Apr 03 2024

Massachusetts Council Approves Governor’s Plan to Pardon Hundreds of Thousands of Marijuana Offenders

The Governor’s Council has officially given approval to a plan introduced last month by Governor Maura T. Healey that would pardon misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions.

The Council voted 7 to 0 today to pass the plan, which Governor Healey calls “the most comprehensive action by a governor since President Joe Biden pardoned federal marijuana possession convictions and called on governors to take similar actions in their states”. Healey says the move could impact hundreds of thousands of people.

Under the approved plan, most people will not need to take any action to have their criminal records updated. The pardons will apply to all adult Massachusetts state court misdemeanor convictions before March 13, 2024 for possession of marijuana (sometimes referred to as possession of a “Class D substance”).
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Apr 03 2024

Study Finds Cannabinoids May Be a Promising Option for Combatting MRSA

A new study has found that “cannabinoids may be a promising alternative to antibiotic therapy for bovine biofilm-associated MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)”.

MRSA.

“Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious threat to human, animal, and plant health on a global scale”, states the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal International Microbiology. “Search and elimination techniques should be used to effectively counter the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.”

Researchers note that “With only a few novel drugs in clinical development, the quest for plant-based alternatives to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria has accelerated. In the present research, we examined the antibacterial properties of ten plant-derived ethanolic leaf extracts. ”
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Apr 03 2024

Washington D.C. Council Votes Unanimously to Make 4/15 to 4/28 a Marijuana Tax Holiday

Legislation to make 4/20 a marijuana tax holiday, including the days leading up to and after it, has been approved by the Washington D.C. Council.

Bill 25-0760 was given unanimous approval yesterday by the full council through a voice vote. The ordinance was filed by Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on behalf of Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“The popular tax holiday is critical to the District’s effort to attract qualifying patients back to the legal market as well as sustainable and viable medical cannabis program,” says Councilmember McDuffie. The ordinance makes medical marijuana entirely tax-free starting April 15 and ending April 28. April 20, which falls in-between those dates, has been the unofficial marijuana holiday for decades.
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Apr 02 2024

Missouri: Voters in Multiple Cities and a County Approve Ordinances Establishing Local Marijuana Tax

During tonight’s primary elections, voters in seven Missouri cities and one county gave approval to ballot propositions establishing local marijuana taxes.

Marijuana was legalized in Missouri in 2022, with marijuana stores opening in February, 2023. The law allows those 21 and older to purchase and possess up to three ounces of marijuana, while allowing them to cultivate up to six marijuana plants for personal use. Recreational marijuana is taxed at 6%, in addition to the state’s 4.2% statewide sales tax.

The state’s marijuana law allows localities to establish a city-wide marijuana tax, if given approval by voters. During tonight’s election, voters in Desloge, Dent County, Breckenridge Hills, Cool Valley, Fenton, Marthasville, Pagedale, Velda City and Winchester voted on ordinances to implement a 3% marijuana tax, with all but Breckenridge Hills voting in favor.
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Apr 02 2024

The 5 Federal Marijuana Bills Most Likely to Be Enacted Into Law in the Near Future

Despite serious federal marijuana reform remaining elusive, it appears closer than ever. These bills in the US Congress are some of the most viable options for change.

In 2022 President Biden signed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act into law, which was designed to streamline marijuana research and remove certain bureaucratic hurdles. In 2024, this remains the only standalone federal marijuana bill to ever be signed into law.

Despite no further marijuana measures being enacted since 2022, a few bills have seen some significant movement and support in recent months, and appear closer than ever to reaching a tipping point of having enough support to be passed through Congress.
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Apr 02 2024

Hawaii House Finance Committee Kills Senate-Approved Bill to Legalize Marijuana

Hawaii legislation to legalize recreational marijuana that easily passed the state’s full Senate and three House committees is now officially dead for the year.

Senate Bill 3335 was passed through the Senate last month by a vote of 19 to 6. It then was approved through three House committees, with the full House voting 25 to 23 to pass it through its second reading, sending it to the Finance Committee. Passage through that committee and a third House reading would have sent the bill to a supportive Governor Josh Green.

Now, Representative Kyle Yamashita (D), Chair of the House Finance Committee, says the committee will not consider SB 3335 prior to a Thursday deadline. This effectively kills the measure for this legislative session.
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Apr 02 2024

Oregon Marijuana Sales Jump to $82 Million in March

Oregon marijuana sales increased considerably in March compared to January and February.

Data released by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission shows that there was $82,352,507 worth of legal marijuana sold in March. This is a notable increase over the $75.6 million sold in January and the $75.9 million sold in February.

The yearly total for marijuana sales is now $234 million. The total since the start of recreational marijuana sales in late 2016 is $6.459 billion, with $950 million coming in 2023. The nearly $6.5 billion in sales has garnered over $1.1 billion in tax revenue for the state.
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Apr 02 2024

On 4/20 Hulu and Disney+ Are Debuting “High Hopes”, a Marijuana Docuseries Produced by Jimmy Kimmel

Hulu has officially released the first trailer for their new docuseries High Hopes, executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel that’s also airing on Disney+.

High Hopes will debut on April 20, the unofficial marijuana holiday. The six-part docuseries will follow the owners and employees of MMD (Medical Marijuana Dispensary), one of the oldest marijuana dispensaries in Hollywood, California. All six episodes will be released at the same time.

The show will follow brothers Slava and Mishka, and their crew, as they operate a busy marijuana dispensary that has plans to expand their brand nationwide by launching additional dispensaries and their own nationwide brand of marijuana.
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Apr 02 2024

The 3 Most Likely Outcomes of the DEA’s Marijuana Rescheduling Review

The DEA has confirmed it’s conducting a review of marijuana’s scheduling status; here’s a look at the most likely outcomes.

Currently, marijuana is a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal for all purposes. After a nearly year-long review prompted by an executive order from President Biden, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in August asking them to move marijuana to Schedule III. This would put marijuana in the same class as drugs such as ketamine, testosterone and codeine, making it available for prescription use nationwide.

In recent remarks an official with the DEA confirmed that the agency is “in the process” of making a final decision on marijuana’s scheduling status, which is entirely in the hands of Administrator Anne Milgram. The official said Milgram “will make a decision on where to place it – whether to change it or whether to remove it”.
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Apr 02 2024

Massachusetts Bill to Prevent Pre-Employment Marijuana Testing Advances in Legislature

Legislation preventing employers from testing potential employees for marijuana until after they’ve been offered conditional employment, while offering extra employee protections for medical marijuana patients, is advancing in the Massachusetts Legislature.

House Bill 1955, filed last year by State Representatives Chynah Tyler and David LeBoeuf, received approval recently through the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. Currently in the House Steering, Policy and Scheduling, the measure has been scheduled for a second reading later today.

“An employer may only test a prospective employee for marijuana use after a conditional offer of employment has been extended, unless otherwise required by law”, states the bill. “Further, no employer or agent of an employer may directly or indirectly solicit or require an employee or prospective employee to submit to testing for the presence of marijuana in his or her system as a condition of employment”.
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