Dec 09 2022

Connecticut: Legal Marijuana Sales Begin January 10th

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has notified licensed marijuana retail outlets that they may begin selling cannabis products to all adults 21 and starting Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

“I am proud of the hard work our team has done to meet the goal of opening adult-use sales in a safe, well-regulated market,” said DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. “We know that many people are excited to participate in this marketplace, whether as a business or a consumer, and we encourage adults who choose to purchase and consume these products to do so responsibly once sales begin on January 10.”

Following the Social Equity Council’s vote Tuesday, all existing medical marijuana producers have met the requirements for an expanded license that allows them to supply both the adult-use cannabis and medical marijuana markets. The law requires at least 250,000 square feet of growing and manufacturing space in the aggregate be approved for adult-use production before retail sales can begin at licensed retailers, including hybrid retailers. With all four producers successfully converted, the 250,000 square-foot threshold has been met.
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Dec 09 2022

Colombia Senate Votes 56 to 3 to Legalize Marijuana

Colombia’s Senate has voted 56 to 3 to pass a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana for all adults.

“Historic plenary approval of the project to regularize #CannabisDeUsoAdulto in its fourth debate”, said Senator María José Pizarro Rodríguez in a translated Twitter post following the vote. “We made progress in changing the country’s drug policy.”

If signed into law by President Gustavo Petro as expected, it would amend Article 49 of the country’s constitution to offer “the right of the free development of the personality, allowing citizens to decide on the consumption of cannabis in a regulated legal framework.” The amendment would also establish regulations and taxes for legal cannabis sales, and organize how to divide revenue between local cities, as well as health, education, and agriculture departments.
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Dec 08 2022

Study: Medical Marijuana Legalization Associated With Reduced Opioid Use and Pain-Related Hospitalization Among Cancer Patients

The legalization of medical marijuana “was associated with a lower rate of opioid dispensing and pain-related hospital events” among some new cancer patients, finds a new study published in the journal JAMA Oncology.

According to researchers from Cornell University the objective of the study was to “assess the associations between medical marijuana legalization and opioid-related and pain-related outcomes for adult patients receiving cancer treatment.” The full text of the study can be found by clicking here.

The analysis included 38,189 patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer, 12, 816 with colorectal cancer, and 7,190 with lung cancer. Data was examined from 34 states before and after medical marijuana legalization
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Dec 07 2022

D.C. Council Votes to Expand Medical Marijuana Law

The Washington D.C. Council has passed legislation to significantly expand the district’s medical marijuana program.

The Medical Cannabis Amendment Act was passed by the council through its first reading by a vote of 7 to 4. It will now be required to received one final vote by the council before it can be sent to Mayor Bowser for approval.

The proposed law would make several changes to expand the district’s medical marijuana program, including eliminating the cap on marijuana businesses and creating new business categories within the industry including on-site consumption facilities and marijuana cooking classes.
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Dec 06 2022

Study: Every $1 of Medical Cannabis Sold Associated With $0.74 – $0.84 in Decreased Alcohol Sales

Medical cannabis sales in Canada are associated with a large decrease in alcohol sales, according to a new study published in the journal Health Policy.

Conducted at Brock University in Canada, the full text of the study can be found by clicking here.

“The extent to which legalizing cannabis use might lead to increased or decreased alcohol use has important implications for public health, economic growth, and government policy”, notes the study’s abstract. Researchers analyzed Canada’s monthly per capita sales of alcohol and legal medical cannabis using “fixed effect panel data linear regressions.”
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Dec 06 2022

Connecticut Will Automatically Expunge Over 40,000 Marijuana Convictions on January 1st

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced today that thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession are set to have these records cleared in January using an automated erasure method.

Records in approximately 44,000 cases will be fully or partially erased, according to a press release. The policy is “an integral part of the 2021 legislation Governor Lamont signed into law to safely regulate the adult use of cannabis.”

“On January 1, thousands of people in Connecticut will have low-level cannabis convictions automatically erased due to the cannabis legalization bill we enacted last year,” Governor Lamont said. “Especially as Connecticut employers seek to fill hundreds of thousands of job openings, an old conviction for low-level cannabis possession should not hold someone back from pursuing their career, housing, professional, and educational aspirations.”
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Dec 06 2022

Marijuana Legalization Will be Added to Missouri Constitution on Thursday

During last month’s election Missouri voters approved Constitutional Amendment 3 with 53% voting in favor, and this week the initiative goes into effect.

On Thursday, Missouri’s constitution will officially be amended to add Amendment 3, making legalized marijuana a constitutional right for everyone 21 and older. The amendment removes the state’s prohibitions on purchasing, possessing, consuming, using, delivering, manufacturing and selling marijuana for personal use for adults over 21.

The initiative also allows individuals with certain marijuana-related non-violent offenses to petition for release from incarceration or parole and probation and have records cleared.
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Dec 05 2022

Nevada Supreme Court Rules Medical Marijuana Patients Can Sue Employers if Fired

Late last week the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana patients can sue employers if they were fired for off-the-job marijuana use.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in November, 2019 by Jim Roushkolb in the Eight District Court.

Roushkolb used cannabis to ease PTSD symptoms and anxiety stemming from a physical attack against him, but  in 2018 his employer Freeman Expositions LLC fired him on the spot after he tested positive for THC. They did this despite knowing that he’s a legal medical marijuana patient.
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Dec 04 2022

CB2R Activation Ameliorates Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-Induced Lung Injury and Inflammation

According to a new study published by the journal Respiratory Research, activation of the body’s cannabinoid-2 receptor ameliorates (makes better) pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced lung injury and inflammation, “thus paving the path for new therapeutic avenues against PA pneumonia.”

Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

As noted by the study’s abstract, bacterial pneumonia is a major risk factor for acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), an opportunistic pathogen with an increasing resistance acquired against multiple drugs, “is one of the main causative agents of ALI and ARDS in diverse clinical settings.”

Given the anti-inflammatory role of the cannabinoid-2 receptor (CB2R), “the effect of CB2R activation in the regulation of PA-induced ALI and inflammation was tested in a mouse model as an alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy.” CB2R activation is done naturally through the consumption of cannabis and cannabinoids.
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Dec 03 2022

Public Cannabis Consumption Lounges Given Initial Approved by New Jersey Officials

New Jersey regulators have given initial approval to rules that would allow marijuana to be consumed publicly.

At their monthly meeting on Friday New Jersey’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission proposed rules and regulations allowing licensed marijuana retail outlets to have indoor and outdoor marijuana consumption lounges.

Based on the approved rules, anyone 21 and older with a valid photo ID would be authorized to use these lounges to consume marijuana and marijuana products. Similar to rules for bars, consumption-area workers would be prohibited from “overselling” to consumers, and they would be required to ensure that people are using cannabis safely on their premises. No alcohol or tobacco would be permitted, and the lounges must be enclosed.
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