As 2021 comes to a close, our team took a look to see which Cannabis Wire stories people read the most.
Unsurprisingly, after a year of unprecedented lobbying on cannabis, our most-read stories were about major mainstream companies diving into the cannabis industry.
This year, Cannabis Wire was the first news organization to report that Amazon and Altria (maker of Marlboro) began to lobby on cannabis.
We also noticed strong interest in our coverage of cannabis regulation and research.
Here are the top ten:
• Amazon Is Officially Lobbying on Cannabis
While the global online retail giant said in June that it would support the MORE Act, a bill to end the federal criminalization of cannabis, it formally registered early Wednesday morning.
• Altria, Maker of Marlboro Cigarettes, Is Lobbying on Cannabis Sales in Virginia
Altria, parent company of Philip Morris USA, recently registered to lobby on cannabis in Virginia, where a legalization bill backed by the governor is sailing through the legislature.
• A Narrow Window Opens for National Cannabis Reform
Major legislation has a chance to get through Congress, but will advocates push in the same direction?
As energy builds behind national cannabis reform, increasingly mainstream and global companies are lobbying on cannabis for the first time.
• A First in Cannabis Research: A National Standard THC Dose
The National Institute on Drug Abuse announced that a “standard THC unit” will be 5 milligrams, marking the first federal definition of a cannabis “dose” for researchers.
• Florida Lawmakers’ Cannabis Legalization Efforts Expand But Face High Hurdles
More lawmakers have filed bills to legalize adult use cannabis in the 2021 legislative session, which begins today, than ever before, but the opposition has hardly eased.
• New York Lawmakers Gear Up to Try to Legalize Cannabis, Again
Key lawmakers tell Cannabis Wire that equity remains a legalization priority, but that they don’t expect adult use cannabis sales to bridge New York’s budget gap.
• The USDA Has Released Its Final Rule on Hemp Regulation
The revision includes some changes that hemp advocates, regulators, and other stakeholders have called for, but not all.
• A “Window” Into What’s Next for California’s Cannabis Appellations
The state will soon be the first jurisdiction in the world to recognize cannabis appellations, similar to those that exist for wine, like Champagne.
• As Comments Close on the Most Comprehensive Cannabis Reform Plan in Congress, Themes Emerge
From the need to respect existing state programs to a call for less “onerous” taxes and regulations, here’s what people had to say about the CAO Act from Senators Schumer, Booker, and Wyden.
