Minnesota has opened the initial application period for recreational marijuana licenses, 14 months after legalizing the substance.

The initial applications focus on social equity businesses, allowing some to start growing cannabis plants as early as this fall, although retail sales are expected to commence in the spring.

The application process, initiated by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), began on Wednesday with the opening of a preapproval license window for businesses verified as involving social equity applicants, reports MinnPost. This initial application window closes at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, August 12.
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The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released a new policy paper advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana possession. The paper also emphasizes the need for an evidence-based approach to medical education regarding cannabis and its health impacts.

A public health approach is necessary to address the legal, medical, and social complexities of cannabis use, says the American College of Physicians (ACP) in a new policy paper released today.

“Regulatory Framework for Cannabis: A Position Paper from the American College of Physicians,” published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, issues recommendations to policymakers on adopting a public health approach to prevent and control adverse cannabis-related health outcomes.
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As the November election draws near, there is a significant possibility of a major shift in marijuana policy.

If the Democrats retain the presidency, secure control of the U.S. House of Representatives and maintain or strengthen their positions in the Senate, several pivotal federal marijuana bills are poised for serious consideration and potential enactment. This scenario, though far from certain, is also not out of the question. Recent polling shows Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump, and Democrats have a good chance of keeping the Senate. Additionally, they have a reasonable chance of gaining the four seats needed to regain control of the House of Representatives.

With that said, here are five bills that could transform federal marijuana laws if the Democrats gain control:

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A new study reveals that marijuana use among U.S. youth has remained steady over the past decade, even as overall adult consumption has increased and more than 20 states have legalized recreational marijuana.

The study, titled “Prevalence of and trends in current cannabis use among US youth and adults, 2013–2022,” was conducted by researchers from the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and the American Heart Association Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science. It was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports and hosted online by the National Library of Medicine.

The research utilized data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, analyzing responses from 543,195 participants between 2013 and 2022. The study aimed to assess trends in marijuana use across various sociodemographic groups, including age, gender, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and total annual family income.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has received another setback in his attempt to overturn local marijuana ordinances.

San Marcos.

Hays County District Judge Sherri Tibbe has dismissed Paxton’s lawsuit against San Marcos, which sought to have the courts throw out a voter approved ordinance that decriminalized the possession of marijuana. The move comes a little over a month after Travis County District Court Judge Jan Soifer similarly threw out a challenge to Austin’s marijuana decriminalization ordinance.

“Judge Tibbe rightly recognized Paxton has no legal basis for interfering with the will of local voters or municipal governments,” said Catina Voellinger, executive director for Ground Game Texas.”
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Nine U.S. senators have sent a letter urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a standard of care for medical marijuana following the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) recommendation to reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance.

In a letter addressed to VA Secretary Denis Richard McDonough, the senators highlighted the medical benefits of cannabis and its potential to improve veterans’ healthcare.

“Millions of veterans live in states that have legalized medical cannabis,” the senators wrote. “Yet, given cannabis’ current placement in Schedule I, veterans living in any of these states or territories currently lack parity with their non-veteran counterparts. Veterans must instead seek a new, trusted medical system and provider outside of the VA to have a productive conversation about the benefits of, and potential access to, medical cannabis.”
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Federal legislation to deschedule marijuana and allow the expungement of past convictions has just gained its 94th sponsor in the US House of Representatives.

Yesterday, Congressmember Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) joined as a cosponsor to the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, bringing the total to 94. Budzinski joined as a sponsor the day after Vice President Kamala Harris announced her intentions to run for president; Harris has been a longtime supporter of the MORE Act, including cosponsoring it while she was in the Senate.

The MORE Act aims to remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, decriminalizing it nationwide. It proposes a federal excise tax starting at 5% on legal marijuana sales for the first two years, increasing to 8% by the fifth year. The bill also includes measures to expunge past marijuana convictions and protect users from being denied public benefits.
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