legalized marijuana News

Federal Officials Issue Health Warning on Marijuana Use by Teens, Pregnant Women

Federal health officials issued a national warning Thursday against marijuana use by adolescents and pregnant women, as more states legalize the increasingly potent drug for medicinal and recreational use. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Surgeon General Jerome …

Marijuana Access Reduces Opioid-Related Deaths: Research

Marijuana access leads to reductions in opioid-related deaths, according to new research using data from 1999 through 2017. Investigators found that legalization and access to recreational marijuana cause a significant decline in opioid mortality with particularly pronounced benefits in states …

Bill Would End Federal Criminal Penalties for Marijuana

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden proposed legislation Friday that would give states a free hand to allow legal cannabis markets without the threat of federal criminal intervention, the latest push in Congress to bolster the nation’s burgeoning pot industry. The proposal, …

Data Show Car Accidents Up in States That First Legalized Marijuana

Crashes are up by as much as six percent in Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, compared with neighboring states that have not yet legalized marijuana for recreational use, according to research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and …

Canada Gets Ready for Legalized Recreational Marijuana on Oct. 17

Mat Beren and his friends used to drive by the vast greenhouses of southern British Columbia and joke about how much weed they could grow there. Years later, it’s no joke. The tomato and pepper plants that once filled some …

Canada’s Intact Financial Not Planning to Insure Recreational Cannabis Industry

Don’t expect Intact Financial Corp., Canada’s largest property and casualty insurer, to insure the recreational-cannabis industry anytime soon. “It’s not seen as the pot of gold that we should chase after,” Chief Financial Officer Louis Marcotte said Tuesday at the …

Big Insurers Still Taking a Pass on Marijuana Profits

Marijuana is already a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. that’s drawing attention from some lawmakers eager for tax revenue and investors looking for profits. So far, however, some of the biggest insurers are taking a pass. Allianz SE, Hartford Financial …

Canada Delays Sales of Recreational Cannabis in Retail Stores as Legalization Looms

Canada’s largest province is delaying the launch of private marijuana sales in bricks-and-mortar stores until April 2019, nearly six months after the drug is legalized for recreational use. Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government said Monday it will start cannabis sales with …

Some Recreational Cannabis Products to Remain Banned Under New Canada Law

A key segment of Canada’s marijuana industry will remain banned for up to a year after the drug becomes legal for recreational use — making it harder for Justin Trudeau to kill off the black market. Edibles, beverages, and pot …

Canadian Health Insurers Reluctant to Provide Cover for Medical Marijuana

Sun Life Financial, Canada’s No. 2 insurer, recently started covering medical marijuana in its Canadian health insurance plan – more than 17 years after the country first legalized it. The coverage, which requires employers to pay a premium, extends only …