Jun 06 2024

Frederick County, Maryland Eliminates Pre-Employment Drug Tests for Most Public Positions

Frederick County, Maryland, has removed pre-employment drug screening requirements for most public employees.

(Photo credit: Emily Koonce)

This change, announced by Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, affects the county’s workforce of approximately 3,400 people, except for those in specific “safety-sensitive” roles like law enforcement, who will still be subject to testing.

This policy shift follows the state’s legalization of cannabis production, sale, and use last year. However, the legislation did not include explicit workplace protections for employees who use cannabis off-duty. A separate bill introduced this year aimed at limiting employers’ ability to penalize workers for past cannabis use did not advance.
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Jun 06 2024

US Senate Approves Resolution Calling for Release of American Jailed 14 Years in Russia for Medical Marijuana

The full United States Senate has given approval to a resolution calling for the immediate release of several Americans imprisoned in Russia.

Marc Fogel, an American citizen jailed in Russia for 14 years for possessing 17 grams of medical marijuana.

One of those individuals was Marc Fogel, a teacher from Pennsylvania who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possessing a little over half an ounce of marijuana that was prescribed by his doctor.

Today the Senate voted to pass Senate Resolution 629 to the full Senate.
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Jun 05 2024

Vermont: $11 Million in Legal Marijuana Sales in March, Second-Highest Month Ever

There was roughly $11 million in legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in Vermont in March.

According to the Vermont Department of Taxes, there was $10.98 million in legal marijuana sales in March, bringing the yearly total to $32 million. Marijuana sales brought in $1.54 million in tax revenue for March, and around $4.5 million for the year.

The only month in Vermont with more legal marijuana sales is December 2023, with $11.10 million, with $1.55 million in taxes garnered.
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Jun 05 2024

These 8 States Are Set to Legalize Marijuana Within the Next 18 Months

Between now and the November 2025 election, multiple states are set to join the 24 that have legalized recreational marijuana.

Recently, we published an article on the three states set to legalize marijuana within the next three months. In this article, we’ll broaden the scope and examine the states expected to legalize marijuana within the next 18 months — between now and the end of 2025.

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Jun 05 2024

Poll: Just 20% of New Jersey Residents Oppose Legalizing Medical Psilocybin, 16% Have Used Psychedelics

According to new polling released by Stockton University’s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, a solid majority of New Jersey residents support legalizing the medical use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms”.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The poll, with a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, found that most New Jersey residents (57%) were at least somewhat aware of the medicinal use of psychedelics to treat mental health disorders. Additionally, a little more than half of New Jerseyans (55%) support legalizing such treatment under a doctor’s supervision, while 20% oppose it and 24% are unsure.

Specifically, participants were asked: “Psilocybin is the psychoactive ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms. Do you support or oppose the New Jersey government legalizing psilocybin for medicinal use to treat mental health disorders under a doctor’s supervision?”
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Jun 05 2024

Study Finds No Link Between Marijuana Use and Erectile Dysfunction or Altered Hormone Levels

A recent study by Yangtze University and Tongji University in China has found no evidence that marijuana use causes erectile dysfunction (ED) or affects sex hormone levels.

Published in the International Journal of Impotence Research and online by the US National Library of Medicine, the study used advanced genetic analysis to investigate these potential links.

Previous research suggested that cannabis might increase the risk of ED by disrupting hormone levels. However, these claims have been debated, and a clear cause-and-effect relationship had not been established. This new study aimed to clarify these concerns by examining genetic data from large health databases in Finland (FinnGen) and the UK (UK Biobank).
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Jun 05 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris Talks Marijuana Reform on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Emphasizes Fighting Opioid Addiction

Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, implied that calling marijuana a gateway drug is antiquated thinking and suggested that resources spent on marijuana prohibition would be better used to combat opioid addiction.

During the interview Jimmy Kimmel focused heavily on the Biden and Harris Administration’s recent efforts to reform federal marijuana laws, including the DEA’s move to reschedule marijuana.

“I think we both agree that people shouldn’t have to go to jail for smoking weed”, said Harris. “And we’ve pardoned a number of people.”
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Jun 05 2024

Ohio Launches Website for Recreational Marijuana Licensing, Applications Open Friday

The Ohio Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has posted online instructions for those wanting to apply for a dual license to sell both medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, with the application process officially opening on Friday.

“Applications and materials related to the conversion of a current medical marijuana license to a dual-use cannabis license and new 10(B) dispensary licenses will be posted on this page when available. Frequently Asked Questions will be regularly updated”, states the new webpage, posted on the website for the Ohio Department of Commerce. “Pursuant to the initiated statute approved by Ohio voters in November 2023, the initial non-medical cannabis license applications are only open to current medical marijuana license holders.”

The page says that “Each current medical marijuana cultivator, processor, testing laboratory, and dispensary that wishes to participate in the non-medical cannabis market at their current location must apply for a dual-use cannabis license. Pursuant to O.R.C. 3780.10(B), the following licenses (i.e., “10(B)” dispensary licenses) must be issued:
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Jun 05 2024

Federal Bill to Aid Marijuana Businesses Receives 124th Bipartisan Sponsor

Federal legislation designed to permit banks to engage with licensed marijuana businesses has now received 124 bipartisan sponsors in the US House of Representatives.

The SAFE Banking Act (H.R. 2891) has gained an additional sponsor, Congressmember Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), who joined the initiative yesterday. This proposed law aims to offer federal protections for banks and credit unions that provide financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. These businesses include medical marijuana dispensaries in the 38 states where they are legal, and recreational marijuana stores in the 23 states where they are authorized.

Furthermore, the legislation would enable state-legal marijuana businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions, a practice currently forbidden.
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Jun 05 2024

Over 11,000 Comments Submitted on DEA’s Marijuana Rescheduling Plan, Vast Majority Oppose Schedule I Status

In the two weeks since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) filed its plan in the Federal Register to reschedule marijuana, public engagement has surged, resulting in over 11,000 comments submitted.

Upon the DEA’s submission of its proposal on May 21, a 60-day public comment period was officially initiated, set to conclude on July 22. In the following 15 days, 11,100 comments have been submitted, averaging nearly 800 each day.

Approximately 60% of these comments support further action to completely deschedule marijuana. Less than 5% of the total comments are urging the DEA to keep marijuana as a Schedule I drug, meaning it would remain illegal for all purposes under all circumstances.
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