Chris Roberts

Based in New York City, Chris Roberts has been writing about cannabis since spending a few months in Humboldt County in 2009. His work has been published in SF Weekly, Cannabis Now, The Guardian, High Times, and San Francisco Magazine, among others.

Leafly Investigation: California Has a Dirty Cannabis Problem

February 15, 2017

Pesticides, molds, and other pathogens are turning up in medical cannabis across California. Rules are coming, but until then it's "buyer beware."

Under Trump, Legal Cannabis Is a Deportable Offense

March 27, 2017

More and more, those who admit to having ever used cannabis are being refused entry into the United States—or deported if they’re already here.

California’s New Edibles Limits Will Ban Popular Products

November 27, 2017

Restrictions on the amount of THC in cannabis-infused edibles kick in next year and will outlaw some of the state's most popular products.

Crowdfunding Site Cancels Aid to California Wildfire Victims—Because Cannabis

October 17, 2017

Rejection by third-party payment processors is a familiar story in cannabis, but abruptly ending an aid effort during a dire emergency somehow feels different.

The Great Cannabis Clash of Calaveras County

August 1, 2017

California’s Gold Country is dying. The marijuana industry has arrived, offering tax revenue and job opportunities. So why are locals rejecting it?

UK to allow cannabis imports—necessary step for medical access and, ultimately, legalization

March 6, 2020

The United Kingdom loosened draconian import rules on medical cannabis products Monday, allowing licensed wholesalers to bring in much larger quantities of cannabis flower and oil, and at a greatly reduced cost. This promises the few patients with legal cannabis prescriptions in the country more reliable and affordable access to their preferred medicine. It also […]

Hemp cleans toxic soil and produces clean CBD flower, study finds

December 23, 2019

Researchers found that stressing hemp with toxic soil actually boosted CBD levels.

Why did San Francisco’s cannabis store ‘cashless ATMs’ suddenly shut down?

November 15, 2019

Unsolved mystery: Over 48 hours, every one of the city's cannabis cash machines went dark. Nobody seems to know why.

Putin, hackers, and cannabis: The bizarre story of an Israeli-American jailed in Russia

October 23, 2019

Cannabis, initially given as the sole reason for 26-year-old Naama Issachar's detention, appears to have been merely a convenient excuse.

This is the first hemp strain to be awarded a US patent

September 13, 2019

Famous for the iconic Charlotte’s Web strain and fresh from a big IPO, Colorado’s Stanley brothers have secured the first US patent for a hemp plant.

Church of England Sees Green, Explores Investing in Medical Cannabis

June 13, 2019

Britain's largest religious organization announced this week that it will lift a longstanding prohibition on medical cannabis in order to explore investing in the fast-growing industry.

‘Come and Get Us,’ UK Cannabis Growers Tell Police in Protest

May 13, 2019

As part of a nationwide protest, UK patients who grow their own medical cannabis are identifying themselves to authorities in an effort to force policy reform.

4/21 Organizers Want to Reclaim Cannabis From Corporations

April 18, 2019

A coalition of activists are transforming the day after 4/20 into an advocacy effort aimed at reintroducing social justice into cannabis legalization.

The US Surgeon General Just Tweeted WHAT About Cannabis?

March 1, 2019

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams recently used his official Twitter account to make a startling claim about cannabis. It wasn't the first time.

Is a Tobacco Giant Trying to Take Over the Vape Pen Market?

December 11, 2018

In a move that could shake up the vape pen market, the parent company of Philip Morris has quietly patented dozens of devices that could be used to consume cannabis.