May 16 2023

Maine Senate Passes Bill to Exempt Medical Marijuana From Taxes

Maine’s Senate has given approval to a measure that would exempt medical marijuana sales from being taxed.

According to its official summary, House Bill 541 “includes medical cannabis in the sales tax exemption that applies to medicines sold on a doctor’s prescription.”

The bipartisan bill was filed by State Representative Ann Fredericks with cosponsors Representatives David Boyer and Craig Hickman. The proposal was voted on by the House on May 4 in a closer than expected 76 to 62 vote, with 13 members absent. Today it was passed by the full Senate.
Continue reading

May 16 2023

New Mexico Officials Vote to Add Insomnia as Qualifying Medical Marijuana Condition

Officials in New Mexico have voted in favor of adding insomnia to the state’s medical marijuana program.

The New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board voted today to approve a petition calling for insomnia to join the state’s list of medical ailments that qualify an individual to become a medical marijuana patient. The list now includes 30 qualifying conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, obstructive sleep apnea and severe chronic pain.

New Mexico first legalized medical marijuana in 2007, with the law altered a few times over the years. Under the current law those with a qualifying condition and a physician recommendation can possess up to eight ounces of marijuana over a 90-day period, and can grow up to 12 plants (four of which can be mature).
Continue reading

May 16 2023

Michigan Committee Votes to Allow 19 and 20 Year Olds to Work at Marijuana Stores

Michigan legislation to lower the age requirement for working or volunteering at licensed marijuana retail outlets has been passed by a key House committee.

House Bill 4322 has been passed by the House Regulatory Reform committee, and has been sent to the full House of Representative to be considered on second reading. If passed through a second and then third reading, it will be sent to the Senate for consideration.

“A person who is 19 years of age or older may manufacture, purchase, distribute, and sell marihuana accessories if the person is an agent acting on behalf of a marihuana establishment”, states House Bill 4322. The current age is aligned with the age to possess and use marijuana, which is 21.
Continue reading

May 16 2023

Oklahoma Governor Signs Bill Extending Mortarium on Marijuana Businesses to 2026

An Oklahoma moratorium (temporary ban) on new marijuana businesses has been extended to at least 2026.

Governor Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 2095 into law earlier this month, officially extending the state’s ban on the establishment of any new medical marijuana businesses.

Last year Oklahoma lawmakers enacted a moratorium that explicitly prohibits regulators from issuing licenses for any new medical marijuana dispensaries, processors, or commercial growers until August 1, 2024. House Bill 2095 extends the ban by two years, until August 1, 2026.
Continue reading

May 16 2023

Arizona Committee Unanimously Votes to Add PTSD and Autism to Medical Marijuana Program

Arizona legislation to expand the state’s medical marijuana program has been passed unanimously by the House Rules Committee.

Senate Bill 1466, filed by Senator Thomas Shope, was passed yesterday 7 to 0 through the House Rules Committee. It’s now able to be considered by the full House of Representatives. Given it’s already been passed by the full Senate, 24 to 6, passage through the House would send it to Governor Katie Hobbs for consideration.

The proposed law would add post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism spectrum disorder as conditions that qualify an individual to become a legal medical marijuana patient. It would also reduce the price of medical marijuana cards from $150 to $50, while making them entirely free for veterans.
Continue reading

May 16 2023

Minnesota Conference Committee Reaches Agreement on Marijuana Legalization Bill

A conference committee made up of five senators and five state representatives has reached a deal on a specific framework for a bill to legalize marijuana.

Both the House and Senate have already voted to pass their version of HF 100 to legalize marijuana for those 21 and older. However, differences in amendments required a conference committee to be established in order to coalesce the two chambers around one bill text.

Now, after a couple meetings by the committee, an agreement has been reached and final votes in the House and Senate could come as soon as this week. Governor Tim Walz is expected to sign it into law once given the chance.
Continue reading

May 16 2023

North Carolina Committee Approves Psilocybin and MDMA Research Bill

A key committee in the North Carolina House of Representatives has voted to approve legislation that would spend millions to research psilocybin and MDMA.

The House Health Committee voted today to pass House Bill 727, filed by Representative Edward Goodwin. The proposal would establish a $5 million grant program designed specifically to research the medical and therapeutic potential of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, and MDMA (sometimes referred to as ecstasy).

The program would be overseen by a newly-created Breakthrough Therapies Research Advisory Board. Starting in August of 2024 the Department of Health and Human Services would be required to accept grand applications from research entities and academic institutions that demonstrate a capability of conducting clinical trials on those 21+.
Continue reading

May 15 2023

Springfield, Missouri City Council Likely to Put Marijuana Tax Ordinance On August Ballot

Following several Missouri cities approving local marijuana taxes in the April election, Springfield may be poised to do the same.

Today the Springfield City Council held a special meeting to discuss the possibility of imposing a local 3% tax on marijuana sales, similar to what voters approved last month in St Louis, Columbia and Kansas City. During the meeting the council directed the city attorney to establish an emergency ordinance that would be considered during their May 22 meeting that would establish such a tax.

In Missouri marijuana sales receive a 6% excise tax, in addition to the state’s standard 4.2% sales tax. Cities are allowed to establish their own tax of up to 3%.
Continue reading

May 15 2023

Arizona Governor Signs Bill Allocating Millions for Psilocybin Research

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has signed into law legislation that allocates millions of dollars for the research of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.

(Getty Images)

Governor Hobbs signed the measure into law a mere hours after the legislature gave it approval.

Specifically, the Department of Health Services (DHS) will distribute $5 million in fiscal year 2023-2024 for “whole mushroom psilocybin phase one, phase two and phase three clinical trials that are capable of being approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)”. The trial must be for the use to treat one of 13 listed medical conditions which includes PTSD, anxiety and long-COVID.
Continue reading

May 15 2023

Las Vegas’ First Marijuana-Friendly Hotel to Open in June

A hotel that’s billing itself as Las Vegas’ first marijuana-friendly hotel plans to open its doors to the public next month.

The Lexi Las Vegas Hotel is set to open to the public on Friday, June 2. The hotel, located near Sahara Ave and Highland Drive, was formally known as The Artisan. The company behind the hotel recently spent millions to fully renovate it, including renovating 64 newly designed rooms and suites.

What sets The Lexi apart from other hotels in the area, is that they explicitly allow marijuana to be consumed on their premises, including in the hotel’s rooms and suites. One entire floor will be dedicated to marijuana consumption, and each room/suite will include a RestorAir filtration system.
Continue reading