Pre-Legalization Marijuana Convictions Being Cleared in California Under New Law

Nearly 220,000 cases are eligible for erasure or reduction.

California Statehouse

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July 1, 2019

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Under a new California law, the California Department of Justice has been reviewing all marijuana convictions that could be reduced or expunged due to voters approving marijuana for recreational use in 2016.

The deadline for them to complete their review is July 1, 2019.

According to the Department of Justice, it estimates nearly 220,000 cases are eligible for erasure or reduction and by Monday they are required to compile a list of eligible cases to bring forward to district attorney offices in California.

Cannabis Prohibitionists ‘Tricking’ Voters to Sign Petition in Massachusetts

Ohio Senate Votes, 32-0, To Reject House Changes to Cannabis, Hemp Laws

Michigan’s New 24% Cannabis Wholesale Tax Leads CBT’s Top Stories in October

Majority of Canadians Want Carney Government to Catch Up on Cannabis Policy

Cannabis Prohibitionists ‘Tricking’ Voters to Sign Petition in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association is accusing signature gatherers of deceptive tactics for their ballot initiative campaign.

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Ohio Senate Votes, 32-0, To Reject House Changes to Cannabis, Hemp Laws

The House’s substitute bill to regulate hemp products fails to ‘close the loophole for synthetic THC,’ according to one senator.

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Michigan’s New 24% Cannabis Wholesale Tax Leads CBT’s Top Stories in October

The new tax is set to go into effect Jan. 1. Trump’s drug czar nominee’s cannabis policy and the government shutdown also led the top stories this month.

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Majority of Canadians Want Carney Government to Catch Up on Cannabis Policy

Three in five Canadians say it’s time the legal cannabis industry was treated as an economic opportunity.

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10th Circuit Court Rules 2018 Farm Bill Does Not Preempt Wyoming Hemp THC Laws

The appellate court ruled that states like Wyoming have the right to redefine hemp in a more restrictive manner than the federal standard.

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39 Attorneys General Tell Federal Lawmakers to Ban Hemp THC Products

The bipartisan group wrote a letter to GOP committee leaders, asking that they redefine hemp in the appropriations process or farm bill reauthorization.

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Ohio House Passes Cannabis, Hemp Bill Resulting From ‘Venn Diagram From Hell’

The substitute bill alters the state’s 2023 voter-approved legalization initiative and provides a legal pathway for selling intoxicating hemp products.

Ohio state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, discusses a substitute bill that would amend a voter-approved adult-use cannabis initiative from 2023 and provide a regulatory framework for intoxicating hemp products.

Wisconsin Lawmakers Rally for Medical Cannabis Legalization in Committee Hearing

The state Senate’s top Republican officers shared personal stories to advocate for reform in the chamber’s Health Committee hearing.

Nora Lowe (middle), a 17-year-old with Rett syndrome, testifies in support of a medical cannabis bill on Oct. 22 during the Wisconsin Senate Committee on Health hearing. She's joined by her parents, Megan and Josh.

Rhode Island Cannabis Chair Steps Down; Adult-Use Dispensary Awards Months Away

The state commission’s inaugural chairperson, Kimberly Ahern, is leaving her post as 24 adult-use dispensary licenses won’t be awarded until May 2026.

Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission Chair Kim Ahern stepped down.

‘Rent-a-License’ Scheme Highlights New York Cannabis’s Track-and-Trace Problem

State regulators filed multiple charges against processor and distributor Omnium Canna, seeking license revocation, debarment and fines.

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Massachusetts Ballot Campaign to End Adult-Use Cannabis Market ‘On Track’ to Collect Enough Signatures

The petitioners aim to collect more than the 74,574 signatures needed to place ‘Version B’ of a prohibition initiative on the 2026 ballot.

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Ohio Judge Blocks Governor’s Intoxicating Hemp Product Ban for 2 Weeks

The trial court judge granted a temporary restraining order that delays Gov. Mike DeWine’s executive order to shut down hemp THC product sales.

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