Cannabis Business Times
by Eric Sandy
27 March 2021
Political momentum is quickly picking up speed in some U.S. states, with the prospect of adult-use legalization shining brightly in New York and New Mexico—with more to come. Those two states may very well cast formal votes on the question of legalization as soon as next week. We’re eagerly anticipating some statehouse action.
But that’s not the only narrative we’re following.
We’ve rounded up some of the key cannabis headlines from the week right here.
- Delaware is moving forward with its own legislation. The Health and Human Development Committee cleared House Bill 150, the Delaware Marijuana Control Act, on March 24. The legislation would create adult-use legal framework, including opportunities for small businesses to be licensed. Read more
- Students at Mercer County Community College interested in entering the New Jersey cannabis industry after graduation can now receive industry training and education while in school. Read more
- New Jersey has set aside a solid portion of cannabis licenses for smaller operators. This week, we took a close look at what the state’s microbusiness license could accomplish for the market. Read more
- The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on the marketing messages that proliferate in the CBD space. A recent campaign, dubbed Operation CBDeceit, is moving in on certain companies. Read more
- New Mexico legislators will convene March 30 for a special session to tie up some loose ends on a cannabis bill that nearly jumped the hurdle this month. Read more
And elsewhere on the web, here are the stories we’ve been reading this week:
- The New York Times: A recent deal in New York “paves the way for a potential $4.2 billion industry, with millions of dollars in sales tax revenue reinvested in minority communities each year.” Read more
- ABC News: “France’s government has launched a two-year nationwide experiment with medical cannabis with a view to eventual legalization.” Read more
- Marijuana Moment: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signaled an interest in bumping up the decriminalization timeline of his state’s cannabis law—from 2024 to sometime this summer. Read more
- FloridaPolitics: Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried voiced support for adult-use cannabis legalization. She is expected to run for governor next year. Read more
- NMPoliticalReport: As New Mexico lawmakers gather in Albuquerque next week, rural residents are citing a need for social equity policies in any law that comes out of the legislative process. Read more