Apr 07 2025

Minneota Office of Cannabis Management Announces Approval of Cannabis Rules by Administrative Law Judge

Today, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that an administrative law judge has approved draft rules governing Minnesota’s adult-use cannabis market.

The rules, which the judge approved without changes, will be published in the State Register and go into effect later this month. This milestone sets up the final step in launching Minnesota’s cannabis market, allowing OCM to begin issuing business licenses to applicants who have completed all necessary steps in the application process.

“The adoption of rules is the most significant step to launching the cannabis market because the office cannot issue business licenses until they are in place,” said Interim Director Eric Taubel. “The judge’s approval of our proposed rules without changes shows that we did our work to engage with the prospective cannabis business community and put together a reasonable structure for ensuring consistency, safety, and equity in Minnesota’s cannabis industry.”
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Apr 07 2025

Oregon Senate Committee Approves Bill to Allow Marijuana Businesses to Give Samples at Events and to Workers

The Oregon Senate Judiciary Committee today approved Senate Bill 558, a proposal to expand marijuana samples, advancing the proposal to the full Senate for consideration.

Introduced in January by State Senator Floyd Prozanski (D), the bill would expand how licensed marijuana businesses can distribute product samples. It would allow marijuana producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers to provide samples at trade shows and temporary events registered with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), as well as to their own employees.

Under the bill, marijuana wholesalers could sell directly to retailers at industry events, streamlining business-to-business transactions. Licensed producers would also be allowed to give marijuana seeds and immature plants to their workers, while producers, wholesalers, and processors could provide limited samples of usable marijuana, concentrates, extracts, and packaged cannabinoid items to employees.
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Apr 07 2025

Where All 100 U.S. Senators Stand on Cannabis Law Reform

Here’s where every U.S. senator stands on marijuana-related issues, including legalization, decriminalization, and the SAFER Banking Act, and more.

The detailed guide below breaks down where all 100 U.S. senators stand on key cannabis reforms—from recreational and medical legalization to decriminalization, the SAFER Banking Act (to allow marijuana banking nationwide), and federal rescheduling.

The senators are listed in alphabetical order by state. Each entry includes the senator’s current position on various reform efforts, as well as relevant quotes, bill sponsorships, and voting history when available.
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Apr 07 2025

Northern Michigan University to Host Free Cannabis Collaboration Conference on April 22

Northern Michigan University will host the 2025 Great Lakes Cannabis Collaboration Conference on April 22 at the Northern Center in Marquette.

The one-day event will bring together educators, researchers, students, industry professionals and policymakers to explore advancements in cannabis education, science and business.

Organized by NMU’s Cannabis Programs, the conference is focused on fostering progress through open dialogue and the exchange of ideas. It will feature presentations, panel discussions and networking opportunities designed to support collaboration among stakeholders across the Great Lakes region and beyond.
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Apr 07 2025

PharmaCann Opens 51st Cannabis Dispensary in Massachusetts

 PharmaCann Inc., one of the nation’s largest privately held, vertically integrated cannabis companies, has opened its third Verilife Massachusetts dispensary, located in Newton.

This medical and recreational dispensary is the company’s 51st, which includes both the Verilife and LivWell retail brands.

Verilife Newton, found in the Chestnut Hill village of Newton, offers a wide selection of high-quality medical and recreational cannabis products, according to a Monday press release. The dispensary is conveniently accessible to residents of Brookline, Watertown, Waltham, Needham, Weston, Wellesley, Dedham and beyond.
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Apr 07 2025

Avicanna Announces its 5th Medical Symposium on Cannabinoid-based Medicine

Avicanna Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products, has announced that it will host its 5th medical symposium on Cannabinoid-based Medicine on June 6th, 2025.

The Toronto-based Symposium, From Emerging Evidence to Clinical Practice, is open to healthcare practitioners and researchers and will include various speakers covering a variety of topics-ranging from emerging evidence to current clinical practices on the practical application of cannabinoid-based medicine. The speakers include Canadian and international key opinion leaders, clinicians, and scientists from leading academic, research, and clinical organizations.
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Apr 07 2025

Maine’s Marijuana Sales Topped $19.5 Million in March, With Record-Low Prices

Maine marijuana retailers sold over $19.5 million worth of product in March, with 30,000 more transactions than the previous March.

According to data released today by the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, there were $19,563,451 in recreational marijuana sales last month across 381,788 transactions. The average price per gram of dried marijuana flower dropped to $6.87, the lowest ever recorded in the state.

Despite the price decrease—down 6% compared to March 2024—sales totals still exceeded those from the same month last year. In March 2024, retailers brought in $19,144,646 through 351,096 transactions. That’s an increase of over 30,000 transactions year-over-year, showing continued growth in consumer demand even as product prices decline.
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Apr 05 2025

Maryland Senate Advances Bill to Exempt Marijuana Nurseries From Sales Tax

Today, Maryland’s Senate voted in favor of legislation that would expand the state’s marijuana tax exemptions to include transactions involving licensed cannabis nurseries.

(Photo credit: Prime Cuts Cannabis Nursery).

The proposal, House Bill 619, would exempt transactions between licensed cannabis businesses and registered cannabis nurseries from the state’s sales and use tax. It cleared the House last month in a 110 to 23 vote and received second reading approval in the Senate today. A third and final vote is expected in the coming days. Once passed, the measure will be sent to Governor Wes Moore.

Under current law, Maryland exempts both medical marijuana sales and transactions between licensed cannabis businesses from the state’s 6% sales tax. HB 619 would broaden that exemption to include cannabis nurseries, which play a key role in supplying young plants to cultivators and dispensaries. If signed into law, the change would take effect on July 1, 2025.
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Apr 05 2025

House-Backed Bill to Establish Collective Bargaining Rights for Cannabis Growers in Washington Scheduled for April 8 Public Hearing in Senate Ways and Means Committee

A bill that would establish collective bargaining rights for marijuana cultivation and processing workers in Washington is set for a public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on April 8.

House Bill 1141 was approved by the House last month in a 55 to 40 vote, and on April 1 it  narrowly passed the Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce, with a 5 to 4 vote. The proposal would allow marijuana workers involved in growing, harvesting, drying and trimming cannabis to unionize and negotiate with their employers over wages, benefits, and working conditions.

The legislation sets forth a process for the formation of labor unions, the resolution of labor disputes, and the protection of employee rights. It applies only to workers on licensed marijuana farms and explicitly excludes managers and supervisors who hold decision-making authority.
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Apr 05 2025

Connecticut Bill to Decriminalize Psilocybin Given Approval by Joint Judiciary Committee in 29 to 12 Vote

House Bill 7065, which would decriminalize possession of small amounts of psilocybin in Connecticut, has been approved by the Joint Judiciary Committee with a 29 to 12 vote.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The proposal would remove criminal penalties for individuals found with less than half an ounce of psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms. First-time offenders would instead face a $150 fine, while repeat violations would carry fines ranging from $200 to $500. Police would still be required to seize and destroy any psilocybin found.

The bill also includes provisions to revise state laws on drug paraphernalia, making it no longer a crime to possess any item used to consume psilocybin.
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