There was more legal marijuana sold in July in Maryland than in any previous month.

There was a total of $97,917,735 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold through legal means in July, according to the Maryland Cannabis Administration. Around $70 million of these sales were recreational marijuana products, with medical marijuana patients purchasing the remaining $27 million.

The $97.9 million sold in July breaks the previous monthly record of $96.8 million set in May of this year. The year-to-date total for marijuana sales in Maryland is now $655 million.
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In a continuing saga over marijuana consumption among law enforcement, Jersey City has faced another legal setback in its attempt to punish officers over their off-the-job marijuana use.

On Wednesday, the New Jersey Civil Service Commission mandated the reinstatement of Police Officer Mackenzie Reilly, who was dismissed in August 2023 after a random drug test detected cannabis in his system. Alongside his reinstatement, Reilly is to receive back pay and benefits.

This decision marks the third time the commission has overruled Jersey City’s attempts to terminate officers for off-duty cannabis use. Despite the state attorney general’s clear stance that police officers cannot be disciplined for legally consuming cannabis while off duty, Jersey City has terminated at least five officers on these grounds. The city’s legal team contends that federal laws prohibiting cannabis users from purchasing and possessing firearms and ammunition extend to police officers, thereby justifying the dismissals.
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Federal legislation that would protect state laws legalizing psilocybin is gaining renewed interest as Massachusetts may soon become the third state to do so.

Dried psilocybin.

House Resolution 5592, officially titled the “Validating Independence for State Initiatives on Organic Natural Substances (VISIONS) Act,” was introduced last September by Congressmembers Robert Julio Garcia (D-CA), with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) as a co-sponsor. The bill aims to protect state laws on psychedelics by amending the federal Controlled Substances Act, allowing for the use of certain psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, under state regulations without federal interference.

“Current federal law lags behind the growing body of evidence that suggests that the psychedelic treatment that psilocybin offers can provide relief for those suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders”,  says Congressmember Garcia. “Here in the U.S. we have countless military and law enforcement veterans who have seen their lives improve thanks to these groundbreaking treatments. The potential benefits of psilocybin have been overlooked for years and my aim is to protect the areas and states that want to delve into the real progress this treatment can offer for people in their communities.”

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New Hampshire’s House Bill 544, which would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older, is set for a “full committee work session” on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building, Rooms 302-304.

This work session marks a significant step in the legislative process, coming just three months after the New Hampshire House narrowly rejected a similar legalization measure (House Bill 1633), which passed the full Senate 14 to 10. The final House vote was 178 to 173.

House Bill 544 was first filed in January 2023 by five Democrats. The measure would legalize marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, including a putting control of the legal marijuana market in the hands of the state liquor commission.
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Ohio’s recreational marijuana market kicked off with a strong start, bringing in over $11.5 million in sales during the first week, according to data from the state’s Division of Cannabis Control released on Wednesday.

Dispensaries across Ohio moved 1,285 pounds of marijuana flower and sold 173,043 units of other cannabis products, including edibles and topicals, totaling $11,530,708 in revenue during the first four days of legal sales. Additionally, medical marijuana sales added $8.3 million to the state’s cannabis market, bringing the total over the four-day period to nearly $20 million.

The average price for an ounce of marijuana flower spiked by approximately 20%, reaching $266 last week, compared to $222 the previous week, reflecting the demand surge as recreational sales began.
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The University of Minnesota School of Public Health has launched the state’s first Cannabis Research Center (CRC), funded by a $2.5 million state appropriation.

The center’s mission is to provide, interpret, and share research to inform cannabis-related policy and practice in Minnesota, while also conducting innovative research on the public health impacts of cannabis legalization.

Minnesota joins several other states, including California, Colorado, and Florida, that have established or are establishing state-sponsored cannabis research centers. Some of these programs have led FDA-approved clinical trials on cannabis efficacy.
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The Olympia, Washington City Council has unanimously approved a resolution to decriminalize psychedelics including psilocybin mushrooms.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

This action makes Olympia the latest jurisdiction in the state to move toward decriminalization, joining Seattle, Port Townsend, and Jefferson County.

The resolution passed by the City Council designates the enforcement of laws against entheogen-related activities as a low priority for local law enforcement. It also advocates for the “full decriminalization of these activities” at both the state and federal levels.
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