Marijuana

Commentary

Banning retail cannabis outlets fuels the illicit market

Despite popular approval of Prop. 64, only 85 of the state’s 500 municipalities allow retail cannabis sales.

By

Guest Commentary

• February 17, 2022

Cannabis plants at the Pure Beauty growing site in Sacramento on Jan. 26, 2022. Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters

Politics

Gavin Newsom was the face of legal cannabis in California. Can he fix its problems?

The governor championed the ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. The struggling legal cannabis industry is now calling on him to cut state taxes, but his office says the solution isn’t that simple.

By

Alexei Koseff

• January 31, 2022

Commentary

Local bans on licensed cannabis sales bolster illicit market

It’s time for local officials to put an end to unwarranted fears surrounding the establishment of marijuana retailers.

By

Guest Commentary

• January 5, 2022

Commentary

Two cannabis bills detrimental to public health and food safety

We can allow safer legal access to cannabis and useful hemp products without going backward in our commitments to public health and food safety.

By

Guest Commentary

• September 7, 2021

The vandalized water source where most water thefts occur in Lancaster, on July 2, 2021. The water is pumped into large containers that are sold and bought on the sides of the road. Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters

Environment

Thieves are stealing California’s scarce water. Where’s it going? Illegal marijuana farms

As drought grips most of California, water thefts have increased to record levels. Thieves tap into hydrants, pump water from rivers and break into remote water stations and tanks.

By

Julie Cart

• July 20, 2021

Trump tax returns Gavin Newsom Jerry Brown

WhatMatters

‘Not sustainable’: Jerry Brown bursts Newsom’s budget bubble

Gov. Newsom's predecessor poked a hole in his budget bubble by calling the state's spending "not sustainable" and predicting "fiscal stress."

By

Emily Hoeven

• July 14, 2021

Politics

Will psychedelics become legal in California?

The state Senate passed a bill to legalize hallucinogenic drugs for Californians 21 and older. Could psychedelics become the next cannabis?

By

Marissa Garcia

• June 10, 2021

Commentary

Ballot measures for local access to legal cannabis rack up wins in California

Until the state provides full access to legal cannabis, Californians will do what they do best: Get their civic engagement on.

By

Guest Commentary

• November 14, 2020

California Capitol, home of the Assembly and Senate. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Dan Walters

Semi-secret ‘trailer bills’ pop up

The California Legislature's budget "trailer bills" have morphed into vehicles to make major policy decrees outside of the usual legislative process.

By

Dan Walters

• August 27, 2020

Cleverson Davis, a waiter at Palermo Italian Restaurant in San Jose tends to customers while wearing a mask on June 5, 2020. Photo by Dai Sugano, Bay Area News Group

WhatMatters

State cracks down on bars, restaurants

Good morning, California. It’s Tuesday, July 7. Newsom ramps up enforcement Amid intense criticism for reopening California’s economy too quickly, Gov. Gavin Newsom is ramping up enforcement of his coronavirus orders following the 16th straight day of record hospitalizations. Twenty-three counties are now on the state’s coronavirus watch list, with new additions Colusa, Madera, Marin, […]

By

Emily Hoeven

• July 7, 2020