Legislation that would legalize the licensed distribution of recreational marijuana has been approved by its committee of origin in Virginia.

Senate Bill 970 was passed by the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services today, by a vote of 8 to 7. The proposal was filed by Senator Aaron Rouse (D).

“I’m proud to have brought forth a framework for adult-use cannabis through a structured license application process,” says Rouse. “This bill prioritizes public safety in creating a well-regulated marketplace that keeps adult products out of the hands of kids. In recent years we have seen an unchecked proliferation of illegal and unregulated marijuana stores. This has put Virginians at risk as unlicensed drug dealers sell billions of dollars of untested and untaxed products, frequently to children.”
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Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) judge has informed the agency’s leader that responsibility now rests with her regarding the Biden administration’s marijuana rescheduling proposal. This comes after he approved a request to file an appeal earlier this week, leading to the cancellation of scheduled hearings.

In a letter addressed to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram on Wednesday, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) John Mulrooney detailed the circumstances surrounding the appeal. Pro-rescheduling groups had sought permission to file an interlocutory appeal, citing claims that certain DEA officials had allegedly collaborated with anti-rescheduling witnesses chosen for the proceedings.

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President Biden has commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 people charged with non-violent drug charges.

(Photo credit: Reuters).

“Today, I am commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses who are serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice”, said President Biden in a statement. “With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history.”

Biden continues: “Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes. As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities.”
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The National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) and US Cannabis Council (USCC) today announced an agreement to combine the two organizations that represent leading multi-state and single-state cannabis operators, retailers, ancillary businesses, and advocacy organizations.

The combination, which will be known as the US Cannabis Roundtable, immediately establishes a singular voice representing the cannabis industry to the newly sworn in 119^th Congress and the incoming Trump Administration. The combined organization will represent operators across 38 states and a substantial amount of the 13,000 retail locations and nearly 450,000 full-time employees working in the state-licensed cannabis industry.

“This is a pivotal time for the regulated cannabis industry with a newly elected Congress and an incoming President who has publicly supported and pledged to advance commonsense cannabis reform,” said Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs and Chairperson of both NCR and USCC. “As the Chairman of both groups, I have seen first-hand the incredible talent of each organization and know that the combined group will be the unified authority advocating on behalf of the legal cannabis industry and a resource on all things cannabis for members of the Trump Administration and Congress.”
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Two bills were introduced today in the Iowa House of Representatives that aim to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in the state.

Filed by Republican lawmakers, the proposals take slightly different approaches but share a common goal of reforming Iowa’s marijuana laws.

House File 72, sponsored by State Representative Josh Meggers, would lower the penalty for possessing 10 grams or less of marijuana. Under the proposed legislation, such possession would be reclassified from an aggravated misdemeanor to a simple misdemeanor with a $500 fine. The bill eliminates the potential for jail time.
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A new report compiled by the Marijuana Policy Project demonstrates that legalizing recreational cannabis has not led to increased cannabis use among youth. In fact, data that was recently released shows decreases in youth cannabis use in 19 of the 21 states with before-and-after data.

“Over a decade into state-level cannabis legalization, the data is unequivocal: Legalization does not increase youth cannabis use. In fact, evidence suggests the opposite. By transitioning cannabis sales from the illicit market to a regulated system with age-restricted access, we’ve seen a decrease in youth cannabis use,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project.

Nationwide, both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Monitoring the Future survey indicate significant drops in youth marijuana use between 2011 and 2023/2024, while half of the country legalized and regulated cannabis for adults. These findings challenge the notion that adult-use cannabis legalization is a gateway to increased youth use.
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Newly released figures from the Maryland Cannabis Administration reveal that the state’s marijuana industry generated $1.14 billion in total sales in 2024.

December alone accounted for $98,867,338 in sales, with $74 million from recreational purchases and the remainder from medical marijuana. The average price per gram in December was $9.43.

Breaking down December’s sales, dried marijuana flower remained the top product, generating $46 million in revenue. Concentrates followed with $30 million, while edibles contributed $12.5 million to the monthly total.
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December marijuana sales in Massachusetts topped $154 million.

Data released today by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) shows that there was $140.2 million worth of recreational marijuana sold in December. When combined with the $14.5 million in medical marijuana sold during the same month, there was $154.7 million in total marijuana sales.

December’s sales total brings the total for 2024 to $1.65 billion. The all-time total since 2018 is now $7.20 billion.
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State Senators Lindsey Port, Matt Klein, and Clare Oumou Verbeten unveiled Senate File 204 today, a measure that would expand expungement and resentencing opportunities for past cannabis convictions.

If enacted, the legislation would amend Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609A.06, subdivision 3, to broaden the scope of offenses eligible for expungement or resentencing. Under the bill, individuals convicted of first- through fifth-degree controlled substance crimes involving marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) may qualify, provided specific criteria are met. These criteria include:

1. The absence of dangerous weapons, intentional bodily harm, or acts intended to cause fear of harm in connection with the offense.
2. The offense being classified as a lesser crime or no longer considered a crime following Minnesota’s marijuana reforms effective August 1, 2023.
3. Exhaustion of all appeals related to the conviction.

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New research published in Molecular Psychiatry explores the anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cue-induced anxiety, offering insights into its potential as a therapeutic treatment for anxiety disorders.

The study, conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, Indiana University, and the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai, examined how CBD influences behavior and molecular changes in the brain.

The researchers used a fear conditioning model in male rats, exposing them to a shock-paired odor to trigger cue-induced anxiety. CBD (10 mg/kg) was administered one hour before anxiety assessments. The results showed that CBD significantly reduced avoidance behavior, but only in rats exposed repeatedly to the anxiety-inducing cue.
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