Mar 24 2025

North Carolina’s Great Smoky Cannabis Company Collaborates with Cherokee Indian Police Department to Launch Cannabis-Friendly K-9 Program

Qualla Enterprises, LLC, and Great Smoky Cannabis Company announced today “a historic collaboration with the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) to establish a new K-9 program”.

“Aimed at addressing critical needs in drug detection while aligning with modern cannabis policies, this initiative underscores our commitment to supporting community safety and innovation”, states a press release sent today. “Recognizing the challenges faced by law enforcement in the region, including limited funding for K-9 programs and the evolving landscape of cannabis legalization, Qualla Enterprises is funding the purchase of a specially trained K-9 for the CIPD.”

Unlike traditional police dogs, this new K-9 will be trained to detect hard drugs, such as opioids and methamphetamines, while deliberately excluding cannabis detection from its repertoire.
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Mar 24 2025

The Best Cannabis Strains for PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects over 300 million people worldwide, leading to debilitating symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Harlequin.

Many individuals who suffer from PTSD turn to cannabis as a natural remedy to alleviate these symptoms. With that in mind, below is a curated list of 10 popular and effective cannabis strains known for their potential in combating PTSD, using data supplied by the cannabis review site Leafly, state regulatory agencies, and our readers.
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Mar 24 2025

Study Finds CBD Effective in Reducing Itching and Improving Quality of Life for Atopic Dermatitis Patients

Cannabidiol (CBD) is “effective in reducing itching and improving the quality of life of patients with atopic dermatitis”, according to a new study.

Topical CBD.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Silesia in Poland and the De Montfort University of Leicester in the UK, was published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.

“A growing number of publications are devoted to topical cannabinoid therapies in present-day cosmetology, as they appear to be safe and effective treatment modalities aimed at improving the comfort and quality of life of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD)”, states the study’s abstract. “A thorough patient interview, physical examination, clinical picture, and aetiopathogenesis of AD allow for a correct diagnosis and enable the choice of the least invasive pharmacological treatment.”
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Mar 24 2025

Connecticut Official Apologizes for Retaliatory Inspection of Cannabis Business After Owner Criticizes Testing Standards

Connecticut cannabis regulators launched a surprise inspection on a marijuana cultivator just a day after its president called out flaws in the state’s testing system, in a move that many are calling retaliatory.

(Photo credit: GETTY Images).

Following the inspection, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has since issued a rare public apology, admitting the compliance check “should not have happened.”

Rino Ferrarese, president of licensed cultivator Affinity Grow, testified before lawmakers last Wednesday in support of a proposed bill aimed at tightening regulations on the state’s two cannabis testing labs. During his testimony, Ferrarese criticized the industry’s “inconsistent testing, inflated costs, and regulatory inefficiencies” that fail to benefit public health.
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Mar 24 2025

Florida Medical Marijuana Patient Count Passes 905,000

Florida’s medical marijuana program continues its expansion, with new data from the Florida Department of Health revealing that the state now has 905,006 registered patients.

The latest numbers, provided date by the Florida Department of Health, show a steady rise in patient enrollment in recent months. Since December, the state has garnered an addition 14,000 patients. Compared to March 2024, Florida has added nearly 30,000 new medical marijuana patients, reinforcing the state’s position as one of the largest medical cannabis markets in the country.

Florida voters legalized medical cannabis in 2016, allowing those with a physician recommendation to possess and use dried marijuana flower and a variety of marijuana products, purchasable at licensed dispensaries. In February, the state’s medical marijuana market generated $165,177,271 in total sales, bringing 2025’s total to well above $300 million.
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Mar 24 2025

Maryland: Governor and Lawmakers Propose 33% Marijuana Tax Increase in New Budget Proposal

Maryland lawmakers, in collaboration with Governor Wes Moore, have unveiled a sweeping budget framework that includes over $1 billion in tax increases—one of the most controversial being a significant hike in marijuana taxes.

The agreement, part of a broader plan to address a $3 billion budget deficit for fiscal year 2026, includes a staggering 33% increase in the state’s cannabis excise tax.

The move, which has already drawn fierce opposition from industry stakeholders and consumers alike, generate hundreds of millions in new revenue, according to proponents of the move. They say the additional funds would be directed toward essential services, including education, public safety, and transportation, lawmakers claim. However, critics argue that the tax hike could stifle Maryland’s burgeoning legal cannabis market, making it harder for dispensaries to compete with the illicit market.
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Mar 24 2025

States With the Lowest Legal Cannabis Prices as of March 2025

The price of cannabis differs significantly across the 21 states with legal recreational markets. Here, we explore the states with the lowest average costs per gram of dried flower.

Variations in tax rates, regulations, and other factors contribute to the wide range of cannabis prices from state to state. Using data from state regulatory agencies—and in cases where that isn’t available, insights from the research firm Headset—we’ve compiled a list of the states with the lowest average recreational cannabis prices.

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Mar 23 2025

Bipartisan Minnesota Bill Would Allow Free Cannabis Samples at Events

A new bill introduced today in the Minnesota Senate would allow licensed marijuana retailers to provide free samples at cannabis-related events.

Senate Bill 2890 was filed with bipartisan support by Senator Zach Duckworth (R) and Senator David Dibble (D). The bill was formally introduced and referred to the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

Under the proposed legislation, authorized cannabis retailers participating in cannabis events—such as microbusinesses, mezzobusinesses, and lower-potency hemp edible retailers—would be allowed to give away samples of marijuana and marijuana-derived products, a move currently prohibited under state law. According to the bill, only one sample of each product may be displayed or offered, and samples must be clearly labeled and securely stored. Limits are also placed on the sample size, including a cap of eight grams for flower or concentrates and 100 milligrams of THC for infused edibles.
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Mar 23 2025

U.S. Congress: Legislation to Block Marijuana Tax Deductions Even if Marijuana is Rescheduled Gains 11th Sponsor

A congressional proposal to prevent marijuana businesses from accessing standard tax deductions—regardless of whether marijuana is federally rescheduled—has now garnered 11 sponsors across both chambers of Congress.

In the House of Representatives, the bill—introduced last month by Representative Jodey Arrington (R-TX)—gained its ninth sponsor on Friday, with Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE) signing on. The legislation, House Bill 1447, would amend the Internal Revenue Code to ensure that marijuana businesses remain barred from deducting common business expenses such as rent and payroll, even if the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) moves marijuana to a lower schedule.

Currently, Section 280E of the tax code prohibits businesses tied to Schedule I or II substances from claiming deductions. A rescheduling of marijuana to Schedule III would typically lift that restriction, offering marijuana businesses some financial relief. Arrington’s bill is designed to block that change, locking in the tax burden even after rescheduling.
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Mar 22 2025

Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Voids Four More Temporary Restraining Orders Against Medical Marijuana Commission

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals has struck down four additional temporary restraining orders (TROs) that had been placed against the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC), delivering another legal victory for the agency as it works to implement the state’s medical marijuana program.

In a unanimous ruling issued Friday, the appellate court instructed Montgomery County Circuit Judge James Anderson to vacate the TROs in cases involving three integrated facility applicants and one dispensary applicant. The court reaffirmed its earlier finding that the AMCC’s administrative process is not yet final, meaning the lower court lacks jurisdiction to intervene at this stage.

“We are pleased that the Court of Civil Appeals has once again affirmed that investigative hearings and not lawsuits are the next right step in implementing Alabama’s medical cannabis program,” said AMCC Director John McMillan. “I appreciate the work of our legal team and trust that today’s decision will go a long way toward ending the premature litigation against the Commission.”
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