Feb 19 2025

Wisconsin Governor Includes Marijuana Legalization in 2025-2027 Budget as Bicameral Bills Are Filed

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has included a proposal to legalize marijuana in his 2025-2027 budget request, marking another push to regulate and tax cannabis similar to alcohol.

On the same day, bipartisan legislation—Assembly Bill 50 and Senate Bill 45—was introduced in the state legislature to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use.

“Legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use, much like Wisconsin already does with alcohol,” said Governor Evers’ office The proposal estimates $58.1 million in revenue for fiscal year 2026-27, with increasing amounts expected in subsequent years.
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Feb 19 2025

Nebraska Bill to Restrict Medical Marijuana to Pills and Tinctures Scheduled for Public Hearing

A Nebraska measure that would significantly restrict the allowable forms of medical cannabis has been scheduled for a public hearing in the General Affairs Committee.

Marijuana capsules.

Filed by Senator Storm last month, the proposal would limit medical marijuana products to pills and liquid tinctures, excluding other forms such as edibles, concentrates, and smokable products. The hearing has been scheduled for 1:30pm on March 3 in Room 1023.

This proposal comes in the wake of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act (Initiative 437) and the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act (Initiative 438), which both became law in December. These initiatives established legal protections for patients and healthcare providers, allowed patients to possess up to five ounces of marijuana with a physician’s recommendation, and set the framework for a regulated medical marijuana market.
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Feb 19 2025

Oregon Initiative Would Legalize Cannabis Cafes, Proponents Aim for November 2026 Ballot

A proposed initiative in Oregon would legalize cannabis cafes, allowing licensed venues to serve food and drinks while permitting on-site marijuana consumption.

Backed by the Oregon Cannabis Cafe Coalition, the initiative would amend existing state law to introduce regulated smoking lounges and, eventually, cafes offering infused edibles.

“The Cannabis Cafe Coalition is dedicated to making amendments to bill 475C.097 (Cannabis Retail Sales & Licensing)”, states the group on their website. “The goal is to create a bill that will allow regulated smoking lounges and eventually infused edible cafes in the city of Portland.”
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Feb 19 2025

Verano Announces Opening of Medical Cannabis Dispensary in North Miami Beach, Company’s 80th Florida Location, 153rd Nationwide

Verano Holdings Corp., a leading multi-state cannabis company, today announced the opening of MÜV North Miami Beach on Friday, February 21st, the company’s 80th Florida location.

The new location, located at 16635 NE 19th Ave, will be open from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. Once open, Verano will have 153 dispensaries operating across over a dozen states.

Located in Florida’s Miami-Dade County, the state’s largest county by population with over 2.6 million residents, MÜV North Miami Beach sits in a prime location just west of Biscayne boulevard on 19th Avenue, a bustling thoroughfare with a daily traffic count of 25,000 vehicles2. The dispensary marks a milestone as Verano’s 80th location in the Sunshine State and fourth in Miami-Dade County, complementing existing locations in North Miami – Biscayne, MÜV Miami – Kendall, and MÜV Naranja. MÜV North Miami Beach is conveniently located next to Miami’s Snake Creek Canal and a short trip from area beaches, shopping areas and other favorite attractions popular with locals, tourists and seasonal residents alike.
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Feb 19 2025

THCV and CBD Mucoadhesive Strips Linked to Weight Loss and Metabolic Benefits, Study Finds

A new placebo-controlled study found that mucoadhesive strips containing tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) and cannabidiol (CBD) led to significant weight loss and metabolic improvements over 90 days.

The study involved 44 participants, including 31 women and 13 men, with an average age of 51.75 years. Researchers tested two different doses: 8 mg THCV/10 mg CBD and 16 mg THCV/20 mg CBD, taken once daily. Participants were monitored for changes in weight, abdominal girth, systolic blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

Both dosage levels resulted in statistically significant weight loss, reductions in waist circumference, lower systolic blood pressure, and decreased LDL cholesterol compared to the placebo group. The higher dose demonstrated a greater effect on weight loss. Researchers noted that these findings align with prior unpublished studies involving THCV-rich hemp extracts.
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Feb 19 2025

California’s Legal Cannabis Market Now Has More Inactive Licenses Than Active Ones

The number of inactive marijuana business licenses in California has now surpassed active ones, highlighting ongoing struggles in the state’s legal industry.

An analysis by SFGate found that 10,828 marijuana business licenses in California are now inactive or surrendered, compared to 8,514 active licenses. Jonatan Cvetko, executive director of the United Cannabis Business Association, described the situation as a “complete failure.”

A 2023 rule change allowing cannabis cultivators to consolidate smaller licenses into larger ones accounted for 1,071 inactive licenses. The breakdown of inactive licenses includes over 1,100 distribution licenses, nearly 500 delivery licenses, and more than 300 retail licenses.
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Feb 19 2025

Study: Patients With Cancer Who Use Medical Marijuana Report Significant Improvements in Symptoms, But Affordability an Issue

A recent study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that patients with cancer who use medical marijuana report substantial improvements in managing symptoms.

The study found that although most cancer patients find symptom relief from using medical marijuana, high out-of-pocket costs remain a major barrier, particularly for those already facing financial hardship.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the HealthPartners Institute Cancer Research Center surveyed 220 cancer patients enrolled in the Minnesota Medical Cannabis Program over a two-month period. The study examined the relationship between financial well-being and patterns of medical marijuana use, associated costs, and symptom relief.

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Feb 19 2025

Study: Cannabidiol (CBD) Disrupts Bacterial Cell Walls, Showing Potential as an Antibiotic Alternative

A new study published in the Journal of Proteomics explores the antibacterial properties of cannabidiol (CBD), revealing its potential as an alternative to traditional antibiotics.

The research focused on Bacillus licheniformis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecium, using bacterial inhibition assays, label-free proteomics, and metabolomics to analyze CBD’s effects.

The findings indicate that CBD causes significant structural damage to bacterial cell walls and membranes, leading to widespread changes in protein and metabolite expression. The study identified 437, 120, and 195 differentially expressed proteins in B. licheniformis, S. aureus, and E. faecium, respectively, along with disruptions in metabolic pathways crucial to bacterial survival.
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Feb 19 2025

Kentucky Lawmaker Files Resolution Urging U.S. Congress to Allow Medical Marijuana Patients to Own Firearms

State Representative Derek Lewis (R) filed House Resolution 48 in the Kentucky House yesterday, calling on Congress to protect the Second Amendment rights of medical marijuana patients.

The resolution, which has been assigned to the Committee on Committees for further consideration, highlights the conflict between federal firearms regulations and state medical marijuana laws. Under current federal law, individuals who use a controlled substance—including marijuana, which remains federally illegal—are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. HR 48 argues that this policy forces medical marijuana patients to choose between accessing treatment and exercising their constitutional rights.

Kentucky legalized medical marijuana in 2023 when lawmakers passed Senate Bill 47. The law, which took effect on January 1, 2025, allows qualifying patients to access marijuana for conditions such as chronic pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea. However, despite the state’s legalization efforts, patients remain subject to federal firearm restrictions.
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Feb 18 2025

Study: CBD Reshapes Gut Microbiome to Enhance Endurance in Animal Model

A study conducted by Jeonbuk National University Medical School and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology found that cannabidiol (CBD) enhances endurance exercise in mice by altering the gut microbiome and promoting muscle adaptation.

“Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive compound from Cannabis, has various bioactive functions in humans and animals”, states the study, which was published by the journal Experimental & Molecular Medicine. “Evidence suggests that CBD promotes muscle injury recovery in athletes, but whether and how CBD improves endurance performance remains unclear.”

For this study, researchers “investigated the effects of CBD treatment on exercise performance in mice and assessed whether this effect involves the gut microbiome.”
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