Prominent Attorney Predicts Marijuana Rescheduling Will Be Cancelled Due to US Supreme Court’s Chevron Decision

A prominent attorney is suggesting that the DEA’s proposal to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III will be cancelled following the United State Supreme Court’s decision on Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council.

Attorney Josh Schiller is one of the lead lawyers in a case where multiple cannabis companies are challenging the federal prohibition on marijuana. The case was recently thrown out by a federal judge, with an appeal planned.

Schiller warns that the Supreme Court’s recent decision puts the DEA’s rescheduling plan in danger.
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Kentucky Now Accepting Applications for Marijuana Business Licenses

The Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis is now accepting applications for cannabis business licenses through the online Business Licensing Application Portal.

The portal, which can be found by clicking here, will remain open from July 1, 2024 until August 31, 2024 for application submissions. The state will be accepting applications for four different categories; medical marijuana cultivator, dispensary, processor and safety-compliance facility (testing lab).

Below is the state’s application submission and review process.
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Federal Legislation to Decriminalize Marijuana and Allow Expungements Sponsored by Lawmakers From 31 States

Legislation in the United States House of Representatives and Senate that would deschedule marijuana is sponsored by lawmakers from 31 different states.

In the House, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act now has 92 sponsors, while the Senate’s Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) has 18 sponsors. The combined 110 sponsors represent 31 states, or 62% of the entire country.

Both the MORE Act and CAOA would fully deschedule marijuana, effectively ending its nationwide prohibition. Both measures would also establish a federal excise tax on legal marijuana sales and allow for the expungement of previous marijuana convictions.
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Florida Governor’s PAC to Oppose Marijuana Initiative Has Raised $10,000, Supporters Have Raised $60 Million

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s recently established political action committee, “Florida Freedom Fund,” has encountered significant fundraising challenges in its campaign against a marijuana legalization initiative (Amendment 3).

As of last week, the PAC has garnered only $10,000 in contributions, according to the Division of Elections. 100% of these contributions came from former Pennsylvania Congressman Keith Rothfus (R).

In stark contrast, the Smart & Safe Florida campaign, the sponsors of Amendment 3, has amassed over $60 million, more than any prior statewide marijuana legalization campaign in any part of the US.
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Colorado Recalls Marijuana Products Over Mold, Sixth Recall This Year

The Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR), in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is issuing a Health and Safety Advisory due to the identification of potentially contaminated Retail Marijuana Flower (bud/shake/trim) produced and sold by NOCO Farm, LLC d.b.a. Snaxland.

Marijuana with mold on it.

The CDPHE and DOR deem it a threat to public health and safety when marijuana is found to have Total Yeast and Mold above the acceptable limits established in Colorado Marijuana Rule 4-115. This Advisory includes Harvest Batches tested and found to have exceeded acceptable limits established for Total Yeast and Mold. This is the sixth marijuana recall in Colorado this year.

NOCO Farm, LLC collaborated with the Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) to initiate a voluntary recall for the affected Harvest Batches. The affected product is listed below (by license number and Harvest Batch) and was sold between May 1, 2024, and June 13, 2024. The locations that sold the affected product are also included below.
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New Mexico Sees $48 Million in Marijuana Sales in June, Over 1.1 Million Transactions

New Mexico’s marijuana market continues to thrive, with June’s total marijuana sales passing $48 million.

According to the latest data from the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department, there was $48,072,161.91 in total marijuana sales in June. This month’s sales were distributed across 1,148,950 transactions.

Recreational marijuana sales contributed $36,513,095.44, while medical marijuana sales totaled $11,559,066.49. The state recorded 1,006 dispensaries actively serving customers, reflecting the robust infrastructure supporting the cannabis industry.
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North Dakota: 43% of Voters Support Legalizing Marijuana With Initiative Likely to be on November Ballot

According to newly released polling, a majority of voters in North Dakota oppose legalizing recreational marijuana.

The poll, commissioned by the Brighter Future Alliance and conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed 500 likely voters between June 15 and 19, asking them about a variety of political issues.

The poll found that 57% of North Dakota voters oppose the legalization of recreational marijuana for adults over the age of 21, with 43% in support.
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Washington State Marijuana Labs Now Under Authority of Department of Agriculture

Starting today, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has the regulatory authority to accredit cannabis laboratories.

“For more than five years, WSDA has been engaged in a process to improve the integrity and oversight of the laboratories that test cannabis destined to be processed and sold in the state”, states a press release from the Department. “Laboratories test cannabis for pesticides, heavy metals and cannabinoid concentration, serving as a valuable public health safeguard for Washington consumers.”

Starting July 1, WSDA has the regulatory authority to accredit laboratories, due to legislation approved by lawmakers earlier this year. Now, laboratories have a six-month grace period to make the necessary updates to comply with the new, more stringent standards.
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South Dakota Law Banning Delta-8 THC Now in Effect

A little over three months after it was signed by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, legislation banning the production, distribution and possession of delta-8 and delta-10 THC is now in effect.

Gummies made with delta-8 THC.

House Bill 1125 into law was approved by the state’s full Senate, 31 to 1, and it passed the House unanimously, 69 to 0. The legislation explicitly prohibits the production, distribution or possession of delta-8 and delta-10 THC, derived from legal hemp. The measure states that no person or entity may:
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Federal Court Dismisses Case Challenging Marijuana Prohibition, Calls for Reexamination of Marijuana Laws

A federal judge has dismissed a case in which multiple marijuana companies were challenging the U.S. prohibition on marijuana, while stating that the nation’s marijuana laws deserve “reexamination.”

Judge Mark G. Mastroianni of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’s Western Division has dismissed a case brought by CANNA PROVISIONS, Gyasi Sellers, Wiseacre Farm, and Verano Holdings, who were suing the U.S. attorney general, claiming marijuana prohibition is unconstitutional.

The judge stated that the relief sought is inconsistent with binding Supreme Court precedent and, therefore, beyond the authority of the court to grant. He also noted that the plaintiffs do not provide a basis for the court to disregard the broad reading of the Commerce Clause.

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