Jul 15 2024

It’s the Final Week to Submit Comments on the DEA’s Marijuana Rescheduling Proposal

There’s now just one week remaining in the legally required 60-day public comment period regarding the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposal to reschedule marijuana.

The DEA published their proposal in the Federal Register on May 21, which officially launched the public comment period. There is now just seven days remaining before the comment period closes on July 22. All comments to the DEA are publicly accessible and can be viewed by clicking here, and those interested can submit their own comment by clicking here.

Currently there have been 30.5k comments submitted. An analysis of the submitted comments shows that over 50% want the DEA to fully deschedule marijuana. When you add those who call on the DEA to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, this jumps to above 70%. A shockingly low 8% of comments are urging the DEA to reject their own proposal plus any additional changes to instead keep marijuana as a Schedule I drug.
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Jul 15 2024

June Marijuana Sales in Rhode Island Reach $9.68 Million, Boosting 2024 Total to Over $58 Million

In June, Rhode Island’s marijuana sales continued to climb, reaching $9.68 million, a slight increase from the $9.16 million recorded in June of the previous year.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations, June’s sales included $7.65 million from recreational marijuana and $2.03 million from medical marijuana. The average transaction amount for June was $37.13.

This brings the total sales for 2024 to $58,565,192. Last year, the total sales amounted to $107,816,615, contributing approximately $15 million in tax revenue.
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Jul 14 2024

Every Marijuana Bill Currently Alive in the US Congress

Here’s an overview of all the marijuana-related bills currently under consideration in the United States Congress.

Per congressional rules, any marijuana-related bill introduced before January 2023 is now inactive. Bills filed on or after January 2023 will become inactive (if not enacted into law) before the next legislative session in January 2025. Legislators have the option to reintroduce any inactive bill if they choose to do so.

At present, there are 21 active marijuana-related bills, with varying levels of support and progress. Below is a look at each of these measures.
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Jul 14 2024

US Senate Bill Filed to Restrict Marijuana Use Consideration in Job and Security Clearance Decisions

Legislation to “limit the consideration of marijuana use when making an employment suitability or security clearance determination” has been filed in the United States Senate.

Senate Bill 4711 was filed on Thursday by Senator Gary Peters. It’s been assigned to the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.

The legislation prohibits a federal agency from considering past or present marijuana use when determining whether an individual is suitable for federal employment or eligible for a security clearance. It also establishes a review process for past applications.
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Jul 14 2024

New Hampshire Governor Signs Bill Adding Anxiety as Medical Marijuana Condition

On Friday, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed into law legislation that expands the state’s list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions.

Governor Sununu has signed House Bill 1349 into law. The measure was filed in December by State Representative Heath Howard (D). The measure adds “generalized anxiety disorder” to the state’s list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions. The law takes effect 60 days after being signed into law.

New Hampshire’s medical marijuana law, enacted in 2013, allows patients with qualifying conditions to access medical cannabis. Qualifying conditions include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, ALS, muscular dystrophy, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, severe nausea, and PTSD. The law mandates that patients obtain a written certification from a licensed physician or advanced practice registered nurse. Patients must register with the state’s Therapeutic Cannabis Program to receive an ID card, which permits them to purchase cannabis from designated alternative treatment centers.
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Jul 13 2024

Arizona Collects Nearly $150 Million in Marijuana Taxes in First Half of 2024

Arizona marijuana sales generated nearly $150 million in tax revenue between January and June of this year.

Licensed marijuana sales resulted in $23,640,670 in taxes in June, bringing the year-to-date total to $145,971,892.

The all-time total marijuana tax revenue since the start of legal marijuana sales in 2021 is now $903,443,181, putting it on track to cross the $1 billion mark later this year.
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Jul 12 2024

The 5 States Next in Line to Legalize Psilocybin

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms”, is gaining traction across the United States as more states consider its legalization for medical and therapeutic purposes.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Following the footsteps of Oregon and Colorado, several states are now moving towards legalizing psilocybin. Here are the five states next in line to potentially legalize psilocybin.
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Jul 12 2024

Marijuana Rescheduling Nears the Endgame, Public Comment Period Almost Over

The long-anticipated rescheduling of marijuana is approaching a crucial milestone and is close to being finalized.

The legally required 60-day public comment period, a critical phase in the process of rescheduling any drug under the Controlled Substances Act, is set to close in just 10 days. Approximately 30,000 comments have been submitted so far, the vast majority in support of either rescheduling marijuana, or going further and descheduling it altogether.

The impending closure of the public comment period signifies the approaching endgame in the rescheduling process. Once the period concludes, the DEA and HHS will review the comments and make a recommendation on whether to reclassify marijuana, potentially holding a public hearing before making a final recommendation. This recommendation will then be forwarded to the Attorney General, who will make the final decision.
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Jul 12 2024

Five Statewide Marijuana Initiatives Being Considered This November

In less than four months, voters in five states will decide on marijuana initiatives.

The November 5 election will be monumental for several reasons, including the fact that five states will vote on marijuana law reforms. Three of these states may legalize recreational marijuana, potentially joining the 24 others that have already done so.

With that said, here is a breakdown of the five statewide initiatives being considered this November.
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Jul 12 2024

June Marijuana Sales Top $20 Million in Maine, $115 Million Year-to-Date

Marijuana sales in Maine topped $20 million for the second month in a row.

Data released by the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy shows that there was $20,692,942 in marijuana sales in June, an increase from the $20,280,736 sold in May, but roughly $1 million less than the monthly record set in September 2023. June sales occurred across 387,247 transactions.

The average price per gram of dried marijuana in June dropped from $7.41 to $7.25. This is slightly above the all-time low of $7.18 in April.
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