A group behind an initiative to legalize recreational marijuana says they’re confident they have collected enough signatures to place their proposal on the November ballot for a public vote.

South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws says they will submit their signatures to South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson tomorrow, the state’s deadline. The group says they will submit well more than the 35,017 signatures required for the measure to be voted on during the November presidential election. Before the measure can be officially certified for the ballot, the state must verify that enough of the signatures are from registered South Dakota voters.

In 2020, South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws successful placed a marijuana legalization initiative on the November ballot, with it receiving support from 54% of voters. Due to a technicality in the initiative’s language, the measure was thrown out by state courts.
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A key committee in the New Hampshire Senate has given approval to legislation that would allow medical marijuana for any condition a physician deems necessary.

Today, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed House Bill 1278 with a unanimous 5-0 vote. This measure has already been approved by the state’s full House of Representatives. It now needs to clear one more Senate committee and the full Senate before reaching Governor Chris Sununu’s desk.

Filed by State Representative Wendy Thomas, the proposal would repeal the state’s list of qualifying medical marijuana conditions and replace it with a provision stating that “For adults 21 years of age or older, any debilitating or terminal medical condition or symptom for which the potential benefits of using therapeutic cannabis would, in the provider’s clinical opinion, likely outweigh the potential health risks for the patient.”
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Here’s an overview of the states that could still legalize recreational marijuana this year.

Last month, we published a list of the 10 states next in line to potentially legalize marijuana. While this list remains relevant, as we approach the halfway point of the year, only a few of these states have a reasonable chance of passing a marijuana legalization law in 2024.

With that in mind, below are the five states that could still legalize marijuana this year:
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The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is urging President Biden to decriminalize marijuana while taking steps to release those in prison for nonviolent marijuana offenses.

In a letter to the White House Counsel, the nation’s criminal defense bar urged immediate commutation of sentences, compassionate release, and second chances for persons convicted of marijuana offenses.

“While recognizing that cannabis a less dangerous drug is a positive step, decriminalization and decarceration must remain our top priorities,” said NACDL President Michael P. Heiskell, taking note of the fact that the DEA will soon reschedule marijuana.
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April cannabis sales in Massachusetts fell short of the $154 million sold in March, but still had an impressive showing with $150 million sold.

In April, Massachusetts recorded a total of $150 million in legal cannabis sales, a slight decrease from the $154 million reported in March. Despite this modest drop, the figure remains robust, contributing to a year-to-date total of $517 million in sales. This accumulation brings the all-time sales figure to a remarkable $6.06 billion, according to data from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC).

Of the total sales in April, $16.5 million was attributed to medical cannabis patients, while the remaining $133.3 million was for recreational use. The average price per gram of cannabis was $5.36, a modest increase of $0.02.
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The full Minnesota Senate has passed legislation, already approved by the House of Representatives, that would expedite the start of legal recreational marijuana sales.

On Friday, the Senate approved the measure introduced by State Representative Zack Stephenson (D) with a vote of 34 to 32. Last month, the House of Representatives passed the proposal with a 69 to 62 vote. Since the measure was amended in the Senate, a conference committee will be formed to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Once unified, the bill will be forwarded to Governor Tim Walz, who is expected to sign it into law if it reaches his desk.

“This newly regulated, legalized and regulated industry is in its infancy, and we’re here to continue the work we started last year,” says Senator Lindsey Port (D). “Like any new industry, it will not be fully grown on day one. This bill works to ensure a successful market launch and support the industry and Minnesotans involved in this industry as it grows and develops.”
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A pair of New Jersey lawmakers filed legislation yesterday that would establish a commission to monitor medical marijuana prices, with the authority to establish temporary price caps if they deem it necessary.

Assembly Bill 4263 was filed by State Assemblymembers Michael Venezia (D) and Garnet Hall (D), and it’s been assigned to the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee

According  to its official summary, this bill “requires the Cannabis Regulatory Commission to adopt certain regulations regarding medicinal cannabis prices.”
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Maine is implementing new marijuana regulations that will align cannabis retail environments more closely with those of liquor stores.

The changes to the state’s marijuana program, championed by State Senator Craig Hickman, is set to transform both the shopping experience and storage practices at cannabis outlets. This law is expected to take effect by this summer and will introduce several changes including:
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Vice President Kamala Harris “fully supports” the DEA’s decision to reschedule marijuana, while clarifying her support for legalization.

(Photo credit: Don Vonmoore / AFP Via Getty Images).

On Tuesday, it was reported that following an over eight-month review by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), they will be rescheduling marijuana. This development was confirmed by an official with the Department of Justice the following day.

While Vice President Kamala Harris has not publicly commented via social media or press releases, a campaign official conveyed via email that “Vice President Harris fully supports the decision to move marijuana to Schedule III, and she’s excited for the positive impact this move will have.”
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In March, Arizona collected over $24 million in tax revenue from legal marijuana sales.

Arizona collected a total of $24,308,528 in marijuana taxes in March. This figure slightly exceeds the $23.4 million collected in March 2023 and the $22.4 million in March 2022, illustrating a consistent upward trend in revenue from the state’s marijuana sales. These March collections add to the overall tax revenue, which has reached $830,733,898 since the inception of legal recreational cannabis sales in February 2021.

Although monthly marijuana tax revenue in Arizona has exceeded $25 million on four occasions, the revenue for March remains noteworthy due to its steady growth year-over-year. The tax revenue is derived from the sale of various cannabis products including dried marijuana flower, prerolls, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, and topicals.
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