Marijuana

National

'Illegal To Essential': How The Coronavirus Is Boosting The Legal Cannabis Industry

1:38pm April 20, 2020

by Brakkton Booker

More than 20 states designated marijuana businesses essential during the coronavirus shutdown. Cannabis activists say it's a remarkable development, given that it remains illegal under federal law.

In San Francisco, dispensaries were first left off city's list of "essential businesses." The city's Department of Health now says "cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents."

Health & Safety

Amid Coronavirus, San Francisco, New York, Deem Marijuana Businesses 'Essential'

4:40pm March 18, 2020

by Brakkton Booker

Officials in San Francisco reversed course and are allowing dispensaries to stay open during the "shelter in place" order. New York made a similar declaration for its medical marijuana businesses.

Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced she has asked a judge to wipe out and seal cannabis-related convictions dating back to 1956. It's the culmination of a partnership with the nonprofit group Code for America which used computer-based alg

National

LA County DA Moves To Dismiss 66,000 Marijuana-Related Convictions

6:01pm February 14, 2020

by Vanessa Romo

"We believe it is the largest effort in California to wipe out old criminal convictions in a single court motion," District Attorney Jackie Lacey said.

A marijuana plant grows in California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest. This plant is part of an illegal growing operation by highly organized drug cartels that take advantage of the forests' thick canopy to help hide their operations.

National

Illegal Pot Operations In Public Forests Are Poisoning Wildlife And Water

12:39pm November 12, 2019

by Eric Westervelt

Insecticides and other chemicals found at the sites threaten long-term damage to ecosystems. California law enforcement, ecologists and others are cracking down.

Queue Listen Now

Workers prune marijuana plants at a Clever Leaves greenhouse in Pesca, Colombia. The company employs over 450 people.

Colombia Is Turning Into A Major Medical Marijuana Producer

9:01am September 07, 2019

by John Otis

The country wants to shake its image as an illicit narco nation. Now it's already home to more than two dozen legit cannabis companies, with exports to Canada and the U.K.

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University of Pittsburgh researchers developed a prototype device that can measure the amount of THC in a person's breath.

Scientists Unveil Weed Breathalyzer, Launching Debate Over Next Steps

3:24pm September 05, 2019

by Francesca Paris

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed the latest tool to detect THC — the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — in a person's breath.

Marijuana use is risky for teens and pregnant women and can be habit-forming, says the U.S. surgeon general.

Health & Safety

Surgeon General Sounds Alarm On Risk Of Marijuana Addiction And Harm

5:23pm August 29, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

As more than 30 states have liberalized marijuana laws, the use and potency of the drug have increased. The surgeon general says there's no safe amount of marijuana for adolescents and pregnant women.

Queue Listen Now

U.S. officers found nearly four tons of marijuana in a shipment of peppers in San Diego.

National

Spicy With A Twist: Nearly 4 Tons Of Pot Found In Jalapeno Shipment

3:32pm August 19, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

Hundreds of bulky green packages were discovered amid the spicy chiles. The drugs seized at a San Diego cargo facility were valued at $2.3 million.

A Court of Appeals ruled that "the odor of marijuana coupled with possession of what is clearly less than ten grams ... does not grant officers probable cause" to search and arrest a person.

National

Maryland Court Rules Marijuana Odor Not Enough To Search A Person

6:07pm August 16, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

The state's Court of Appeals said officers violated a man's Fourth Amendment rights by conducting a warrantless search of his person, after he was approached in a car that smelled of pot.

Farmers Face Off With Police Over Possible Smokable Hemp Ban

4:29pm July 24, 2019

by Associated Press and Eddie Garcia

Rapidly growing sales of hemp are poised to help North Carolina farmers that are still transitioning away from once-profitable tobacco plants.