A unanimous opinion recently issued by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts may result in facilitating the expungement of criminal records for thousands of residents with marijuana convictions. The ruling in Commonwealth v. K.W. clarifies that a 2018 state law provides judges with limited leeway with respect to denying requests for cannabis-related expungements. Rather, the […]
The federal government’s decision to classify cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance without accepted medical utility is arguably “irrational,” but it is not unconstitutional, according to a ruling recently handed down by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Defendants in the case argued that marijuana’s scheduling in the US Controlled […]
A Circuit Court Judge on Friday dismissed a legal challenge that sought to remove a marijuana legalization question from the November ballot. The Judge determined that the plaintiff in the suit, who works for the Virginia-based Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, did not have standing to challenge the initiative because she failed to provide sufficient […]
The establishment of licensed cannabis businesses is associated with increased home values, according to a study published by Rutgers University and funded by the New Jersey State Policy Lab. Researchers reported that municipalities which licensed marijuana establishments experienced a nearly two percent increase in home sale prices as compared to properties in towns that banned […]
NORML regrets the passing of essayist and political activist Barbara Ehrenreich. She was 81 years old. Barbara Ehrenreich – NORML Advisory Board A scholar and the author of numerous books — including Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class (1989), Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (2001), and Bait […]
The overwhelming majority of voters believe that federal law should be amended so that state-licensed marijuana businesses can readily utilize banks and other financial services, according to national survey data compiled by Morning Consult and commissioned by the Independent Community Bankers of America. Consistent with prior survey data, 65 percent of respondents “support allowing cannabis-related […]
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed anti-discrimination legislation today, Assembly Bill 1954, prohibiting physicians and surgeons from automatically denying either treatments or medications to patients solely because they consume medical cannabis or because they have tested a positive for THC on a drug screen. Previously, medical professionals possessed the ability to discriminate against those using medical […]
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman today announced the launch of a coordinated effort to provide pardons for people with select minor, non-violent marijuana criminal convictions. Under the program, The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons will accept applications from eligible applicants from Thursday, Sept. 1, through Friday, Sept. 30. Applying is free and […]
1. Why were you motivated to apply to intern with NORML? a. Sam: About a year ago I started working at a medical cannabis dispensary in D.C., and since then I’ve met countless people whose lives have been vastly improved by marijuana use. Seeing all the benefits of cannabis beyond recreational use showed me the […]
State health officials have enacted new rules imposing explicit limits on the amount of medical cannabis that patients may legally obtain and consume. The new rules, which took effect on Monday, were established absent any public input and come nearly six years after voters initially approved a constitutional amendment legalizing medical access for qualified patients. […]
