At a congressional hearing today a GOP lawmaker praised the DEA’s decision to reschedule marijuana, with the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warning that rescheduling has not yet been finalized.

At today’s hearing of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Congressmember Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) told HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra that it is “really good welcoming news” that the Biden Administration is moving to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III.

“We’re more than willing to work with you on these issues,” said Becerra, who followed this up by saying “Remember, the cannabis action has not yet been finalized. But we’re more than willing to work with you. We work based off of evidence, and so whatever we do has to be evidence-based.”
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Since the start of legal medical marijuana distribution in Arkansas in 2019, sales have surpassed $1 billion.

According to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), Arkansas medical marijuana patients have purchased over $1.10 billion worth of products since sales began in May 2019. The DFA reports that 203,000 pounds of medical marijuana have been sold.

In 2019, the first year of legal medical marijuana, sales were just $31 million. This rose to $181.8 million the following year and then to $264 million in 2021. Sales reached $276 million in 2022 and increased to $283 million in 2023. Continue reading

Legal marijuana sales in Michigan passed $275 million in April, despite prices dropping to an all-time low.

According to data compiled and released by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency, there was a total of $278,546,443 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in April. Just $1,861,261.02 was purchased by medical marijuana patients, with the remaining $276,685,182.93 purchased by recreational consumers. Sales for April fell around $10 million short of the record-breaking total of $288 million sold last month.

Total recreational marijuana sales since the start of legal sales in December, 2019 now stands at $8,000,677,441, resulting in over $1.4 billion in tax revenue. This is in addition to the $1.6 billion in medical marijuana sold during the same period.
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Country music icon, bestselling author, and cannabis entrepreneur Willie Nelson is releasing a cannabis cookbook this November with his Wife Annie.

According to a press release, “Willie Nelson pairs his gift for storytelling and herbal remedies with his wife Annie’s passion for home cooked meals in this cookbook of cannabis-infused delicacies”. The book is titled Willie and Annie Nelson’s Cannabis Cookbook.

In the Nelson family’s first ever cookbook, the couple says “we’re cooking with good vibes only.” Drawn from their favorite meals on nationwide tours, at the ranch, at home, and in their favorite cities along the way, “these recipes have stories to tell—and what better way to enjoy a good meal than with a high-flying tale and a relaxing buzz?”
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Total Wine & More, the largest independent wine retailer in the US, says it is now carrying a variety of drinks infused with THC in all of its Texas and Louisiana locations.

Founded in 1991 in Delaware, Total Wine & More operates 260 “wine superstores” across 28 states. In a press announcement Total Wine & More says it’s partnering with Bayou City Hemp Company and 88th Wonder in order to expand their portfolio of beverages containing hemp-derived THC. The products —including HOWDY, Beach Break and 8th Wonder Cannabis— will be added to all of its 38 Texas locations and all five Louisiana locations, with potential plans to go nationwide after that.

“Our THC beverages are taking Texas by storm and this partnership with Total Wine & More is a major advancement in our mission to bring these products to the mainstream,” says Bayou City Hemp and 8th Wonder CEO Ben Meggs. “These non-alcoholic beverages are widely sought after and we’re thrilled to make them accessible to the customers of such an iconic and reputable company in the Lone Star State and Louisiana. In a short amount of time, our products have emerged as some of the top sellers in Texas Total Wines.”
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According to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report, the average THC content of marijuana flower sold through the illicit market in the United States is 16%.

The report uses data from the University of Mississippi’s Marijuana Monitoring Program, which is responsible for testing marijuana seized by the DEA as well as local and state law enforcement. The DEA says the average THC potency in illegal marijuana is currently 16%, a roughly 30% increase from 2021, when the average DEA content was below 14%.

“The potency of THC in leafy marijuana is at an all-time high”, states the report.
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Legislation that would have initially place an arbitrary cap on the allowable THC in medical marijuana has been given approval by a key committee in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 419 has been given approval through the Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee by a vote of 12 to 8. The proposal has already been passed through the full Senate, and will be sent to Governor Chris Sununu if it’s approved through the full House and the Senate concurs with any amendments.

“This bill establishes a definition of “cannabis concentrate,” imposes certain reporting requirements on the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and amends the definition of “usable cannabis” to that which is under 16 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)”, states the most recent summary of the bill.
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The Ohio initiative that legalized recreational marijuana, approved by voters last year, allows cities to opt out of allowing marijuana sales. So far, dozens have chosen to do so.

According to a new report from Ohio State University’s Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, 47 cities and townships have chosen to pass temporary or permanent bans on the licensed distribution of marijuana, making it illegal for a marijuana store to open within their boundaries. This represents 2% of the state’s over 2,000 cities, townships, and villages.

Notably, none of the state’s most populated cities have enacted such a policy, with the average population of the cities implementing bans being around 20,000. One factor that may be contributing to fewer Ohio cities imposing bans than other states— in Michigan and New York, for example, over 50% of cities have bans on marijuana stores— is the Host Community Fund established under Issue 2, Ohio’s marijuana legalization initiative.

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In March, legal marijuana sales in Colorado topped $125 million for the first time since September.

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, there was $126,630,910 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold through legal means in March. This is a considerable increase over the $114 million sold in February and the $115 million sold in January. However, it’s a noticeable decrease from the $139 million sold in March 2023.

The over $125 million in marijuana sales resulted in $20,879,900 in tax revenue for the state.
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