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Marijuana Business

newsomcannabis

Marijuana

Gov. Newsom Proposes Eliminating One of California's Many Marijuana Taxes

The cultivation tax has driven up the cost of growing cannabis, fueling illegal operations and the state’s enormous black market.

Scott Shackford | 5.17.2022 3:00 PM

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California

California Cities Are Rethinking Their Marijuana Business Bans

Nearly two dozen towns that had said no to legal weed shops are reconsidering.

Scott Shackford | 4.21.2022 3:40 PM

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Regulation

Corruption and Crackdowns in California's Marijuana Market

Black markets thrive under mismanaged legalization.

Scott Shackford | 3.12.2022 6:00 AM

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War on Drugs

California Escalates Its War on the Marijuana Black Market

A new 2022 law will punish anybody “aiding and abetting” unlicensed dealers. It will most certainly harm low-level workers.

Scott Shackford | 1.5.2022 1:55 PM

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Drug Policy

Californians Learn That Raising Taxes on Marijuana Fuels Black Markets for Drugs

If only they would apply that lesson to other goods and services.

Scott Shackford | 12.28.2021 1:55 PM

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Crime

Federal Drug Laws Force Pot Shops To Carry Lots of Cash and No Insurance. Now They're Getting Robbed.

Despite state legalization, federal prohibition makes break-ins harder on marijuana shops and manufacturers.

Joe Lancaster | 12.9.2021 4:10 PM

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Regulation

Taxes and Red Tape Hobble California's 'Legal' Marijuana

Legalizing a market isn’t enough; you have to set the participants free.

J.D. Tuccille | 10.27.2021 7:00 AM

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Marijuana

South Dakota Lawmakers, Activists Try To Work Around Gov. Kristi Noem's Opposition to Marijuana Legalization

Legislation advances and a ballot initiative circulates in response to a constitutional amendment that was struck down by the courts.

Scott Shackford | 10.20.2021 1:25 PM

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Regulation

California Wants To Throw $100 Million at Its Mismanaged Retail Marijuana Sector

Lawmakers want to pay cities to help cannabis businesses navigate the state’s oppressive bureaucracy.

Scott Shackford | 6.16.2021 12:30 PM

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Marijuana

Montana Lawmakers Salvage Weed Bill in the Nick of Time

If left unamended, the bill could have crushed much of the nascent industry.

Max Savage Levenson | 4.24.2021 7:00 AM

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Congress

The House Just Voted To Let Marijuana Businesses Use Banks. Again.

Maybe this year it will pass the Senate too.

Eric Boehm | 4.19.2021 7:45 PM

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Drug Policy

Mandating Indoor Cannabis Cultivation Is Bad for the Environment

Legalizing interstate sales and allowing outdoor growing would reduce the cannabis industry's energy consumption.

Baylen Linnekin | 3.13.2021 8:30 AM

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Drug Policy

Cuomo Seems Intent on Screwing up New York's Marijuana Legalization

No home cultivation? Increased criminal penalties? This is not the way to end a drug war.

Scott Shackford | 1.22.2021 3:15 PM

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Business and Industry

Proposed Banking Rule Change Would Upend Oppressive 'Operation Chokepoint' Tactics

Protected financial access for politically targeted industries

Andrea O'Sullivan | 12.8.2020 8:30 AM

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Congress

Mike Pence Comes Out Against Marijuana Banking Bill That Would Actually Save Taxpayers Money

The SAFE Banking Act is not a pork-barrel spending bill. Is that why it’s struggling?

Scott Shackford | 8.13.2020 1:05 PM

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Canada

Canada Still Not Raking in as Much Marijuana Revenue as Planned

A lesson for other governments making legalization plans

Scott Shackford | 2.3.2020 1:35 PM

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Regulation

Congress Might Finally Give the Pot Industry Access to Banks

Eric Boehm | 12.2.2019 6:00 AM

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Taxes

The Marijuana Black Market Will Keep Its Throne in California, Thanks to Tax Increases

When the government tries to hoover up all the money earned from legalized drugs, this is what happens.

Scott Shackford | 11.25.2019 2:05 PM

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California

Inside America's First Restaurant for Weed

West Hollywood's Lowell Farms Cafe serves food, drinks, and marijuana.

Zach Weissmueller | 10.28.2019 2:15 PM

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Congress

Congress Should Let Marijuana Businesses Have Access to Banks

There are stories of marijuana business owners showing up at California's tax agency offices with trash bags filled with cash, even though the agency generally doesn't allow cash payments.

Steven Greenhut | 10.18.2019 8:00 AM

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War on Drugs

The House Just Voted To Let Marijuana Businesses Legally Use Banks

It's a historic moment in Congress, but Senate support remains uncertain.

Eric Boehm | 9.25.2019 6:05 PM

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Congress

Congress Plans To Vote on Marijuana Banking Bill Next Week

The SAFE Banking Act will be the first stand-alone marijuana legalization bill to reach the floor of the U.S. House.

Eric Boehm | 9.20.2019 2:30 PM

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Crime

Brickbat: Smoked Out

Charles Oliver | 9.17.2019 4:00 AM

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Canada

How Do You Lose Money Dealing Marijuana? Be a Government Agency.

Ontario has lost millions trying to sell cannabis.

Scott Shackford | 9.16.2019 1:15 PM

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War on Drugs

California Has Completely Crapped the Bed Rolling Out Legal Marijuana

The black market still dominates. And more enforcement and fines aren’t going to fix it.

Scott Shackford | 9.12.2019 1:05 PM

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War on Drugs

Snoop Dogg Is Right: Legal Weed Would Benefit From More Accurate Dosing Information

Giving consumers more accurate dosing for vaped THC is a huge market opportuntiy, but it has important public policy implications too.

Eric Boehm | 5.27.2019 7:45 AM

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Taxes

California's Marijuana Tax Revenue Still Sucks Stale Bong Water

High taxes and harsh regulations lead to a $223 million cut in budget projections.

Scott Shackford | 5.10.2019 4:05 PM

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Regulation

Heavy Taxes and Regulation Harsh California's Pot Buzz

Jacob Sullum | 5.1.2019 12:00 PM

Better living through chemistry (biotech)

Biotechnology

The Craft Brewed Cannabis Goldrush

Who Needs Weed When You Can Use Yeast?

Ronald Bailey | 4.17.2019 8:00 AM

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War on Drugs

Will Congress Finally Protect State-Legal Pot Businesses From the Feds?

A bill introduced Thursday with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress would stop federal law enforcement from targeting states with legal weed.

Eric Boehm | 4.4.2019 10:45 AM

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HomePage

Los Angeles Legalized Pot Sales. Now It May Launch a New War on Weed.

High taxes and slow bureaucracy keeps the black market alive.

Scott Shackford | 3.28.2019 5:00 PM

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HomePage

Michigan's Legal Marijuana Market Will Be Uncompetitive With Illegal Dealers

The black market is how you get things done when government gets in the way.

J.D. Tuccille | 3.26.2019 12:01 AM

Employment

When Experience Is a Liability

In some states, a marijuana conviction can exclude you from the newly legal industry.

Jacob Sullum | 3.1.2019 12:00 PM

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Hit & Run

Will New York's Recreational Marijuana Policies Be as Dumb as California's?

Gov. Cuomo throws his support behind a ban on home cultivation, possibly on behalf of already entrenched pot groups.

Scott Shackford | 2.22.2019 2:45 PM

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HomePage

California Doesn't Need More Marijuana Regulation; It Needs Less

Governor Newsom wants to fight the black market. That's how we got the drug war in the first place.

Scott Shackford | 2.19.2019 3:20 PM

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Nanny State

New York City Claims Veto Power Over Food Ingredients in CBD Ban

It's legal, but the health department thinks it's somehow different when added to other products.

Scott Shackford | 2.6.2019 12:15 PM

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Hit & Run

CBS Won't Air Medical Marijuana Ad During the Super Bowl

Blame misguided federal policies, not the network.

Joe Setyon | 1.22.2019 12:25 PM

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