While the COVID-19 pandemic upended release plans for many movies big and small, it did make the subject matter for some even more relevant.

Take “Freeland,” an indie film about a longtime marijuana farmer whose business model and sole source of income is being threatened by legalization. “Freeland” explores how people cope when their entire way of life is turned upside down overnight, and a global pandemic adds an extra layer of resonance to its story.

“It is about a woman who has worked really hard her whole life, and she’s about to lose everything through no fault of their own,” said Krisha Fairchild, 70, who plays Devi, the marijuana farmer in “Freeland.”

“To me, the fact we couldn’t do our festival run in theaters was so symbolic because the world was going through something on a much larger scale.

“People may not have had something to relate to before, but now they do. That for me is the most important message of our movie, that those things can happen, and then it happened to the whole rest of the world.”

Leaders of a group working to legalize marijuana for adult use in Missouri say they believe the measure will pass if they collect enough signatures to get the issue on next year’s ballot.

Legal Missouri 2022 launched its initiative petition campaign last week in St. Louis. If voters approve the measure, anyone 21 or older could buy marijuana for any reason. Currently Missouri allows marijuana use only for medical reasons. John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022, noted that Missouri residents passed the medical marijuana initiative with close to 66% of the vote in 2018.

The campaign must get about 170,000 valid signatures in six of the state’s eight congressional districts to place the initiative on the ballot.

After a recount found no change in the vote totals, Wellington's marijuana ballot measure has officially passed.

The town will repeal its ban on marijuana dispensaries, effective in February. Voters favored ballot measure 2B by a one-vote margin, with 1,678 voting "yes" to dispensaries and 1,677 voting no in Larimer County's final official election results.

The vote totals also stayed the same for the other two ballot items that got recounts: In Loveland City Council's Ward 4 race, Jon Mallo retained a one-vote lead over candidate Caitlin Wyrick, and the Larimer County Harvest Heights Public Improvement District No. 72 Ballot Issue 6B remained tied 15 to 15, meaning the measure to create a special taxing district for road maintenance failed.

Wellington will allow retail and medical marijuana sales only in licensed marijuana stores in a specific type of commercial zoning district at least 2,000 feet from schools, 500 feet from areas zoned as "public," 500 feet from other marijuana stores and 200 feet from residential areas. The item was referred to the ballot by citizen initiative. 

Wellington Ballot Issue 300, a measure to tax marijuana sales, passed 1,820 to 1,447. The town will impose a 3.5% tax on recreational marijuana sales that can be increased up to 5% without voter approval. The taxes will fund construction of a recreation center or other general operating expenses for the town.

The Clarksville City Council has adopted a resolution that supports the decriminalization of simple possession, or casual exchange, of marijuana for personal use. The resolution also supports access to, and use of, medical marijuana.

The final vote on Thursday, Dec. 2, which included three amendments altering it from the original document presented was 9-1-3.

Not a single Clarksville City Councilmember voted against the measure.

“My ‘no’ vote was a combination of wanting to support law enforcement and their concern about the practical effect of the resolution,” Pitts said in an email following Thursday’s meeting.

“We were hanging amendments on the original resolution like ornaments on a Christmas tree to make it more palatable.”

Cannabis dispensaries may now explore the possibility of establishing a location in Enfield following the repeal of the previous ordinance. After a 2-hour public hearing in which dozens of residents spoke both in favor of and against the possibility of a marijuana dispensary in town, the Enfield Town Council voted to repeal a September ordinance which prohibits cannabis establishments. The council decided by a 6-3-1 vote to overturn the ban, which had passed by a 6-3 party-line vote on Sept. 7 under the previous Republican-controlled council. On Nov. 2, Democrats took the council majority by a 7-4 margin; one of the items featured prominently during the campaign was a letter signed by most Democratic candidates assuring they would reverse the ordinance if elected.

With no marijuana playbook for lighting up legally, towns like Saugerties, Rhinebeck and others forge their own paths into an unknown, burgeoning industry

When New York State legalized marijuana last spring, discussions kicked into high gear as to which towns, villages and cities would cater to cannabis buyers and businesses. Who’s opting in? Who’s opting out? And what will this massive burgeoning industry look like at a local level?

It is easy to assume marijuana cultivation began in fairly modern times.

Cannabis, in all its forms, is more prevalent and accessible than ever before in the U.S. Still, it often seems that many are unaware of weed’s story, with some thinking the plant had no relevant history before the 1900s.

Cannabis dates back thousands of years

It is easy to assume marijuana cultivation began in fairly modern times. However, the first recorded use of cannabis dates back thousands of years before the United States was even an idea.

Cresco Labs Announces Opening of 44th Dispensary in Pensacola, FL

Cresco Labs (CSE:CL) (OTCQX:CRLBF) (“Cresco Labs” or “the Company”), a vertically integrated multistate operator and the number one U.S. wholesaler of branded cannabis products, announced today the opening of a new Sunnyside dispensary located at 3900 N 9th Ave. in Pensacola, FL. Sunnyside Pensacola is the Company’s second store in the Panhandle region. With today’s opening, Cresco Labs operates 12 Florida stores and 44 nationwide.

Sunnyside Pensacola is centrally located in the city near Cordova Mall, across the bridge from Pensacola Beach and the suburb of Gulf Breeze, and a few blocks away from Interstate 110—offering broad accessibility to daily commuters and residents.

With December upon us and hemp harvest season coming to a close, the cannabis industry is facing a sobering bust following the great CBD boom. The November 2021 Hemp Benchmarks Report contains results from an analysis of financial findings from publicly traded CBD companies, which reflect a stagnant 2021 market. However, hemp-derived THC (Delta-8) companies are seeing solid revenues despite some decline in wholesale prices. This was the case for LFTD, which saw $29 million in combined sales in the third quarter, while longstanding hemp CBD company Charlotte’s Web (OTC: CWBHF), which has the largest U.S. market share, reported a revenue decline of 6% year-over-year. Other publicly traded CBD companies such as cbdmd and CV Sciences reported similar trends.

State analysis of medical cannabis for anxiety and panic disorders leads health commissioner to conclude that the risks outweigh benefits. 

Anxiety disorders won't be added next year to qualifying conditions for medical cannabis in Minnesota.

State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm found too little evidence of benefits of medical cannabis use when compared with risks and existing treatments.

While Minnesota will expand its program by allowing the sale of medical cannabis in gummy and chewable forms, Malcolm announced Wednesday that it would be limited to the existing 17 qualifying conditions. Minnesota is among 38 states with medical cannabis programs, including North Dakota and three others that include anxiety disorders as qualifying conditions.

"We received many comments from health care practitioners treating patients with anxiety disorder, and they urged us to not approve it as a qualifying medical condition," Malcolm said.

Medical cannabis use surged in Minnesota following the launch of the program in 2015 with nine qualifying conditions. Active registrants authorized by medical providers to receive medical cannabis increased from 837 in 2015 to 28,522 in 2020.

Getting roughly eight hours of sleep is crucial for most of us to avoid feeling like a zombie at work the next day. While some people use caffeine to keep alert during the day, others have turned to cannabis as a sleep aid.

Data on cannabis use and sleep duration for 21,729 adults were obtained from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a cross-sectional survey designed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The authors of the new study, led by researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada, wanted to determine the relationship between recent cannabis use and sleep duration in a nationally representative sample from the US. Participants were required to report their age range, race, sex, education post high school, average hours worked per week, and other health-related variables. 

Sleep duration was categorized as short, optimal, or long, with short sleep defined as less than 6 hours, and long sleep defined as more than 9 hours on average weeknights or worknights.

Sleep quality measures were also part of the survey, with questions relating to difficulty falling asleep, ability to stay asleep, sleeping too much in the past two weeks, and whether participants had consulted a physician about sleeping issues. 

Cannabis has become an unlikely source of relief for many suffering from PMS. Here are some products that could ease the discomfort.

Periods affect women in unpredictable ways. While some may feel a general sense of grumpiness and discomfort, a significant group of women experience rough menstrual periods, where they are faced with crippling pain and symptoms such as nausea, muscle aches, abdominal pressure and more. While women have turned to all sorts of medications and practices for relief, marijuana has become an option to alleviate a variety of symptoms. The cannabis industry has capitalized on this need, creating products to treat these symptoms, such as cannabis suppositories and tampons, which provide localized and fast relief. But there’s also soaks and bath salts to relax your entire body while targeting other symptoms aside from the pain in your uterus. Here are four of the best cannabis menstruation products you can find.

Cannabis suppositories are meant to provide fast-acting pain relief.  Taking around 15 – 20 minutes to kick in, cannabis suppositories affect your pelvis region, relaxing your muscles and uterus. Depending on the brand, suppositories can contain more or less THC, with there being CBD options as well.

A good remedy against pain and period cramps is relaxation, which can be facilitated with a nice long bath and some fancy bath salts. These can be effective and powerful, providing relief for up to 5 hours, and maybe leaving you a little loopy after your bath. Use with care. There’s a variety of brands making these products, including Vertly, Happy Dance, and more.

Tinctures are very concentrated and strong, healing your pain with just a few drops if you can stomach the powerful and oily taste. They’re placed under your tongue, and they act fast, within 10 minutes you’ll experience effects, hopefully getting some much-needed relief for your cramps. Tinctures are also a great and safe option for consuming during the daytime, because they won’t make you feel high at all. 

Skin Balms & Creams

Cannabis balms can be used anywhere on the body, providing analgesic effects. Products like Love Your Lady Parts allow you to scoop a spoonful of product and apply it, providing an effective, if a bit messy, option for pain and cramp relief. Wear your least favorite underwear.

 As the world focus falls on COP26 and the urgent need to take drastic action to decrease our collective carbon footprint, the hemp building industry is poised to take a leading role. The building industry accounts for 40% of the world's carbon footprint. High performance sustainable building materials are needed to continue growing as a society without sacrificing the planet. Hemp-lime, or hempcrete, construction is emerging as an answer to this existential crisis.

West Virginia residents with qualifying medical conditions will have an opportunity Dec. 7 in Mercer County to sign up for access to medical cannabis products that will be sold by a company planning to open dispensaries in southern West Virginia.

The West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC) will host a public sign up event for medical cannabis patients from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 7 at Country Inn & Suites along 111 Halls Ridge Road near Princeton, according to an announcement from the state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR).

Jason Frame, director of the state OMC, said that he knew of plans for a cannabis dispensary in the Princeton area.

“There are two dispensaries in the state now, and we expect that number to grow quickly in 2021 and into 2022,” Frame told the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.

The dispensaries are in Morgantown and Weston. Dispensaries are not for selling recreational cannabis products, he said.

And the IRS is chomping at the bit.

There are numerous stoner-approved products on the market that could make a bigger impression than ever expected.

With holiday season fast approaching, it’s fair for people to wonder what gifts would make perfect surprises for the cannabis enthusiast in their lives.

Even though cannabis is legal in many locales in the U.S., no one wants to obnoxiously reek of weed whenever carrying it from point A to point B.

That’s when having a smell-proof container could certainly come in handy. Having something to safely stash cannabis that locks the smell in could avoid attracting unwanted attention, making it a must-have for stoners who take their goods to-go from time to time.

Another must-have tool in the arsenal of weed aficionados is a grinder that can be easily transported.

Connecticut approved an increased limit of mold and yeast allowed in medical marijuana at one of the state’s two cannabis testing labs through private emails last year, documents show.

At the request of AltaSci Labs, the state Department of Consumer Protection agreed to raise the total passing level of yeast and mold from 10,000 colony forming units per gram to 1 million per gram for the lab, according to August 2020 emails obtained via a Hearst Connecticut Media Group public records request.

New Mexico will provide business loans of up to $250,00 toward small-scale cannabis businesses in an effort to provide economic opportunity to communities that were hit hard by past criminal enforcement of marijuana laws.

The Regulation and Licensing Department on Thursday announced that the loan program is moving forward, after a legislative panel provided approval this week.

The New Mexico Finance Authority is planning for a $5 million line of credit for cannabis entrepreneurs, with average loan size of about $100,000. The application process is expected to open in February.

Loans would be available to qualified cannabis “microbusinesses” that are licensed to cultivate and sell marijuana from up to 200 plants at a single location, operating much like a craft winery or brewery.

That business niche was authorized in sweeping legislation to regulate and tax recreational marijuana sales, signed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham earlier this year. Recreational cannabis sales commence by April 1, 2022.