The SAFE Banking Act now has 131 sponsors in the US House of Representatives.

On October 1, Congressmember Amu Bera (D-CA) became the latest lawmaker to join as a sponsor for the SAFE Banking Act (H.R. 2891). The measure now has 131 bipartisan sponsors, more than any other marijuana-related bill in the U.S. Congress.

The SAFE Banking Act is designed to establish federal protections for banks and credit unions that work with marijuana businesses operating legally under state law. This applies to thousands of dispensaries and retail outlets across the 38 states with medical marijuana programs, as well as the 23 states that allow recreational sales. The bill would also allow these businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions, which they are currently denied.
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Illinois’ legal marijuana market remained steady in September, with licensed retail outlets and dispensaries selling $167.9 million worth of product, according to data from the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer.

Approximately 85% of these sales were made by recreational consumers, while medical marijuana purchases accounted for 15% of the total. Nearly one in four recreational marijuana purchases was made by non-residents, with Illinois residents responsible for around 77% of the sales.

Year-to-date, marijuana sales in Illinois have surpassed $1.5 billion, generating over $275 million in tax revenue.
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Sales in Ohio’s recreational marijuana market have reached nearly $90 million, just seven weeks after its launch.

Recreational marijuana sales began in Ohio on August 6. Between that day and September 28, the state’s Division of Cannabis Control reported total sales of $87.1 million. During that period, recreational retailers sold 10,213 pounds of flower and 1,361,146 units of manufactured products.

During the same period, medical marijuana patients purchased $52,047,919 worth of product, bringing the combined total for legal marijuana sales between August 6 and September 28 to $139,171,008.
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Maryland marijuana stores sold roughly $97 million worth of product in September.

According to data released by the research firm Headset, there was $97.4 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in September. Although this is a drop from the record-breaking $100.6 million sold in August, it marks a nearly 5% increase from sales total from the previous September.

The year-to-date total for marijuana sales in Maryland is now approximately $850 million.
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According to new polling, a plurality of North Dakota voters support Measure 5 to legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older, though support falls short of a majority.

The poll, commissioned by the North Dakota News Cooperative and conducted by WPA Intelligence, found that 45% of likely voters support Measure 6, with 40% opposed and 15% undecided. The poll shows a considerably drop in opposition compared to July, when polling showed 43% to be in support and 57% opposed.

Measure 5 was put forth by the group New Economic Frontier. If passed, the proposal would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, four grams of marijuana concentrates, and 1,500 milligrams of adult-use cannabinoid products for individuals aged 21 and older. The measure also includes provisions for residents to cultivate up to three marijuana plants for personal use. Additionally, it would establish a regulated market for the sale of marijuana products through licensed retailers.

With Measure 5 on the ballot, North Dakota joins South Dakota and Florida as states considering legalization initiatives this November. If all three are approved by voters, there will be 27 legal marijuana states.

For the full text of Measure 5, click here.

California marijuana sales saw a slight dip in September compared to August and July, but remained steady with over $330 million in total sales.

Licensed marijuana stores in California sold approximately $334 million worth of marijuana and related products (edibles, concentrates, etc.) in September, according to data from the research firm Headset. This represents a $9 million drop from the $343 million sold in August, and a 7% decline from September 2023.

Year-to-date marijuana sales in California have surpassed $3.1 billion. Recently, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration reported that the state collected $263.1 million in marijuana tax revenue during the second quarter of this year.

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The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has issued a new request for proposals seeking contractors capable of producing hundreds of thousands of marijuana joints.

According to the agency, demand for “marijuana cigarettes” and other controlled substances has surged in recent years, driven by an increase in drug abuse research. Because of this, NIDA is now searching for suppliers that can produce joints in bulk, with a particular emphasis on those able to hand-roll smaller batches with specific levels of delta-9-THC, cannabidiol (CBD), or both, as needed for research purposes.

In NIDA’s 141-page document they mention “sample task orders”, including manufacturing tens of thousands of standardized joints, along with thousands of hand-rolled joints. The THC and CBD concentrations for these samples will be relatively low compared to the legal marijuana market. For example, THC content ranges from 1% to 5%.
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German officials have granted licenses to 14 additional marijuana social clubs across four states.

Germany’s cannabis cultivation social clubs saw continued growth in both applications and licenses throughout September, although the pace has slowed compared to previous months.

Recent data shows that 14 licenses have now been granted across four federal states, as more regions and regulatory bodies refine their application processes.
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Missouri officials are preparing to award $5 million in grant funding to explore whether psilocybin could be an effective treatment for opioid use disorders and help reduce overdose deaths.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The state’s Department of Mental Health released a memo on Monday seeking expert assistance from contractors to help shape the competitive grant process for this research.

The memo explains, “This request for information (RFI) allows vendors to provide us with ideas, suggestions, and relevant information specifically related to opioid research and its potential to treat opioid addiction.”
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In Rhode Island, marijuana sales nearly reached $10 million for the third straight month.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations, legal marijuana stores and dispensaries sold a combined $9.52 million in product in August. The vats majority of these sales, $7.70 million, were purchased for recreational use, with medical marijuana patients purchasing $1.83 million in product during the same period.

These figures are nearly identical to the $9.63 million sold in September of last year, but are a slight drop from the record-setting $10.25 million sold last month.
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