Feb 02 2024

New Mexico: $46 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in January

There was over $46 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in the first month of the year in New Mexico.

In total licensed marijuana retail outlets sold $46,268,189 in legal marijuana, marking the 11th straight month where sales are over $45 million. This is according to data released today by the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department.

Of the $46 million in sales, $34,420,131 was purchased by recreational consumers, while $11,848,057 was purchased by medical marijuana patients.
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Feb 02 2024

63% of Registered Pennsylvania Voters Support Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

New polling shows a strong majority of Pennsylvania voters support legalizing recreational marijuana.

According to the newest Franklin & Marshall College Poll, 63% of registered voters in the state want recreational marijuana to be legal, including 44% who answered “Definitely yes” to being in support of the move.

Specifically, participants were asked “Do you think the use of recreational marijuana should be made legal, or not?”
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Feb 02 2024

Study Finds CBD May “Ameliorate Intraventricular Hemorrhage-Induced Immature Brain Damage”

According to a new study published in the journal Neurotherapeutics, “CBD is a potential candidate to ameliorate intraventricular hemorrhage-induced immature brain damage.”

The study found that CBD “reduced IVH-induced brain damage and its short- and long-term consequences, showing robust and pleiotropic neuroprotective effects” in an animal model.

“Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is an important cause of long-term disability in extremely preterm infants, with no current treatment. This study assessed the potential neuroprotective effects of cannabidiol (CBD) in an IVH model using immature rats”, notes the study’s abstract.
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Feb 01 2024

In New Study “Cannabis Alone Was Not Associated With Higher Odds of Motor Vehicle Collisions”

According to a new study marijuana does not lead to an increase in motor vehicle accidents, with “high self-reported acute cannabis use” actually associated with lower odds of such accidents.

Published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, the study was conducted by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University, the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the University of California Davis, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Alcohol Research Group and Portland State University.

“The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between cannabis and alcohol use and occurrence of motor vehicle collision (MVC) among patients in the emergency department (ED), states the study’s abstract.
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Feb 01 2024

Florida Committee Votes to Preemptively Limit the Amount of THC Allowed in Legal Marijuana Products

Florida’s House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee has given approval to legislation that would place a cap on the amount of THC recreational marijuana is allowed to have, even though recreational marijuana is not yet legal in the state.

The committee voted 13 to 4 to pass House Bill 1269, sponsored by Representative Ralph Massullo (R). Initially the measure would have place a 10% cap on the amount of THC allowed in dried marijuana, but the measure was amended to raise the cap to 30%. The legislation would also establish a 60% THC limit on marijuana concentrates, and a limit of 10mg of THC per serving size for edibles.

The committee approved the measure in anticipation of voters legalizing recreational marijuana this November.
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Feb 01 2024

Legislation to Legalize Recreational Marijuana “Passed on First Consideration” in Tennessee House and Senate

In Tennessee, a bill to legalize recreational marijuana has been introduced in the House and Senate and passed through its first reading.

Senator Raumesh Akbari filed Senate Bill 2468 on Tuesday, the same day as State Representative Vincenrt Dixie filed House Bill 2413, a companion measure with identical language. On Wednesday the measures were “Passed on first consideration“. This procedural move allows the bills to advance to a second reading in each chamber, with a third reading required before the measure can be sent to Governor Bill Lee.

The legislation would legalize the personal possession of up to half an ounce of marijuana for those 21 and older. It would establish a system of licensed, regulated and taxed marijuana businesses that could sell marijuana and marijuana products.
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Feb 01 2024

Resolutions Urging Research On “High-Potency Marijuana” Filed in the US House and Senate

Congressmembers Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) have filed bicameral resolutions urging federal agencies and state and local governments to do more research on the potential dangers of high-THC marijuana.

House Concurrent Resolution 87, “Recognizing the need for research, education, and policy development regarding high-potency marijuana”, was filed yesterday in the House, with a Senate companion resolution forthcoming.

“The dangers of using high-potency THC products often goes unnoticed”, Rep Pete Sessions said in a recent post on the social media platform X. “That’s why @SenatorRicketts are introducing “Randy’s Resolution” to raise awareness for the likelihood of psychosis related to the frequent use of marijuana.”
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Jan 31 2024

Virginia Committee Approves Bill to Legalize Marijuana Sales

Legislation to legalize the distribution of marijuana to those 21 and older has been passed by a Virginia legislative committee.

Despite legalizing recreational marijuana in 2021, Virginia remains the only legal marijuana state to not allow sales in any capacity. Today, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee voted 7 to 5 to change this by allowing licensed marijuana sales through the passage of Senate Bill 448. The measure has already been approved through the Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services

The proposal, filed by Senator Aaron Rouse (D), would establish a system of licensed and regulated marijuana retail outlets, supplied by licensed growers and processors. Sales would begin sometime in 2025. Cities would be allowed to ban marijuana stores, but only through voter approval.
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Jan 31 2024

California Assembly Unanimously Approves Psychedelics Bill

California’s full Assembly has given approval to legislation establishing a psychedelics work group to prepare the state for legalization.

Mescaline (top left), ibogaine (top right), psilocyn mushrooms (bottom left), DMT (bottom right).

The Assembly voted 58 to 0 today to pass Assembly Bill 941, filed by Assemblymember Mari Waldron (R). Passage of the bill comes a little over three months after Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have legalized certain psychedelics including psilocybin, DMT and ibogaine.

This bill “would require the California Health and Human Services Agency to convene a workgroup to study and make recommendations on the establishment of a framework governing psychedelic-assisted therapy, as defined.”
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Jan 31 2024

Texas Attorney General Sues Five Cities That Voted to Decriminalize Marijuana

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched lawsuits against the cities of Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, and Denton for adopting amnesty and non-prosecution policies for marijuana that he says “violate Texas laws concerning marijuana possession and distribution.”

The five municipalities have adopted ordinances or policies instructing police not to enforce Texas drug laws concerning possession of marijuana, which Paxton in a press release calls “an illicit substance that psychologists have increasingly linked to psychosis and other negative consequences.”

“I will not stand idly by as cities run by pro-crime extremists deliberately violate Texas law and promote the use of illicit drugs that harm our communities,” said Attorney General Paxton. “This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to ‘follow the law.’ It’s quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don’t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce.”
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