The U.S. Department of Justice signaled it may shift its legal strategy on a controversial federal gun law affecting marijuana users, even as it continues to defend the statute in court. Speaking at a Wednesday briefing, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department is actively reconsidering how it approaches cases tied to 18 U.S.C. […]
Maryland is expanding workplace protections for first responders who use medical cannabis, as Gov. Wes Moore signed legislation shielding firefighters and rescue personnel from employment penalties tied to lawful, off-duty marijuana use. The measure, approved by the state legislature earlier this year, updates Maryland’s medical cannabis law to prohibit discrimination against registered patients working in […]
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is opening a new chapter in federal cannabis policy, announcing that it will begin accepting applications this week for medical marijuana businesses seeking protections under the Trump administration’s rescheduling initiative. The agency said its “Medical Marijuana Dispensary Registration Portal” will go live Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET, giving state-licensed operators […]
Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found that adolescents who begin using cannabis may experience slower development in key thinking and memory skills compared to their peers, according to a new long-term study. The findings, published April 20 in Neuropsychopharmacology, draw on data from more than 11,000 participants enrolled […]
Actor Woody Harrelson and comedian Bill Maher are calling on California officials to ease tax burdens on marijuana businesses, arguing that current policies make it unnecessarily difficult for legal operators to succeed. Speaking on Maher’s podcast, released on April 20—widely celebrated as cannabis culture’s unofficial holiday—the two co-owners of The Woods dispensary and consumption lounge […]
An officer in the United States Army Reserve has had his promotion rescinded following scrutiny over his ownership stake in a state-licensed marijuana dispensary in New York, highlighting ongoing tensions between federal law and state-level cannabis legalization. Maj. William Norgard said his planned promotion to lieutenant colonel was withdrawn and that he received a formal […]
The governor of Virginia is defending a series of proposed changes to legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana sales, arguing that a slower, more deliberate rollout is essential to avoid problems seen in other states. Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) said this week that her amendments to the cannabis bill were shaped by conversations with leaders […]
A newly published study points to a potential breakthrough in marijuana impairment testing, outlining a low-cost, portable “breathalyzer” device capable of detecting THC without the need for lab analysis—a development that could reshape roadside drug testing as cannabis legalization expands nationwide. The research, led by Emanuele Alves of Virginia Commonwealth University, describes an experimental device […]
Michigan’s legal cannabis market rebounded sharply in March, with sales climbing despite a steady uptick in prices, according to the latest report from the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency. Statewide, consumers purchased more than $255 million in medical and adult-use marijuana products in March 2026—an increase of nearly 9 percent from February’s $234.5 million total. The […]
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Attorney General Pam Bondi will step down from her role, a move that could have significant implications for federal marijuana policy as the administration weighs a long-awaited decision on cannabis rescheduling. In a statement posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump praised Bondi as a “Great American Patriot” and […]
