Feb 19 2025

Kentucky Lawmaker Files Resolution Urging U.S. Congress to Allow Medical Marijuana Patients to Own Firearms

State Representative Derek Lewis (R) filed House Resolution 48 in the Kentucky House yesterday, calling on Congress to protect the Second Amendment rights of medical marijuana patients.

The resolution, which has been assigned to the Committee on Committees for further consideration, highlights the conflict between federal firearms regulations and state medical marijuana laws. Under current federal law, individuals who use a controlled substance—including marijuana, which remains federally illegal—are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. HR 48 argues that this policy forces medical marijuana patients to choose between accessing treatment and exercising their constitutional rights.

Kentucky legalized medical marijuana in 2023 when lawmakers passed Senate Bill 47. The law, which took effect on January 1, 2025, allows qualifying patients to access marijuana for conditions such as chronic pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea. However, despite the state’s legalization efforts, patients remain subject to federal firearm restrictions.
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Feb 18 2025

Study: CBD Reshapes Gut Microbiome to Enhance Endurance in Animal Model

A study conducted by Jeonbuk National University Medical School and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology found that cannabidiol (CBD) enhances endurance exercise in mice by altering the gut microbiome and promoting muscle adaptation.

“Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive compound from Cannabis, has various bioactive functions in humans and animals”, states the study, which was published by the journal Experimental & Molecular Medicine. “Evidence suggests that CBD promotes muscle injury recovery in athletes, but whether and how CBD improves endurance performance remains unclear.”

For this study, researchers “investigated the effects of CBD treatment on exercise performance in mice and assessed whether this effect involves the gut microbiome.”
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Feb 18 2025

New Texas Bill Would Legalize Marijuana for Everyone 21 and Older

A bill to legalize marijuana for everyone 21 and older was introduced today in the Texas House of Representatives by State Rep. John Bucy (D).

House Bill 2975, titled the Texas Regulation of Cannabis Act, would allow for the cultivation, processing, distribution, sale, and possession of marijuana and related products. The legislation establishes a licensing framework for marijuana businesses, including growers, processors, testing facilities, transporters, and dispensaries. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation would oversee the industry’s regulation and enforcement.

The bill would allow local governments to regulate marijuana businesses within their jurisdictions. It would place a possession limit of two ounces of dried marijuana flower and up to 15 grams of concentrates, with sakes taxed at 10%.
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Feb 18 2025

Illinois Senate Committee Advances Bill to Prohibit Vehicle Searches Based on Cannabis Odor

A key committee in the Illinois Senate has given approval to legislation that would restrict law enforcement from searching vehicles based solely on the smell of cannabis.

The Senate Criminal Law Committee voted 7 to 3 in favor of Senate Bill 42, which would eliminate the requirement that cannabis be stored in an odor-proof container while in a vehicle. It would also bar police from using the smell of burnt or raw cannabis as the sole basis for a vehicle search if the occupants are at least 21 years old.

The bill follows two Illinois Supreme Court rulings issued last year. In September, the court determined that the smell of burnt cannabis did not provide probable cause for a search. However, in December, it ruled that the odor of raw cannabis did justify a search, as it indicated a potential violation of state law requiring cannabis to be stored in a sealed, child-resistant, odor-proof container.
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Feb 18 2025

Ohio Committee Holds Hearing on Bill to Roll Back Voter-Approved Recreational Marijuana Law, Nearly All Oppose

Ohio’s Senate General Government Committee held a hearing today on a bill that would significantly alter the state’s recreational marijuana law.

The committee held the hearing today on Senate Bill 56, which would roll back some of the state’s recreational marijuana law, which was approved by voters in 2023. Over 40 people provided testimony in opposition to the bill, with just one person in support. This pushed the committee’s chair to delay a vote on the bill to at least next week, following expectations that a vote would happen this week, and as soon as today.

“SB 56 is not the tidying-up of a citizen-initiated statute. Instead, it is a rebuke of the people and businesses that drafted the initiative, voted for it, worked tirelessly to implement it, and generated (so far) $319 million of adult-use sales”, said the ACLU of Ohio.
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Feb 18 2025

New Poll Finds 67% of Florida Voters Support Legalizing Marijuana, Including 55% of Republicans

A new poll from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) shows that 67% of Florida voters support legalizing marijuana for adult use.

The survey, conducted among 871 active registered voters, indicates strong bipartisan backing, with 83% of Democrats, 66% of independents, and 55% of Republicans in favor.

The results come months after Amendment 3, which would have legalized marijuana for recreational use, garnered 56% of the vote in the 2024 general election. Despite achieving a majority, the measure failed to meet the 60% threshold required for passage. Following the narrow defeat, supporters of Amendment 3 have launched a new effort to place a similar measure on the ballot in November 2026.
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Feb 18 2025

Ohio Marijuana Sales Reach $509 Million Since August, Resulting in $62 Million in Tax Revenue

Ohio’s recreational marijuana market has surpassed $500 million in sales since launching on August 7.

According to data released today by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, adult-use marijuana sales have reached $333,124,769 across 4,508,842 transactions. Meanwhile, medical marijuana sales totaled $176,177,276 from 1,873,160 transactions, bringing combined sales to $509,302,045 across 6,382,002 transactions, averaging $80 per transaction.

Since Ohio first began legal medical marijuana sales, the state has recorded $2,427,311,856 in all-time sales across 22,711,800 transactions.
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Feb 18 2025

Rick Williams’ Highsman Releases “HIT STICKS”, an “Entirely New Single-Use Cannabis Product Category”

Former NFL running back Ricky Williams’ cannabis and lifestyle brand Highsman has announced the release of its newest product, HIT STICKS, in Massachusetts.

According to a press release sent today, “HIT STICKS will shake up the fastest-growing product category in cannabis, the pre-roll market.”

Headset data suggests that connoisseur and infused pre-rolls could represent 50% or more of $4 billion in pre-roll subcategory sales by 2025 as they continue rapidly outpacing conventional pre-roll options. In accordance with that trend, HIT STICKS presents consumers with an affordable single-use, pre-packed cannabis flower product and device that, like Ricky himself, brings a new dynamic to the cannabis industry.
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Feb 18 2025

States With the Cheapest Legal Cannabis Prices as of February 2025

The average price of cannabis varies substantially across the over 20 states with operating recreational marijuana markets. Here, we look at the states with the lowest average costs.

Due to substantial variations in tax rates, regulations, etc., the cost of cannabis can be drastically different from one legal marijuana state to the next. Using data provided by state regulatory agencies (and when that isn’t available, data from the research firm Headset), below is a breakdown of the states with the lowest average prices for a gram of dried marijuana flower.
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Feb 18 2025

Washington Senate Committee Approves Bill to Revise Marijuana Advertising Laws

Senate Bill 5206, introduced last month by Senators Drew MacEwen (R), Chris Gildon (R), and Derek Stanford (D), was approved today by the Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce.

The bill proposes updates to Washington’s regulations on marijuana advertising, expanding allowable signage for licensed retailers while imposing new restrictions on content and placement.

If enacted, SB 5206 would allow marijuana retailers to display up to four signs on the exterior of their licensed premises, up from the current limit of two. These signs must be affixed to the building or displayed in windows, with each limited to a maximum size of 1,600 square inches. Smaller signs under 512 square inches that do not include branding, such as those indicating store hours or ATM availability, would not be classified as advertising.
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