Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried has lauded the passing of Senate Bill 1020, which will establish an expanded hemp program in the state. "Today's historic vote is eighty years in the making – Florida is now on the verge of establishing a state hemp...

It didn't take long for Illinois' industrial hemp program to go nuts - and licenses are already being issued. The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)  began accepting applications from prospective industrial hemp growers and processors on April 30. Governor JB Pritzker was keen to spruik the program, stating: "Industrial hemp is...

Thomas Jefferson University cannabis researchers have again benefited from the generosity of Australia's Joy and Barry Lambert. The philanthropist pair have provided a USD $2 million gift to Thomas Jefferson University to advance medical solutions utilizing industrial hemp and its derivatives. "Research into hemp is important to me and Joy, because...

A generous alumnus of MIT and Harvard University has gifted a bundle of bucks to further research at the institutions into phytocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids are compounds in plants thought to be provide plants with some protection from UV rays, pestilence and predation. They are being increasingly utilised in humans for medical...

And yet another U.S governor appears to have an industrial hemp bill on his desk to sign - this time in Hawai'i. The Hawaii Tribune Herald reported early this week a conference committee reviewing Senate Bill 1353 recommended it be passed as part of its last minute business. SB1353 recognizes the...

An industrial hemp bill championed by Washington state Senator Doug Ericksen was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee on Friday. Senate Bill 5276  authorizes and establishes a new licensing and regulatory program for hemp production in Washington that will operate in line with the Federal Agriculture Improvement Act of...

Another hemp bill is on its way to a U.S. Governor, this time in Iowa - and it looks to be in pretty good shape to make it across the line. Iowa lawmakers gave the green light to Senate File 599 last week, which is by now probably on Governor Kim...

A crucial bill for hemp has passed in Indiana, and has now headed to Governor Eric Holcomb for his signature. "This means we will be off to the next steps in the process of having commercial hemp in 2020," stated the Midwest Hemp Council's page; with the comment attributed to the Office of Indiana...

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies (PBT) announced the development of the first state-licensed industrial hemp farm in Maui, Hawai'i earlier this week. Maui is part of the Hawaiian archipelago and covers an area of 1,884 km². PBT founders Bob and Kelly King said the Maui hemp facility will operate under the King's...

A bill to expand Texas's medical cannabis program made it through a House Committee with unanimous support yesterday. House Bill 1365 would see more qualifying conditions added and importantly strikes the word "low-THC" from laws, replacing it with "medical".  Medical cannabis is defined in the Bill as: "..the plant Cannabis sativa L., and any...