Cannabis Law

Supreme Court takes up a disarming case over gun control and marijuana use

An important Second Amendment case to be heard next week by the U.S. Supreme Court involves a provision of a 1968 federal gun control law and what it means for habitual marijuana users in an era when the justices are still defining the modern scope of gun rights.

Feb 26, 2026 8:57 AM CST

Coco Su helps expand access to justice throughout California

Coco Su has worked with the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s lawyer referral service, SmartLaw, for more than a decade and is now its director. She has been the driving force behind many of its efforts to increase access to justice for underserved communities and low-to-moderate income consumers.

Jun 9, 2025 9:12 AM CDT

States grapple with regulating seltzer drinks with THC

As controversy ensues across the states, some say low-THC products should be outlawed completely.

Jun 1, 2025 12:50 AM CDT

SCOTUS decision for fired trucker could create ‘quite a mess’ of RICO personal injury cases, dissent says

A truck driver fired for having THC in his system after taking a product said to be free of the substance can seek triple damages under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act even if the alleged business damage stemmed from a personal injury, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

Apr 3, 2025 8:45 AM CDT

Dive into our favorite long reads of 2024

The end of the year will hopefully bring you some downtime for leisure reading. We’ve curated a list of some of our favorite web and print long reads from 2024.

Dec 23, 2024 9:35 AM CST

Lawyer accused of storing 1,000 pounds of marijuana at law office enters guilty plea

A Virginia lawyer has been temporarily suspended after pleading guilty for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana.

Oct 4, 2024 9:14 AM CDT

Maryland governor pardons 175,000 marijuana convictions in sweeping order

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore issued a mass pardon of more than 175,000 marijuana convictions Monday morning, one of the nation’s most sweeping acts of clemency involving a drug now in widespread recreational use.

Jun 18, 2024 9:00 AM CDT

With reclassifying proposal for cannabis, companies are seeing green

The smoke is finally clearing on decades of stigma. On Thursday, the White House Office of Management and Budget signed off on a proposal for the reclassification of marijuana, puffing the way forward from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug.

May 17, 2024 12:11 PM CDT

Attorney general moves to reclassify marijuana as lower-risk drug

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday recommended loosening restrictions on marijuana, a historic shift in federal drug policy that could broaden access to the drug for medicinal use and boost cannabis industries in states where it is legal.

Apr 30, 2024 2:12 PM CDT

Pulling the Weed: Bankruptcy opinion shows debt restructure path for cannabis workers

While 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana use, it remains a criminal activity under the federal Controlled Substances Act, and bankruptcy courts generally have been a rather hostile forum for debtors employed in the marijuana industry.

Apr 18, 2024 11:35 AM CDT

Budding cannabis law courses are growing—but not fast enough

An increasing number of law schools around the country are offering cannabis law courses, but some professors think that even more are needed. “We’re still playing catch-up.”

Apr 15, 2024 9:30 AM CDT

Sept. 25, 1930: U.S. names its first drug czar

Even before the end of Prohibition in 1933, public concern about narcotics addiction had been mounting. In the latter half of the 19th century, various opioids and cocaine were used in “patent medicines” and were widely available for sale, with drug laws and their enforcement deferred to the states.

Aug 1, 2023 12:10 AM CDT

New recreational cannabis laws could make it harder for employers to fire impaired workers

New Jersey now has the equivalent of hall monitors in some workplaces. Except these hall monitors—known officially as workplace impairment recognition experts—are keeping an eye on the adults in the building. They are looking for signs the adults are high.

Feb 1, 2023 1:00 AM CST

Relax with our favorite long reads of 2022

Feel like curling up next to the fireplace with a good read? ABA Journal Managing Editor Kevin Davis has curated a selection of our favorite feature stories that ran in the magazine and online in 2022.

Dec 23, 2022 8:40 AM CST

Poll: Which ABA Journal magazine cover from 2022 was your favorite?

We covered a wide array of diverse, in-depth and hard-hitting legal topics at the ABA Journal in 2022.

Dec 12, 2022 8:47 AM CST