Global Ganja Report

New York state is just now accepting applications for retail cannabis licenses. But the Big Apple already sees a thriving retail trade in cannabis products, from both storefronts and street stalls—more or less tolerated by authorities. What legal rights do these unlicensed operators have, and will they survive the imposition of the licensing regime?

Peter Lamborn Wilson, celebrated "underground intellectual" and a pivotal figure in the revival of American anarchism over the past 40 years, died May 23 at his home in Saugerties, NY, reportedly from a heart attack. A controversial as well as inspirational figure, Wilson was the author of several cult classics, ranging from ecstatic rants to anti-authoritarian interpretations of history and what he called "drop-out culture."

The Empire State and Big Sky Country, although seemingly on opposite sides of America’s political divide, now each face the opportunity—and the challenge—of crafting a post-prohibition cannabis economy on the principle of justice for all.

With political and legal space opening for cannabis in state after state, a backlash is manifesting in the idea of caps on the potency—whether of bud, extracts or edibles. Voices from the industry and activist community see this as a throwback to the days of Reefer Madness.

Native American nations in New York state are eyeing the legal cannabis business, with some reservations already operating dispensaries. With state authorities yet to issue licensing regulations, the Shinnecock and Iroquois nations are asserting their rights under principles of indigenous sovereignty.

New York’s new mayor has inherited a real human rights crisis at Rikers Island, the city’s principal jail, with desperate inmates launching hunger strikes in protest of oppressive and dangerous conditions. Promises by the previous administration to close the facility saw insufficient action, “decarceration” advocates charge. But with the new admin, the situation may be going from bad to worse.

An official study in New York reveals numerous false positives in drug tests carried out by the state prison system, with hundreds of inmates punished (sometimes quite harshly) for imbibing that did not actually take place —including for cannabinoids. 

With growing legal and cultural space for cannabis, can the mere smell of the stuff still be sufficient cause for a search that could potentially land you in jail? The answer is that the courts are divided on this question. Meanwhile, cannabis attorneys warn against the fatal error of consenting to a search.