Dec 03 2023

Bipartisan Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana Filed in Wisconsin Legislature

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers in Wisconsin have announced bicameral legislation aimed at decriminalizing marijuana possession.

State Representatives Shae Sortwell (R) and Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D), along with Senator Lena Taylor (D), have announced new legislation that would make the personal possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana no longer a criminal offense.

Under current law the possession of even one gram of marijuana can result in a misdemeanor charge and up to six months in jail, with subsequent charges a potential felony. Under this new bill, possessing up to 14 grams would be, at most, an $250 fine.
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Dec 02 2023

Ohio: Marijuana Possession and Cultivation Becomes Legal In Five Days

Starting in the second half of next week, the possession and cultivation of recreational marijuana will be legal in Ohio.

With 57% support Ohio voters approved Issue 2 last month, legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Starting Thursday, December 7, those 21 and older will be allowed to possess up to two and a half ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates, thanks to provisions in the initiative taking effect.

The new law will also allow for the personal cultivation of up to six marijuana plants at a private residence. If more than one adult lives at a residence, up to 12 plants can be grown.
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Dec 01 2023

$46 Million Worth of Legal Marijuana Purchased in November in New Mexico

For the ninth straight month legal marijuana sales in New Mexico surpassed $45 million.

In total there was $46,515,533.96 worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in November. This is a slight decrease from the $46,682,243 sold in October, and is a little over $1.1 million less than the record breaking $47.7 million in sales made in August of this year.

Medical marijuana sales in November were $12,077,929.04, a roughly $26,000 increase over the total for October. Recreational marijuana sales were $34,437,604.93, a nearly $200,000 decrease from October.
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Dec 01 2023

Ontario Government Proposes Doubling Number of Marijuana Stores

The Ontario government is proposing a doubling of the number of marijuana stores allowed in the province.

“To respond to the growth of the legal cannabis retail market and combat illegal cannabis stores, the province is making amendments to Ontario Regulation 468/18 under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018 to increase the number of stores that licensed retail operators and their affiliates can operate from 75 to 150″, states a news release.

In addition, “the government is proposing to explore different enforcement options against illegal online cannabis sales”, and they are seeking legislative changes “that would support negotiations with First Nations communities on the regulation of cannabis on reserves.”
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Dec 01 2023

South Carolina Bill Would Make Smell of Marijuana No Longer Probable Cause for Search, Seizure or Arrest

Legislation filed yesterday in the South Carolina Senate would make it so that “the scent of marijuana alone does not provide law enforcement with reasonable suspicion or probable cause to support a stop, search, seizure, or arrest.”

Filed by Senator Deon Tedder (D), the measure has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The measure states that a law enforcement officer may not:
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Dec 01 2023

Federal Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana Gains Four New Sponsors, Now Has 73

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act now has 73 sponsors.

The MORE Act (H.R. 5601) was filed in September by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D), along with four other House members. As of last month, the number of sponsors climbed to 69, nearly a third of all House Democrats.

Yesterday the measure gained four additional cosponsors; Representatives Donald Beyer (D-VA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Joseph Morelle (D-NY) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
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Dec 01 2023

National Institute of Health Announces “Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research”

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Cancer Institute have issued a funding opportunity for a Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

“There’s growing interest in potential therapeutic uses of cannabis and its constituents among both health care providers and the public”, states a blog post on the National Institute of Health’s website. “Substances in cannabis have a variety of pharmacologic effects, and rigorous research is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and investigate their possible value in helping to manage health conditions.”

However, “investigators working in this field have encountered barriers that have hampered their research.”
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Dec 01 2023

Study Finds Marijuana Use Associated With Increased Empathy

Those who consume marijuana have higher levels of emotional comprehension and empathy compared to non-users, according to a study published by the Journal of Neuroscience Research.

“It has been reported that cannabis consumption affects the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a structure with a central role in mediating the empathic response”, notes the study’s researchers. “In this study, we compared psychometric scores of empathy subscales, between a group of regular cannabis users (85, users) and a group of non-consumers (51, controls).”

Researchers found that “users have a greater Emotional Comprehension, a cognitive empathy trait involving the understanding of the “other” emotional state.”
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Dec 01 2023

South Carolina Bill Prefiled to Tax and Regulate Hemp-Derived Cannabinoids, Limit Them to Those 21+

Legislation prefiled in the South Carolina Legislature would both tax and regulate products containing delta-8 THC and other hemp-derived cannabinoids.

(Photo credit: Plants for Persephone/Unsplash)

House Bill 4628 was prefiled recently by State Representative Rosalyn Henderson-Myers (D), preparing it for consideration in the upcoming legislative session that begins in January. The measure has been assigned to the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee.

The proposed law would limit the purchase of cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC to those who are 21 and older, while establishing a 5% tax on products containing it. Outlets wanting to sell delta-8 THC would be required to receive a license from the state, and all products must be tested for things such as pesticides.
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Nov 30 2023

Study: Most Cancer Patients Say Marijuana “Significantly Improves Their Ability to Cope With Their Illness”

According to a new study published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, the majority of cancer patients suffering from refractory pain say medical marijuana helps them cope with their illness.

For the study researchers from the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, both in Israel, as well as the Hospital Quirónsalud de Tenerife in Spain, examined 252 cancer patients. Of these, 126 are authorized to use medical cannabis in Israel.

“Medical cannabis [MC] was mainly started for pain relief, sleep difficulties and anorexia”, states the study. “About 70% of patients reported subjective improvement from MC, with almost 40% reporting a significant improvement in coping with their illness.”

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