Legendary boxer Mike Tyson has announced his support for Florida’s Amendment 3, which would make recreational marijuana a constitutional right.

(Photo credit: 303 Magazine).

This week, Tyson released a video supporting Amendment 3, a ballot initiative that would allow those 21+ in Florida to legally purchase, possess, and consume marijuana. Sitting in a boxing gym, Tyson addressed Florida voters directly, urging them to back the amendment.

“Florida voters, this is Mike Tyson, urging you to support Amendment 3,” Tyson said in the video. “Like most of you, I support the freedom to buy, possess, and consume marijuana without the threat of being incarcerated. So, yes! Vote Amendment 3. Now.”
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A key committee in the California Legislature has passed legislation (Assembly Bill 1111) that would enable marijuana growers to sell their products directly to consumers at state-sanctioned farmers markets and other temporary events.

The legislation, introduced by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D), received unanimous approval from the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday, with the voting being 4 to 0. In May 2023, the measure was passed through the state’s Assembly by a vote of 74 to 1. It was subsequently approved through two Senate committees later that year.

Now that the proposal has been passed through the Senate Appropriations Committee, it can be considered by the full Senate. If it passes the Senate, it will be sent back to the Assembly for one final vote given it was amended in committee. If it passes the Senate, and the Assembly concurs with changes, it will be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for final consideration.
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Legislation legalizing medical marijuana in Ukraine officially takes effect today.

In February, President Zelenskyy signed the legislation into law, following approval through the nation’s Verkhovna Rada with 248 of the body’s 450 members voting in favor.

Under the new law, which moves marijuana from the most prohibitive Schedule I list of drugs to Schedule II, those with a qualifying condition who receive a recommendation from a physician are authorized to possess and use medical marijuana. Although the law at the time of passage only applies to severe illness like cancer as well as war-borne post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), proponents of the measure have said that the country can expand the list of qualifying conditions once it’s passed.
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In a historic milestone for North Carolina, the state’s first-ever recreational marijuana store is set to open in just three weeks, welcoming all adults aged 21 and older.

Operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the marijuana “megastore” is located on tribal lands in the town of Cherokee.  The outlet, named the Great Smoky Cannabis Company, first opened on April 20 exclusively for medical marijuana patients, with the grand opening for recreational marijuana sales scheduled for Saturday, September 7. The store is allowed to operate despite marijuana being illegal for all uses in North Carolina because it’s situated on sovereign tribal land.

The store, which is one of the largest marijuana stores in the nation (located at the home of a former bingo hall that cost over $50 million to refurbish), will offer a wide array of cannabis products, including flower, edibles, and concentrates.
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There was more legal marijuana sold in July in Maryland than in any previous month.

There was a total of $97,917,735 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold through legal means in July, according to the Maryland Cannabis Administration. Around $70 million of these sales were recreational marijuana products, with medical marijuana patients purchasing the remaining $27 million.

The $97.9 million sold in July breaks the previous monthly record of $96.8 million set in May of this year. The year-to-date total for marijuana sales in Maryland is now $655 million.
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In a continuing saga over marijuana consumption among law enforcement, Jersey City has faced another legal setback in its attempt to punish officers over their off-the-job marijuana use.

On Wednesday, the New Jersey Civil Service Commission mandated the reinstatement of Police Officer Mackenzie Reilly, who was dismissed in August 2023 after a random drug test detected cannabis in his system. Alongside his reinstatement, Reilly is to receive back pay and benefits.

This decision marks the third time the commission has overruled Jersey City’s attempts to terminate officers for off-duty cannabis use. Despite the state attorney general’s clear stance that police officers cannot be disciplined for legally consuming cannabis while off duty, Jersey City has terminated at least five officers on these grounds. The city’s legal team contends that federal laws prohibiting cannabis users from purchasing and possessing firearms and ammunition extend to police officers, thereby justifying the dismissals.
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Federal legislation that would protect state laws legalizing psilocybin is gaining renewed interest as Massachusetts may soon become the third state to do so.

Dried psilocybin.

House Resolution 5592, officially titled the “Validating Independence for State Initiatives on Organic Natural Substances (VISIONS) Act,” was introduced last September by Congressmembers Robert Julio Garcia (D-CA), with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) as a co-sponsor. The bill aims to protect state laws on psychedelics by amending the federal Controlled Substances Act, allowing for the use of certain psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, under state regulations without federal interference.

“Current federal law lags behind the growing body of evidence that suggests that the psychedelic treatment that psilocybin offers can provide relief for those suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders”,  says Congressmember Garcia. “Here in the U.S. we have countless military and law enforcement veterans who have seen their lives improve thanks to these groundbreaking treatments. The potential benefits of psilocybin have been overlooked for years and my aim is to protect the areas and states that want to delve into the real progress this treatment can offer for people in their communities.”

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