Ellen Komp

A close-up of a person holding an electronic cigarette, or vape, to their mouth, with vapor visible as they inhale. The device has a blue light and clear chamber showing liquid inside, reflecting progress since 50 years of cannabis reform. CA Norml

Cal NORML Launches Vape Pen Safety Study

A cannabis vape pen rests atop two green cannabis leaves.

UPDATE 5/26: The Study Has Been Released

California NORML is sponsoring a laboratory study to investigate the safety of electronic vape pens.

The study is designed to measure toxic emissions such as benzene, formaldehyde, and heavy metals that could be dangerous to health, as well as the amounts of THC and cannabinoids they deliver to users.

The study is a follow-up to California NORML’s 2001-2004 lab studies of herbal vaporizers, which heat up natural buds or leaf. The studies demonstrated that they could deliver virtually pure THC without any of the toxins or carcinogens present in smoke.…

A large cannabis plant stands in the foreground with the U.S. Capitol and Jefferson Memorial in the background, symbolizing D.C.'s ongoing cannabis reform under a cloudy sky above the historic swamp. CA Norml

CANNABIS REFORM BOGS DOWN IN D.C. SWAMP

A large cannabis plant stands in the foreground with the U.S. Capitol and Jefferson Memorial in the background, symbolizing D.C.'s ongoing cannabis reform under a cloudy sky above the historic swamp. CA NormlEfforts to reform federal cannabis laws remain stuck on hold in Washington, D.C. 

There is no indication as to whether the administration plans to move marijuana from Schedule I to III, as proposed by the Biden administration in April 2024. The DEA’s leadership has expressed skepticism about the proposal and has been sitting on it ever since. President Trump is reported to have privately indicated his interest in rescheduling to cannabusiness interests. However, his advisors are thought to have mixed views.…

A large cannabis leaf on a green background, with the word "CBD CANNABIDIOL" and a chemical structure diagram shown on the right side. Faded cannabis leaves in the background highlight 50 years of cannabis progress and reform. CA Norml

State, Federal Hemp Bans Flummox Consumers – A Cal NORML Report

A large cannabis leaf on a green background, with the word "CBD CANNABIDIOL" and a chemical structure diagram shown on the right side. Faded cannabis leaves in the background highlight 50 years of cannabis progress and reform. CA Norml

State and federal lawmakers have moved to clamp down on hemp products, leaving Californians at a loss to legally obtain natural hemp CBD medications. The California Department of Public Health has effectively banned the sale of hemp products pending the implementation of a new state licensing system in 2028. Meanwhile, the Congress has moved to close a loophole in federal law that allowed hemp manufacturers to chemically convert the natural CBD in hemp into THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids, effectively circumventing the federal ban on marijuana.…

Sacramento Capitol with leaf cloud

California Bills Addressing Cannabis Taxes, Hemp, Research Signed into Law; Direct-Access Bill for Patients Vetoed

UPDATED 10/13/2025

Six cannabis-related bills made it through the legislature this year and four were signed into law, while ten failed to advance.

A bill from Asm. Haney to rollback cannabis taxes that Cal NORML sponsored became law, as did bills to regulate hemp from Asm. Aguiar-Curry and Sen. Wiener, and a bill from Asm. Ahrens to reduce the regulatory burden on cannabis research. The Governor vetoed a bill to expand local enforcement against cannabis, and a bill from Asm. Ahrens that Cal NORML support to allow microbusiness to ship certain cannabis products directly to patients.

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A group poses on government building steps, holding banners celebrating AB 564 and the California cannabis excise tax as Gov. Newsom signs the bill into law. A large green badge proclaims, "WE DID IT! AB 564 IS LAW. CA Norml

WE DID IT! Gov. Newsom Signs AB 564 to Lower CA’s Cannabis Excise Tax Back to 15% on October 1

A group of Cal NORML supporters attend a press conference with Assembly Member Haney during Citizen Lobby Day on the steps of a California state Capitol, holding signs supporting AB 564. Text explains the cannabis excise tax law's passage, credits Cal NORML, and thanks supporters for their action.

Governor Newsom has signed the Cal NORML-sponsored bill, AB 564 (Haney), to roll back the cannabis excise tax increase that happened on July 1 from 19% back to 15% on October 1, 2025.

Thanks to all Cal NORML’s supporters who helped lobby for the bill (including at our Lobby Day in March), and all who wrote letters via Cal NORML’s Action Network.

Support Cal NORML’s efforts to stop a tax increase in California by making a membership donation today! Business Memberships starting at $50 monthly include a directory listing and other perks.

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Logo for "California NORML Reports" featuring green text for "California" with a stylized cannabis leaf above it, and bold black text for "NORML REPORTS" below—perfect for updates on CA Hemp Regulations or CDPH hearing news. CA Norml

CDPH Holds Hearing on CA Hemp Regulations

Logo for "California NORML Reports" featuring green text for "California" with a stylized cannabis leaf above it, and bold black text for "NORML REPORTS" below—perfect for updates on CA Hemp Regulations or CDPH hearing news. CA Norml

 

Read the hearing transcript: Public Hearing Serving Size and Age for Industrial Hemp Transcript

Regulations webpage: DPH-24-005E Emergency Regulations for Serving Size, Age, and Intoxicating Cannabinoids for Industrial Hemp

7/28/25 – The California Dept. of Public Health held a hearing today on proposed regulations extending a ban on hemp-derived products with any amount of THC, along with establishing an age limitation of 21, limiting the number of doses per container to five, etc. The full transcript of the hearing will be available later today or tomorrow, and comments are accepted until the end of business day.…

Line graph comparing monthly California Cannabis sales and Michigan from 2021 to 2025. California sales, impacted by the Cannabis Tax Increase, decrease overall, while Michigan sales rise, with both states' numbers converging by 2025. CA Norml

Initial Impacts of The California Cannabis Excise Tax Increase

Line graph comparing monthly California Cannabis sales and Michigan from 2021 to 2025. California sales, impacted by the Cannabis Tax Increase, decrease overall, while Michigan sales rise, with both states' numbers converging by 2025. CA Norml

Cal NORML put out word through our email alert list this week asking cannabis consumers and businesses to tell us about the initial impacts of the 26% excise tax increase that hit cannabis in California on July 1. Several consumers and businesses reported damaging repercussions; some of the responses are below.

“To be honest even the old tax had me wanting to go back to the black market but with the new tax it’s even more likely that I will start looking to get my cannabis from some place cheaper,” wrote one consumer.…

An older man in a beige suit speaks into a microphone while holding a paper that reads "1,420 Californians Say: STOP HIGHER TAXES!" at a California legislative session discussing the cannabis industry and tax increase repeal (AB 564). CA Norml

AB 564 to Stop a Cannabis Tax Increase Heads to Senate Appropriations Committee

UPDATE September 10, 2025 – AB 564 has passed both houses of the California legislature and is heading to the Governor’s desk.

UPDATE July 9, 2025 – On the 50th anniversary of cannabis decriminalization in California, AB 564 passed through the Senate Revenue and Tax committee, its first stop in the Senate after passing in the Assembly by a vote of 74-0. An amendment would roll the tax back from 19% (enacted on July 1) back to 15% on October 1.

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Graph showing cannabis felonies in California from 1960–2020, peaking in 1975 at 85,757 before falling sharply after marijuana decriminalization and the Moscone Act, with Cal NORML noting $100 million annual enforcement savings. CA Norml

Cal NORML Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Marijuana Decriminalization in California in July

Graph showing cannabis felonies in California from 1960–2020, peaking in 1975 at 85,757 before falling sharply after marijuana decriminalization and the Moscone Act, with Cal NORML noting $100 million annual enforcement savings. CA NormlJuly 9, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of California’s landmark marijuana decriminalization law, the Moscone Act, which reduced the penalty for possessing an ounce or less of marijuana from a felony to a citable misdemeanor punishable by a $100 fine and no jail. The law, sponsored by then-Senator George Moscone and California NORML, was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on July 9, 1975 and took effect on January 1, 1976.

The Moscone Act resulted in an 80% reduction in felony marijuana arrests, saving the state an estimated $100 million per year in enforcement costs, and saving well over a million users from a criminal record over the years.…

Cal NORML director Dale Gieringer points to a timeline about marijuana law reform in California, showing how people could be arrested for felony possession for a joint before 1976.

Arrested for a Joint in California Before 1976? We Want to Hear From You

Cal NORML director Dale Gieringer points to a timeline about marijuana law reform in California, showing how people could be arrested for felony possession for a joint before 1976.

Were you arrested for possessing an ounce or less of marijuana in California before 1976?  If so, Cal NORML would like to hear your story.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of California’s landmark decriminalization law, the Moscone Act, which was sponsored by Cal NORML and decriminalized possession of one ounce of marijuana from a felony to a minor misdemeanor. The Moscone Act cut the number of marijuana felonies in California from over 100,000 to 20,000 in a year, saving the state $100 million in arrest costs, not to mention the human costs for arrestees.…

A government meeting in a large, modern chamber with people seated in a semicircle. Two American flags and one California flag are displayed. A screen reads “AB 564 Haney Bill on Cannabis Tax Increase Repeal,” backed by Cal NORML. CA Norml

Cal NORML-Sponsored Bill to Halt A Cannabis Tax Increase Passes First Committee

A government meeting in a large, modern chamber with people seated in a semicircle. Two American flags and one California flag are displayed. A screen reads “AB 564 Haney Bill on Cannabis Tax Increase Repeal,” backed by Cal NORML. CA Norml

WRITE TO YOUR LEGISLATORS AND GOV. NEWSOM AND ASK THEM NOT TO RAISE CANNABIS TAXES IN 2025

Update 5/8/2025 – AB 564, to halt a cannabis tax increase this year, passed through its second committee with another unanimous vote. It now goes to Assembly Appropriations. Meanwhile, the Governor and both legislative houses are finalizing their budgets for the year.

Please take action on our new alert targeted at the full legislature and the Governor, asking them not to increase cannabis taxes in 2025.…

A large group gathers in front of a building with arched doorways, holding signs for cannabis advocacy. Messages like "Keep Jail for the Real Crime" and "Higher Wages, Lower Taxes" resonate. At the forefront, a person in a wheelchair champions AB 564, urging California to rethink Cannabis Tax policies. CA Norml

Lobby Day Attendees Advocate for Stopping a Cannabis Tax Increase in California

The Cal NORML/ASA Lobby Day yesterday in Sacramento brought in a score of citizen lobbyists from across the state to meet with legislators or their staffers in support of AB 564 (Haney), to halt a pending cannabis tax increase from 15% to 19% on July 1.

Christina Dempsey, Deputy Director of Government Affairs at the CA Dept. of Cannabis Control, spoke to the group about the report the DCC just issued on the state of the cannabis market in California. In particular, she highlighted the finding that an estimated 60% of cannabis sold in the state comes from the illicit market, with only 40% from the legal, licensed and taxed market.…

A presentation slide titled "What does the data tell us?" shows a graph and text about the cannabis market in 2024. It highlights a decrease in retail sales value by 4.4%, growth in units sold by 5.2%, and a decline in licenses by 18%. Additionally, it notes that the cannabis market is maturing, with increased consumption and production despite decreasing prices, and suggests consolidation for more price stability. CA Norml

“Joint” Hearing Held on Condition of California Cannabis Industry

A “Joint” informational hearing on March 11 before the Assembly and Senate Business and Professions committees on the CA Department of Cannabis Control’s new Condition and Health of the Cannabis Industry Report presented a grim picture of the state of the industry and its future.

Asm. Mike Gipson (D-LA), chair of the Assembly Revenue & Tax committee, and Asm. Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Buena Park) who chairs the Budget subcommittee that oversees the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), also participated. Quirk-Silva said the findings in the DCC report are “very concerning.”…

A diverse group of people, including individuals with mobility aids, stands smiling on steps in front of a grand building. Many wear lanyards, hinting at a Cal NORML conference or event gathering. The backdrop features large, decorative doors celebrating their accomplishments. CA Norml

Join Us at Lobby Day in Sacramento on March 24, 2025

All Californians are invited to attend the California NORML/Americans for Safe Access Citizen Lobby Day on Monday, March 24 in Sacramento. The event will bring supporters from across the state to meet with their state representatives and make our voices heard on pending legislation affecting the rights of cannabis consumers in California.

We have moved up our annual lobby day from May to March this year so that we can better influence California’s budget process. The California cannabis industry is facing an automatic excise tax INCREASE from 15% to 19% in July of this year unless the legislature acts.…

Cal NORML Sponsors Bill to Block Cannabis Tax Increase

Infographic compares excise taxes: wine ($0.05), beer ($0.12), liquor ($0.15), tobacco ($0.47), and cannabis pre-rolls (up to $1.57). Support the cannabis bill AB 564 to reduce California's excessive cannabis tax—Cal NORML calls for change!. CA Norml

UPDATE 7/10/2025 – Please send a letter to your state Senator asking them to pass AB 564 to roll back cannabis taxes.

California raised its excise tax on cannabis from 15% to 19% on July 1, 2025, as part of a budget compromise made when the cannabis cultivation tax was removed via AB 195 (2022), in order to assure adequate funding for programs funded by cannabis taxes.

A bill sponsored by Cal NORML, AB 564 (Haney) would roll back this tax increase, as soon as October 1. …

A construction worker wearing a yellow hard hat and vest sits on the ground holding his injured knee. Another worker in a yellow vest kneels beside him, offering assistance. Injured workers like him may be eligible for workers' compensation. A hard hat is placed on the ground nearby. CA Norml

CA DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CONSIDERS BANNING MEDICAL CANNABIS FOR INJURED WORKERS  –  HEARINGS AND TESTIMONY DUE MARCH 14th

UPDATE: The agency adopted the objectionable guidelines in May 2025. No panelists asked questions or had any discussion at a hearing in March on the topic at which Cal NORML testified. 

Read Cal NORML Director Dale Gieringer’s testimony to the DWC, and an appendix of studies on cannabis and pain. See Deputy Director Ellen Komp’s letter on ties between the ACOEM and worker’s compensation insurance providers. 

A construction worker wearing a yellow hard hat and vest sits on the ground holding his injured knee. Another worker in a yellow vest kneels beside him, offering assistance. Injured workers like him may be eligible for workers' compensation. A hard hat is placed on the ground nearby. CA Norml

California is considering adopting enormously wrong-headed chronic pain treatment recommendations by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine that would ban medical cannabis use for injured workers.…

A man in a suit speaks at a podium outdoors, flanked by two men and two women, highlighting 2024 accomplishments. The podium displays a seal that reads "State Assembly," as lush greenery forms the backdrop, hinting at future plans for 2025 with Cal NORML's commitment to progress. CA Norml

Cal NORML 2024 Accomplishments and Plans for 2025

Please donate to Cal NORML to support our advocacy work, as a regular or business member.

PLEASE SUPPORT CAL NORML IN 2025

Cal NORML expects to be working harder than ever in 2025 to help fight off an automatic increase in state cannabis excise taxes from 15% to as much as 19%, triggered by a 2022 bill, AB 195, that ended the cannabis cultivation tax. To satisfy beneficiaries of cannabis tax money, the tax could be raised to make up for any losses from the cultivation tax being eliminated.…

A variety of vape pens, reminiscent of a study in contrasts, are displayed in a row on a table. They differ in size, shape, and color—some featuring buttons and digital displays. A blurred background with a plant is visible. CA Norml

Applications Sought for Cannabis Vape Pen Study

A variety of vape pens and electronic cigarettes, including some designed for cannabis use, are arranged in a row on a white surface, showcasing different designs, sizes, and colors. A green plant is blurred in the background. CA Norml

Interested vape companies are invited to sponsor their devices for a study of cannabis vape pen emissions by California NORML. The study will test a variety of vape devices and cartridges to determine how much cannabinoids and harmful smoke toxins they deliver. The study is intended to help provide better consumer information on the safety and efficacy of cannabis vapes.

There is good reason to believe that electronic vape devices can deliver safe, clean doses of THC and CBD without harmful smoke toxins.…

A historic building with Greek revival architecture stands under a clear blue sky. The text "Sacramento City Council Approves Cannabis Consumption Lounge Pilot Program" is prominently displayed in green. CA Norml

Sacramento City Council Approves Pilot Cannabis Consumption Lounge Program

A historic building with Greek revival architecture stands under a clear blue sky. The text "Sacramento City Council Approves Cannabis Consumption Lounge Pilot Program" is prominently displayed in green. CA Norml

November 19, 2024 – Following a two-year process during which the Sacramento Office of Cannabis Management met with public officials and lounge owners across the state, surveyed interested parties, and took scientific testimony to develop a pilot ordinance allowing for cannabis consumption lounges in the city, the Sacramento city council today voted 5-4 to allow the five-year pilot program to go forward.

Both Type 1 licenses, allowing for noninhaled cannabis lounges (drinks and edibles) and Type 2 licenses, allowing for smoking and vaping at lounges, were approved.…

Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA

Oakland City Council Exempts Cannabis from Residential Smoking Ban

In a victory for cannabis consumers, the Oakland City Council on Tuesday, November 12 voted to exempt cannabis from a proposed total ban on residential smoking and vaping in multi-unit dwellings, including condos. The vote was 6-0 with 2 abstentions.

The cannabis exemption was strongly opposed by the state’s powerful anti-smoking lobby, richly funded by the tobacco tax. They argued that second-hand marijuana smoke is as dangerous as tobacco smoke and poses unacceptable hazards to people in neighboring apartments.

“The anti-tobacco lobby is blowing smoke about marijuana,” argued Cal NORML director Dale Gieringer in testimony before the council.…