Jan 02 2024

Survey Finds 79% of Military Veterans Want Expanded Access to Medical Marijuana

According to a new survey, a strong majority of military veterans support expanding access to medical marijuana.

(Photo credit: Getty Images Plus)

According to the new Ohio State University survey, published by the Social Science Research Network, 79% of veterans want federal law to be amended so that Veterans Affairs doctors are legally authorized to prescribe medical marijuana to their patients. Federal legislation to do just that recently gained its 29th sponsor in the House of Representatives.

According to the survey, family members of veterans support expanded access to medical marijuana at an even higher rate, with 92% in support of the move.
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Jan 02 2024

New Colorado Law Requires Marijuana Products to Have Use-By Dates

A law requiring marijuana products to have use-by dates took effect this week.

(Photo credit: Life Flower Dispensary).

As of January 1, all marijuana products sold through licensed retail outlets in Colorado must include “use-by” dates that indicate when the product is nine months old and should no longer be consumed if it’s past that point.

The new requirement was approved by the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division in late 2022, with the division giving the industry a large window to adjust to and adopt the new requirements.
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Jan 02 2024

Washington State Law Preventing Employers From Refusing to Hire Marijuana Users Now in Effect

Legislation designed to end discriminatory hiring practices against those who use marijuana during their personal time officially took effect yesterday.

Senate Bill 5123, filed by Senator Karen Keiser, passed the House of Representatives and Senate in April, with the votes being 56 to 41 and 30 to 18 respectively. The measure, signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in May, officially took effect yesterday, January 1.

The new law protects marijuana consumers by prohibiting employers from refusing to hire someone who tests positive for marijuana on a pre-employment drug test.
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Jan 01 2024

New Mexico: Legal Marijuana Sales Pass $45 Million for 10th Straight Month

For the 10th straight month legal marijuana sales in New Mexico passed $45 million.

According to data released today by the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department, there was exactly $50,466,985.89 worth of legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in New Mexico in December. This is a noticeable increase over the $46.5 million sold in November, and it breaks the previous monthly record of $47.7 million sold in August of last year.

In December medical marijuana sales were $12,996,676.63. Recreational marijuana sales were $37,470,309.21.
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Jan 01 2024

Two California Laws Protecting Marijuana Users Now Officially In Effect

Laws designed to protect marijuana consumers who are seeking employment and those who are already employed officially took effect today in California.

Two separate pieces of legislation designed to end workplace discrimination against those who use marijuana off-the-job both took effect today, January 1, in California.

Senate Bill 700 makes it unlawful “for an employer to request information from an applicant for employment relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis.” The law was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in October.
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Jan 01 2024

DEA Seeks Large Increase in Production of THC, Psilocybin and DMT in 2024

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that they are calling for a large increase in the production of several federally illegal substances in order to facilitate more research.

In a legally required post on the Federal Register, the DEA says it is seeking large increases in the production quotas for several substances for medical and scientific purposes.

The DEA is seeking to increase the production of marijuana-derived THC from 1,166,130 grams to 1,523,040 grams. This would be a drastic increase over the 628,460 grams of THC produced in 2023, which was already increased over the  384,460 gram THC quota at the start of 2023. The 1.5 million grams of THC would by far be the largest amount of THC ever produced by the federal government.
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Dec 29 2023

Alabama Judge Temporarily Blocks Licenses for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

A judge has placed a temporary hold preventing Alabama officials from issuing licenses to medical marijuana dispensaries.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge James Anderson on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order legally preventing the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission from issuing licenses medical marijuana companies. The licenses will remain on hold until the judge has a chance to thoroughly review challenges to the commission’s selection process.

Brittany Peters, a spokesperson for the commission said that the judge’s hold only applies to dispensaries, and does not effect licenses being issued to businesses that will grow, test and transport marijuana.
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Dec 29 2023

US House Bill to Protect State Marijuana Laws and Allow Interstate Commerce Gets New Committee Assignment

The Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act has received a new subcommittee assignment.

Earlier this month a bipartisan group of lawmakers refiled the STATES Act, a bill that would explicitly allow states to legalize marijuana without fear of federal repercussions, while also allowing interstate commerce between legal marijuana states. The measure would amend the Controlled Substances so that those acting in compliance with state marijuana laws would no longer be committing a federal crime.

In addition, the measure would amend an IRS law (section 280E) that prohibits businesses from taking tax deductions if they run a federally illegal business, even if the business is properly following their state’s laws.
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Dec 29 2023

New York Bill Would Prohibit Some Marijuana Stores From Opening Until One Hour After Schools Start

Newly filed legislation would make it so that no marijuana store could open “until one hour after the latest beginning of a school day of any school located within one mile of such adult-use dispensing facility”.

Assembly Bill 8472 was filed today by Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs, and swiftly assigned to the Economic Development Committee.

“No adult-use dispensing facility shall open until one hour after the latest beginning of a school day of any school located within one mile of such adult-use dispensing facility”, states the bill. However, “the provisions of this subdivision shall only apply on those days such school is operational.”
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Dec 29 2023

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Removes Marijuana as Banned Substance

UFC today announced details of the new UFC Anti-Doping Policy (UFC ADP), which will be in effect for all UFC athletes starting this Sunday, December 31.

As part of the new policy, marijuana and marijuana-related compounds such as CBD and THC will be removed entirely as banned substances.

“UFC’s goal for the Anti-Doping Policy is to be the best, most effective, and most progressive anti-doping program in all of professional sports,” said Hunter Campbell, UFC Chief Business Officer.  “UFC is proud of the advancements we have made with our anti-doping program over the past eight years, and we will continue to maintain an independently administered drug-testing program that ensures all UFC athletes are competing under fair and equal circumstances.  With this new iteration of the program, UFC has once again raised the bar for health and safety in combat sports.”
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