1. Cannabis arrests are growing across the U.S., according to FBI data. Despite the spread of state-level cannabis legalization, arrests for the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis rose last year over 2016. Now a cannabis-related arrest occurs roughly every 48 seconds, according to the FBI, and in 2017, they made up 40 percent of the nation's drug arrests. "Actions by law enforcement run counter to both public support and basic morality," said Justin Strekal, political director of NORML. "In a day and age where twenty percent of the population lives in states which have legalized and nearly every state has some legal protections for medical cannabis or its extract, the time [has come] for lawmakers to end this senseless and cruel prohibition that ruins lives." – FORBES

2. One hundred and twenty-nine countries signed on President Trump's U.N. pledge to fight drugs. Last week, Trump kicked off the United Nations General Assembly in New York with a meeting aimed at ramping up the global war on drugs. To attend the meeting, invited countries had to sign “a controversial, nonnegotiable action plan." The 129 countries in attendance signed the pledge, which required nations to "develop national action plans to reduce demand for illicit drugs through education, expand treatment efforts, strengthen international cooperation on justice, law enforcement and health, and cut off the supply by stopping production." – REUTERS

1. A U.S. territory has become the latest place to legalize cannabis. The Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a Pacific territory with a population of just over 50,000, signed a bill that allows adults over 21 years of age to legally possess up to one ounce of cannabis, as well as infused products and extracts, and grow a small number of plants at home. The bill also set regulations for the commercial industry, which will include producers, testing facilities, processors, retailers, wholesalers and lounges. CNMI is the first place in the country to legalize cannabis through an act of lawmakers instead of by ballot initiative. – FORBES

2. New York lawmakers have scheduled a hearing on cannabis legalization. Held next month in New York City, the session will be the first in a series of four to give lawmakers and citizens the opportunity to learn more about legal cannabis programs in other states. The hearings are just one step in what could lead to the legalization of recreational cannabis in the state. Governor Andrew Cuomo is also holding a series of listening sessions across the state to gather public input on legalization, and a formal working group is currently drafting legislation for lawmakers to consider in 2019. – MARIJUANA MOMENT

3. In Texas, a midterm election could change the face of cannabis. Medical cannabis laws in Texas are some of the most restrictive, and patients like 18-year-old Kara Zartlers, who has cerebral palsy and a severe form of autism, can't get access to the one drug that stops her symptoms. A midterm election in the state could change all that—current Representative Pete Sessions, who has made it his mission to reduce access to medical cannabis, is up against pro-cannabis candidate Colin Allred, whose very possible win could change the lives of many patients hoping to legally use the drug. – THE DAILY BEAST

4. Canadian cannabis companies are setting up shop in Colombia. Near the hometown of the former Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, at least seven Canadian companies have obtained licenses to legally grow medical cannabis in an area still scarred by the war on drugs. The companies are investing more than $100 million in operations in the Colombia, where cannabis can be grown at a fraction of the price—producing a gram of cannabis in Colombia costs 5 cents, compared to about $1.50 in Canada. The investment is being posited as a way to undo the damage of the war on drugs in the area and as "a crop that can bring health and wellness to Colombians," according to Bibiana Rojas, managing director of Spectrum Cannabis Colombia. – CBC

5. Jobs in legal cannabis are on the rise. A new report by employment agency Vangs found that cannabis-related jobs are on the rise and salaries are growing. Since 2015, the agency has connected some 7,500 job seekers with the legal industry. – FORBES

6. U.S. cannabis companies are eyeing the Canadian market. At least a dozen U.S.-based cannabis companies are preparing to go public on Canadian stock exchanges, igniting deals that are not yet possible on their home turf. – THE GLOBE AND MAIL

7. Canadian colleges and cannabis companies are working together to create training programs. As the cannabis industry continues to grow, so does the need for trained workers that can work in the legal industry. Now, companies and colleges are working together to create programs to fill specific needs. – FP

8. Those impacted by the war on drugs are still waiting for permits in San Francisco. San Francisco's Equity Program was built to make it easier for communities affected by the war on drugs to open legal cannabis businesses. But at 117 applications for the program are awaiting approval. – SF EXAMINER

9. A California judge ruled that a 5-year-old can bring her cannabis medication to school. Earlier this year, kindergartner Brooke Adams, who uses CBD to treat epilepsy, was told it was illegal for her to bring her medication to school. But a judge sided with Adams, which could bring about widespread change to the rules around cannabis on campuses. – LA TIMES

10. Children of mothers who use cannabis are found to use it earlier. According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, kids whose mothers use cannabis have an increased risk of using the drug themselves before age 17. – U.S. NEWS

3. A new study may have found why cannabis works for pain. Though much anecdotal evidence exists to support of using cannabis for pain relief, scientists have been hard-pressed to figure out exactly why it does. A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry claims to have found the answer. According to researchers, cannabinoid drugs actually increase people’s threshold for pain while reducing pain’s unpleasantness sensation. This suggests that cannabis’ ability to relieve pain may actually affect the mind instead of the body. “This [result] is especially salient because managing chronic pain is not solely about minimizing pain,” said Kevin Boehnke, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Michigan. “Sleep problems, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and other factors tie into the experience of chronic pain.” – INVERSE

4. Tilray shares plunged this morning to end a volatile week for cannabis stocks. Since going public in July, the Canadian cannabis company's shares have jumped more than sevenfold, topping out at over $200 a share earlier this week when it announced plans to import cannabis to the U.S. for a clinical trial. This morning, however, shares dropped more than 25 percent, inviting further comparisons of the cannabis market to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Even with the decline, however, Tilray has a market value of $12 billion, making it more valuable than Macy's or Harley-Davidson. – CBS

5. A California cannabis distributor is suing the feds. Eureka-based Wild Rivers Transport plans to file a lawsuit soon over an alleged “conspiracy” that led to the seizure of a large amount of cash by state Highway Patrol. – MJ BIZ DAILY

6. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says he's more worried about cannabis than nicotine for teens. "I'm worried about the inhalation of a product and the risks associated with that. I'm worried about the perception that somehow there's no risks associated with youth use of the product," he said. – CNBC

7. Insurance is becoming more accessible for cannabis businesses. Because it is still federally illegal, getting insured as a cannabis business has been difficult. But in California, a wave of insurance providers are expanding coverage to the industry. – HIGH TIMES

8. Maine says you can't get lobsters stoned before death. Earlier this week, the restaurant Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound announced that it would kill lobsters more humanely by getting them high first. But Maine officials say that's not legal. – NYT 

9. Kenyan lawmakers are pushing for legalization. A member of Kenya's Parliment is introducing a bill to decriminalize cannabis possession and use, clear past cannabis convictions, and set up a regulated commercial market. – MARIJUANA MOMENT

10. New York's police are still arresting people for cannabis consumption. Earlier this month, NYPD officials announced that cops would stop making low-level cannabis arrests, but they're doing so anyway. – MERRY JANE

1. President Trump is planning to ramp up the international drug war with a UN meeting. A week of high-level meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in New York will kick off with a drug policy event led by President Trump titled "Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem.” Invited countries have the harshest drug laws—some of which Trump has praised in the past—and must sign “a controversial, nonnegotiable action plan," presumably in an effort to "get countries to fall in line behind Trump and his administration," according to Hannah Hetzer, the senior international policy manager at the Drug Policy Alliance. "I think countries that sign this and then show up to this photo op should be very careful — they don’t really know what they are signing up to.” – THE INTERCEPT

2. A presidential appointee has quietly changed federal policies that improved racial disparities in youth incarceration. Though the number of children behind bars has been declining in the U.S. for the past 20 years, the racial disparity among those youth has been rising, thanks in part to a Trump administration appointee who has quietly been undoing the work of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The agency was set up in 1988 to shrink the youth incarceration racial gap and has been successful. But under Caren Harp, changes and cutbacks will make it difficult for the agency to continue its work. – THE MARSHALL PROJECT

3. Cannabis has turned a handful of men into millionaires and billionaires. Cannabis stock prices have been surging over the past few weeks, effectively turning a group of investors into millionaires and even billionaires. But as these men make fortunes off a federally illegal drug, many more languish in prison for cannabis-related crimes, many of which are no longer illegal. On top of that, the top cannabis companies are dominated by men, leaving another profitable market out of the hands of women. – BLOOMBERG

4. Is your data safe when you buy legal weed? To verify a cannabis customer’s age, retailers must see valid proof of identification, which is often stored by the retailer and could wind up in the hands of third parties. A bill in California would be the first to prohibit cannabis shops from selling this data without the customer’s explicit consent, and would also bar employers from obtaining information about employees who buy cannabis for recreational purposes and guarantee that medical cannabis cards are treated as confidential medical information. The bill is on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk and could become law before the end of the month. – CANNABIS WIRE

5. The world's first cannabis museum has opened in Las Vegas. Go for the glass bong taller than a giraffe, stay for the pool full of foam weed nuggets. – TIME

6. A condo board is battling the competing human rights of cannabis. While one woman in the building in Mississauga, Ontario, has a deadly allergy to cannabis, others reserve the right to grow and consume the drug that will soon be legal in Canada. – CBC

7. Marketers are ditching traditional companies for the cannabis industry. “Cannabis is sexy, cannabis is cool,” according to Amanda Guerrero, a business development manager. “Marketers are attracted to the space because they have the opportunity to market to a more open-minded, neutral audience.” – DIGIDAY

8. California will soon have one of the most tightly-regulated cannabis markets. The state will soon implement a strict seed-to-sale tracking system, which has some in the industry nervous. – MERCURY NEWS

9. Entrepreneurs are betting big on social consumption. Though social-use permits are few and far between across the U.S., some cannabis entrepreneurs are taking a "build it and they will come" approach to the niche market. – MJ BIZ DAILY

10. California's cannabis market will soon get appellations. With cannabis competition steep in California, craft growers are looking forward to having appellations that will make their strains more unique and desirable. – CBS

2. Regulating California's legal cannabis market is still a work in progress. While the state is eight months into its legal recreational market, the industry is still operating under emergency regulations, which is "an attempt to give band-aid regulations while we figure out the real challenges and how to streamline the system," according to Josh Drayton, director of communication and outreach for the California Cannabis Industry Association. Lawmakers have until the end of the year to create permanent regulations, but it's a heavy lift with the differing state and local laws and the dual medical and recreational markets. – FORBES