May 13 2024

President Biden to Receive Double-Digit Jump in Favorability Rating After Marijuana Rescheduling, Poll Finds

Polling shows that President Biden will receive a considerable favorability jump following marijuana being rescheduled.

According to nationwide polling around 60% of those likely to vote in the upcoming election support marijuana being moved away from its current Schedule I status. The survey found that among those made aware of the potential for marijuana to be rescheduled and of President Biden’s involvement in initiating the review process, his favorability rating increased by 11%.

The poll was conducted by Lake Research Partners, with participants surveyed prior to the DEA’s recent decision to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III, confirmed by the Department of Justice on April 30. Since the poll was conducted before the announcement that the rescheduling process would proceed (rather than just being under review), there’s a chance that President Biden’s 11% increase in favorability could be even higher if marijuana is officially moved to Schedule III before November’s election.
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May 13 2024

Dozens of Marijuana Workers Unionize in Los Angeles

Workers at a Nabis Warehouse in California have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 630. The 84 new Teamsters work as drivers and warehouse associates.

“We are dedicated to ensuring stability in the rapidly growing cannabis industry,” said Lou Villalvazo, Secretary-Treasurer at Local 630 in Los Angeles. “Organizing and empowering workers is the key to fostering their growth into the middle class.  Through solidarity and commitment, we will make these good middle-class jobs!”‘

The workers filed for the election on April 20, the internationally renowned cannabis holiday. They are the third group of cannabis workers to join the Teamsters in three weeks and the third group at the company to join the union.
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May 13 2024

The 10 States Likely to be the Last to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

There are 24 states where recreational marijuana has been legalized, and numerous others with ongoing efforts to do the same. However, there are 10 states that seem long away from this type of reform.

There are five states with a legitimate shot to legalize recreational marijuana this year, including two that have legalization initiatives being voted on this November. On the other end of the spectrum, there are 12 states that not only haven’t legalized recreational marijuana, they haven’t even legalized medical marijuana. Although several of these states have ongoing efforts to legalize recreational marijuana, only two are far enough along in the process to elicit much hope (Wisconsin and South Carolina).

With that said, here are the 10 states that are likely to be the last to legalize recreational marijuana.
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May 13 2024

Ohio Committee Approves Allowing Legal Recreational Marijuana Sales to Begin Next Month

A joint committee in the Ohio Legislature has given approval to rules that will allow legal recreational marijuana sales to begin next month, much sooner than initially planned.

The Joint Committee On Agency Rule Review (JCARR) gave final approval today to regulatory changes that allows the Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) to begin issuing dual licenses next month that would allow currently operating medical marijuana dispensaries to also sell to recreational consumers (aka anyone 21 and older).

Under the approved rules, dual license applications must be open and public by June 7.
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May 13 2024

Around $24 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in April in Connecticut

April marijuana sales in Connecticut were slightly less than but roughly on part with sales for the previous month.

The $23,962,720 in marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in April falls short of the $24.6 million sold in March, but is more than the $22.6 million sold in April 2023. $15.6 million of the legal marijuana sold in April was purchased for recreational use, with $8.3 million purchased by medical marijuana patients. This is according to data released by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

Sales totals include the licensed distribution of marijuana flower and shake, as well as a variety of marijuana products including edibles, tinctures and topicals.
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May 13 2024

Minnesota Automatically Seals Over 55,000 Marijuana Convictions

Over 55,000 marijuana convictions have been automatically sealed (hidden) from people’s criminal history in Minnesota.

“Criminal history records that qualify for automatic expungement under the Adult-Use Cannabis Act [approved by voters in 2023] are no longer visible to the public in the Minnesota Criminal History System (CHS)”, according to a press release from the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Communications. “The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has expunged (also referred to as sealing) 57,780 records in CHS almost three months ahead of schedule.”

The Minnesota Judicial Branch determined that just 213 records should not be expunged.
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May 13 2024

US Congress: A Look at the Two Active Psychedelics Bills

In the United States Congress there are currently two active bills that address psychedelics.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Despite the increasing acceptance of psychedelic substances, as evidenced by numerous states and localities voting to legalize or decriminalize them in recent years (especially psilocybin), there has been minimal federal legislation introduced. However, there are two active psychedelics-related bills in the US House of Representatives.

Here’s a look at those measures:
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May 13 2024

US Senate Bill to Deschedule and Legalize Marijuana Gets Committee Assignment

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) has received a committee assignment in the US Senate.

The CAOA was filed on May 1 by a coalition of Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. It has now received its first committee assignment, the Senate Finance Committee. which is chaired by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), who is cosponsoring the measure.

The CAOA would require the federal government to remove marijuana as a controlled substance within 180 days of the bill’s passage, while also placing a federal excise tax on legal marijuana sales; the tax would start at 5% and rise to 12.5% by the fifth year. The proposal would also establish federal safety and regulatory standards for legal marijuana, including establishing a Center for Cannabis Products within the FDA, tasked with regulating “the production, labeling, distribution, sales and other manufacturing and retail elements of the cannabis industry”.
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May 11 2024

Alaska House Passes Bill to Replace $50 Per Ounce Marijuana Tax with 7% Sales Tax

Alaska’s full House of Representatives has advanced a measure that would alter the state’s tax rate for licensed recreational marijuana sales.

On Friday, the Alaska House of Representatives voted to change the state’s $50 per ounce marijuana tax to a 7% sales tax via the passage of House Bill 119. The measure —approved overwhelmingly 36 to 3— will now be sent to the state’s Senate. If approved in the Senate, it will be sent to Governor Mike Dunleavy.

HB 119 would establish a 7% statewide tax on licensed marijuana sales, making it Alaska’s first statewide sales tax. Under current law, marijuana is taxed at $50 per ounce.
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May 11 2024

US Lawmaker Plans to Refile Federal “Stop Pot Act”

A Republican lawmaker from North Carolina plans to refile federal legislation next year designed to withhold funds from states and tribes that have legalized marijuana.

The Stop Pot Act was filed in September by Representative Chuck Edwards (R-NC). Initially filed without any cosponsors, the measure currently has four, all Republican. The proposed law would withhold 10% of the federal highway funds a state receives if they allow legal marijuana sales.

Recently a spokesperson for Rick Crawford, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, said the Stop Pot Act “will not receive committee consideration this year”, indicating that it is effectively dead for this legislative session (which runs January 2023 to December 2024).
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