The New Arab • 5th November 2024

Inside Israel's campaign to undermine the United Nations

Israel officially notified the United Nations on Monday of its decision to cut ties with the agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, after adopting two bills last week banning its operations. The new legislation will take effect in 90 days and the UN has warned of devastating consequences for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where it is the largest aid provider amid famine-threshold levels of malnutrition. Experts interviewed by The New Arab say that Israel’s ban on UNRWA is a political act...

Forbes • 29th October 2024

Teen Marijuana Use Drops, But Girls Now Outpace Boys, New Study Finds

Marijuana use among teens has declined over the past decade, but new research shows that girls are now using it more than boys. A recent study by researchers from Florida Atlantic University, published in Pediatric Reports, shows that despite concerns that state-level marijuana legalization in the U.S. might lead to increased use among teens, usage is actually decreasing. However, the study also notes that girls are now surpassing boys in marijuana consumption. The study analyzes marijuana use t...

Forbes • 25th October 2024

Accountants Group Urges Clarity On Cannabis Tax Amid Rescheduling

An association of accountants is urging the federal tax agency to update its guidance for cannabis businesses in light of the potential for rescheduling. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of the Treasury on Monday, urging them to update their guidance for cannabis businesses. This request comes as cannabis may soon be rescheduled to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would allow these business...

Forbes • 22nd October 2024

Arkansas Votes On Medical Marijuana Ballot Measure Won’t Be Counted, Court Says

Arkansas Supreme Court has ordered that votes for and against a proposal to expand access to medical marijuana should not count. In a 4-3 decision on Monday, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Protect Arkansas Kids, a group that intervened in the legal dispute regarding Issue 3. At the same time, the Court dismissed Secretary of State John Thurston’s complaint that claimed the group did not collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. As a result, although Issue 3 will appear o...

The New Arab • 21st October 2024

What military options does Hezbollah still have against Israel?

After Israel announced the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on 17 October, Hezbollah said it was entering a new phase in its fight against Israeli forces. How Hezbollah's new escalatory phase will unfold, however, remains to be seen, especially after facing heavy setbacks since Israel's war on Lebanon was launched. In mid-September, a series of Israeli attacks broke the tacit rules of engagement established since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began following Hamas' 7 Octo...

Forbes • 21st October 2024

U.S. Army Expands Drug Policy To Ban Delta-8 THC Hemp Products

The U.S. Army has updated its drug policy to explicitly ban the use of delta-8 THC hemp products, clarifying that soldiers are prohibited from using them. It is also warning servicemembers to avoid foods with poppy seeds, as they can cause false positives in opioid tests. The Army updated its substance abuse policies in early October to reduce drug and alcohol abuse among service members. The new policy has a “prohibited substances” list, as well as updated requirements for training and reportin...

Forbes • 15th October 2024

California Judge Rules Against Attempt To Block Hemp THC Ban

A California judge has denied a request from hemp businesses seeking to temporarily suspend the ban on intoxicating hemp product sales while they challenge the state’s ban in court. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, several hemp companies, and a cannabis company co-owned by the comic duo Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong filed a lawsuit against a California public health agency to prevent the agency from enforcing the regulations, arguing that the new regulations could cost hemp businesses millions and poten...

The New Arab • 14th October 2024

The role of Lebanon's army as Israel wages war on Hezbollah

On 3 October, Israeli military forces struck a Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) post in Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, killing one soldier, as Israel pushed ahead with a ground invasion of the country. During the incident, and for the first time since hostilities began in October 2023, Lebanese soldiers returned fire at Israeli forces. That same day, another Lebanese soldier lost his life in separate Israeli strikes in the region. These Israeli attacks on Lebanon's army were not an isolated incide...

Forbes • 11th October 2024

Businesses Partially Win Lawsuit Against New Jersey’s Hemp Ban Law

A federal court has partially blocked New Jersey’s new hemp law, finding it unlawfully restricts sales and transportation of federally legal hemp products and discriminates against out-of-state businesses. Federal Judge Zahid Nisar Quraishi granted a partial win to hemp businesses on Thursday, challenging the state’s new law on intoxicating hemp products but refused to strike down the law in its entirety, as first reported by New Jersey Monitor. A group of hemp businesses filed a lawsuit challen...

Forbes • 8th October 2024

Spain Introduces Draft Royal Decree To Regulate Medical Cannabis

Spanish patients could soon have access to medical cannabis as regulators push forward with a new bill. However, its use is expected to be strictly limited to specific medical conditions, highlighting the cautious approach being taken. After the request of the subcommittee for the Health and Consumer Affairs Commission in 2021, the Ministry of Health of Spain introduced last week a draft royal decree for a public hearing that seeks to regulate medical cannabis. With this decree, the government a...

Forbes • 1st October 2024

California Legalizes Cannabis Cafes Amid Hemp THC Ban

California municipalities can allow cannabis businesses to open cafes where patrons can consume cannabis on-site while also being served non-cannabis-infused food and beverages. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1775 into law yesterday, allowing specific cannabis retailers to prepare and sell non-cannabis food and beverages, as well as host live events and sell tickets at their licensed locations, similar to coffee shops in Amsterdam. The new legislation allows licensed cannabis...

The New Arab • 30th September 2024

After Nasrallah's killing, what will Israel do next in Lebanon?

Grief and anguish filled Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh after Hezbollah confirmed the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday. Screaming in sorrow, some collapsed to their knees as despair and rage swept over them, with spontaneous rallies erupting in Beirut and across the region renewing allegiance to the veteran leader. A day earlier, Israel announced it had killed Nasrallah using 85 US-produced ‘bunker-buster’ bombs designed to target underground facilities in an attack that...

dw.com • 27th September 2024

Israel-Hezbollah conflict deepens Lebanon's economic crisis – DW – 09/27/2024

The escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is contributing to Lebanon's economic instability. People in the crisis-ridden country are struggling to survive.In his small currency exchange shop in Beirut, 86-year-old Farouk Khoury is watching the news on television, showing the escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel spreading across Lebanon. No customers ring the bell to exchange money. "Today, I have money to exchange, tomorrow, I don't know. Maybe tomorrow we close," Kouri t...

Forbes • 19th September 2024

Thailand Unveils New Bill To Regulate Cannabis Industry

Thailand’s new government has introduced a bill to regulate the cannabis industry without expressly criminalizing recreational cannabis. The Ministry of Health, under the new government led by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has published a bill open for comments until September 30 to regulate the cannabis industry, avoiding the criminalization of recreational cannabis but without explicitly regulating its use. This represents an anticipated U-turn for cannabis legislation in Thailand, as...

Forbes • 18th September 2024

Nixon’s Tapes Reveal He Knew Marijuana Was ‘Not Particularly Dangerous’

A newly uncovered audio reveals that former President Richard Nixon launched the war on drugs even though he acknowledged marijuana “was not particularly dangerous.” The newly discovered tapes reveal that Nixon, speaking to a small group of advisers in 1973, two years after launching the war on drugs in 1971, admitted that he knew marijuana was “not particularly dangerous.” The discovery was made by marijuana lobbyist and Minnesota activist Kurtis Hanna in tapes that were recently made available...

Forbes • 16th September 2024

Japan To Criminalize Recreational Cannabis And Legalize For Medical Use

Japan is set to criminalize the recreational use of cannabis while legalizing medical use. The decision, announced last week, will take effect on December 12. Although the possession and cultivation of marijuana are already illegal in Japan, the new law will also ban its use and impose a prison sentence of up to seven years for offenders. At the moment, Japan does not impose penalties for cannabis use, partly to safeguard farmers who might inadvertently come into contact with the plant’s substan...

Forbes • 10th September 2024

California Governor Introduces Regulations To Ban THC In Hemp Products

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed legislation to ban hemp products containing any traces of THC, with stakeholders arguing that the regulations would jeopardize the state’s hemp industry. Last week, Governor Newsom introduced new emergency regulations stating that “industrial hemp food products intended for human consumption” must have “no detectable amount of total THC” and “no more than five servings per package.” The rules would also prevent individuals under 21 from purchasing...

Forbes • 4th September 2024

Volkswagen Bets On Hemp To Replace Faux Leather In Car Interiors

Volkswagen has partnered with a hemp company to develop a sustainable material made from hemp fibers as a replacement for faux leather. Germany’s auto giant announced last week a partnership with the German start-up Revoltech GmbH to research and develop sustainable materials made from industrial hemp. Volkswagen mentioned that a material derived from hemp fibers could serve as a sustainable surface option in their models starting in 2028. This 100% bio-based hemp material uses by-products from...

Forbes • 30th August 2024

California Advances Bill To Establish Amsterdam-Style Cannabis Cafes

Californians may soon enjoy cannabis just like in Amsterdam, as the state moves closer to introducing cannabis cafes. The California Senate has advanced two key bills to expand the state’s cannabis market. The Senate passed a bill this week allowing on-site cannabis consumption at licensed businesses, which could also offer non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks and host live events like concerts, similar to Amsterdam’s cannabis cafes. This proposed legislation allows licensed cannabis retai...

Forbes • 29th August 2024

U.S. Court Rules Marijuana Users Cannot Be Banned From Owning Guns

A U.S. appeals court has ruled that a Texas gun owner using marijuana cannot be prosecuted under federal law, finding it unconstitutional to disarm her based on past drug use. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that the prosecution violated Paola Connelly’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, referencing a significant 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that broadened gun rights. The ruling, first reported by Reuters, challenges the constitutionalit...