May 06 2025

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Seeks Contractor to Support Scientific Review of Medical Marijuana Research

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is bringing in outside help to support its efforts to better understand the potential medical uses of marijuana.

Through a newly posted solicitation, the VA is seeking a contractor to provide scientific and technical support related to reviewing and evaluating research on marijuana’s effects and therapeutic potential. The contract is being handled by the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 22, which covers facilities in California and Nevada.

The chosen contractor will assist with analyzing clinical evidence surrounding marijuana use, particularly in the context of veteran health outcomes. This includes assessing existing literature, identifying gaps in research, and potentially helping shape future research directions within the VA.
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May 06 2025

Report: Cannabis-Infused Edibles Market Valued at $7.17 Billion, to Grow in Value to $16.62 Billion by 2030

The global market for cannabis-infused edibles has surged from $6.05 billion in 2024 to $7.17 billion in 2025 and is projected to more than double in value by 2030, reaching an estimated $16.62 billion.

That growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.34%, according to a new market report analyzing consumer trends, product segmentation, and key industry players. The report was conducted by the firm Research and Markets.

Once a niche product category, cannabis edibles have entered the mainstream, with advancements in formulation, dosing consistency, and culinary innovation helping expand appeal to both recreational and medical users. The report attributes much of the growth to changing public attitudes, expanding legalization efforts, and increasing demand for discreet and alternative forms of cannabis consumption.
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May 06 2025

Study: Marijuana Use Does Not Negatively Impact Semen Quality in Men

A large new study has found that marijuana use does not appear to harm semen quality in men of reproductive age.

Published in the journal Andrology, the study analyzed 1,654 semen samples from 921 men participating in the Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO), a North American cohort of couples trying to conceive. Researchers from Boston University, Morgan State University, and Stanford University assessed whether recent cannabis use was associated with changes in semen parameters, including volume, concentration, motility, and total sperm count.

More than one in five participants reported using marijuana in the past two months, yet the study found no statistically significant or consistent evidence that cannabis negatively affects semen quality. In fact, semen characteristics were largely similar between users and non-users, even among those who used cannabis at least once per week.
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May 06 2025

Missouri Marijuana Sales Reach $125.88 Million in April, Pushing 2025 Total to Nearly $500 Million

Missouri brought in $125.88 million in legal marijuana sales in April, according to data released by the Department of Health and Senior Services.

That includes $111.10 million from adult-use purchases and $14.78 million from the state’s medical marijuana market. April’s numbers mark a slight dip from March’s record-setting total of $130.88 million but continue the state’s strong sales trend through the first four months of the year.

So far in 2025, Missouri has generated $495.86 million in marijuana sales, putting the state on pace to surpass last year’s total. Since launching legal sales in early 2023, Missouri has recorded an all-time total of $3.9 billion in combined marijuana sales, resulting in nearly $300 million in tax revenue.
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May 05 2025

Florida Group Submits Over 218,000 Signatures in Effort to Put Cannabis Legalization Initiative on 2026 Ballot

Smart & Safe Florida has submitted 218,983 valid signatures to the Florida Division of Elections as part of its campaign to place an initiative to legalize marijuana to a public vote in 2026.

This represents nearly 25% of the 880,062 signatures needed by February 2026 to qualify the proposed constitutional amendment for the 2026 general election ballot.

The initiative, officially approved for circulation in January, would allow those 21 and older to possess, purchase, and use marijuana for personal use. It would also authorize Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) to sell to the adult-use market and open the door for additional licenses to be issued to non-medical marijuana businesses. The measure includes limits on possession—capping it at two ounces per adult—and bans smoking or vaping in public places.
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May 05 2025

Pennsylvania’s Full House Schedules Vote on Cannabis Legalization Bill Tomorrow

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a second reading vote tomorrow, May 6, on legislation that would legalize marijuana for adult use.

The measure, House Bill 1200, passed out of the House Health Committee today in a narrow 14 to 12 vote, along party lines, just one day after it was introduced by a bipartisan coalition of 27 lawmakers. If approved during tomorrow’s second reading, the bill would move to a third and final reading before potentially advancing to the Senate.

HB 1200 would allow individuals aged 21 and older to purchase marijuana and marijuana products from state-licensed retailers regulated by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The system would mirror the state’s current liquor model through the creation of Pennsylvania Cannabis Stores. Adults would also be allowed to grow up to two mature and two immature marijuana plants at home.
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May 05 2025

Optimi Health Secures FDA Registration to Supply MDMA and Psilocybin Across the U.S.

Optimi Health Corp, a manufacturer of GMP-certified MDMA and psilocybin, has received its U.S. FDA Establishment Identifier (FEI) number—a key regulatory step for engaging in FDA filings and compliant supply into the United States.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms (left) and MDMA tablets (right).

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Drug Establishments Current Registration Site (DECRS), “The publication is a list of currently registered establishments which manufacture, prepare, propagate, compound, or process drugs that are distributed in the U.S. or offered for import to the U.S.” Optimi is now publicly listed among these registered drug production facilities.

With this designation, Optimi is formally recognized within the U.S. FDA system for the manufacture of pharmaceutical-grade MDMA and psilocybin, including both active ingredients and finished drug products. Supported by its Health Canada Drug Establishment Licence (DEL), the Company is positioned to supply these substances to authorized parties through controlled, cross-border channels between Canada and the United States.
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May 05 2025

Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management to Hold License Lotteries on June 5

Minnesota will hold a series of marijuana business license lotteries on June 5, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has announced.

(Photo credit: Vicente LLP).

The lotteries will include both social equity and general applicants seeking licenses to operate as cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, and mezzobusinesses. The OCM says these license types are key to building the infrastructure needed for the state’s recreational marijuana supply chain.

In addition, the agency will conduct a lottery specifically for social equity applicants pursuing a cannabis retailer license on the same day. A separate lottery for general retailer license applicants will take place later this summer.
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May 05 2025

Missouri Transfers $3.25 Million in Medical Marijuana Funds to Veterans Commission, Bringing Fiscal Year Total to $13 Million

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has transferred another $3.25 million in medical marijuana revenue to the Missouri Veterans Commission, as required by the state constitution.

(Photo credit: GETTY Images).

The latest contribution, made last week, brings the total medical marijuana funds transferred so far this fiscal year to $13 million. These figures do not include any revenue from Missouri’s adult-use marijuana program, which is tracked separately.

Under Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution, the state is required to allocate proceeds from its medical marijuana program to support veterans’ services. Funds are collected through license and application fees, as well as taxes on medical marijuana sales.
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May 05 2025

Rhode Island Marijuana Sales Reach $9.8 Million in April, $38 Million So Far in 2025

Rhode Island retailers sold $9.8 million worth of marijuana in April, the highest monthly total since December, according to new data released by the Department of Business Regulation.

Of the total sales, $8.16 million came from adult-use purchases and $1.64 million came from medical marijuana transactions. The new figures bring the state’s year-to-date marijuana sales to $38,098,567.

April’s total marks a modest increase over March, which saw $9.75 million in marijuana sales. That followed $8.98 million in February and $9.57 million in January. Rhode Island’s marijuana market, which opened in late 2022, generated $123 million in total sales last year.
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