Dec 22 2023

President Biden Issues Proclamation Expanding Marijuana Pardons

President Biden issued a proclamation today expanding on the thousands of marijuana pardons he issued last year.

“America was founded on the principle of equal justice under law”, states a press release from The White House. “Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect this core value that makes our communities safer and stronger.”

Biden says “That is why today I am announcing additional steps I am taking to make the promise of equal justice a reality.”
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Dec 21 2023

US House Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana Nationwide and Allow Expungements Gains 80th Sponsor

Federal legislation that would decriminalize marijuana nationwide along with several other changes has gained its 80th sponsor in the House of Representatives.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act now has 80 sponsors, 75 more than it did when it was filed in September by Representative Jerrold Nadler (D) along with four cosponsors.

The MORE Act would fully decriminalize marijuana by removing it entirely as a federal controlled substance. The measure would place a 5% excise tax on legal marijuana sales for the first two years, with it increasing to 8% by the fifth year.
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Dec 21 2023

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Says Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Likely Coming in January

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says that he will likely be introducing a medical marijuana bill in January at the next of the upcoming legislative session.

Speaker Vos says Republicans will likely introduce a medical marijuana legalization bill next month. Vos says the bill would be similar to Minnesota’s medical marijuana program, which originally allowed those with certain medical conditions such as cancer, HIV, PTSD and chronic pain to purchase and possess marijuana products such as pills, oils and tinctures.

Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer said that although Democrats want more substantial marijuana law reform, they are open to discussing the Republican bill.
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Dec 21 2023

Ukraine Legislature Approves Bill to Legalize Medical Marijuana, Sending it to President Zelenskyy

Ukraine lawmakers have officially passed a bill to legalize medical marijuana, sending it to a supportive President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Today Ukraine’s unicameral legislature known as the Verkhovna Rada, passed the legislation with 248 of the body’s 450 members voting in favor.

Under the legislation, which President Zelenskyy is expected to sign into law quickly, those with a qualifying condition who receive a recommendation from a physician would be authorized to possess and use medical marijuana. Although the law at the time of passage only applies to severe illness like cancer as well as war-borne post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), proponents of the measure have said that the country can expand the list of qualifying conditions once it’s passed.
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Dec 20 2023

Connecticut Marijuana Sales Allowed During Christmas and New Year’s Day, Despite Alcohol Sales Being Prohibited

Despite alcohol sales being prohibited on Christmas and New Year’s Day in Connecticut, marijuana sales are allowed.

According to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, marijuana sales can continue unabated on both Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The Department says that not only can marijuana stores retain normal hours during the two federal holidays, but they can actually stay open an extra hour on New Year’s Eve, until 3am.
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Dec 20 2023

US Senate Majority Leader Says Cannabis Reform a Top Priority for 2024

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says that a federal marijuana banking bill and other cannabis reform legislation is a top priority for the Senate as we head into 2024.

The SAFER Banking Act is sponsored by 34% of the entire US Senate, while also having the support of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), as well as a bipartisan group of 22 attorneys general. The legislation, which recently passed the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, would explicitly allow banks and other financial institutions such as credit unions to provide services to marijuana businesses that are legal under their state’s law.

Senate side Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed in September that the measure would be voted on by the full Senate “very soon”. He reiterated last month that the Senate is “getting close” to a vote.
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Dec 20 2023

CBD-Infused Tampons a “Promising Option for Managing Menstrual Pain”, Finds Study

Tampons infused with the marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) is “a promising option for managing menstrual pain”, finds a new placebo-controlled study.

“This study aimed to assess efficacy and usability of Cannabidiol (CBD) infused tampons for the relief of primary dysmenorrhea, a condition affecting 50–95% assigned female at birth”, states the study, published in the Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders.

“While primary dysmenorrhea affects a significant percentage of females, there remains a notable absence of specialized medications or devices to alleviate the intense pain that hinders daily activities. We have developed a CBD-infused tampon, lubricated for comfort and ease, recognising the potential benefits of cannabinoids in pain management.”
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Dec 19 2023

National Institute on Drug Abuse Gives Kratom Briefing to Congress

Recently the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) gave a briefing to congress on kratom.

The briefing by NIDA Director Nora Volkow came a little over three months after companion bills that would regulate kratom nationwide while restricting government agencies from prohibiting it were filed in both the US Senate and House of Representatives.

“So what do we know [about kratom]?”, asked Volkow early in her speech. “We do know that kratom is a plant similar to the coffee plant. It is a traditional medicine used for centuries in South East Asia”.
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Dec 19 2023

Arizona Made Over $25 Million in Marijuana Taxes in November, $230 Million Year-to-Date

For just the fourth time marijuana tax revenue in Arizona passed $25 million.

In total licensed marijuana retail outlets made $25,169,783 in tax revenue from the legal distribution of marijuana in November, based on data released by the Arizona Department of Revenue. Tax revenue comes from the sale of dried marijuana flower and prerolls, as well as marijuana concentrates, edibles, tinctures and topicals.

Marijuana tax revenue was down from October, albeit only slightly ($239k). Although marijuana tax revenue has only reached $25 million four times since the start of recreational marijuana sales, November was the second straight month this number was reached.
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Dec 19 2023

Study Finds Marijuana Legalization Correlates With “Improved Basketball Recruiting Outcomes”

Marijuana legalization “appears to improve basketball recruiting outcomes for in-state colleges”, according to a new study.

(Photo credit: Jack Dempsey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images).

Titled The Effects of Marijuana Legalization on NCAA Men’s Basketball Recruiting, the study was published in the recent issue of the Journal of Sports Economics and conducted by researchers at Georgia College & State University and Kennesaw State University.

“Over the past two decades, attitudes toward marijuana usage have softened”, states the study. “This shift in sentiment coincided with reduced punishments, decriminalization, and in some states, legalization. We find evidence of unexpected consequences of marijuana legalization.”
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