Ellen Komp 
UPDATE 2/26/26 – The cannabis language in the bill has been erased, following opposition from some in the cannabis industry, concerned that it would open the door to broader shipping. UPDATE 2/20/26 – During a chat with Capitol Weekly, new DCC chief Clint Kellum said (@ 19:46 in), that direct-mail options for cannabis could be …
UPDATE 1/26/2026: Asm. Irwin’s bill to ban disposable vapes passed in the Assembly Appropriations committee and was headed for a floor vote when it was amended to remove cannabis vapes from the language. Cal NORML favors shifting to vapes with removable batteries and developing disposal options for cannabis vape waste. Manufacturers and retailers should explore re-designing vapes with …
UPDATE 5/29/26: A lawsuit was filed by STASH against the city on May 22; a court hearing on the suit is scheduled for Sept. 21, case number #CV2026-1591 in Yolo County. In a press release, the plaintiff states: “This case represents a growing and deeply concerning pattern occurring throughout California, where cannabis equity programs, originally …
Last night was like a thousand years. I was obsessed with indescribable sensations, alternative visions of excessive happiness and oppressive moods of extreme sorrow. I wandered for aeons through countless worlds, mingling with all types of humanity, from the most saintly persons down to the lowest type of abysmal brute. – Jack London, of a …
UPDATE 5/26: The Study Has Been Released California NORML is sponsoring a laboratory study to investigate the safety of electronic vape pens. The study is designed to measure toxic emissions such as benzene, formaldehyde, and heavy metals that could be dangerous to health, as well as the amounts of THC and cannabinoids they deliver to …
Efforts to reform federal cannabis laws remain stuck on hold in Washington, D.C. There is no indication as to whether the administration plans to move marijuana from Schedule I to III, as proposed by the Biden administration in April 2024. The DEA’s leadership has expressed skepticism about the proposal and has been sitting on it …
State and federal lawmakers have moved to clamp down on hemp products, leaving Californians at a loss to legally obtain natural hemp CBD medications. The California Department of Public Health has effectively banned the sale of hemp products pending the implementation of a new state licensing system in 2028. Meanwhile, the Congress has moved to …
UPDATED 10/13/2025 Six cannabis-related bills made it through the legislature this year and four were signed into law, while ten failed to advance. A bill from Asm. Haney to rollback cannabis taxes that Cal NORML sponsored became law, as did bills to regulate hemp from Asm. Aguiar-Curry and Sen. Wiener, and a bill from Asm. …
Governor Newsom has signed the Cal NORML-sponsored bill, AB 564 (Haney), to roll back the cannabis excise tax increase that happened on July 1 from 19% back to 15% on October 1, 2025. Thanks to all Cal NORML’s supporters who helped lobby for the bill (including at our Lobby Day in March), and all who …
Read the hearing transcript: Public Hearing Serving Size and Age for Industrial Hemp Transcript Regulations webpage: DPH-24-005E Emergency Regulations for Serving Size, Age, and Intoxicating Cannabinoids for Industrial Hemp 7/28/25 – The California Dept. of Public Health held a hearing today on proposed regulations extending a ban on hemp-derived products with any amount of …