Aug 17 2023

Federally Funded Survey Finds 29% of Those 19 to 30 Have Used Marijuana in Past Month

The federally funded and annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) has released updated marijuana consumption data.

The survey, funded by the National Institutes of Health and conducted by the University of Michigan, found that 44% of those 19 to 30 have used marijuana in the past year, while 29% have used it in the past month. The percentage of daily consumers has risen to 11%.

Among those aged 35 to 50, 28% have consumed marijuana in the past year, 17% in the past month and 7% use marijuana daily. All three numbers are all-time highs.
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Aug 16 2023

It’s Official, Recreational Marijuana Legalization Will be on November Ballot in Ohio

An initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older has officially made its way to the November, 2023 ballot.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose notified the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol today that the group has submitted 127,772 valid signatures from registered voters, surpassing the required 123,367.

LaRose says that “in the absence of judicial direction to the contrary, I will direct the boards of elections to place the proposed law on the November 7, 2023 General Election ballot.”
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Aug 16 2023

Florida: Court Rules in Favor of Leafly, Allowing Third-Party Medical Marijuana E-Commerce

A district court has ruled that regulators in Florida must establish a rulemaking process before they can legally block dispensaries from using third-party services such as Leafly and WeedMaps.

The 1st District Court of Appeal has unanimously voted to uphold a ruling by Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyk, who ruled that the Florida Department of Health failed to go through the necessary rule-making process before it could block third-party medical marijuana services. The suit was brought forth by Leafly following the department’s 2021 ban.

The ruling from the three-judge panel means that, effective immediately, medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed to use services such as Leafly. It’s unknown at this point if the Department of Health will allow the ruling to stand, or if they’ll go through the process to ban third-party medical marijuana services legally.
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Aug 16 2023

North Carolina Committee Passes Bill to Regulate Kratom and Hemp-Derived Consumables

A key North Carolina committee has approved legislation that will establish a regulatory and licensing system for both kratom and products made from hemp.

Hemp (left) and kratom (right).

The House Committee on Finance has given a favorable report to House Bill 563, allowing it to be referred to the Rules, Calendar, and Operations Committee (RCOC), the last step before it can be considered by the full House of Representatives. The RCOC held a public hearing on the measure this morning.

According to its official summary, the measure would:

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Aug 16 2023

Missouri Regulators Issue Recall of Over 62,000 Marijuana Products

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation (MDCR) has issued a recall covering more than 62,000 different marijuana products throughout the state.

The MDCR says they are “issuing a patient and consumer communication to alert patients and consumers about a mandatory product recall” affecting “manufactured products sold to dispensaries and manufacturers by infused product manufacturer, Delta Extraction, LLC, MAN000022.”

The agency says the “recalled products were not compliantly tracked in the statewide track and trace system (METRC) in order for [Division of Cannabis Regulation] to verify the products came from marijuana grown in Missouri or that the product passed required testing prior to being sold at dispensaries.”
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Aug 15 2023

Missouri Marijuana Sales Pass $123 Million in July

In Missouri there was over $123 million in marijuana sold legally in July, a modest increase from the month prior.

For the sixth straight month Missouri marijuana sales passed $100 million, with $123.2 million in sales for July. This is the second highest month so far this year (falling $3 million short of the $126 million sold in March), and it brings the year-to-date total to $752 million.

The $123.2 million sold in July is a roughly $2 million increase over the $121 million sold in June. Of the $123.2 million sold, $98.7 million was recreational marijuana with $24.5 million being sold to medical marijuana patients.
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Aug 15 2023

Montana Marijuana Sales Reach $28.5 Million in July, Break Monthly Record

In Montana July broke a record for the most legal marijuana sold in a single month.

According to data released by the Montana Cannabis Control Division, licensed marijuana stores sold $28,552,001 worth of marijuana and marijuana products in July. This beats the previous record of $27,098,679, set in March of this year, by nearly $1.5 million.

The marijuana sales total for July was $1.6 million more than the total for June ($26,935,335) and $2.5 million more than May ($26,096,828). Of the $28.5 million in marijuana sold, $23,505,205 was purchased by recreational consumers with $5,046,795 purchased by medical marijuana patients. These sales resulted in around $4.5 million in tax revenue.
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Aug 15 2023

As Ohio Prepares to Vote on Legalization, Report Says State Could Make $403 Million In Annual Marijuana Taxes

With it looking likely that marijuana legalization will be on the ballot this November in Ohio, a new report shows just how much the state could gain from legalizing and taxing the plant.

According to a new report released by researchers from Ohio State University, the state could gain up to $403 million in new tax revenue from the legal distribution of marijuana and marijuana products to those 21 and older.

The report examined marijuana sales data in a variety of other legal marijuana states between 2018 and 2023, including in Michigan which has a similar population as Ohio.
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Aug 15 2023

Report: Cannabis Infused Edibles Market Worth $9.68 Billion, to Grow to $20 Billion by 2028

According to a new report, the global market for legal cannabis infused edibles is worth almost $10 billion as of the start of 2023, and it’s expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.

The Cannabis Infused Edible Products Market size is expected to grow from $9.68 billion in 2023 to $20.60 billion by 2028, at a compound annual growth rate of 16.30% during the forecast period (2023-2028).

“The fact that edibles are inconspicuous and allow consumers to devour unknowingly, has shifted consumer preferences from smoking towards edibles”, states the report, released by ReportLinker. “This growing popularity has led edibles to penetrate most of the United States retails, where the state must have some specific cannabis or marijuana regulated laws.”
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Aug 15 2023

Study: Medical Cannabis Decreases Symptoms of Neurological Disorders in 96% of Patients

In a new study the vast majority of patients with neurological disorders receive symptom relief from marijuana use.

According to researchers “the purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of life of patients receiving medical cannabis.” One hundred patients receiving medical cannabis were given (a) a socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, and (b) the SF-36 Health Survey scale for assessing quality of life.

“The majority of our patients who received medical cannabis to treat their neurological disorders (58%) reported decrease in their symptoms (96%), better energy and vitality (68%), ability to perform their professional duties (88%), and an improvement in sleeping and appetite (79% and 71%, respectively) after receiving medical cannabis”, states the study.
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