1. Oakland’s cannabis equity program is hurting those it was supposed to help. Oakland reserved half of its cannabis permits for applicants who have been disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. But for Alexis Bronson, one recipient of an equity permit, the structural flaws in the implementation of the program has hindered his ability to get his business off the ground, and might end up ruining his chances of having a successful legal venture. – SF CHRONICLE 

2. Edibles, beverages, and vaping will remain illegal in Canada. These key segments of Canada’s cannabis industry will remain banned for up to a year after the drug becomes legal for recreational use in the country due to the government's assentation that it needs more time to address the “unique risks” around that slice of the market, including quality control, dosage, portion sizes and packaging. Because these products are so popular, however, many believe this will only support the black market, which legalization was poised to kill off. – BLOOMBERG

1. Legal cannabis could tip key Senate races for Democrats. The issue of legal recreational or medical cannabis is emerging as a way for moderate Democrats in red states to shore up support from the liberal edges of the party, and political strategists believe the issue could tip tight races to Democrats. "It is no longer an issue with a political downside," one strategist commented; "it’s an issue with almost entirely political upside.” – POLITICO

2. With legal cannabis in Canada, the U.S.-Canadian border stands to become a "thin marijuana militarized zone." Canadian border towns are expecting—and welcoming—an influx of American tourists looking to partake in the nation's new recreational cannabis market. But with the U.S. barring Canadians who have used the drug or simply work in the industry entering the country and punishing American citizens carrying legal cannabis back home, the border is set to cause friction between the nations. – WAPO

4. The promise of cannabis tax money could change voters' minds on legalization. An influx of tax dollars brought on by legal cannabis has been featured prominently in numerous state campaigns as a reason to support legalization, and one case study suggests that this promise could flip voters' minds on the issue. – CANNABIS WIRE

3. A new study shows that legal cannabis helps police departments solve other crimes. Published in the journal Police Quarterly, the study found that in states with legal cannabis programs, police clearance rates—or the number of crimes that resulted in an arrest divided by the total number of reported crimes—increased significantly. That's because when cannabis is legal, departments no longer have to allocate resources low-level drug offenses, freeing them up to focus on bigger crimes. – MARIJUANA MOMENT

4. Thailand is taking steps to legalize medical cannabis. Thailand is known for its tough policies against drug trafficking, but the country is taking a page from Canada and is seeking to lead the way in Asia in legalizing medical cannabis. The reasons for pursuing legal weed are largely economic—in the past, Thailand has been one of the largest exports of illegal cannabis. Now, the nation wants to cash in on that industry. – BLOOMBERG

5. Under the Farm Bill, drug felons could be banned from the hemp industry. While the Farm Bill has been praised by hemp activists for giving hemp-derived CBD new legal protections and making hemp eligible for crop insurance and federal water rights, language in the legislation also places a lifetime ban on anyone “convicted of a felony related to a controlled substance under state or federal law.” – HEMP INDUSTRY DAILY

6. In New Jersey, legal cannabis could still be a ways away. Gov. Philip D. Murphy campaigned heavily on a promise to legalize cannabis for recreational use this year, a move that would have generated $80 million in annual tax revenue. But more than halfway through the governor’s first year, the effort has stalled. And there's no end in sight. – NYT

7. New York's health department has recommended legalizing recreational cannabis. In a much-anticipated report, the Department of Health cited the steady rise of public acceptance of the drug as well as the disparate impacts of its prohibition on low-income communities of color as reasons to legalize cannabis in the state. It also estimates the state could generate between $248 and $678 million in annual tax revenue from the legal market. – POLITICO

5. Canada's health insurers are wary of covering medical cannabis. Seventeen years after Canada legalized medical cannabis, the country's second-largest insurer finally added medical cannabis to its coverage. Though it's an important step, only a handful of conditions are covered and premiums for the drug are high, reflecting the cautious nature of the rest of the nation's insurance companies, who fear high costs and "thin clinical evidence for its efficacy." – REUTERS

6. California's dispensaries are scrambling to restock their shelves under the state's new regulations. Retail shops had a six-month grace period to sell their products harvested or processed before 2018, which led to the "weed apocalypse" that dawned earlier this summer when the July 1 deadline approached. Now that the old products have been sold or destroyed, the companies face another challenge: restocking. – CHICAGO SUN TIMES

7. Another study has linked medical cannabis to reductions in opioid prescriptions. The study found that between 1993 and 2014, state-legal medical cannabis programs led to a 30% reduction in opioid subscriptions among Medicaid enrollees—and a significant reduction in costs. "[I]f all the states had legalized medical cannabis by 2014, Medicaid annual spending on opioid prescriptions would be reduced by 17.8 million dollars," the study projected. This research is the latest in a string of studies correlating legal cannabis with lower opioid use rates. – FORBES

1. Canadian cannabis workers are being banned from the U.S. Despite legal weed's state-by-state movement across the U.S., the drug is still illegal at the federal level. And with the border under federal jurisdiction, that means the government can ban anyone associated with the drug from crossing over. While convicted drug users have always been banned, the U.S. now considers anyone associated with Canada's legal cannabis industry to be "inadmissible" and banned for life, whether they use the drug or not. – THE STAR

2. Jeff Sessions is still blocking medical cannabis research. Two years ago, the DEA decided to end the federal monopoly on producing cannabis for scientific research in the U.S., but two dozen applications for licensing are still in regulatory limbo despite support from Congress. The issue? Attorney General Jeff Sessions decided to intervene in the process—which has historically not involved the attorney general—in order to stop the DEA from issuing licenses to growers. It's just one of Sessions' many moves aimed at thwarting research into cannabis. – REASON

3. This year's biggest cannabis battles are in red states. Supporters and opponents of legalizing cannabis are preparing to fight over ballot measures in half a dozen states this year including Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma. After years of making strides in typically liberal states, the political battleground of cannabis is shifting into some of the country’s most conservative areas, signifying the drug's growing acceptance. – THE HILL

4. Israel's cannabis tech industry is taking on America's opioid crisis. Advocates of medical cannabis are pushing to research and use the plant as an alternative to prescription painkillers, which led to 63,600 overdose deaths in 2016 alone. But Israel's already-established medical cannabis industry is years ahead of the U.S., and entrepreneurs in the Middle Eastern country are working to solve America's crisis. – WIRED

5. With legal cannabis coming to Canada, investors are jumping on board. The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada will take effect Oct. 17, setting off a major opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to get in on the birth of what could be the most lucrative financial boom since the dot-com era. Already, Canada's cannabis stocks are set to surge once the legal market comes online. – NYT

6. California is flooded with unfounded health claims about cannabis. Since the arrival of legal recreational cannabis to the state, proponents of the drug have gone so far as to claim that cannabis can cure cancer, poising the drug as a magical elixir that can heal nearly any ailment. But little evidence exists to support these claims, and scientists and physicians are urging supporters to tone down the declarations. – LA TIMES