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:
Continue reading

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.
Continue reading

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.
Continue reading

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.”
Continue reading

Apr 11 2024

New Hampshire House Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill 239 to 136

New Hampshire’s full House of Representatives gave approval today to legislation that would make their state the 25th to legalize recreational marijuana.

By a vote of 239 to 136, the House voted to send House Bill 1633 to the Senate. The measure, filed by State Representative Erica Layon (R), was approved by the House seven weeks after the chamber gave approval to slightly differing language.

The measure will now be sent to the state’s Senate, with approval there putting the measure on the desk of Governor Sununu.
Continue reading

Apr 11 2024

FDA Commissioner Says “There’s No Reason for the DEA to Delay” Marijuana Scheduling Decision

During a committee hearing today in the United States House of Representatives, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf said “there’s no reason for the DEA to delay” a decision regarding marijuana’s scheduling status.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf (photo credit: Win McNamee / Getty Images).

During a hearing today of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Congressmember Nancy Mace (R-SC) asked Commissioner Califf; “I understand this issue now rests with the DEA, I’m curious if you have an update on the timing of their decision?”

Commissioner Califf responded by saying that even if he knew, he couldn’t say publicly. Rep. Mace followed up by asking “do you think it will happen this year?”
Continue reading

Apr 11 2024

U.S. Congress: Lawmakers From 39 States Are Sponsoring Federal Marijuana Banking Act

Bicameral and bipartisan legislation to allow marijuana banking is now sponsored by lawmakers from 39 states.

The SAFE Banking Act in the House (filed last April) and SAFER Banking Act in the Senate (filed in September) would both allow banks and other financial institutions to provide banking services to marijuana businesses that are legal under state law. It would also allow licensed marijuana businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions.

In the House, the measure has 114 sponsors, more than any marijuana-related bill in US history. In the Senate, the measure has 36 sponsors, representing over a third of the full chamber.
Continue reading

Apr 10 2024

Maine: $19 Million Worth of Marijuana Sold in March, 15% Increase From Previous Year

Licensed marijuana stores in Maine sold over $19 million worth of product in March.

The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy has released updated marijuana sales data showing that there was $19,144,646 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in March, a modest increase over the $18,014,488 sold in February and an increase of roughly $2.5 million from the sales total for March of 2023.

Marijuana sales in March were spread across 351,096 different transactions, bringing the yearly total to 99,506 transactions. The yearly sales total is $54,720,331.
Continue reading

Apr 10 2024

Report Finds US Marijuana Industry Supports Over 440,000 Full-Time Jobs

According to a new report, the number of full-time jobs in the legal marijuana industry has risen above 440,000 in the United States, despite recreational marijuana remaining illegal in the majority of states.

According to the report commissioned by Vangst and conducted by the analytics firm Whitney Economics, there was an increase of 22,952 marijuana-related jobs in the past year. The increase in full-time equivalent jobs “is supported by the $28.8 billion worth of legal cannabis products sold in 2023, an increase of $2.7 billion over the previous year.”

The 2024 Vangst Jobs Report found there are now 440,445 full-time jobs supported by legal cannabis in the US, a 5.4% increase over 2023. The report calls this “a positive sign that the industry is finding its footing after a rough couple of years.”
Continue reading

Apr 10 2024

Bipartisan Legislation to Legalize Marijuana Filed in Pennsylvania House

A legislative proposal that would make recreational marijuana legal for everyone 21 and older has been filed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Representative Amen Brown (D) filed House Bill 2210 yesterday with a bipartisan group of five cosponsors. The measure was filed just two days before the Health Subcommittee on Health Care is set to hold a hearing to discuss marijuana legalization.

Under the proposed law, those 21+ would be allowed to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana, which they could purchase from a licensed marijuana retail outlet. The law would allow medical marijuana patients to grow up to five plants, but it would not allow home cultivation for recreational users.
Continue reading