Anthony Martinelli

Anthony Martinelli is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Marijuana Herald, a daily marijuana news and information website that launched in 2018. You can reach Anthony at [email protected].

Author's posts

Florida: State Confirms Enough Signatures Collected to Put Marijuana Legalization to a Vote

An initiative campaign in Florida aiming put marijuana legalization on the November, 2024 ballot in Florida has collected nearly 1 million signatures, more than enough to put the issue before voters. According to the Florida Division of Elections, the Smart & Safe Florida campaign has submitted 967,528 validated signatures as of the end of May. …

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Kentucky Allocating $42 Million in Opioid Lawsuit Money to Fund Psychedelic Ibogaine Research

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced today that the state will be allocating $42 million to research the therapeutic potential of the psychedelic substance ibogaine for the treatment of opioid addiction. Attorney General Cameron said at a press conference that the state will be using $42 million that was obtained via lawsuits against opioid manufacturers …

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Louisiana Senate Committee Passes House-Approved Marijuana Expungement Bill

Louisiana’s Senate Judiciary Committee has voted in favor of legislation designed to allow for the quick expungement of marijuana possession convictions. House Bill 286 was reported favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, just six days after it was passed through the House of Representatives in a 69 to 30 vote. The measure will …

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California Senate Passes Bill to Ban Employers From Asking About Past Marijuana Use

California’s full Senate has passed a bill that would provide legal protections to marijuana consumers who are seeking employment. Filed by Senator Steven Bradford, Senate Bill 700 “would make it unlawful for an employer to request information from an applicant for employment relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis”. The Senate voted yesterday 29 to …

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Arizona Court Ruling Expands Eligibility for Marijuana Expungements

A ruling by the Arizona Court of Appeals allows for more marijuana-related convictions to be expunged (removed) from people’s records. Following Arizona’s legalization of marijuana in 2020, thousands of marijuana charges have been expunged or are in the process of being expunged, including over 10,000 in Maricopa County. The charges that have been made eligible …

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Minnesota Governor Signs Bill Legalizing Marijuana

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed House File 100 into law, officially making Minnesota the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana. The governor’s signature on HF 100 means that starting August 1, those 21 and older in Minnesota will be allowed to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, eight grams of marijuana concentrates and …

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Texas Marijuana Bills Killed in Senate, Dead Until At Least January, 2025

Two Texas bills that would have decriminalized marijuana and expanded the state’s medical marijuana program have both been killed in the Senate after being passed by strong majorities in the House of Representatives. The Texas House passed House Bill 218 in April by a vote of 87 to 59. Sponsored by State Representative Joe Moody …

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Illinois Legislature Approves Bill Allowing Marijuana Businesses to Take State Tax Deductions

Legislation that would allow marijuana businesses that are legal under state law to take standard state-level tax deductions has been passed by the full Illinois Legislature. House Bill 3817 was filed by State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth along with 19 cosponsors, all Democrat. The measure will now to sent to Governor J. B. Pritzker for consideration …

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Michigan: Over $1 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold So Far in 2023

Legal marijuana sales in Michigan have surpassed $1 billion in 2023 alone, according to data released by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency. Michigan sold $909 million worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products between January and April of this year. Although data for May won’t be released until sometime in June, a spokesperson for the Agency …

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Minnesota Governor to Sign Marijuana Legalization Bill on Tuesday

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz plans to sign into law a bill that will legalize recreational marijuana early next week. According to the governor’s office he plans to sign HF 100 on Tuesday, May 30 as part of a “large ceremony” that will celebrate the state becoming the 23rd to legalize marijuana. A spokesperson for the …

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