Jan 08 2025

Indiana: Republican Lawmakers File Legislation to Legalize Medical Marijuana

State Representatives Jim Lucas (R) and Shane Lindauer (R) filed House Bill 1178 today, which would make Indiana the 40th medical marijuana state.

House Bill 1178, which  proposes a comprehensive medical marijuana program to serve patients with serious medical conditions, as determined by their physicians, has been referred to the Committee on Public Health. Under the proposed legislation, the Indiana Department of Health would oversee the program, managing all aspects, including the cultivation, processing, testing, transportation, and dispensing of medical marijuana.

The bill mandates strict security, accurate labeling, child-resistant packaging, and independent testing of medical marijuana products, while banning child-appealing packaging.
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Jan 08 2025

New York Bill Would Ban Marijuana Use Within 30 Feet of Children, Including Through Walls

New York Assembly Bill 1007 was introduced today by State Representatives Phil Steck (D) and Marianna Buttenschon (D) and has been assigned to the Housing and Urban Affairs Committee for review.

The legislation would prohibit smoking or vaping marijuana within thirty feet of a child or within thirty feet of any location where children reside or attend for recreational or educational purposes, including areas separated by walls, closed doors, or different floors within a building.

Penalties outlined in the bill include a civil fine of up to $25 or 20 hours of community service for first-time violations. Repeat offenders would face steeper consequences, potentially being charged with a class B misdemeanor.
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Jan 08 2025

Trulieve to Open New Dispensary in Maricopa on Saturday, the 22nd in Arizona and 227th in the US

Trulieve Cannabis Corp., a leading US-based cannabis company, announced today the opening of a new dispensary in Maricopa, Arizona, marking their 22nd in the state.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 7:45 a.m. Saturday, January 11, followed by a grand opening celebration featuring food trucks, music, partner giveaways, and special discounts.

“We are proud to bring Trulieve’s high-quality, affordable products and elite customer experience to Maricopa,” said Trulieve’s Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers. “We are committed to helping customers in western Pinal County enhance their lives through cannabis.”
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Jan 08 2025

New Kentucky Bill Would Remove Criminal Penalties for Marijuana Possession and Cultivation, Allow Expungements

Yesterday, State Representative David Yates (D) filed legislation that would remove criminal penalties for possessing and cultivating certain amounts of marijuana.

If enacted, Senate Bill 33 would amend existing statutes to remove criminal penalties for possession up to eight ounces of marijuana, and cultivating up to five marijuana plants. Penalties for possessing over the allotted amount would be reduced, from a Class A misdemeanor (punishable by up to 12 months in jail) to a Class B misdemeanor (normally punishable by up to 90 days in jail, but the bill specifies the max penalty as 45 days). In addition, the penalty for trafficking would be reduced from a felony, to a misdemeanor.

The measure also introduces a retroactive expungement process for certain prior marijuana-related convictions, aiming to provide relief to individuals previously penalized under outdated laws.
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Jan 08 2025

Bipartisan Bill Filed in New York Proposes Strict THC Limits on Marijuana Products

A bill to limit the potency of marijuana products in New York was introduced today by State Representatives Phil Steck (D) and Keith Brown (R).

The bipartisan legislation, NY A00977, seeks to amend New York’s cannabis law to establish maximum THC concentrations for cannabis flower and other related products. Under the proposal, cannabis flower would be capped at 15% THC, while all other cannabis and hemp products, including medical cannabis and cannabinoid hemp, would be limited to 25% THC.

If enacted, individuals or businesses that knowingly violate these potency restrictions could face a class B misdemeanor. Such offenses carry potential penalties of up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine.
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Jan 08 2025

Legislation to Legalize DMT, Ibogaine, Mescaline and Psilocybin Filed in New York Assembly

State Representative Linda Rosenthal, joined by eight cosponsors, introduced Assembly Bill A00628 today in the New York Legislature.

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

The measure seeks to legalize the possession, use, and cultivation of certain natural plant- and fungus-based hallucinogens for those 21 and older. The bill has been referred to the Health and Social Services Committee for review.

If enacted, A00628 would legalize substances including psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, mescaline, and ibogaine. These hallucinogens would be removed from New York’s list of schedule I controlled substances, making their use, cultivation, and sharing legal within defined parameters. The legislation includes broad protections for individuals and organizations engaging with these substances.
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Jan 08 2025

Study: Cannabichromene (CBC) May Help Treat Atopic Dermatitis

Cannabichromene (CBC), a lesser-known cannabinoid found in marijuana, may offer therapeutic benefits for inflammatory skin conditions like atopic dermatitis (AD), according to new research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

The study, conducted by researchers at The Catholic University of Korea, investigated CBC’s impact on AD using a 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced BALB/c mouse model. CBC was topically administered in two doses: 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg.

Findings revealed significant improvements in skin lesion severity, ear and epithelial thickness, and reduced mast cell infiltration in the 0.1 mg/kg treatment group compared to the DNCB-only group.
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Jan 08 2025

Cannabinol (CBN) and Cannbigerol (CBG) Show Promise in Fighting Leukemia, Study Finds

A study published in the journal Molecules highlights the potential of two cannabis-derived compounds, cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG), in combating acute myeloid leukemia.

“Several cannabis plant-derived compounds, especially cannabinoids, exhibit therapeutic potential in numerous diseases and conditions”, states the study’s abstract. “In particular, THC and CBD impart palliative, antiemetic, as well as anticancer effects. The antitumor effects include inhibition of cancerous cell growth and metastasis and induction of cell death, all mediated by cannabinoid interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).”

However, “the exact molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. In addition, their effects on leukemia have scarcely been investigated.”
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Jan 07 2025

Delaware and Minnesota Remain On Track to Launch Recreational Marijuana Markets This Year.

Since the start of the new year, marijuana agency heads in both Delaware and Minnesota have stepped down. Even so, both states remain on track to launch licensed recreational marijuana sales in the coming months.

Currently, 21 states have active recreational marijuana markets, with Delaware and Minnesota set to join that list later this year. Of the 24 legal marijuana states, only Virginia does not allow licensed sales.

In Delaware, the state’s first-ever marijuana commissioner, Robert M. Coupe, recently stepped down to join the private sector as Chief of Staff at CRx Construction. The move comes just as the state’s legal marijuana market is about to launch, and comes just two weeks after the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) conducted a public license lottery to select applicants in the Open Retail category for Delaware’s regulated marijuana industry.
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Jan 07 2025

Illinois House Rejects Bill to Tighten Hemp Regulations, Including Delta-8 THC

Legislation that would have imposed strict regulations on hemp-derived THC products has failed to advance in the final moments of the 103rd General Assembly’s lame-duck session.

Gummies made with hemp-derived Delta-8 THC.

Despite passing the state Senate 54 to 1 in May, and despite the backing of Governor J.B. Pritzker, the bill encountered resistance within the House’s Democratic supermajority.

The legislation, known as the Hemp Consumer Products Act, proposed limiting sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries, banning synthetic THC production, and introducing age restrictions, testing, and labeling requirements.
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