As local law enforcement makes one illegal marijuana bust after another they’re also finding human victims at the grow sites themselves. Law enforcement has confirmed much of the illegal cannabis activity in our region is from international cartels. But it’s not just the plants, money, and weapons that local, state, and federal officials are after.

When, or if, the Senate approves the changes and Gov. Reeves signs the bill, the program regulating and selling cannabis to registered patients will kick off later this year. The Mississippi House of Representatives passed an amended version of the Senate’s medical marijuana bill on Wednesday, lowering the amount of cannabis a patient can purchase

Two California men were jailed in Alabama after police said they found almost 1,000 pounds of marijuana worth nearly $3 million hidden in a camper just off Interstate 20. An officer saw a camper running off the road while exiting the highway Tuesday morning, news outlets reported. The officer stopped the vehicle outside a store and the men agreed t

Weed isn’t going away. This leafy green plant has been popular in the US since the 17th century. Demand for rope, clothing and sails resulted in a thriving hemp industry for over two centuries. Eventually, imports met this demand, but tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, remained in over-the-counter medication w

A late night traffic stop by the Denham Springs Police Department led to the seizure of 5.35 pounds of marijuana and more. A little before 10:30 p.m., on Tuesday, January 18, officers stopped an SUV. Along with marijuana, officers found a “‘dab’ pen, two THC Cartridges and $4,060,” according to the Denham Springs Police Department. DSPD apprehended

Taxes from the sale of recreational cannabis during the first year of legality in Arizona resulted in millions of dollars for local community colleges, officials said Tuesday. Maricopa County Community College District received $17.1 million from the imposed 16% excise tax on the drug, with the money being used to improve student offerings, the dis

The decriminalization and legalization of marijuana in Kentucky will improve the state's criminal justice system, Kentucky Rep. Nima Kulkarni said. The lawmaker gathered with other proponents of the initiative Monday to push for action on the issue during this year's legislative session, WLKY reported. Kulkarni, who noted that Kentucky is currently

The Institute for Justice argues that the seizures violated state law, federal law, and the U.S. Constitution. Because the continued federal prohibition of marijuana makes banks and payment processors leery of serving state-licensed cannabis suppliers, many of those businesses rely heavily on cash, which exposes them to a heightened risk of robbery

On an isolated farm, greenhouses stand in regimental order, sheltered by a fringe of trees. Inside are hundreds of head-high cannabis plants in precise rows, each rising from a pot nourished by coils of irrigation tubing. Lights powerful enough to turn night into day blaze overhead. In the five years since California voters approved a broad legal m

Gary Chambers is running for a Senate seat in Louisiana. Progressive activist and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Gary Chambers Jr. smokes marijuana in a field in New Orleans while talking about marijuana reform in his first campaign ad. On Jan. 1, smokeable medical marijuana became legal in Louisiana under certain conditions. But the use of canna

There is no blood, saliva, or breathalyzer analysis that can ascertain whether a person who has used marijuana is actually impaired. Prompted by the Commonwealth’s legalization of marijuana and growing concerns about an increase in impaired driving, Governor Charlie Baker has refiled the Trooper Thomas Clardy Law, which states that the presence of

New Jersey is unlikely to allow its marijuana users or medical marijuana patients to grow their own cannabis plants at home, the new president of the state Senate said this month.  State Sen. Nick Scutari, D-Union, was the main proponent of New Jersey marijuana legalization in the state Senate and was elected by his colleagues as the body's preside

SANDUSKY — If Ohio legalizes marijuana this year, it will do so over the objections of Gov. Mike DeWine. The governor met Tuesday by Zoom with editorial board members and reporters for Ogden News and repeated his previously announced opposition to legalizing marijuana. Given the problems caused by other substances, such as driving under the influen

Advocates behind an effort to legalize adult-use marijuana submitted additional voter signatures on Thursday to put their proposal before Ohio lawmakers.  The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol turned in another 29,918 signatures after falling short earlier this month, reported The Columbus Dispatch. They say that now they are confident t

Rep. Chris Hurt says he wants to ‘legitimize’ the cannabis industry A Republican lawmaker is seeking to tax and regulate the existing cannabis industry in the state. Rep. Chris Hurt (R-Halls) filed House Bill 1690 this week. The bill seeks to regulate psychotropic hemp-derived cannabinoids, which include products that have more than 0.1 percent THC

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis. Since then, 36 states (and four U.S. territories) have followed suit, keeping pace with rapidly evolving policies and attitudes toward cannabis. In addition to the widespread legalization of medical cannabis, 18 states, two territories, and the District of Columbia have legali