Apr 14 2024

Democrats’ Call to Federally Deschedule Marijuana is Not Just Political Posturing: Here’s Why

Democratic leaders pushing bicameral legislation to deschedule marijuana is not just political posturing in an election year, it’s an example of what’s possible if there’s political change.

87 Democrats in the House of Representatives are currently sponsoring legislation to fully deschedule marijuana. In the Senate, legislation to do the same will be filed on 4/20, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. It’s easy to consider this simple posturing in an election year; a reminder of how often politicians promise one thing during a campaign only to pull a 180 after winning. In this instance, Democrats may finally be for real.

One of the primary reasons behind this line of thinking is that when Democrats controlled the House in 2022, the full chamber gave approval to the MORE Act, legislation that would deschedule marijuana entirely. This would decriminalize the plant nationwide while allowing states to establish their own marijuana laws. The measure would also place a federal excise tax on legal marijuana sales, and it would allow marijuana expungements.
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Apr 14 2024

Connecticut Marijuana Sales Passed $24 Million in March

Connecticut’s legal marijuana industry accounted for over $24 million in sales in March.

There was a total of $24.66 million in marijuana sold legally between March 1 and March 31, according to data released by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. This is roughly $2.5 million more than the marijuana sales total for the previous March.

$16,042,876 of these sales were purchased by recreational marijuana consumers. $8,624,463 of this was purchased by authorized medical marijuana patients.
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Apr 14 2024

The 3 Federal Marijuana Bills Likely to Be Enacted Into Law if Democrats Take Over US Congress and Retain Presidency

With Republicans controlling the US House of Representatives and Speaker Mike Johnson adamantly opposed to marijuana law reform, it’s unlikely there will be much movement this year on any marijuana-related bill. However, things could change this November.

Despite Democrats currently in control of the Senate and presidency, and despite Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in support of descheduling marijuana and passing a marijuana banking bill, there’s been no significant movement on any marijuana-related bill in this year or the last, other than one Senate committee advancing marijuana banking legislation. A big reason for this lack of movement is that Republicans control the House of Representatives. Speaker Mike Johnson opposes any attempt to loosen marijuana laws, as did Kevin McCarthy before him.

Things could change this November, with Democrats having a reasonable opportunity to take back control of the House, while retaining the Senate. When the Democrats controlled the House in 2022, they passed a variety of marijuana-related bills, including the MORE Act to fully deschedule marijuana and allow marijuana expungements. The measure failed to advance in the Senate, with Democrats and Republicans split 49 to 49 and with much of the year spent on a few specific proposals such as the  Inflation Reduction Act.
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Apr 12 2024

Maine Legislature Approves Bill to Allow Marijuana Possession and Cultivation Convictions to be Sealed

Legislation allowing those with convictions for possessing or cultivating marijuana to have the charges sealed (hidden) from their criminal record has been passed by Maine’s full legislature.

House Bill 2236 was given approval Wednesday through the Maine House of Representatives by a vote of 90 to 57. The following day the Senate passed the measure 27 to 8.  The proposal will soon be sent to Governor Janet Mills, who is expected to sign it into law.

The measure will implement a recommendation of the Criminal Records Review Committee to add to the definition of “eligible criminal conviction” for the Maine Revised Statutes. “which identifies what is considered an eligible underlying crime for a person to file a post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record information related to the conviction for that crime, any Class D crime related to unlawfully possessing or cultivating marijuana when that crime was committed prior to January 30, 2017, the effective date of Maine’s first adult use cannabis laws.”
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Apr 12 2024

Oregon Governor Signs Bill Extending Moratorium On Marijuana Business Licenses

Legislation extending the state’s moratorium on new marijuana business licenses has been signed into law by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

Governor Kotek has signed House Bill 4124 into law, following its overwhelming passage in the state legislature; the House passed it 55 to 1, with the Senate giving it approval by a vote of 20 to 7.

The new law prohibits the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission from accepting any new applications for new marijuana production or retail business licenses, until there are significant increases in population growth.
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Apr 12 2024

Michigan: March Marijuana Sales Crush Monthly Record with $288 Million Sold

There was $288.8 million in marijuana sold legally in Michigan in March, beating the previous monthly record by over $8 million.

In total there was $288,843,279.77 worth of legal marijuana sold in March, according to data released by the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency. This marks a drastic $27 million increase from February and a $46 million increase from January.

Of the $288 million in sales, just $2,053,021.25 was purchased by medical marijuana patients, with the remaining $286,790,258.52sold to recreational consumers.
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Apr 11 2024

Missouri Committee Unanimously Approves Medical Psilocybin Bill

Missouri legislation to allow those with certain medical conditions to legally possess and use psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms”, has been given approval by a key House committee.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Today the Missouri House Veterans Committee voted unanimously to pass House Bill 1830, a measure to allow the medical use of psilocybin if certain criteria is met. The measure will now be sent to the House Regulatory Oversight Committee.

As specified in this bill, “any person who acquires, uses, produces, possesses, transfers, or administers psilocybin for the person’s own therapeutic use will not be in violation of state or local law and will not be subject to a civil fine, penalty, or sanction so long as the person meets the following conditions:
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Apr 11 2024

Poll: 59% of Those in US Believe Marijuana Home Grow Should Be Legal

According to the results of a new poll, a strong majority of those 21 and older in the United States believe adults should be allowed to grow marijuana for personal use.

The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll,  included 2,024 participants all aged 21 and older who were polled between February 15 and 20. A little over a third (713) of the survey’s participants self-reported as marijuana consumers.

The results of the poll show that 59% of Americans support legalizing the personal cultivation of marijuana. Currently 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana, but a few (Washington, for example) do not allow unlicensed marijuana cultivation.
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Apr 11 2024

Democrats to Introduce Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill on 4/20, Clarifying Their Stance Prior to November Election

A trio of top Democrats in the US Senate, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, is seeking cosponsors for a marijuana legalization bill they plan to introduce on 4/20. Although the measure is unlikely to pass the US Congress this year, it may have a shot in 2025.

“Leader Schumer, Chair Wyden, and Senator Booker invite you to cosponsor the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), a comprehensive bill to decriminalize, regulate, and tax cannabis”, states a letter circulating among members of the United States Senate. The CAOA would require the US attorney general to finalize rules removing marijuana as a controlled substance within 180 days, place a 5% federal excise tax on marijuana producers that would increase to 12.5% by the fifth year, and establish the 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”.

Giving a knowing wink to marijuana consumers and supporters, the measure will be officially introduced on 4/20, the unofficial marijuana holiday.
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Apr 11 2024

Study Using Data From Millions of Patients Finds Access to Medical Marijuana Improves Mental Health

According to the results of a newly released study, patients suffering from chronic health conditions report improvements in their mental health following the enactment of laws granting access to medical marijuana.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK and the University of Basel in Switzerland, and it was published in the journal Health Economics, Policy, and Law.

“The consequences of legal access to medical marijuana for individuals’ well-being are controversially assessed”, states the study. “We contribute to the discussion by evaluating the impact of the introduction of medical marijuana laws across US states on self-reported mental health considering different motives for cannabis consumption.”
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