Apr 21 2025

Delaware Governor Nominates Joshua Sanderlin as New Marijuana Commissioner

Today, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer nominated attorney and government regulations expert Joshua Sanderlin to serve as the state’s next Marijuana Commissioner.

Joshua Sanderlin.

Sanderlin has over 15 years of experience advising businesses and policymakers on regulatory compliance, with a focus on shaping state-level cannabis laws and markets. His nomination will require confirmation by the Delaware State Senate.

“Josh Sanderlin will bring deep expertise, steady leadership, and a clear commitment to equity and accountability to the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “His experience navigating complex regulatory systems and work across the cannabis industry make him uniquely qualified to launch Delaware’s adult-use marijuana market quickly and correctly. With Josh at the helm, we’re ready to build a system that is safe, transparent, and delivers real opportunity for hardworking Delawareans.”
Continue reading

Apr 21 2025

Minnesota House Committee Approves Bill to Allocate $75 Million to Office of Cannabis Management, Including for Grant Programs

The Minnesota House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee approved legislation today that would provide over $75 million in funding for the state’s Office of Cannabis Management over the next two fiscal years.

Filed last month by Representative Kaohly Her (D), the bill was approved on April 21 and has now been sent to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration.

HB 2443 would allocate $14.26 million each year in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for cannabis industry community renewal grants. These grants are aimed at supporting communities most impacted by past marijuana criminalization, while also helping residents become social equity applicants under the state’s cannabis licensing system.
Continue reading

Apr 21 2025

Bipartisan Congressional Cannabis Caucus Will Soon File Marijuana Banking Act and Bill to Expand Marijuana Research

The bipartisan Congressional Cannabis Caucus will soon file two marijuana-related bills, including a measure to establish nationwide marijuana banking and a bill to enhance and expand marijuana research.

Members of the Caucus recently refiled the STATES 2.0 Act, which would end federal cannabis prohibition in states that have voted to legalize it. The proposal would also legalize interstate marijuana commerce, revise IRS policy to treat marijuana businesses like other legal enterprises, and it would lay the groundwork for a future federal tax-and-regulate model.

Now, the group is preparing to file at least two other cannabis-related measures, according to Caucus Co-Chair Dina Titus. Those are the SAFE/R Banking Act, and the Higher Education Marijuana Research Act.
Continue reading

Apr 21 2025

U.S. Congress: The Five Cannabis-Related Bills Filed So Far in 2025

So far in 2025, five cannabis-related bills have been filed in the United States Congress. Here’s a breakdown of each proposal.

The STATES 2.0 Act (H.R. 2934)

Filed in the U.S. House by Representatives Dave Joyce (R), Max Miller (R), and Dina Titus (D), the STATES 2.0 Act would amend the Controlled Substances Act to exempt individuals and businesses acting in compliance with state or tribal marijuana laws from federal enforcement. The legislation would also authorize interstate marijuana commerce between legal jurisdictions and make marijuana businesses eligible for federal tax deductions currently denied under IRS Code 280E. The bill outlines a framework for eventual federal regulation and taxation of marijuana products.
Continue reading

Apr 21 2025

US Department of Agriculture Report: Industrial Hemp Market Grew 40% in 2024, Valued at $445 Million

According to a new report from the US Department of Agriculture, the industrial hemp market experienced a sharp increase in 2024, with the total value of production reaching $445 million—a 40% increase from 2023.

Driven largely by outdoor floral hemp production, the value of hemp grown in the open rose to $417 million, up 46% from the previous year. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that outdoor floral hemp alone accounted for $386 million, with production reaching 20.8 million pounds, a 159% increase year-over-year.

Planted acreage for all types of outdoor hemp rose 64% to 45,294 acres, with 32,694 acres harvested, a 55% increase. Floral hemp made up the bulk of this activity, with 11,827 acres harvested and yields averaging 1,757 pounds per acre—up 669 pounds from 2023.
Continue reading

Apr 20 2025

The States With the Most Progressive Cannabis Laws

As of April 20, 2025, 24 U.S. states have legalized recreational cannabis. However, the degree of progressiveness in these laws varies significantly.

Factors such as possession limits, home cultivation rights, concentrate allowances, and the establishment of retail markets play crucial roles in determining how progressive a state’s cannabis laws are. Here, we analyze and highlight the ten states leading the way in progressive cannabis legislation.

Continue reading

Apr 19 2025

​New Mexico: $49 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold Across 1.2 Million Transactions in March, $140 Million in Q1 2025​

According to updated data from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, the state recorded $49.2 million in marijuana sales across 1.2 million transactions in March, bringing the 2025 total to $140 million.

(Photo credit: GETTY Images).

The state recorded $49,283,455.96 in total marijuana sales for the month, including $37,418,519.05 from adult-use sales and $11,864,936.90 from medical marijuana. So far in 2025, sales have reached $139,297,997.96. Since launching its legal market, the state has now brought in $1,645,431,848.10 from 36,685,512 total transactions.

New Mexico legalized recreational marijuana through the Cannabis Regulation Act, signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on April 12, 2021. Legal sales began on April 1, 2022, allowing adults 21 and older to purchase marijuana from licensed retailers. Home cultivation is also allowed, with up to six mature plants per adult and 12 per household.
Continue reading

Apr 19 2025

Texas Psychedelic Research Bill Scheduled for Public Hearing in House Public Health Committee on April 21

A bill mandating a statewide study on the therapeutic use of psychedelics for mental health treatment is set for a public hearing in Texas.

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

House Bill 4014, introduced by State Representative John Bucy (R), is set to be heard by the House Public Health Committee on April 21 at 12:00 p.m. in room E2.030. The bill would require the Department of State Health Services to conduct a comprehensive study into the use of psychedelic therapies for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other co-occurring conditions.

Under the measure, the research would be conducted in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and the Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. The study would review existing clinical trials and scientific literature, evaluate treatment guidelines, and assess access to current therapies for PTSD and depression. If the substances are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the department would also be tasked with providing recommendations for improving access to psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Continue reading

Apr 18 2025

Clinical Trial: CBD Improves Naming Function in People With Parkinson’s Disease

A randomized, double-blind clinical trial conducted at Buriram Hospital in Thailand found that daily sublingual cannabidiol (CBD) was safe for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and led to improvements in naming ability, an important aspect of cognitive function.

The trial included 60 Parkinson’s disease patients, evenly split between those receiving a CBD-enriched product and those given a placebo. The CBD product delivered approximately 26 mg of CBD and 1.2 mg of THC per day. After 12 weeks, 51 participants remained for analysis.

While the study found no statistically significant differences in the primary outcome—delayed recall on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)—those in the CBD group experienced a small but statistically significant improvement in naming scores. The placebo group, on the other hand, improved in language scores, while the CBD group did not.
Continue reading

Apr 18 2025

Study: Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Shows Promise for Treating Alcohol and Tobacco Addiction

A new comprehensive review published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews finds growing evidence that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, may help treat substance use disorders—especially alcohol and tobacco addiction—when combined with psychotherapy.

The study was conducted by researchers from eight universities across five countries, including the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Imperial College London, the University of Toronto, and institutions in Australia and the Netherlands. They performed a detailed analyses of 16 published peer-reviewed studies alongside 26 active clinical trials.

Of the studies reviewed, nearly 44% focused on alcohol use disorder, and 31% investigated tobacco use disorder. The remaining studies addressed other addictions such as opioids, cocaine, nicotine, or multiple substances. Most employed open-label or observational designs, with a randomized controlled trial also included.
Continue reading