Today, Senate Bill 299 was passed through its second reading in the Maryland Senate, moving one step closer to becoming law. A third and final reading is expected soon.

The legislation, introduced on January 10 by State Senators Mary Carozza (R) and Brian Feldman (D), would eliminate certain background check requirements for security guards working in the state’s legal marijuana industry. Specifically, the bill would remove the mandate for state and national criminal history records checks for security guards employed by marijuana businesses, as long as they are already authorized under Maryland’s existing security guard regulations.

Under current law, all marijuana agents, including security personnel, must register with the Maryland Cannabis Administration and undergo background checks that can cause issues due to marijuana’s federal status.
Continue reading

Marc Fogel, an American teacher sentenced to 14 years for possessing medical marijuana, has been freed.

President Donald Trump has nominated Terrance C. “Terry” Cole to serve as the next administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), replacing Acting Administrator Derek Maltz.

Cole, a seasoned law enforcement professional with over 28 years of experience, including 22 years at the DEA, has held numerous leadership roles within the agency. He currently serves as Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

During his tenure with the DEA, Cole advanced through various domestic assignments in Oklahoma, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C., as well as international postings in Colombia, Afghanistan, Mexico, and the Middle East. He served in several key positions, including Chief of Staff and Executive Officer at the DEA’s Special Operations Division, DEA representative to the National Security Council, and Chief of Global Operations. Before retiring from federal service in 2020, he held the position of Acting Regional Director for Mexico, Canada, and Central America.

Continue reading

A key committee in the New Hampshire House of Representatives has given overwhelming bipartisan approval to legislation that would allow patients and their caregiver to grow medical marijuana for personal use.

Today, the House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee voted 13 to 4 to advance House Bill 53 towards a vote of the full House of Representatives.

Filed by State Representatives Wendy Thomas (D), Heath Howard (D), and Jim Kofalt (R), the legislation would allow qualified patients, as well as designated caregivers, to grow up to three mature cannabis plants, three immature plants and up to 12 seedlings. All cannabis plants would be required to be kept in a secured and enclosed location.
Continue reading

A judge has ruled that Colorado Springs’ attempt to ask voters to repeal recreational marijuana sales, six months after its approval, is unconstitutional.

Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Hilary Gurney sided with two residents who filed a lawsuit against the city, issuing an injunction to block the city from placing the repeal measure on the April 1 ballot. The measure in question, known as Question 300, was approved in November by a margin of 22,372 votes, allowing existing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana.

According to Amendment 64 of the Colorado Constitution, local ballot measures to prohibit the operation of licensed recreational marijuana businesses may appear only on a general election ballot during an even-numbered year. The city’s plan to hold a repeal vote in April would have violated this provision.
Continue reading

Since Ohio launched their recreational marijuana market on August 7, the state has generated nearly $500 million in total sales.

Data released today by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control shows that there has been $319,594,427 in recreational marijuana sold since August 7, as of February 8, while medical marijuana sales contributed $170,751,919.

Between August 7 and February 8, there were 4,316,745 recreational transactions and 1,675,103 medical transactions, with a combined total of 5,991,848 transactions.
Continue reading

In January, there was nearly $10 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in Rhode Island.

Licensed marijuana outlets in Rhode Island sold $9.57 million worth of marijuana between January 1 and January 31, according to the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. While this marks a slight decline from the $10.11 million recorded in December, it represents a modest rise from the $9.50 million sold in January 2024.

Of the $9.57 million in sales, $7.89 million came from recreational marijuana purchases, while $1.68 million was from medical marijuana sales.

Continue reading

Arizona’s House of Representatives has approved House Bill 2179, a measure introduced last month by State Representative Selina Bliss (R).

The legislation establishes strict advertising regulations for marijuana businesses and nonprofit medical marijuana dispensaries. The bill will receive one more House vote (third reading) before moving to the Senate.

If enacted, HB 2179 would prohibit marijuana businesses from advertising in ways that could appeal to individuals under 21 years old. This includes using imagery of cartoons, toys, or fictional characters and referencing brands commonly associated with children’s products. The bill also bans advertisements depicting marijuana consumption and prohibits marketing that highlights THC potency levels.
Continue reading

Today, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced a new program to help fund projects addressing a range of community needs, including “economic development, public health, violence prevention, youth development and civil legal aid”.

CanRenew Community Restoration Grants will be awarded to eligible organizations for investments in communities where long-term residents are eligible to be social equity applicants, according to a press release from OCM. These communities are recognized for facing significant challenges under previous cannabis prohibition policies, which negatively impacted their economic and social landscapes.

The $1 million CanRenew program, established by the Minnesota Legislature in the 2023 cannabis bill, invests in communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition, fostering development, safety, and stability. By funding projects focused on economic development, social determinants of health, violence prevention, and youth engagement, CanRenew supports organizations making a meaningful impact in community renewal. CanRenew grant funds are not intended to support cannabis business operations and cannot be used on revenue generating projects.
Continue reading