Merry Jane (May 23, 2018) Though Californians have long been on the frontlines of cannabis legalization, less could be said of their elected representatives. Only recently has incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein — who faces a primary election on June 5th — begun to vocalize support for legal marijuana, despite over twenty-five years of serving as the Golden State’s top lawmaker in Washington. But Alison Hartson, one of the Democratic challengers aiming for Feinstein’s seat, says she’s personally never had to “evolve” on the matter of legal cannabis, because she’s supported it all along.

NBC Los Angeles (May 23, 2018) The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to back legislation that would automatically remove or reduce certain cannabis-related convictions. Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Hilda Solis recommended support for AB 1793. The bill sponsored by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, would shift the work of identifying cases eligible for dismissal or misdemeanor status to the Department of Justice, rather than individuals convicted.

East Bay Express (May 23, 2018) Most people used to get a doctor’s “recommendation” (not a prescription) to buy marijuana. These cards usually expired in one year and cost anywhere from $30 to $100. It often came on a sheet of paper with an embossed seal, as well as on a pocket-sized card. This “recommendation,” plus a driver’s license, was required to walk into a dispensary. What almost no one had, or has, is the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Medical Marijuana Identification Card.

Merry Jane (May 22, 2018) The relatively sudden growth of the country’s cannabis industry has left local government officials scrambling to create the regulations necessary to govern businesses without federal oversight, and for many canna-legal states, a finalized set of marijuana rules has remained a moving target. In California, recreational cannabis sales became legal at the beginning of the year, but the industry is still operating under a set of emergency regulations which were set to expire this spring.

Leafly (May 15, 2018) The San Francisco district attorney’s office is partnering with the nonprofit Code for America to proactively wipe out thousands of marijuana convictions using a computer algorithm. District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement Tuesday the partnership will help prosecutors identify those that are eligible under California’s revised marijuana laws.

News Review (May 23, 2018) The best opportunity to help California’s struggling commercial cannabis industry may lie with two state lawmakers who opposed marijuana when they worked in law enforcement. The need for change was highlighted this month when the state released revenue figures for the first three months of the year, the opening weeks of California’s commercial marijuana market. The state collected $32 million in cannabis excise taxes, which indicates revenues are less than half of what was expected.

Globe Newswire (May 22, 2018) Nutritional High International Inc. is pleased to comment on the proposed extension of emergency cannabis regulations currently in effect by California’s 3 licensing authorities: The Bureau of Cannabis Control, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Food and Agriculture.

The Detroit News (May 21, 2018) Recreational marijuana sales became legal in California this year, and the industry is targeting tourists as well as locals, with tours, shops, lodging and ads. “Just seconds from LAX,” says an ad for the MedMen chain. Yep, there are chains of marijuana stores here. And there are cannabis bus tours, too, like Green Line Trips, with stops at local pot dispensaries along with stops at attractions like Griffith Park.

Mondaq (May 21, 2018) An experimental drug derived from cannabis is well poised to become the first of its kind drug to win approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). The drug in question is being developed by GW Pharmaceuticals and is currently known as Epidiolex. Epidiolex is GW’s lead cannabinoid product candidate and is a proprietary oral solution of pure plant-derived cannabidiol, or CBD.

The Legal Intelligencer (May 21, 2018) The sale of cannabis is illegal under federal law in all 50 states, U.S. territories and U.S. possessions. Yet, as of May 1, 29 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam and Puerto Rico recognized the legality of marijuana in some form (raw or processed) and for some purpose (medicinal or adult-use/recreational). The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lists cannabis as a Schedule I Substance, lacking any beneficial or medical value.

Marijuana.com (May 21, 2018) California and Ohio are the only two states with noteworthy marijuana legislation scheduled to be heard during the week of May 21, 2018. On Tuesday, two California bills will go before the Senate Appropriations Committee. One proposal seeks to reschedule cannabidiol (CBD) while the other looks to create a network of state banks to handle deposits from California’s legal cannabis industry.