Jun 30 2024

Where the Top 5 Democratic Candidates to Replace President Biden Stand on Marijuana Law Reform

After what many consider a poor debate performance, several Democratic leaders and former supporters are calling on President Biden to step aside. Although this remains a long shot, this article will break down where the top candidates to replace him stand on marijuana law reform.

If President Biden were to decide to step aside and let another candidate lead the ticket, that individual would be chosen at the Democratic National Convention in August. While President Biden and his campaign have thus far shown no willingness to step aside, growing calls from even some of his staunchest supporters could change that.

Despite not supporting full legalization, President Biden has made significant strides in marijuana law reform. These include pardoning thousands of marijuana offenders, initiating the review that led to the DEA’s decision to reschedule marijuana, and signing the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act into law in December, the first standalone marijuana bill signed by a president. If he steps aside, his successor will need to decide whether to expand on these actions or let them proceed without making it a key issue.
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Jun 30 2024

Study: CBD May Help Manage Cholesterol Levels and Reduce the Risk of Atherosclerosis

A recent study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research and available on the US National Institute of Health’s website, reveals that cannabidiol (CBD) may play a crucial role in improving cholesterol homeostasis and lipid metabolism in macrophages.

For the study, researchers investigated the impact of CBD on foam cell formation, a key factor in atherosclerosis (the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls), and found that CBD elevated levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and its targets, ATP binding transporters A1 and G1 (ABCA1/ABCG1). This elevation led to a reduction in foam cell formation and an increase in cholesterol efflux within macrophages.

The study also highlighted that the upregulation of ABCA1 and ABCG1 induced by CBD was diminished when treated with a PPARγ inhibitor or PPARγ small interfering RNA (siRNA). Additionally, transfection with PPARγ siRNA decreased the inhibitory effect of CBD on foam cell formation and its promotion of cholesterol efflux.
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Jun 30 2024

With Four Months to Election Day, Here Are the Five Statewide Marijuana Initiatives Being Considered

The November 5 presidential election is just over four months away, and it promises to be a significant day for marijuana law reform.

In the US, 38 states have legalized medical marijuana, with 24 allowing for the recreational possession and use of marijuana. Several statewide initiatives being voted on this November aim to increase these numbers.

With that said, here are the five marijuana initiatives being voted on this November.
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Jun 30 2024

Three Weeks Left for Public Comments on DEA’s Marijuana Proposal: 26,000 Comments Submitted

Only three weeks remain in the 60-day public comment period for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposal to reschedule marijuana.

In the nearly six weeks since the public comment period began, over 26,000 comments have been submitted. Approximately 70% of these comments urge the DEA to fully deschedule marijuana or legalize it. Descheduling would decriminalize the plant nationwide by removing it entirely from the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Less than 10% of the comments advocate for the DEA to retain the status quo and keep marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it remains illegal for all purposes under all conditions.
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Jun 29 2024

The 5 States With the Lowest Average Cost of Marijuana Concentrates

Among the 23 states that allow licensed recreational marijuana sales, most also permit the distribution of marijuana concentrates. In this article, we’ll examine the five states with the lowest average cost of concentrates.

Live resin.

Since Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize marijuana in 2012, there have been 22 states that have followed suit. Nearly all of these allow for the licensed distribution of marijuana concentrates, including hash, wax, oil and live resin.

With that said, using data compiled by state regulatory agencies, here are the five legal marijuana states with the cheapest average cannabis prices:
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Jun 29 2024

Massachusetts: Over $150 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in May, Resulting in Over $23 Million in Tax Revenue

In May, Massachusetts recorded a total of $154 million in legal cannabis sales, a slight increase from the $150 million reported in April.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This figure comprises $137 million from recreational marijuana sales and $17 million from medical marijuana sales. This brings the year-to-date total to $671 million in sales. The cumulative sales figure has now reached an impressive $6.214 billion, according to data from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC).

Of the total sales in May, $17 million was attributed to medical cannabis patients, while the remaining $137 million was for recreational use. These sales resulted in the state garnering around $23 million in tax revenue.
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Jun 29 2024

Minnesota Recreational Marijuana Store Opens to Hundreds Waiting in Line

A little over a year after Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana, hundreds of people gathered for the opening of one of the state’s first recreational marijuana retail outlet.

(Photo credit: Post Bulletin).

The Prairie Island Indian Community opened Island Peži today, with the outlet a variety of marijuana products including dried flower, pre-rolsl, vaporizers, and edible products. “Peži,” meaning grass in the Dakota language, is located at 6030 Sturgeon Lake Road, near Welch and Red Wing, adjacent to the Dakota Station convenience store and Treasure Island Resort & Casino.

By Saturday morning, a long line of people wrapped around the parking lot toward the casino. Some attendees sported T-shirts with slogans like “want to get high,” “welcome to marijuana country,” and “enjoy cannabis.” The store planned for 12 hours of operations, complemented by food trucks, music, and additional product sales outside.
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Jun 29 2024

US Congress: 25% Now Sponsoring Legislation to Deschedule Marijuana, Allow Expungements

Legislation to deschedule marijuana nationwide now has a combined 110 sponsors in the United States Congress, representing 25% of the entire body.

In the US House of Representatives, the MORE Act (H.R. 5601), initially filed in April 2023 with only a few sponsors, now boasts 92 sponsors, all Democrat. This proposed legislation aims to deschedule marijuana, introduce a federal excise tax on state-legal marijuana sales, and enable the expungement of prior cannabis convictions.

The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) in the Senate would also deschedule marijuana, establish a federal excise tax and allow for expungements. However, CAOA would go further by establishing regulatory standards for legal marijuana, including creating a Center for Cannabis Products within the FDA, tasked with regulating “the production, labeling, distribution, sales and other manufacturing and retail elements of the cannabis industry”.
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Jun 28 2024

Report: Legal Cannabis Market Worth $43 Billion, to Grow to $100 Billion by 2028

The legal cannabis market is valued at over $40 billion and is expected to grow substantially in the coming years, according to a new report.

The Technavio report shows that the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.85% between 2024 and 2028.

“The market’s growth rate hinges on several key factors. Firstly, the rising number of countries decriminalizing and legalizing cannabis is significantly boosting market expansion”, states the report. “Secondly, the growing purchasing power of millennials in the cannabis industry is driving demand, particularly in the recreational and medicinal sectors.”
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Jun 28 2024

United States: Over $1.8 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold in May Alone

Among the states that have legalized recreational marijuana, there was over $1.8 billion in marijuana and marijuana products sold in May.

There are 24 states that have legalized recreational marijuana, with all but Virginia allowing licensed sales. Among these states, Minnesota, Ohio, and Delaware do not yet have marijuana stores open as they legalized too recently.

For the states that do allow sales and have an active market, 19 have reported sales data for May. The combined total for these states is $1.824 billion, up from $1.73 billion sold in April. These figures do not include medical marijuana sales.
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