Latest Cannabis Headlines

All the headlines from our Cannabis Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Insurance Journal’s Top 10 Midwest Region Stories of 2019

Jan 2 2020 // The expanding legalization of marijuana in Midwest states captured the attention of Insurance Journal readers last year. Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis when Gov. J.B. Pritzker in June 2019...

Insurance Journal’s Top 10 Southeast Region Stories of 2019

Jan 2 2020 // It was a relatively quiet year for the Southeast in terms of major catastrophes compared with 2018 when Hurricane’s Michael and Florence caused major damage in the region. This year, Hurricane Dorian sideswiped the...

In Midwest, Legal Marijuana Sales May Spark Interstate Tension

Dec 31 2019 // Retailers legally selling marijuana for the past month in Michigan say they have drawn customers from surrounding Midwestern states where the drug remains illegal and, as Illinois prepares to joins the recreational market...

Puff, Puff, Passed: 2019 Marijuana Laws in Review and 2020 Projections

Dec 31 2019 // With 2019 nearly rolled up, it is time to exhale and recap the latest dose of marijuana laws affecting the workplace. In the last twelve months, Illinois became the eleventh state to legalize recreational marijuana use by...

Georgia Board Begins Work on State Medical Marijuana Rules

Dec 30 2019 // A new Georgia board has begun working to create rules and a distribution network for the sale of medical marijuana oil. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission held...

Massive MJBizCon in Vegas Reveals Coverage Gaps, Little Insurance Understanding

Dec 19 2019 // If gawking at tons of cannabis-churning pieces of agricultural equipment winding around a quarter-million feet of convention floor space wasn’t your thing, perhaps access to an abundance of pre-rolls, or whiffing...

Some Marijuana Vaping Products Recalled in Michigan

Dec 19 2019 // The agency overseeing Michigan’s marijuana business said it was recalling vaping products containing an additive that health officials have linked to injuries and deaths. The Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency said...

Cannabis Risk Management Group Plans to Offer Insurance Program

Dec 17 2019 // A national group offering risk management advice to the cannabis industry says it is creating a casualty insurance program to provide its members with insurance. The National Cannabis Risk Management Association (NCRMA)...

Judge Orders South Carolina Authorities to Protect Farmer’s Seized Hemp Crop

Dec 12 2019 // A judge is allowing a South Carolina hemp farmer arrested after authorities said he grew the crop in unregistered fields to harvest some of his crop and put the money in a trust as he awaits trial. The State Law...

Report Calls Out Dangers of Cannabis Branding Practices

Dec 5 2019 // Accurate and honest cannabis branding should be the next best step for the budding industry if it wishes to stave off false advertising and product liability lawsuits, according to the one of the authors of a new report on...

Vape Crisis Prompts Calls for Greater Clarity in Cannabis Regulation

Dec 3 2019 // Cannabis industry lawyers are calling for greater clarity around regulation of the cannabis industry. Panelists at the 2019 Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) Conference in Washington D.C. this month said...

Oklahoma High Court: Cities May Regulate Medical Marijuana

Nov 21 2019 // The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that cities may approve some regulations of the medical marijuana industry. The court has dismissed an appeal by the city of Broken Arrow in a case filed by marijuana grower Austin...

Science, Enforcement Lag as Car Accidents, Claims Rise in Legal Cannabis States

Nov 18 2019 // Car crashes in the first three states to legalize recreational marijuana have soared as law enforcement and regulators struggle to define driving high, let alone determine how to fight it. Colorado, Oregon, and Washington...

From Insurance Internship to Budding Career

Nov 18 2019 // Marine and construction broker Jonny Young had no idea three years ago that an internship he was required to complete to graduate college would lead to a career in insurance. But after just three weeks interning with...

Problematic Use

Nov 18 2019 // Marijuana use among adolescents and adults increased after legalization of recreational marijuana and that maybe problematic, according to a new study from New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine and...

California Cannabis Group Asking for Tighter Vaping-Safety Rules

Nov 18 2019 // An alliance of major legal marijuana businesses in California urged the state in early November to adopt tougher safety rules for ingredients and devices used in vaping and get tougher with illegal shops, amid an outbreak...

Michigan Recreational Pot Sales to Begin in December

Nov 15 2019 // The state of Michigan is opening the door to the sale of marijuana for recreational use starting in December, which is earlier than expected. The Marijuana Regulatory Agency issued an advisory bulletin on Nov. 13. It says...

7 Appointed to Georgia Medical Marijuana Commission

Nov 15 2019 // Georgia officials have made appointments to the state medical marijuana commission, a key step toward implementing a law designed to increase patient access. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House...

Top Risks Facing Cannabis Industry in 2020 Not What You Think

Nov 14 2019 // On the tail-end of what turned out to be an extremely risky year for cannabis companies, one must wonder what 2020 has in store for a quasi-legal industry that is contending with a vaping crisis, contentious politics at...

HUB Names Virdi as Chief Cannabis Insurance Sales Officer

Nov 13 2019 // Insurance broker HUB International recently named Jay Virdi as its chief sales officer for its cannabis insurance and risk services in the U.S. and Canada. As chief sales officer, Virdi will focus on further developing...