Legal Issues

As discussions about the federal scheduling of cannabis continue, efforts by medical cannabis advocates are intensifying. One such advocate is Americans for Safe Access (ASA), a nonprofit organization founded by patients for patients. Since 2002, ASA has been championing the rights of medical cannabis patients and has recently launched new campaigns and strategies to refocus attention on patient needs. In this interview, Steph Sherer, founder and president of ASA, reflects on past successes in medical cannabis advocacy, shares her perspective on recent cannabis and hemp policymaking, and outlines the next steps for advancing a unified medical cannabis message on Capitol Hill—a message that could bring about the changes patients have long awaited.

The latest webinar in this series explored challenges and solutions in the current and future landscape of cannabis policies and regulation.

Voters in North Dakota will see recreational cannabis on the ballot this November.

California’s bill creating new restrictions on intoxicating hemp products has prompted responses citing negative impacts on patients and businesses.

An executive order from the governor pardoned a significant number of cannabis convictions, noting the efforts to rectify harms from past cannabis policies.

In the General Session of the Cannabis Science Conference, Scheril Murray Powell, Esq. and John Calloway Jr. discussed the many ways equity ties into science in the cannabis industry.

One step forward, two steps back: updates on cannabis legal movements in three different states.

A ballot initiative to expand medical cannabis access in Arkansas has been resubmitted.

The recent approval of a bill brings Washington one step closer to long-awaited at-home recreational cannabis cultivation.

The Attorney General recently drafted a bill to legalize recreational cannabis in the state and also provided the office’s position on the issue.

A recently proposed bipartisan bill would affect criminal charges surrounding cannabis possession in the Badger State.

Recreational cannabis is legal in some capacities, but Ohioans cannot yet buy it.

A recent vote will place the bill before the president for final approval.

As a proposed constitutional amendment is debated in court, recent surveys of registered voters reveal approval ratings.

The Senate recently passed a bill that would enable veterans to discuss and be recommended medical cannabis by Veterans Affairs doctors.

The measure was approved to be on the ballot in August after a campaign led by citizens.

The letter reportedly calls for the rescheduling of cannabis, but most of the content remains undisclosed due to legal protections.

Legislation recently passed in the Australian state of Victoria will enable the testing of cannabis’ effects on driving safely.

A tribe in western North Carolina recently approved recreational cannabis, resulting in proposed federal legislation in response.

Americans for Safe Access, the nation’s largest member-based medical cannabis advocacy organization, held a webinar discussing the recent recommendation made by the Department of Health and Human Services to reschedule cannabis.

Separate efforts to remove the medical cannabis program and legalize recreational cannabis in South Dakota are proposed to appear on the 2024 ballot.

On Wednesday, August 30th, the Department of Health and Human Services made its recommendation to the Drug Enforcement Agency to classify cannabis as a Schedule III drug, paving the way for reform, industry expansion, and research opportunities.

The recently approved legislation creates new opportunities for possession and cultivation.

Read coverage from our sister publication, Nutritional Outlook, on “The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act,” which was previously proposed in 2021.

A recent lawsuit brought to the state’s Superior Court challenges the constitutionality of several aspects of cannabis sales.

One month after recreational cannabis became legal, sales exceeded expectations.

Growing trend in drug testing: more employers are changing their drug testing policies around cannabis.

Recent activity in the Senate focuses on both recreational and medical cannabis regulations and reforms.

Several agencies are reportedly working together to review the scheduling of cannabis, with a final decision anticipated to come later this year.

The bill would have expanded cannabis legalization already in place in the country.