Feb 03 2025

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Predicts State Supreme Court Will Reject New Marijuana Legalization Initiative

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says he doesn’t believe the renewed effort to place marijuana legalization on the 2026 ballot will survive legal scrutiny.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a February 3 press conference (photo credit: Forbes).

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, DeSantis reiterated his opposition to placing marijuana legalization in the state constitution, just as he did with the 2024 measure that garnered majority support but failed to meet the required 60% approval threshold.

“There’s a lot of different perspectives on marijuana. It should not be in our constitution. If you feel strongly about it, you have elections for the Legislature”, said DeSantis. “Go back candidates that you believe will be able to deliver what your vision is on that.”
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Feb 03 2025

New York’s Legal Marijuana Sales Reach $121 Million in January

New York’s legal marijuana market recorded $121.91 million in sales during January, according to data from the research firm Headset.

Flower led all product categories in January with $41 million in sales, followed by vapor pens at $34 million, pre-rolls at $21 million, edibles at $17 million, and concentrates at $4 million. Although there’s been a slight drop in recent months, prices in the state remain significantly higher than in many other legal markets, averaging $13 per gram for dried flower, $40 per eighth, and $51 for a gram of concentrates.

The $121.9 million sold in January is a notable increase over the $97 million sold in December.
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Feb 03 2025

Washington Lawmakers to Hold Back-to-Back House and Senate Hearings on Psilocybin Legislation

Senate Bill 5201 and its companion, House Bill 1433, legislation that would establish a regulated psilocybin therapy program in Washington State, are both scheduled for public hearings on consecutive days.

The House Committee on Health Care & Wellness will hold a public hearing on House Bill 1433 on February 5 at 1:30 PM, followed by a hearing on Senate Bill 5201 in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM on February 6.

Introduced by Senator Jesse Salomon with support from eight cosponsors in the Senate, and filed by State Rep. Nicole Macri (D) with 29 sponsors in the House, the bills would create a structured framework allowing licensed facilitators to administer psilocybin in supervised settings. The Washington State Department of Health would oversee the program, with input from a newly formed Psychedelic Substances Board responsible for developing licensing requirements and safety protocols.
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Feb 03 2025

Oregon: $76 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in January, Average Cost Per Gram Drops to All-Time Low of $3.50

There was just over $76 million in marijuana sold legally in Oregon in the first month of 2025.

In total, there was $76,262,002 in licensed marijuana sales in January, according to data released by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. This marks a slight decrease from the $78,562,441 sold in December.

Oregon’s all-time marijuana sales is now $7.26 billion. The average price of dried marijuana flower reached an all-time low in January, at $3.50 per gram of dried flower and $15.83 per gram for concentrates.
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Feb 02 2025

Florida Medical Marijuana Sales Hit $160 Million in January, Highest Since May 2024

Florida’s medical marijuana industry recorded $160,654,639 in sales in January 2025, marking the highest monthly total since May 2024.

According to data released today by the research firm Headset, January was the first month since May where medical marijuana sales in Florida topped $160 million. Florida remains by far the nation’s largest medical marijuana market.

Dried marijuana flower was the top-selling product in January, followed by vape pens, edibles, concentrates, tinctures, capsules, and topicals.
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Feb 02 2025

Study: Nanotechnology-Enhanced CBD Delivery Shows Promise for Retinal Neuroprotection

A study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology found that CBD, delivered using nanotechnology, provided neuroprotective effects in an animal model of retinal excitotoxicity.

Researchers from the University of Catania, University of Crete, University of Enna, and University of Campania, all in Italy, examined CBD’s effects in rats with retinal damage induced by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA). When co-injected intravitreally with AMPA, CBD reduced retinal shrinkage and preserved amacrine cells. It also decreased markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, including cleaved caspase-3, Iba-1, and nitrotyrosine-positive cells.

Due to CBD’s low solubility, the researchers developed a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) formulation to enhance its ocular bioavailability. Among the tested formulations, CBD-NLC3 demonstrated optimal physicochemical properties and, when applied topically, successfully delivered CBD to the retina. A single administration resulted in a retinal concentration of 98 ± 25.9 ng/mg within 60 minutes.
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Feb 02 2025

Colorado Bill Would Ban Marijuana With Over 10% THC for Those Under 26, Prohibit Psilocybin Edibles

A bipartisan bill introduced in Colorado would prohibit the sale of certain marijuana products to adults under 26 and ban the production of psilocybin edibles for use in the state’s psychedelic-assisted therapy industry.

Senate Bill 76, sponsored by State Senators Judith Amabile (D) and Byron Pelton (R), along with State Representative Kyle Brown (D), proposes new regulations on marijuana potency, labeling, and psilocybin product restrictions. The bill has been referred to the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee.

As written, SB 25-076 would prevent individuals aged 21 to 25 from purchasing recreational marijuana with a potency exceeding 10% THC, as well as inhalable products containing added flavors, including terpenes. These restrictions would apply to dispensaries and marijuana hospitality establishments. The bill also includes new labeling requirements based on THC content and would limit inhalable marijuana product packaging to 500 milligrams.
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Jan 31 2025

Virginia House of Delegates Approves Bill Updating Medical Marijuana Labeling and Expanding Delivery

The Virginia House of Delegates has approved House Bill 1989, a measure that updates labeling requirements for medical marijuana products and expands delivery options for registered patients.

Filed on January 7 by Delegate Alex Askew (D), the bill advanced through the General Laws Committee with a 19-3 vote on January 28, and today was approved by the House of Delegates through its second reading. Once approved through a third and final reading, it will be sent to the state’s Senate for consideration.

If enacted, the bill would require pharmaceutical processors to provide more detailed labeling on medical marijuana products, including:
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Jan 31 2025

Maryland Governor Proposes 66% Marijuana Tax Increase, Poll Finds 60% of Voters Support

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has proposed a series of budget-balancing tax increases, including increasing the tax rate on licensed marijuana sales.

Governor Moore is proposing an increase in the state’s marijuana excise tax from 9%, to 15%, marking an increase of 66%.

Despite such a significant increase, it appears that a strong majority of voters approve the move. According to a recent Washington Post – University of Maryland poll, 60% of voters in the state support the move, with 34% opposed and 6% unsure. This was tied for the most popular among Governor Moore’s proposals.
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Jan 31 2025

Bastrop, Texas City Council Overturns Voter-Approved Marijuana Decrim Law

The Bastrop City Council has voted to overturn a voter-approved ordinance that would have decriminalized marijuana possession, making it the only one of 11 ballot measures rejected by the council.

Bastrop, Texas.

In November, Bastrop residents overwhelmingly approved the initiative, which would have prevented arrests and criminal charges for possessing up to four ounces of marijuana. Instead, individuals caught with small amounts would have faced a civil infraction similar to a traffic ticket. Despite this strong voter support, with 70% in favor, the City Council voted 3-2 to reject the measure, reversing the decision made by the electorate in the city of approximately 11,000 people.

The ordinance was part of a broader movement across Texas, with similar decriminalization measures passing in multiple cities, including Lockhart and Dalas. In previous years, cities like San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, Denton, and Harker Heights have adopted similar policies. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has actively sought to challenge them in court, but his lawsuits have already been thrown out in two cities.
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