana measures on his state’s ballot this week, saying they are favored by “stoners.”“There are good folks on all sides of the medical marijuana debate. Most non-stoners say we should be careful & deliberate,” Gov. Tate Reeves (R) tweeted. “Initiative 65 is the opposite.”“Experts say it would mean the most liberal weed rules in the US! Pot shops everywhere—no local authority,” he said.Under the measure’s text, municipalities can enact local zoning ordinances and regulations on medical cannabis businesses, but they can be “no...…The governor of Mississippi is not happy about the medical marijuana measures on his state’s ballot this week, saying they are favored by “stoners.”“There are good folks on all sides of the medical marijuana debate. Most non-stoners say we should be careful & deliberate,” Gov. Tate Reeves (R) tweeted. “Initiative 65 is the opposite.”“Experts say it would mean the most liberal weed rules in the US! Pot shops everywhere—no local authority,” he said.Under the measure’s text, municipalities can enact local zoning ordinances and regulations on medical cannabis businesses, but they can be “no...WW…

The Mississippi Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it won’t weigh the merits of a that voters will decide on next week until after Election Day.The case, filed on Monday by the mayor of the city of Madison, alleges that state law was not properly followed to place the cannabis issue before voters.The top state court had initially directed the secretary of state to respond to the complaint by the end of business on Wednesday. But in a new one-page order, Chief Justice Michael Randolph rescinded the earlier filing and instead asked that the official weigh in by next Friday, November...…The Mississippi Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it won’t weigh the merits of a that voters will decide on next week until after Election Day.The case, filed on Monday by the mayor of the city of Madison, alleges that state law was not properly followed to place the cannabis issue before voters.The top state court had initially directed the secretary of state to respond to the complaint by the end of business on Wednesday. But in a new one-page order, Chief Justice Michael Randolph rescinded the earlier filing and instead asked that the official weigh in by next Friday, November...WW…

Voters in South Dakota are poised to approve two separate ballot measures next month that would legalize marijuana and allow patients to access medical cannabis.The initiative to allow adults to possess, grow and purchase marijuana leads among likely voters by a margin of 51 percent to 44 percent, with five percent undecided, according to the survey released over the weekend by Argus Leader Media and KELO-TV.The medical cannabis item got 74 percent support in the poll, with 23 percent in opposition and 3 percent undecided.When it comes to recreational legalization, voters are divided on the...…Voters in South Dakota are poised to approve two separate ballot measures next month that would legalize marijuana and allow patients to access medical cannabis.The initiative to allow adults to possess, grow and purchase marijuana leads among likely voters by a margin of 51 percent to 44 percent, with five percent undecided, according to the survey released over the weekend by Argus Leader Media and KELO-TV.The medical cannabis item got 74 percent support in the poll, with 23 percent in opposition and 3 percent undecided.When it comes to recreational legalization, voters are divided on the...WW…

The campaign working to pass a first-in-the-U.S. ballot measure to legalize psilocybin therapy in Oregon is reaching voters with a new TV ad.“Measure 109 regulates a promising approach for depression and anxiety: psilocybin therapy, a medicine derived from mushrooms, with access control,” State Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D), who is a medical doctor, says in a direct-to-camera address.“Measure 109’s regulations require psilocybin only be used by adults in licensed clinics supervised by trained facilitators. It’s not legal for recreation, it’s not sold in stores,” she says. “A two-year...…The campaign working to pass a first-in-the-U.S. ballot measure to legalize psilocybin therapy in Oregon is reaching voters with a new TV ad.“Measure 109 regulates a promising approach for depression and anxiety: psilocybin therapy, a medicine derived from mushrooms, with access control,” State Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D), who is a medical doctor, says in a direct-to-camera address.“Measure 109’s regulations require psilocybin only be used by adults in licensed clinics supervised by trained facilitators. It’s not legal for recreation, it’s not sold in stores,” she says. “A two-year...WW…

The day before Illinois’s legal marijuana sales began earlier this year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) . On Tuesday, he said that more acts of cannabis clemency are on the way and that he is pushing more broadly for “decriminalizing minor non-violent offenses” and instituting “a public health approach” to drugs.“Through the law legalizing cannabis, Governor Pritzker has already pardoned over 11,000 individuals for low-level cannabis offenses, and more are expected over the coming months,” his office said. “Through these pardons, thousands of families are no longer prohibited from having access to...…The day before Illinois’s legal marijuana sales began earlier this year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) . On Tuesday, he said that more acts of cannabis clemency are on the way and that he is pushing more broadly for “decriminalizing minor non-violent offenses” and instituting “a public health approach” to drugs.“Through the law legalizing cannabis, Governor Pritzker has already pardoned over 11,000 individuals for low-level cannabis offenses, and more are expected over the coming months,” his office said. “Through these pardons, thousands of families are no longer prohibited from having access to...WW…

After failing to convince Nebraska’s secretary of state to keep a medical marijuana initiative off the state’s ballot, a local police official is now going to court to try to prevent voters from getting a chance to decide on the measure.Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner filed the case on Friday, just one day after that the ballot proposal “cases confusion,” “creates doubt about what will be authorized after the election” and violates the state’s single-subject rule for initiatives. That filing was made by a law firm that refused to disclose the sheriff as its client.Now the top county...…After failing to convince Nebraska’s secretary of state to keep a medical marijuana initiative off the state’s ballot, a local police official is now going to court to try to prevent voters from getting a chance to decide on the measure.Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner filed the case on Friday, just one day after that the ballot proposal “cases confusion,” “creates doubt about what will be authorized after the election” and violates the state’s single-subject rule for initiatives. That filing was made by a law firm that refused to disclose the sheriff as its client.Now the top county...WW…

The Democrat mounting a well-funded bid to oust Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says he supports legalizing marijuana.“I think we should legalize, regulate and tax marijuana like we do alcohol and tobacco,” Jaime Harrison argued this week. “There is simply no medical reason to lock people up over this issue. In essence, this is about common sense.”The former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman said that the issue is also a matter of criminal justice reform.“We know that marijuana arrests, including those for simple possession, account for a large number of...…The Democrat mounting a well-funded bid to oust Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says he supports legalizing marijuana.“I think we should legalize, regulate and tax marijuana like we do alcohol and tobacco,” Jaime Harrison argued this week. “There is simply no medical reason to lock people up over this issue. In essence, this is about common sense.”The former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman said that the issue is also a matter of criminal justice reform.“We know that marijuana arrests, including those for simple possession, account for a large number of...WW…

Texas’s top lawmaker says that legalizing marijuana could be part of the solution to the state’s budget shortfall, but he doesn’t support it.“It certainly could be a help. It could augment the shortfall,” Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R) said. “But I don’t believe it’s anywhere near a singular solution.”The speaker added that he would vote against legalization, arguing that it “creates other financial costs outside of the benefit of the tax income.”And besides, he said in an interview with Spectrum News Austin, the revenue to be derived from ending cannabis prohibition and taxing sales would not...…Texas’s top lawmaker says that legalizing marijuana could be part of the solution to the state’s budget shortfall, but he doesn’t support it.“It certainly could be a help. It could augment the shortfall,” Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R) said. “But I don’t believe it’s anywhere near a singular solution.”The speaker added that he would vote against legalization, arguing that it “creates other financial costs outside of the benefit of the tax income.”And besides, he said in an interview with Spectrum News Austin, the revenue to be derived from ending cannabis prohibition and taxing sales would not...WW…

Nebraskans will get a chance to vote on a medical marijuana measure in November if enough of the 182,000 signatures activists are submitting to the state for verification on Thursday are valid.If the initiative qualifies for the ballot and is approved, physicians could recommend cannabis to patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions, and those patients would then be allowed to possess, purchase and “discreetly” cultivate marijuana for personal use.“Families with loved ones suffering from conditions like epilepsy, PTSD, and cancer have fought for years to make medical cannabis...…Nebraskans will get a chance to vote on a medical marijuana measure in November if enough of the 182,000 signatures activists are submitting to the state for verification on Thursday are valid.If the initiative qualifies for the ballot and is approved, physicians could recommend cannabis to patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions, and those patients would then be allowed to possess, purchase and “discreetly” cultivate marijuana for personal use.“Families with loved ones suffering from conditions like epilepsy, PTSD, and cancer have fought for years to make medical cannabis...WW…