Oct 02 2023

56% of NFL Teams Are Located in States With Legal Recreational Marijuana

The majority of teams in the National Football League (NFL) are located in states where recreational marijuana has been legalized.

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

Currently 18 of the league’s 32 teams are in legal marijuana state. This number could grow to 20 next month, as an initiative to legalize marijuana is being considered during the November 7 election in Ohio (and polling gives proponents of the initiative reason to be optimistic). Ohio is the home of the Cleveland Browns as well as the Cincinnati Bengals.

It’s worth noting that at the start of the 2012 season, the number of NFL teams located in legal marijuana states was 0. The rapid expansion of legal marijuana, mixed with the NFL’s conservative approach to the substance, has resulted in a league that has spent years playing catchup.
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Oct 02 2023

Ohio Voters Could Legalize Marijuana Next Month, Polling Shows it’s Likely to Happen

Next month Ohio voters could legalize recreational marijuana via a citizens initiative.

On November 7, Ohio voters will decide the fate of Issue 2, an initiative that would make Ohio the 24th state to legalize marijuana for all uses.

Although anything can happen and proponents of the measure argue that nothing can be taken for granted, things are looking good for Issue 2. Polling released last month by Fallon Research & Communications found that 59% of Ohio voters support legalizing marijuana with 32% opposed and just 9% undecided. A poll released last week by FM3 Research found that support for marijuana legalization among likely Ohio voters was even higher at 67%.
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Oct 02 2023

Arizona Made $24 Million in Marijuana Taxes in August, $283 Million for Fiscal Year 2023

Arizona garnered over $24 million in tax revenue in August from legal marijuana sales, and over a quarter million for FY 2023.

According to data released by the Arizona Department of Revenue, the state made $24,323,092 in tax revenue from the legal distribution of over $90 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products. This is around $1.5 million more than the marijuana tax total for July, and $500k more than the total for June.

The year-to-date revenue from marijuana sales is now over $170 million. with the total for fiscal year (FY) 2023 (starting July 1) now standing at $47,104,212.

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Oct 02 2023

Report: Global Cannabis Market Worth $57 Billion, to Grow to $444 Billion by 2030

The global cannabis market is expected to expand at a rapid and unprecedented pace in the coming years, according to a new report by Fortune Business Insights.

According to the report, the global cannabis market was worth $43 billion in 2022, which is expected to reach $57 billion by the end of 2023. Between 2023 and 2030, the market is expected to grow over 650% to reach a market valuation of $444.34 billion. This would mark a ridiculously high compound annual growth rate of 34%.

“[M]arijuana legalization is gaining momentum across the globe”, states the report. “This momentum is driven primarily by the increasing recognition that the product may have a range of legitimate medicinal benefits and therapeutic applications.”
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Oct 02 2023

Oregon: Over $80 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in September, $6 Billion Since 2016

Legal marijuana sales in Oregon topped $80 million for the fourth straight month.

There was $80,139,855 worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in September, according to data released by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Although this is a slight decrease from the $81.6 million sold in August and the $81.8 million sold in July, it marks the fourth month in a row where marijuana sales were over $80 million.

Total marijuana sales since the first recreational marijuana store opened in October, 2016 is now just shy of $6 billion at $5.987 billon. Sales include dried marijuana flower and shake as well as other marijuana products such as concentrates (hash, oil, wax, etc.), edibles, tinctures and topicals.
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Oct 01 2023

New Mexico: September Breaks Monthly Marijuana Sales Record

September saw the highest single-month of marijuana sales in New Mexico history.

According to data released by the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department, marijuana retail outlets sold $47,766,255.83 worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products in September. This is just $6k more than the record-breaking $47,759,256 sold in May of this year.

Of the $47.7 million in marijuana sold, $13,688,372 was purchased by medical marijuana patients and $34,077,883.07 was purchased by recreational consumers.
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Oct 01 2023

Michigan: Most Government Applicants Will No Longer Be Tested for Marijuana Starting Today

A rules change going into effect today, October 1, means potential government employees in Michigan will no longer be tested for marijuana.

Roughly two-thirds of the nearly 50,000 positions in the Michigan government will no require a test for marijuana for those seeking employment. This is due to a rules change made this summer by the Michigan Civil Service Commission. The change was approved unanimously.

“Use of marijuana on the job is different than having used it months before you take the test”, says Commissioner Nick Ciaramitaro. “It doesn’t make sense to eliminate qualified people because they took a gummi two weeks ago.”
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Sep 30 2023

US Senate Majority Leader Vows to Bring Marijuana Expungement and Gun Rights Proposals to a Vote

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says that provisions allowing for marijuana expungements and providing gun rights to medical marijuana patients will be included in a marijuana banking bill that will be voted on “very soon“.

Shortly after the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs passed the SAFER Banking Act (S.2860), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer confirmed that he will swiftly give it a vote by the full Senate. The measure would provide federal legal protections for banks and other financial institutions that provide financial services to marijuana businesses that are legal under their state’s law.

Senator Schumer is also vowing to add two important provisions into the SAFER Banking Act. One is the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act, and the other is the GRAM Act.
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Sep 29 2023

Netherlands to Start Legal Marijuana Pilot Program in December

Starting in December the Dutch government will launch its long-awaited marijuana pilot program in Breda and Tilburg.

The new pilot program will allow for marijuana to be cultivated and distributed to adults. The program will start with two cultivators supplying two shops, but it is expected to grow to 10 cultivators supplying a couple dozen shops.

The pilot program was first announced in 2020. Although marijuana sales have occurred in the Netherlands through marijuana-style cafes and through street dealers for years, this is the first legal marijuana program fully sanctioned by the government. If successful, it will likely lead to a permanent law change.
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Sep 29 2023

Workers at Five Illinois Marijuana Stores Reach Tentative Agreement With Teamsters

Workers at five Sunnyside Dispensaries (a subsidiary of multi-state cannabis operator Cresco) have reached tentative agreements for first union contracts with Teamsters Local 777, according to a press release.

(Photo credit: Shutterstock)

“Two years ago, we didn’t have any cannabis workers under a collective bargaining agreement”, said Jim Glimco, Local 777 President. “Including these agreements, we have more than 15 contracts throughout the industry.”

Glimco says the Teamsters “are protecting and raising standards for workers in the cannabis industry. I attribute this incredible success to the dedication, bravery and brilliance of the workers in this craft.”
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