Jan 05 2023

Over $200 Million in Recreational Marijuana Sold in First Year of Legal Sales in Montana

In Montana there was over $200 million in recreational marijuana sold in the first year of legal sales, garnering over $40 million in new taxes for the state.

In total $202,947,328 in recreational marijuana and marijuana products were legally sold in Montana in 2022, the first year such sales were legal. This is according to the Montana Cannabis Control Division, and does not include the $93,616,551 in medical marijuana sold during the same period.

In this first year of sales Montana garnered $41,989,466 in new taxes from recreational marijuana sales, plus an additional $3,744,662 in medical marijuana taxes.
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Jan 04 2023

Ohio Governor Signs Bill That Includes Marijuana Expungement Provisions

A comprehensive sentencing reform bill which includes a couple positive marijuana provisions has been signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine.

Among many other changes, Senate Bill 288 would make it so that the possession of marijuana paraphernalia does “not constitute a criminal record”. The measure also establishes a process that allows marijuana possession charges to be sealed from public view after six months and expunged entirely after three years. It was passed by the Senate 29 to 2, and passed by the House of Representatives 86 to 8.

“The adoption of this law will make it so that tens of thousands of Ohioans are no longer stigmatized and disenfranchised by the collateral consequences resulting from a minor marijuana violation,” says Jax James, NORML’s State Policy Manager. “People should not have their lives derailed for behaviors that most Americans no longer even believe ought to be a crime.”
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Jan 04 2023

Campaign to Legalize Recreational Marijuana in Florida Submits Nearly 150,000 Signatures

A Florida group working to legalize marijuana have submitted nearly 150,000 signatures on their initiative that would do just that.

In total the the Safe & Smart Florida political committee have submitted 148,418 signatures for their marijuana legalization initiative, a nearly 100,000 signature increase from the 49,692 submitted at the end of November. This is according to information released by the Florida Division of Elections

Nearly 150,000 valid petition signatures have been submitted to the state as part of an initiative to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, according to the Florida Division of Elections website.
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Jan 03 2023

Legislation to Legalize Marijuana Filed in Kentucky

At a press conference Representative Nima Kulkarni of Louisville announced that she has filed legislation that would legalize marijuana for everyone 21 and older.

House Bill 47 is a constitutional amendment that would make it legal for those 21+ to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for any use they deem appropriate. It would also allow them to grow up to five marijuana plants.

If it were to be passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, it would be placed on the 2024 general election ballot in order to give voters the final say on the matter.
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Jan 03 2023

New York Lawmakers File Bill to Legalize Certain Psychedelics Including Magic Mushrooms

Lawmakers in New York have filed legislation to legalize certain psychedelics such as magic mushrooms.

Bill A00114 would legalize the “possession, use, cultivation, production, creation, analysis, gifting, exchange, or sharing by or between natural persons of twenty-one years of age or older of a natural plant or fungus-based hallucinogen.” The measure has been -prefiled for the 2023-2024 session, which begins tomorrow, and is co-sponsored by Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal, Jo Anne Simon, and Karines Reyes

According to the text of the measure, “natural plant or fungus-based hallucinogen” refers to DMT, ibogaine, mescaline, psilocybin, and psilocin. These same substances became legal just days ago in Colorado due to voters passing a citizen’s initiative the month before.
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Jan 03 2023

Study: Cannabidiol Shows “Promising Results for the Treatment of COVID-19”

The cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) “is showing promising results for the treatment of COVID-19”, according to a new study.

Photo: CDC.gov

Published in the journal Life, the study was conducted by researchers at the Universidad Santo Tomas and the Universidad de La Frontera, both in Chile, as well as the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil.

“Cannabinoids, especially CBD, appear to be promising in the treatment of COVID-19, as an adjuvant of current antiviral drugs, reducing lung inflammation by decreasing chemokines and cytokines secreted by the cells of the immune system or mediating in the CNS reducing morbidity as fear, anxiety, stress, sleep disorders”, states the study’s abstract. “However, more research and clinical studies are necessary, especially to establish the effects of their long-term use.”
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Jan 03 2023

Study: Feeding Goats Hemp Enhances the Health, Flavor Profile and Shelf-Stability of Their Meat

A new study published in the journal Meat Science has found that  feeding goats hempseed cake instead of soy results in significant improvements in the overall quality of the goat’s meat.

For the study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Pretoria’s Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases and Stellenbosch University’s Department of Animal Sciences, wether goats were fed finishing diets containing either 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 g/kg DM of hempseed cake (HSC) substituting soybean meal to evaluate chevon fatty acid, volatile and oxidative profiles.

“Feeding HSC diets linearly decreased chevon c9–16:1, 16:0, total saturated FA (SFA) and protein oxidation but linearly increased t9–18:1, t11–18:1, conjugated linoleic acids, n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), individual long-chain n-6 PUFA and antioxidant activity”, states the study.
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Jan 03 2023

Maryland Law Decriminalizing 1.5 Ounces of Marijuana Now in Effect

Possessing up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana is no longer punishable by jailtime in Maryland.

In November voters gave approval to an initiative (Question 4) that legalizes the possession, use and licensed distribution of up to an ounce and a half of marijuana through a change in the state’s constitution. Although the full law doesn’t take effect until July, as a gradual step forward as of January 1st it’s now punishable by no more than a civil fine of $100 for possessing up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis.

Prior to this taking effect possessing up to 10 grams was decriminalized, with higher amounts remaining a misdemeanor.

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Jan 03 2023

Study: CBD Suppresses Cytokine Storm and Protects Against Cardiac and Renal Injury Associated with Sepsis

According to the results of a new study cannabidiol (CBD) “could be repurposed to reduce morbidity in patients with cytokine storm particularly in severe infections such as sepsis.”

The study, titled Cannabidiol Suppresses Cytokine Storm and Protects Against Cardiac and Renal Injury Associated with Sepsis, is published in the most recent issue of the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research and was epublished online ahead of print by the National Institute of Health. It was conducted by researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada and Qatar University in Quatar.

“Cytokine release syndrome, also termed “cytokine storm,” is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with various conditions such as sepsis”, states the study’s abstract. “While cytokine storm is associated with multiple organ damage, acute cardiac and renal injury represents a hallmark of cytokine storm.”
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Jan 01 2023

Over 40,000 Marijuana Convictions Automatically Erased in Connecticut

As of today, January 1, over 40,000 convictions for marijuana possession have been automatically expunged (erased) from people’s records.

“As of this morning, our administration has marked 42,964 cannabis convictions erased, as planned”, said Governor Ted Lamont in a public statement. “It’s one step forward in ending the War on Drugs and giving our citizens a second chance to achieve their dreams.”

As part of the expungements, those who have had a marijuana conviction erased may now tell employers, landlords, and schools that the conviction never occurred.

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