The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced today it has published a notice of intent to adopt expedited rules and has opened a 30-day public comment period.

Members of the public can submit formal comment starting today, January 13, on draft rules that will complete the regulatory framework for Minnesota’s new cannabis industry. A copy of the proposed rules has been published in the State Register and may be viewed by clicking here.

The public can submit comments through the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) website until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Instructions on how to use the system are available on the OAH website.
Continue reading

A resolution (Senate Joint Resolution 5) encouraging the federal government to approve the SAFER Banking Act has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Montana.

The hearing will take place on Thursday, January 16, at 8:30 a.m. in Room 422 of the Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee. The resolution, if passed, would officially express Montana’s support for approving the SAFER Banking Act, which would allow banks and other financial institutions to provide financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. This would allow state-licensed marijuana stores to move away from a dangerous cash-only model, while also giving them access to other traditional banking services such as loans and lines of credit.

Montana’s U.S. Senators, Steve Daines and Jon Tester, have both sponsored the SAFER Banking Act. The proposal was given bipartisan support by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in September 2023, but failed to receive a vote of the full Senate.
Continue reading

A group of Washington State lawmakers, led by Senator Jesse Salomon, has introduced Senate Bill 5201, which would legalize the use of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes.

The bill, backed by eight cosponsors, has been referred to the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee for further consideration.

If enacted, the legislation would establish a regulated framework allowing licensed facilitators to administer psilocybin in controlled, supervised settings. The proposed program is modeled after Oregon’s pioneering psilocybin therapy law and aims to provide a pathway for individuals seeking treatment for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Continue reading

Cannabis Bioscience International Holdings (CBIH) announced today that Brian Cuban, Esq., a distinguished attorney, best-selling author, and mental health advocate, has officially joined the Reclassification Team and will play a crucial role in representing CBIH at the upcoming DEA hearings on marijuana rescheduling.

Brian Cuban, the younger brother of entrepreneur Mark Cuban, “brings a unique combination of personal recovery experience and professional advocacy to the effort”, according to a CBIH press release. A graduate of Penn State University and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Mr. Cuban has been a vocal champion for individuals battling addiction, mental health challenges, and societal stigma.

According to CBUH, Mr. Cuban has established himself as a thought leader in the mental health space, authoring the best-selling book The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow & Redemption and captivating audiences across North America as a keynote speaker. His work has been featured in esteemed publications such as The New York Times, CNN.com, and The Huffington Post. His most recent release, Body Brokers, sheds light on the dark and exploitative practices within the addiction recovery industry, exposing unethical behaviors that prey on vulnerable individuals seeking treatment.
Continue reading

In 2024, states that allow licensed recreational marijuana sales combined to sell over $20 billion in product.

According to an analysis by The Marijuana Herald, which utilized data from state regulatory agencies and the research firm Headset, legal marijuana states sold $23.2 billion in product throughout 2024, with California and Michigan leading in sales.

The combined total for 2024 includes data from 20 of the 24 legal marijuana states. Delaware and Minnesota were excluded because their legal marijuana markets are not set to launch until later this year. Data for Virginia was also excluded, as it is the only legal marijuana state without licensed sales. Additionally, Alaska’s sales data was not included because the state has yet to release its 2024 figures, nor has Headset or any other research firm deemed reliable enough for inclusion.

Continue reading

In December, Colorado garnered over $19 million in marijuana tax revenue, bringing 2024’s total to over a quarter billion.

According to data released today by the Colorado Department of Revenue, the state made $19,141,932 in taxes from December’s roughly $95 million in sales. This brings the total for 2024 to $255,364,952. The all-time total since 2014 is now $2,873,522,685

Most of Colorado’s marijuana tax revenue comes from a 15% retail sales tax on recreational marijuana and a 15% excise tax on the initial transfer of marijuana from a wholesaler to a retailer. In contrast, medical marijuana is only subject to the statewide sales tax of 2.9%. Additional local taxes of up to 2.9% may also be applied to retail sales.
Continue reading