Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use has issued letters of intent to approve licenses for 22 companies vying to operate as Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs).

These approvals come after a months-long wait for the 74 applicants who initially submitted their applications in April 2023. The companies granted licenses include:
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Lancaster County District Court Judge Susan Strong has dismissed a legal challenge aimed at invalidating medical marijuana initiatives that were overwhelmingly approved by voters earlier this month.

According to Judge Strong, the petitions met all constitutional and statutory requirements, making them legally sufficient under Nebraska law. This allows the law to take effect on December 12, although the decision may be appealed to the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Earlier this month, Nebraskans overwhelmingly voted in favor of legalizing medical marijuana and implementing a regulatory framework for sales, with 70% of voters supporting the initiatives. Certification of the election results is expected next week.
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Despite the success of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ marijuana megastore, other tribes in North Carolina remain hesitant to open their own.

It’s been over 80 days since The Great Smoky Cannabis Company in Cherokee, North Carolina, opened their doors to everyone 21 and older, becoming the first and only place in North Carolina to legally purchase marijuana and marijuana products. During this time, the outlet has drawn tens of thousands of customers.  Despite concerns that police would set up checkpoints outside tribal land, not a single arrest related to store purchases have been reported.

With this apparent success, The Marijuana Herald reached out to the other seven tribes in North Carolina to ask if they had any plans to try and legalize marijuana on their own land.
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A Minnesota judge on Monday halted a planned lottery to award adult-use marijuana licenses after applicants who were denied access filed a lawsuit alleging the process lacked transparency and did not provide an appeals mechanism.

Ramsey County District Court Judge Stephen Smith made the decision following an hourlong online hearing, calling off the lottery that was set for Tuesday, according to MPR News. The state retains the option to appeal the ruling.

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) warned before the hearing that postponing the lottery could jeopardize it entirely due to logistical and financial challenges, MPR News reported.
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A coalition of Democratic senators and representatives is urging the Biden administration to finalize plans to limit federal marijuana prosecutions and expand clemency efforts before President Joe Biden’s term concludes in January.

In a letter sent Tuesday, first reported by Rolling Stone, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) joined Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in emphasizing that marijuana rescheduling alone is insufficient. They argued that it would not end federal criminalization or address the persistent disparities between federal and state marijuana laws. “Possession and use of recreational marijuana — and much state-legal medical marijuana — will continue to be a violation of federal law,” the letter stated.

The letter. co-signed by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), as well as Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Dina Titus (D-NV), James McGovern (D-MA), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), says “The Biden Administration has the opportunity to further reduce the harms of marijuana’s criminalization before the end of this Administration by issuing another round of clemency and an updated memorandum on prosecutorial discretion for marijuana offenses.”
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Sunburn Cannabis, a Florida-based and vertically integrated cannabis operator, has announced the opening of its first dispensary in Cape Coral, the Company’s 15th store in the state.

The store is located at 1628 Del Prado Blvd S and regular hours are Monday-Sunday from 9 AM–8:45 PM, according to a press release. Sunburn Cannabis is inspired by Florida’s rich history and the true story of CEO and Founder, Brady Cobb, and his late father, Clyde Walton “Bill” Cobb, who was a cannabis smuggler in Florida in the 1970s and 1980s. The brand is named after “Operation Sunburn,” the joint federal and state investigation that brought down Brady’s father’s Florida-based cannabis smuggling crew in 1982.

“We are excited to open the newest Sunburn location in Cape Coral, a significant milestone for us and a testament to the growing demand for cannabis in Florida. Although the recent vote on Amendment 3 did not pass, there remains a strong desire for safe, regulated cannabis,” said CEO and Founder Brady Cobb. “Our presence in Cape Coral not only enhances local access to medicinal cannabis but also reflects Sunburn’s commitment to serving the needs of Floridians. We hope as more people experience the benefits of the plant, the fight for adult-use legalization will continue to evolve, paving the way for a brighter future in this industry.”
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Kentucky has issued its initial 36 medical marijuana dispensary licenses through a lottery conducted Monday at the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville.

The recipients, selected from specific regions, were chosen from a pool of 4,075 applicants, according to Sam Flynn, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis.

“This marks another significant step in providing Kentuckians suffering from cancer, PTSD, and other severe conditions with access to safe and affordable medical marijuana,” said Governor Andy Beshear.
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