Dec 04 2023

Ohio Committee Votes to Gut Marijuana Legalization Law Including Removing Home Grows and Reducing Possession Limits

Just three days before Issue 2 is set to take effect, a Senate committee has voted to make drastic changes to the new law.

The Senate General Government Committee voted 4 to 1 today to include a set of marijuana provisions in an unrelated alcohol measure. Senate President Matt Huffman says he plans to put the measure to a vote of the full Senate as soon as Wednesday. If it passes the Senate, and then the House of Representatives, it will be sent to Governor Mike DeWine for consideration.

Under Issue 2, approved by voters last month, the personal cultivation of up to six marijuana plants at a private residence is allowed for those 21 and older, as is the possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. The law mandates that the Division of Cannabis Control, a newly established branch of the Department of Commerce, issue marijuana business licenses within nine months.
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Dec 03 2023

Oregon: $76 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in November, Price for Concentrates Reaches All-Time Low

Marijuana Sales passed $75 million for the ninth straight month in Oregon.

There was $76.8 million worth of marijuana sold legally in Oregon in the month of November, according to data released by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission,. This is a modest decrease from the $78.6 million in marijuana sold in October.

Total marijuana sales since the first recreational marijuana store opened in October, 2016 is now $6.143 billion.
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Dec 03 2023

Bipartisan Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana Filed in Wisconsin Legislature

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers in Wisconsin have announced bicameral legislation aimed at decriminalizing marijuana possession.

State Representatives Shae Sortwell (R) and Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D), along with Senator Lena Taylor (D), have announced new legislation that would make the personal possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana no longer a criminal offense.

Under current law the possession of even one gram of marijuana can result in a misdemeanor charge and up to six months in jail, with subsequent charges a potential felony. Under this new bill, possessing up to 14 grams would be, at most, an $250 fine.
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Dec 02 2023

Ohio: Marijuana Possession and Cultivation Becomes Legal In Five Days

Starting in the second half of next week, the possession and cultivation of recreational marijuana will be legal in Ohio.

With 57% support Ohio voters approved Issue 2 last month, legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Starting Thursday, December 7, those 21 and older will be allowed to possess up to two and a half ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates, thanks to provisions in the initiative taking effect.

The new law will also allow for the personal cultivation of up to six marijuana plants at a private residence. If more than one adult lives at a residence, up to 12 plants can be grown.
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Dec 01 2023

$46 Million Worth of Legal Marijuana Purchased in November in New Mexico

For the ninth straight month legal marijuana sales in New Mexico surpassed $45 million.

In total there was $46,515,533.96 worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in November. This is a slight decrease from the $46,682,243 sold in October, and is a little over $1.1 million less than the record breaking $47.7 million in sales made in August of this year.

Medical marijuana sales in November were $12,077,929.04, a roughly $26,000 increase over the total for October. Recreational marijuana sales were $34,437,604.93, a nearly $200,000 decrease from October.
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Dec 01 2023

Ontario Government Proposes Doubling Number of Marijuana Stores

The Ontario government is proposing a doubling of the number of marijuana stores allowed in the province.

“To respond to the growth of the legal cannabis retail market and combat illegal cannabis stores, the province is making amendments to Ontario Regulation 468/18 under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018 to increase the number of stores that licensed retail operators and their affiliates can operate from 75 to 150″, states a news release.

In addition, “the government is proposing to explore different enforcement options against illegal online cannabis sales”, and they are seeking legislative changes “that would support negotiations with First Nations communities on the regulation of cannabis on reserves.”
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Dec 01 2023

South Carolina Bill Would Make Smell of Marijuana No Longer Probable Cause for Search, Seizure or Arrest

Legislation filed yesterday in the South Carolina Senate would make it so that “the scent of marijuana alone does not provide law enforcement with reasonable suspicion or probable cause to support a stop, search, seizure, or arrest.”

Filed by Senator Deon Tedder (D), the measure has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The measure states that a law enforcement officer may not:
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Dec 01 2023

Federal Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana Gains Four New Sponsors, Now Has 73

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act now has 73 sponsors.

The MORE Act (H.R. 5601) was filed in September by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D), along with four other House members. As of last month, the number of sponsors climbed to 69, nearly a third of all House Democrats.

Yesterday the measure gained four additional cosponsors; Representatives Donald Beyer (D-VA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Joseph Morelle (D-NY) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
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Dec 01 2023

National Institute of Health Announces “Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research”

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Cancer Institute have issued a funding opportunity for a Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

“There’s growing interest in potential therapeutic uses of cannabis and its constituents among both health care providers and the public”, states a blog post on the National Institute of Health’s website. “Substances in cannabis have a variety of pharmacologic effects, and rigorous research is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and investigate their possible value in helping to manage health conditions.”

However, “investigators working in this field have encountered barriers that have hampered their research.”
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Dec 01 2023

Study Finds Marijuana Use Associated With Increased Empathy

Those who consume marijuana have higher levels of emotional comprehension and empathy compared to non-users, according to a study published by the Journal of Neuroscience Research.

“It has been reported that cannabis consumption affects the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a structure with a central role in mediating the empathic response”, notes the study’s researchers. “In this study, we compared psychometric scores of empathy subscales, between a group of regular cannabis users (85, users) and a group of non-consumers (51, controls).”

Researchers found that “users have a greater Emotional Comprehension, a cognitive empathy trait involving the understanding of the “other” emotional state.”
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