Category: Cannabis Law

On September 22, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the final two appointees of the New York marijuana regulatory board. After the legalization of recreational marijuana in New York for adults over the age of 21, the state government implemented a Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management to regulate the adult use of marijuana. Statewide regulations for cannabis and its related products bring one of the United States’ biggest cash crops under the rule of law, though they currently vary substantially from state to state. Read below to learn more about New York’s Cannabis Control Board and what the Empire State is doing to enhance its existing marijuana regulatory system. 

On September 21, 2021, Amazon announced that the company would relax its screening policies for marijuana to advocate for more equitable workplaces. Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources also announced that the global conglomerate is proud to endorse recent federal legislation in the blog post. Seemingly a continuation of its previous statements concerning the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2021 (the “MORE Act”), Amazon resumes its support for marijuana reform. Read below to learn more about Amazon’s statements and their recent history and stances on marijuana legislation. 

As the 2020 Olympic Games come to an end in Tokyo, many viewers at home reflect on how famous athletes are affected by the Olympic Games’ long list of banned substances. Substances like marijuana have remained on the list for decades despite public scrutiny.  

On June 1st, 2021, Dave Clark, Amazon’s CEO Worldwide Consumer, announced the company’s new corporate drug testing policies. The global conglomerate’s modified policies are part of Jeff Bezos’ “Earth’s Best Employer and Earth’s Safest Place to Work” initiative to improve Amazon’s working conditions. 

On June 28, 2021, the Mexican Supreme Court voted in an 8-3 ruling in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana. This ruling comes after Congress stalled a decision over cannabis legalization for over three years. The Mexican Supreme Court’s monumental ruling exerts pressure on the Mexican Congress to vote on cannabis legalization. If approved by Congress, Mexico would become the largest cannabis market in the world. Below, we outline the history behind this controversial matter and dissect what it means for the marijuana industry as a whole.

On July 14, 2021, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced draft legislation to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. This historic legislation proposition was presented by Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Cory Booker (D-N.Y.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore). These senators announced the draft legislation while focusing on social justice reforms the bill would sponsor. 

Senator Schumer further stated that he would leverage his position as majority leader to make this legislation a top priority in the Senate, as cannabis is already legal in 19 states. 

Below, we break down what this historical draft legislation entails and examine the history of cannabis prohibition in the United States. 

On June 22, 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed legislation that would make recreational marijuana legal in Connecticut as of July 1, 2021. With this landmark bill, Connecticut takes substantial steps towards reparations for those most affected by prohibition. New Hampshire and Rhode Island are now the only states in New England to criminalize recreational marijuana. With the passing of this bill, Connecticut becomes the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults in the United States. Below, we break down what this critical piece of legislation entails.