Feb 09 2024

Virginia House Votes in Favor of Bill to Legalize Recreational Marijuana Sales

Legislation to legalize the licensed distribution of marijuana to everyone 21 and older has been approved through a House of Delegates committee and given initial approval by the full chamber.

House Bill 698 was given approval Tuesday by the House General Laws Committee in a vote of 11 to 8. Today, the measure was given initial approval by the full House of Delegates in a voice vote. The measure will now need to receive one final vote, expected to come next week, before it can be sent to the state’s Senate.

Virginia is one of 24 states that has legalized recreational marijuana, but it’s the only one to not allow marijuana to be sold through marijuana retail outlets. House Bill 698 would change that by allowing some existing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana, while also issuing 60 licenses for marijuana microbusinesses that would open in early 2025.
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Feb 09 2024

Michigan’s January Marijuana Sales Top $240 Million, Resulting in $38 Million in Tax Revenue

There was over $240 million in legal marijuana sales in Michigan in January.

In total there was $242,812,694 worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold legally in January, according to the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency. The vast majority of these sales, $240,289,360, were recreational marijuana sales, with just $2,523,333 sold to medical marijuana patients.

The total for January is a considerable drop from the record-breaking $280 million sold in December, but it’s significantly higher than the $207 million sold in January, 2023.
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Feb 09 2024

US Navy Eases Restrictions On Prior Marijuana Use

The United States Navy has announced a change in policy that will see them no longer immediately fire a recruit who tests positive for marijuana when arriving to boot camp.

US Navy ships.

Rear Adm. James Waters, the director of the Navy’s military personnel plans and policy division, said at a press conference that the change gives Navy officials the authority to grant waivers for any recruits who initially test positive for THC.

“If they fail that test and own up — ‘Yes, I smoke marijuana ‘– we do an evaluation of the young person to make sure there’s not something else going on,” says Waters. “But we trust that through the process of boot camp that we have an opportunity to bring them along with our culture.”
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Feb 08 2024

Illinois: $158 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in January

In January licensed marijuana retail outlets in Illinois sold over $150 million worth of product.

There was a total of $158.1 million worth of legal marijuana sold in January, according to data just released by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. $133.8 million of this was purchased by recreational consumers, with $24.3 million purchased by medical marijuana patients.

The $158.1 million is considerably lower than the record-breaking $181 million sold in December, but it’s slightly higher than the $155.5 million sold in January, 2023.
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Feb 08 2024

What’s Really Going on With the DEA and Marijuana Rescheduling? A Timeline

There’s been a lot of news recently surrounding the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) review of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. Here’s a timeline of what’s happened so far, and what we can expect going forward.

In October, 2022 President Biden issued an executive order that pardoned thousands of federal marijuana offenders, while also initiating a federal review of marijuana as a Schedule I drug.

Here is a timeline of what has happened since.
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Feb 08 2024

Virginia Senate Committee Approves Bill Banning Marijuana From Being Used as Evidence of Child Abuse

A Senate committee has voted to pass legislation preventing the use of marijuana alone from being evidence of child abuse.

The Senate Courts of Justice Committee voted 15 to 0 yesterday to pass Senate Bill 115.

The measure provides “that a child shall not be considered an abused or neglected child, and no person shall be denied custody or visitation of a child, based only on the fact that the child’s parent or other person responsible for his care, or the person petitioning for custody or visitation of the child, possessed or consumed legally authorized substances.”
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Feb 08 2024

78% of North Carolina Voters Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana, Finds New Poll

New polling shows that nearly eight of every 10 voters in North Carolina want medical marijuana legalized.

According to the Meredith College poll, a large majority of North Carolinians (78%) support the passage of a bill to legalize medical marijuana, with only 18% opposed.

“A majority of every demographic group in the state, even those that self-identify as the most conservative residents, support such legislation”, states the poll.
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Feb 08 2024

Utah Committee Passes Bill to Allow Standalone Medical Marijuana Delivery Companies

Legislation to allow businesses that would exclusively deliver medical marijuana products to qualified patients has been approved by a key committee in the Utah House of Representatives.

House Bill 389 was approved unanimously yesterday, 11 to 0, through the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.

Filed by State Representative Walt Brooks (R), the proposal would authorize “closed-door medical cannabis pharmacies”, described as “means a facility operated by a home delivery medical cannabis pharmacy for delivering cannabis or a medical cannabis product.”
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Feb 08 2024

US Congressmember Sends Letter to DEA Demanding Answers on Marijuana Rescheduling Review

A member of US Congress has sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) demanding answers on the agency’s current review of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Last month the DEA confirmed that a review of marijuana’s Schedule I status is currently underway, but they gave no further information on what the review entails or its potential timeline for conclusion. Today, Congressmember Earl Bluemauer (D-OR), co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, sent a letter to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram requesting answers to several poignant questions.

“Clear and proactive communication is critical as this formal scheduling review moves forward”, says Bluemauer in the letter. “This scheduling review is a necessary step in the work to end the federal government’s failed and discriminatory prohibition of cannabis.”
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Feb 08 2024

WA Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Increase Sentence for Robbing a Marijuana Store

Legislation designed to increase the sentences of those convicted of robbing a licensed marijuana store has been passed unanimously by the Washington State Senate.

(Photo credit: Tom Sydow).

Senate Bill 6133 was passed by the Senate Tuesday in a unanimous 49 to 0 vote, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. The measure was filed by Senators James McCune (R), Karen Keiser (D) and Mike Padden (R).

“A 12-month sentence enhancement is created for individuals convicted of robbery in the first or second degree of a cannabis retail outlet”, states the bill’s summary.
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