May 22 2024

The 10 States With the Most Legal Marijuana Sales in Q1 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, the legal marijuana market continued to thrive across the United States.

Currently, 23 states have legalized licensed marijuana sales, with most boasting thriving legal marijuana industries. Some states, such as Ohio and Minnesota, have passed legalization laws but don’t yet have licensed marijuana stores.

Using data compiled and released by state agencies, below are the top 10 states in terms of total marijuana sales for the first quarter of this year, covering January 1 to March 31.
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May 22 2024

Daily Marijuana Use Surpasses Daily Alcohol Consumption for the First Time in the US

Recent data reveals a significant trend in the U.S.: daily or near-daily marijuana use has surpassed the number of people who consume alcohol at the same frequency.

This milestone was highlighted in a recent study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University. For the first time in 2022, those frequently using marijuana outnumbered regular heavy drinkers.

Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis policy researcher at the univeristy, pointed out that a substantial 40% of active marijuana users engage with the substance daily or almost daily. This usage pattern is more akin to that of tobacco rather than alcohol. The data, derived from the reputable National Survey on Drug Use and Health and published in the journal Addiction, suggests that 17.7 million individuals reported frequent marijuana use in 2022, in comparison to 14.7 million reporting similar rates of alcohol consumption.
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May 22 2024

Connecticut Appoints First Cannabis Ombudsperson in US History to Champion Patient Rights

Connecticut’s Acting Healthcare Advocate Sean King today announced that Erin Gorman Kirk will serve as the first Cannabis Ombudsperson of the state of Connecticut.

Erin Gorman Kirk, the first “Cannabis Ombudsperson” in the US.

According to a press release sent yesterday, “Erin is an accomplished lawyer, consumer advocate and entrepreneur.  As the founder of Cannabis Government Strategies and President of The Jamison Group, LLC, Erin has been influential in the development of cannabis and hemp policy in several states, including Connecticut.”

Her background includes “extensive professional experience advising and supporting individuals, businesses and government officials seeking to navigate the rapidly evolving cannabis industry. She has published and spoken extensively on regulation and other topics related to cannabis.  Most importantly, Erin has also demonstrated a deep empathy and compassion for the needs of medical cannabis patients, and particularly veterans and seniors, who have struggled to maintain access to their therapies since the rapid expansion of the recreational use industry.”
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May 22 2024

The 3 Federal Marijuana Bills Most Likely to Be Passed by US Congress Within the Next 6 Months

There are currently over 15 active marijuana-related bills in the United States Congress, but only a few of these have a legitimate chance of being enacted into law this year.

Currently, Democrats have narrow control of the US Senate, while Republicans narrowly control the House of Representatives. If Democrats retain the Senate this November while taking back control of the House, they have vowed to pass legislation that would deschedule marijuana; namely, the MORE Act in the House and the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act in the Senate. However, there are a few bills with strong bipartisan support that have a shot at being passed into law this year, as unlikely as it may seem.

With that said, below are the three federal marijuana bills that could be enacted into law this year.
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May 22 2024

US House Bill to Allow Marijuana Banking Garners Record-Setting 120 Sponsors

The SAFE Banking Act to allow marijuana banking nationwide has just garnered its 120th sponsor, more than any other marijuana-related bill in United States history.

Congressmember Jesús García (D-IL) joined a group of 119 other lawmakers yesterday in sponsoring the SAFE Banking Act. The legislation would offer federal protections for banks and credit unions that decide to provide financial services to marijuana businesses that are legal under their state’s law. This includes debit and credit card services —allowing marijuana stores to move away from a dangerous cash-only model— as well as access to business loans.

The SAFE Banking Act would also allow state-legal marijuana businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions, something that’s currently forbidden.
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May 22 2024

Marijuana Rescheduling: Over 700 Comments Already Submitted on DEA’s Proposal

Yesterday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  published its plan to reschedule marijuana in the Federal Register. In the roughly 24 hours since, there have been over 700 comments submitted by the public.

The DEA is seeking to move marijuana to Schedule III, away from its current designation as a Schedule I drug. Schedule I drugs are entirely illegal for all purposes, whereas Schedule III drugs are available for prescription use. Yesterday’s posting in the Federal Register kicked off a 60-day public comment period, ending on July 22.

At the time of publication, (almost 8am PDT), there have been around 700 comments submitted to the DEA.  Nearly half of these comments are urging the federal government to go further by either descheduling marijuana, or legalizing it altogether.
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May 21 2024

The 5 States with the Most Progressive Marijuana Policies

As of May 2024, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana, with some implementing policies that are significantly more progressive than others.

Among these states, the majority —15 out of 24— have established a one-ounce limit for dried marijuana, and a marijuana cultivation limit of three to six plants. However, several states have set notably higher limits.

With that in mind, here are the top five states with the most progressive marijuana policies (in no particular order). All of them have possession limits that are at least twice that of the 15 states with a one ounce limit.

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May 21 2024

New Hampshire Set to Become 25th Legal Marijuana State

Legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in New Hampshire took a key step forward today, being passed through the Senate Finance Committee following approval by the full House of Representatives and the full Senate through its second reading.

House Bill 1633 received approval from the Senate Finance Committee five days after passing the full Senate’s second reading. It will now be considered for a third and final reading in the Senate, expected this week. The House of Representatives has already passed the measure with a vote of 239 to 136. However, it will need to return to the House for one final vote of concurrence after receiving final approval from the Senate due to the amendments made.

If the House concurs with the Senate’s amendment, it will be sent to Governor Chris Sununu, who says he will sign it into law as amended by the Senate. This would make New Hampshire the 25th state to legalize recreational marijuana, and the 24th to allow recreational marijuana sales (Virginia is the only state to allow legal possession but not licensed sales).
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May 21 2024

New York Assembly Bill Would Legalize Medical Psilocybin and Establish Licensed Service Centers

New York Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D) introduced a bill today that would provide legal access to psilocybin mushrooms

Psilocybin mushroom.

The legislation, Assembly Bill 10375, proposes a comprehensive framework for the “regulated adult use, support services, and cultivation of psilocybin-containing fungi.”

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms,” has shown promise in clinical trials for treating a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This bill would establish a system for licensing and regulating psilocybin therapy, allowing qualified adults to possess and use the substance while establishing service centers where it can be used under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional.
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May 21 2024

Over 100 Comments Already Submitted on DEA’s Marijuana Rescheduling Decision: Here’s How to View Them

Earlier today, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officially published in the Federal Register its proposal to reschedule marijuana, kicking off the legally required 60-day public comment period. Within hours, over 100 comments have already been submitted.

The DEA’s proposal would move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act to a Schedule III substance. This change would greatly ease access to marijuana research, legalize marijuana compounds for medical use nationwide, and provide medical marijuana patients and businesses in states where it’s legal a range of federal protections.

Today’s publication in the Federal Register gives the public until July 22 to provide comments, sharing their opinions and suggestions. Following the public comment period, the DEA will review all submissions to assess public opinion. This process will culminate in a final hearing and the issuance of a final ruling.
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