Nov 07 2023

Ohio Republicans Have Enough Votes to Overturn or Alter Marijuana Legalization Initiative, But Barely

Ohio voters have legalized recreational marijuana, but some fear it could be repealed by the state’s legislature

With around 56% support, voters have approved Issue 2. The portion of the law legalizing the possession of marijuana and marijuana concentrates, as well as the personal cultivation of marijuana plants, takes effect on December 7. The state will have nine months to issue licensed for marijuana growers, processors and distributors, with regulations overseen by a newly-crated Division of Cannabis Control.

Earlier this month Senate President Matt Huffman said that if voters approve Issue 2, it will be “coming right back before this body”, indicating the measure could be altered or repealed in the legislature. Huffman later walked back his comment slightly, saying that there are no “immediate plans” to fully repeal the initiative if it passes, but it could be altered.
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Nov 07 2023

Virginia Democrats Take Control of State Legislature Making Legal Marijuana Sales a Possibility

Although Virginia legalized recreational marijuana in 2021, they are the only legal marijuana state to prohibit marijuana retail outlets. Tonight’s election could change that.

Earlier this year legislation to legalize marijuana sales – Senate Bill 1133 – was approved by the state’s full Senate by a vote of 24 to 16. However, the measure stalled in the House of Delegates, which is controlled by Republicans in a 48 to 46 split. Several Democrats have campaigned this election with a platform that includes the idea that if they take over the House, they will legalize marijuana sales.

In tonight’s election Democrats appear to have achieved the first part of that two-pronged plan, winning enough seats to take control of the House while retaining control of the Senate.
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Nov 07 2023

Ohio Becomes 24th State to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Ohio voters have chosen to approve Issue 2, legalizing recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older.

marijuana

Once Issue 2 takes effect on December 7 of this year, those 21 and older will be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates (wax, oil, etc.). In addition, they will be allowed to cultivate, for personal use, up to six marijuana plants.

Issue 2 will soon lead to the creation of the Division of Cannabis Control, which will be established as a branch of the Department of Commerce. The agency will be tasked with handling the licensing and regulations for the new marijuana industry. Issue 2 mandates the agency to issue at least 50 retail marijuana licenses, though they do have the authority to issue more. Licenses for growers, processors and retail outlets must be issued within nine months.
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Nov 07 2023

Israel: New Medical Marijuana Prescriptions Doubled in October Following War With Hamas

Medical marijuana prescriptions in Israel were drastically higher in October than in previous months.

According to data released by the Israel Ministry of Health, there were 2,200 new people prescribed medical marijuana in October, bringing the total number of patients to around 132,000. The 2,200 new patients is roughly double the amount of new patients seen in recent months. In total doctors prescribed around 11,400 pound worth of medical marijuana in October alone.

As described in a recent press release, “Many of the medical cannabis patients receiving new licenses are war casualties, as doctors began issuing licenses for post-trauma to victims of the recent events.”
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Nov 07 2023

US House Committee Rejects Amendments to Allow D.C. Marijuana Sales, Stop Federal Marijuana Testing

The House Rules Committee has effectively rejected two marijuana amendments.

Members of the House Rules Committee recently filed two marijuana-related amendments to the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill, one to prevent most federal applicants from being drug tested for marijuana, and one to allow D.C. to open retail marijuana stores nine years after the nation’s capital legalized marijuana.

Now, the committee has effectively killed the amendments – at least for now – by refusing to allow them to advance as part of the overall spending bill.
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Nov 07 2023

Maine: $19 Million in Marijuana Sold Legally in October, Price Drops to All-Time Low

Revenue from legal marijuana sales in Maine saw a slight drop from September to October, but so did the average price of marijuana.

According to Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy, there was $18,998,932 in legal marijuana purchased in October. This is a decrease from the $20,347,890 sold in September.

There were 341,369 different marijuana transactions in October, around 16,000 less than in September. The average price per gram of dried marijuana in October reached an all-time low for the second straight month, dropping slightly from $7.71 a gram to $7.67.
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Nov 06 2023

Missouri Initiative Would “Remove All Marijuana Government Oversight and Regulations”

An initiative to drastically reform Missouri’s marijuana laws was approved for circulation by the Missouri secretary of state, with signature gathering currently underway.

The Missouri Marijuana Consumption and Regulation Amendment would “remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances and consider it a food.”

The proposed law would also “remove all marijuana government oversight and regulations; remove special taxes and reporting on all marijuana consumption, purchases or sales; eliminate zoning requirements for marijuana farmers, processors, manufacturers, and distributers; allow for personal marijuana cultivation; eliminate any restriction on where marijuana can be consumed; and eliminate age requirements for marijuana usage.”
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Nov 06 2023

US Congress: Bipartisan Amendment Filed That Would Protect State Marijuana Laws

An amendment has been filed to a House spending bill that would explicitly protect states that have legalized marijuana.

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have filed an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill, that will soon be considered by the House Rules Committee. The amendment was filed by Representatives Tom McClintock (R), Early Blumenauer (D), Barbara Lee (D) and Holmes Norton (D). The latter three recently filed a sperate amendment to allow legal marijuana sales in Washington DC.

The new amendment would explicitly prevent the Department of Justice from using federal funds to “prevent any State, Washington D.C., or any territory of the United States from implementing any law of that jurisdiction that authorizes the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of marijuana.”
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Nov 06 2023

$165 Million Worth of Legal Marijuana Sold in Illinois in October, Prices Reach All-Time Lows

In October there was $164.9 million in legal marijuana purchased in Illinois.

According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, recreational marijuana sales in October were $138.7 million, slightly less than the $139 million sold in September. Medical marijuana sales on the other hand saw a very small increase to $26.2 million, up from $26 million.

Of the $138.7 million in recreational (“adult use”) marijuana sold in October, $33.8 million was purchased by those visiting from outside the state.
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Nov 04 2023

Federal Marijuana Banking Act Gains Three New Sponsors, Now Sponsored By 34% of Entire US Senate

The SAFER Banking Act is now sponsored by 34% of the entire United States Senate.

The SAFER Banking Act (S.2860) gained three new sponsors this week, joining the 31 already cosponsoring the bill. The new sponsors are Senators Alejandro Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Brian Schatz (D-HI). The primary sponsor of the legislation is Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

The proposed law, which recently passed the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs with bipartisan support, would explicitly allow banks and other financial institutions to provide services to marijuana businesses that are legal under their state’s law. This would allow marijuana retail outlets to move from a dangerous cash only model to a model that allows them to accept debit and credit cards like any other business.
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