Sep 19 2024

Fourth Circuit Court Rules Hemp-Derived Products Legal Nationwide, Contradicting DEA

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that all hemp-derived products, including those created through chemical synthesis, are legal under federal law.

Hemp gummies.

This ruling aligns with a 2022 decision from the Ninth Circuit but goes against more recent guidance from the DEA. In a letter from February 2023, the DEA stated that the 2018 Farm Bill was not intended to legalize synthetic cannabinoids, such as THC-O, even if their THC content is below the legal limit.

Despite acknowledging the disagreement, the Fourth Circuit sided with the Ninth Circuit’s interpretation, which held that the Farm Bill’s definition of hemp includes all cannabis plant derivatives as long as they contain less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC. The court stated that this interpretation is clear and that they did not need to defer to the DEA’s position.
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Sep 19 2024

Illinois Legal Marijuana Sales Top $170 Million in August

In Illinois, over $170 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products were sold through legal outlets.

According to data released by the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer, a total of $170.9 million in marijuana was sold in August, with $147.4 million in recreational sales and $23.5 million in medical sales. This is around $3 million more than the previous month, and around $5 million more than the previous August.

Of the recreational marijuana sold in August, $33.1 million was purchased by out-of-state visitors, while Illinois residents accounted for $114.3 million in sales.
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Sep 19 2024

Georgia: Despite DEA Threats, Augusta Pharmacy Begins Selling State-Approved Medical Marijuana Products

A pharmacy in Augusta, Georgia, is now selling medical marijuana products to qualified patients.

Marijuana capsules.

Living Well Pharmacy, operated by pharmacist Vic Johnson, now offers a range of medical marijuana products to patients. Under Georgia’s medical marijuana law, individuals with a qualifying medical condition and a physician’s recommendation can legally purchase, possess, and use marijuana-derived products, including tinctures and capsules, which contain CBD and up to 5% THC. Georgia’s law stands out because it permits the sale of marijuana products through pharmacies—something no other state currently allows.

In October, Georgia became the first state in the U.S. to sell medical marijuana products through licensed pharmacies, with 130 pharmacies participating. However, in December, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) issued threats to these pharmacies, causing the program to be suspended.
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Sep 19 2024

Illinois Supreme Court Rules That Marijuana Odor Alone Cannot Justify Warrantless Searches

The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that the smell of marijuana alone, whether burnt or not, cannot justify a warrantless vehicle search by police.

In a decision published Thursday, the court addressed two consolidated cases where officers conducted vehicle searches based on the odor of burnt cannabis (People v. Redmond and People v. Molina). In both cases, small amounts of marijuana were found, and the defendants were charged with improper storage, as state law mandates that cannabis be transported in odor-proof containers.

The justices upheld lower court rulings that suppressed the cannabis as evidence, stating that “the odor of burnt cannabis, by itself, is not enough to establish probable cause for a warrantless vehicle search.”
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Sep 19 2024

Idaho Group Files Initiative to Decriminalize Marijuana Possession and Cultivation

The nonprofit political committee Kind Idaho has submitted a new initiative with the state aimed at decriminalizing the personal use and home cultivation of marijuana.

(Photo credit: KindIdaho.org).

“We are pursuing personal use and home cultivation decriminalization,” says Kind Idaho. Although the group has spent the last several years working to legalize medical marijuana, the new measure would not require a medical condition in order to possess or grow marijuana.

“You should not need permission from the state for basic self-care. You shouldn’t get in trouble over a plant”, says Kind Idaho.
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Sep 19 2024

West Virginia Governor’s Candidate Announces Support for Legalizing Marijuana

Steve Williams, the Democratic candidate for Governor of West Virginia, has officially expressed his support for legalizing recreational marijuana in the state.

Steve Williams, the Democratic nominee for West Virginia Governor.

“Adults in our state deserve the right to make their own choices about cannabis, just as they do with alcohol and tobacco,” Williams said in a statement. “One avenue to move forward is to put legalization on the ballot and let voters decide.”

Earlier this year a legislative proposal that would make recreational marijuana legal for everyone 21 and older was filed in the state’s House of Representatives. It remains alive, but thus far has failed to advance out of committee.
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Sep 19 2024

Michigan Senate Committee Approves Bill Allowing 19- and 20-Year-Olds to Work in Marijuana Businesses

A Michigan Senate committee has given approval to legislation allowing 19- and 20-year-olds to work or volunteer at state-licensed or tribal marijuana retail outlets.

Senator Sean McCann filed Senate Bill 807 in April, with it quickly assigned to the Committee On Regulatory Affairs. Today, the committee gave approval to the measure, sending it to the Committee Of The Whole . Approval through that committee will allow a vote by the full Senate.

The bill “would amend the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act to allow an individual who was 19 years old or older to work or volunteer for a marihuana establishment or tribal marihuana business if the individual were supervised by an agent of the establishment or business who was 21 years old or older.”
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Sep 18 2024

Pittsburgh City Council Advances Bill to Establish Medical Marijuana Protections in the Workplace

The Pittsburgh City Council has given initial approval to an ordinance that would strengthen protections for medical marijuana patients in the workplace.

Introduced by Councilor Barb Warwick, the measure would classify medical marijuana users as a protected group, barring routine drug tests for marijuana as a condition of employment in most fields. Warwick stressed that current testing policies unfairly target medical marijuana patients and that these practices should be considered discriminatory.

Before passing the measure, the council approved an amendment that creates an exemption for the construction industry, filed by Councilmember Anthony Coghill.
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Sep 18 2024

Arizona Generates $20 Million in August Marijuana Taxes, All-Time Total Nears $1 Billion

Arizona’s total tax revenue from legal marijuana sales is nearing $1 billion, with over $20 million generated in August.

According to data from the Arizona Department of Revenue, the state generated $20,778,911 in tax revenue from the licensed sale of nearly $90 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products. Of this, $12,799,070 came from the 16% recreational marijuana excise tax, $6,292,234 from the 5.6% transaction privilege tax on recreational marijuana, and $1,490,447 from the same 5.6% tax applied to medical marijuana sales, which are exempt from the 16% excise tax.

Arizona’s year-to-date total for marijuana taxes is now approximately $190 million. The all-time total is $948,116,657.
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Sep 18 2024

Here’s the Most Popular Marijuana Strains in the United States as of September 2024

As marijuana continues to gain traction across the United States, with it legal for recreational use in 24 states and legal for medical use in 38 states, certain strains have emerged as perennial favorites among consumers.

With more states legalizing cannabis and an ever-expanding market, some strains consistently stand out from the rest.

Drawing from data provided by state regulatory agencies, as well as insights from platforms like Leafly and WeedMaps, here are the most popular strains in the United States.
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