North Dakota

Advances for cannabis in midterm elections

leafThe Nov. 8 midterm elections saw mixed results for state cannabis legalization efforts. In Maryland, voters approved Question 4, amending the state constitution to permit the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces. In Missouri, Amendment 3 passed, allowing adults to purchase and possess up to three ounces, with a provision for registered home cultivation. Similar measures failed in Arkansas and North and South Dakota. (Vox, CNBC)

The Vilsack Attack?

hempWhat will Biden’s Agriculture Department Mean for Small Farmers and Hemp?

Progressives coast to coast breathed a heavy sigh of relief as Joe Biden took the oath of office, ending the turbulent and reactionary rule of Donald Trump over the past four years.

But hemp cultivation, like the rewriting and replacement of NAFTA, was one of the few areas that actually saw positive change in the Trump years—with bipartisan support. The 2018 Farm Bill that re-legalized the crop after generations of prohibition bore Trump’s signature.

And there are fears that Biden could mean a return to the Washington consensus of a corporate-friendly “free trade” status quo ante, shorn even of the limited populist measures of the Trump era.

For small farmers, including some hemp cultivators, Biden’s choice to lead the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) may provide a case in point.

Hemp & Native American Sovereignty

SiouxThe original peoples of what is now the United States were left in legal limbo in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill, which made hemp cultivation again lawful. Federally recognized Native American tribes could not cultivate under state regulation, because the states have limited jurisdiction on their reservations. But the US Agriculture Department dragged its heels in issuing federal regs that could apply on these lands. Caught between two sovereigns, many farmers in Indian country are asserting their right to cultivate hemp under the un-extinguished sovereignty of their own Native nations.

2019: the five biggest moments in cannabis politics

Planet Watch2019 saw advances for cannabis freedom on both the national and global stage—but also some near-misses, from New York state to Mexico, which have left activists frustrated if no less determined. As advocates prepare to carry the fight into 2020, here's a review of what was achieved—or almost achieved—over the past 12 months.

After 'quasi-decrim,' North Dakota activists launch new legalization bid

Posted on July 21st, 2019 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , , , , .

North DakotaActivists in North Dakota are heartened by the state's recent reduction of cannabis penalties, but insist that (contrary to media reports) it is not true decriminalization. And they are gearing up a new effort to get a legalization initiative approved in next year's elections.

Oregon State University launches global hemp research center

Posted on June 19th, 2019 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

OregonInauguration of a global hemp research lab has been announced at Oregon State University, where a multidisciplinary team will be working to establish standards for the worldwide industry.

ArcView analyzes state of world legal cannabis markets in 2019

Planet WatchCalifornia's ArcView Market Research and its affiliated BDS Analytics have released a "2019 Update" to the 6th edition of their report on The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, which was published back in June. The Update takes stock of events in the second half of the year, and anticipates that worldwide spending on legal cannabis will grow 39.1% to $17 billion in 2019.

Efforts mount to expunge old cannabis convictions

Posted on January 15th, 2019 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

leafWith cannabis now legal in 10 US states as well as Canada, demands are growing to wipe out past convictions for personal possession. Politicians have started to respond—but not fast enough for some advocates.

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