May 15 2025

New York Senator Files Bill to Extend Deadline for Marijuana Distributors to File Tax Returns

New York Senator Jeremy Cooney (D) introduced legislation today that would give distributors of cannabis products more time to file their tax returns.

Assigned to the Senate Investigations and Government Operations Committee, Senate Bill 8091 would revise a provision in section 495 of the state’s tax law that currently requires returns to be filed by the 20th day of the month following the end of each quarter. If the bill becomes law, distributors would instead have until the 15th day after the end of the quarter—giving them approximately 25 to 30 more days to file.

The quarterly periods in question end on the last day of February, May, August and November. Under the proposed change, licensees would continue filing electronically and be required to report total tax owed, along with any other information the commissioner requests.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

Michigan: Bipartisan House Bill Would Establish State-Run Marijuana Reference Lab

A new bipartisan proposal filed today in the Michigan House of Representatives would authorize the creation of a state-operated marijuana reference laboratory.

The measure, House Bill 4501, has been referred to the House Regulatory Reform Committee for consideration.

Filed by Representatives Mike Mueller (R) and Tyrone Carter (D), the bill seeks to amend the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act by expanding the duties of the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA). Specifically, the legislation would empower the CRA to “establish and operate a marihuana reference laboratory” to support its investigations and research. The lab would also be tasked with developing and optimizing testing methods for marijuana products in the state.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

South Korea Moves to Expand Insurance Coverage for Medical Cannabis Treatment

South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare is reviewing a proposal that would expand insurance coverage for Epidiolex, a cannabis-derived epilepsy medication approved in the country since 2019.

The proposed changes would make Epidiolex available under the national health insurance program for a broader group of patients. Currently, only those diagnosed with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome qualify for coverage. If the revisions are adopted, coverage would be extended to include tuberous sclerosis, a rare condition that also causes severe seizures and for which Epidiolex is already approved in South Korea.

The move would also lower the treatment threshold. Right now, patients must prove they’ve unsuccessfully tried at least five traditional epilepsy medications before qualifying for insurance coverage. Under the revised rules, that number would be reduced to three.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

Nebraska Lawmakers File Resolution to Study Implementation of Medical Marijuana Program

A new legislative resolution introduced today in the Nebraska Legislature would launch a formal study into the state’s medical marijuana framework, approved by voters last year.

(Photo credit: GETTY Images).

Legislative Resolution 226, sponsored by Senator John Cavanaugh along with Senators Ben Hansen and Rick Holdcroft, was filed and referred to the Legislative Executive Board. The resolution calls for an interim study to examine the implementation of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act and the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act.

According to the resolution, the study will evaluate how the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission is handling registration applications, including whether it has adopted and enforced clear rules and eligibility standards. It also seeks to assess the status of cannabis establishment registrations, including which applications have been granted or denied.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

U.S. Legal Cannabis Sales Reach $2.17 Billion in April, Pushing 2025 Total to Over $8.3 Billion

Legal marijuana sales in the United States totaled approximately $2.17 billion in April, continuing the strong momentum seen throughout the year.

April’s total represents a modest increase over the $2.13 billion sold in March 2025. This brings total legal marijuana sales for 2025 to just over $8.35 billion through the first four months of the year, according to an analysis by The Marijuana Herald. The analysis used sales figures provided by state regulatory agencies, and when that wasn’t available data provided by the Seattle-based research firm Headset.

The April numbers include data from all states that have legalized recreational marijuana and have active sales, as well as medical-only markets in Florida and Oklahoma. As in previous months, Delaware, Minnesota, and Virginia are not included due to a lack of active recreational sales. Alaska and other medical cannabis states is excluded due to unavailable data for April.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

Vermont House Judiciary Committee Approves Senate-Backed Bill to Expand Criminal Record Sealing

A Vermont bill that would significantly expand eligibility for sealing certain criminal history records was approved today by the House Committee on Judiciary.

Vermont State Capitol Building.

Senate Bill 12 was originally filed in January by State Senator Nader Hashim (D). The proposal had already cleared the full Senate before today’s advancement in the House.

The legislation would transition Vermont from a complex dual system of expungement and sealing to primarily sealing criminal history records. It also broadens the list of qualifying offenses eligible for sealing, including certain drug possession crimes and non-violent property offenses. The bill includes carveouts for crimes such as domestic assault, sexual offenses, and those committed by commercial drivers.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

New York Senate Advances Bill Banning Involuntary Drug Testing of Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals

The New York Senate has passed legislation on second reading that would ban involuntary drug, cannabis, or alcohol testing of pregnant and postpartum individuals, advancing the bill to a third and final reading.

Senate Bill 845, introduced in January by 22 Democratic senators, would make it illegal for healthcare professionals to conduct such tests without both written and oral informed consent. The bill applies to all healthcare settings, including hospitals and outpatient clinics, and mandates that patients be informed of their rights, the purpose of the testing, any associated risks, and the legal consequences of a positive result.

The bill allows exceptions only in medical emergencies where delaying a test would endanger the life or health of the patient or newborn. It also prohibits providers from denying care or discriminating against those who refuse consent.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

Trump’s Surgeon General Pick Supports Psychedelics Like Psilocybin and MDMA

President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, is drawing national attention for her outspoken support of psychedelic therapy, including psilocybin-assisted treatment, which remains illegal under federal law.

Dr. Casey Means.

Dr. Means, a wellness influencer with a background in medicine, was recommended by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump admitted he wasn’t familiar with her personally but said he made the nomination because Kennedy “thought she was fantastic.”

In her 2024 book Good Energy, Means encouraged readers to consider psilocybin-assisted therapy. “Strong scientific evidence suggests that this psychedelic therapy can be one of the most meaningful experiences of life for some people, as they have been for me,” she wrote.
Continue reading

May 15 2025

Study: Medical Cannabis Use Linked to Reductions in Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Older Adults

A study published today by the journal Psychiatry finds that medical marijuana use can provide immediate relief from symptoms such as pain, anxiety, and depression among older adults, with additional benefits for sleep quality.

Researchers from the University of Central Florida conducted a nationwide study involving 106 medical marijuana users between the ages of 55 and 74. Participants were primarily white (82.86%) and female (66.67%). Using a multilevel structural equation model, the team tracked participants’ cannabis use—measured by subjective intoxication—and its effects on symptoms throughout the day and into the following day.

“Subjective intoxication predicted lower post-use pain, anxiety, and depression”, states the study’s researchers. “Subjective intoxication is also related to lower anxiety and better sleep the following night.”
Continue reading

May 15 2025

World’s First Infused Beverage Study Expands — Get Free THC Drinks for Participating

MoreBetter, a leader in Real-World-Data collection and consumer health research, is expanding an observational research study aimed at understanding the impact of THC-infused beverages on alcohol consumption, mood, and quality of life.

Over 2,500 participants have either completed or are currently active in the first cohort of the three-week study, since its announcement on April 10th.

“In the four weeks since announcing the first cohort, thousands of consumers and dozens of beverage brands, manufacturers, and distributors have reached out to participate in the second cohort of the study, taking place this summer, says MoreBetter CEO, Kevin Provost. The first cohort is represented by twenty different infused beverage products, which sponsoring brands supply to qualified participants for their use throughout the course of the study.
Continue reading