A California panel voted on Wednesday to require warning labels for cannabis products sold legally in the state.

California’s Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee made the decision after concluding that marijuana smoke and its active ingredient, THC, are harmful to pregnant women and the development of the fetus, says Tracy Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, and a member of the committee.

“We reviewed probably several hundred studies,” Woodruff says of the committee’s research. “We were focused on the effects of exposure to cannabinoid smoke and THC on development, so development of the fetus.”

Growing up, San Francisco’s first Black dispensary owner Shawn Richard sold marijuana on the streets of the Haight Ashbury neighborhood. He was far from the first person to do so. The Haight gave birth to the 1960s hippie movement and cannabis has long been a cornerstone of the area’s culture.

But now, on December 21, Richard will open the doors of Berner on Haight, the neighborhood’s very first legal marijuana dispensary.

More than three years after California voters broadly legalized marijuana, a state panel is considering if its potent, high-inducing chemical — THC — should be declared a risk to pregnant women and require warnings.

Studies have indicated that a rising number of mothers-to-be have turned to marijuana products for relief from morning sickness and headaches, though it’s effectiveness has not been backed by science.

Would-be cannabis entrepreneurs might commit a drastic act to have Christopher Schroeder’s problems. The founder of Somatik, a San Francisco Bay Area-based cannabis startup that manufactures THC and CBD-infused coffee drinks and chocolate-covered espresso beans produced in concert with existing, well-known consumer brands, launched his company to a round of positive press. The warm reception was an object lesson that in the cannabis legalization era, there was a big market for high-end cannabis edibles. Schroeder’s stated dream — to see Somatik cold-brew coffee on tap in high-end cafes, next to the “unleaded” cold crew and the kombucha — seemed within reach.

Then legalization happened.

Rhode Island agencies have proposed a new regulation on the sale of medical marijuana that would require out-of-state patients to present identification from their state as proof of residency.

Last year, state lawmakers began allowing dispensaries to sell to out-of-state residents, and 6,500 people who were Rhode Island residents changed their patient card addresses to California, according to the Providence Journal.

Many patients are looking to California because the patient-card rules there are more relaxed there than they are in Rhode Island, the paper reported.

“(The California card) was easier to afford. ... I make no money and have a lot of medical bills to pay,” user Alexa Coffey said.

These are the only three American cities where residents smoke more cannabis than nicotine.

For a portrait of what marijuana normalization resembles, look no farther than Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland. Those are the only three American cities where residents smoke more cannabis than nicotine, according to analytics firm Nielsen.

With the laws surrounding cannabis -- both marijuana and hemp -- constantly changing, confusion for cannabis consumers arises when it comes to traveling to and from states where weed is legal. This is especially true when it comes to flying with weed. 

Cannabis consumers should empower themselves with an understanding of the laws and regulations concerning cannabis so that they can consume weed legally and fly safely. First and foremost, that means knowing that marijuana possession is illegal under federal law. 

This move will only further oppress an already weak legal market and fuel the thriving illicit market, according to industry insiders.

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has announced that it will increase taxes on the regulated cannabis industry yet again. The markup rate for the marijuana excise tax will increase from 60% to 80% on New Year’s Day.

Escalating a legal battle with California cities and counties over where marijuana can be sold, state officials are intervening in a new court fight over home delivery of cannabis in communities that have banned or restricted pot shops.

Earlier this month, Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra filed a motion on behalf of the California Bureau of Cannabis Control to join a lawsuit by Salinas-based East of Eden Cannabis Co. against Santa Cruz County, which has banned deliveries by companies it has not licensed.

When the year began, marijuana was supposed to remain the hottest investment opportunity on Wall Street. Canada had legalized recreational weed in Oct. 2018, derivative products were forecast to hit dispensary shelves by Oct. 2019, and a number of U.S. states had been pushing for medical or recreational legalization. The stage appeared to be set for success -- and then someone turned out the lights.