Today, the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced a new program to help fund projects addressing a range of community needs, including “economic development, public health, violence prevention, youth development and civil legal aid”. CanRenew Community Restoration Grants will be awarded to eligible organizations for investments in communities where long-term residents are eligible to …
Florida Now Has Over 900,000 Registered Medical Marijuana Patients
Florida now has over 900,000 residents registered as medical marijuana patients. According to data released by the Florida Department of Health, the state has 900,540 patients as of the end of January. Florida legalized medical marijuana in 2016, via voter approval of Amendment 2. The law allows those with qualifying conditions who receive a recommendation …
Maryland Senate Finance Committee Approves Bill to Ease Security Guard Requirements for Cannabis Industry
The Maryland Senate Finance Committee has approved a bipartisan measure to easy certain requirements for becoming a security guard in the legal cannabis industry. Senate Bill 299 was introduced on January 10 by State Senators Mary Carozza (R) and Brian Feldman (D), and was approved today by the Finance Committee. The bill would eliminate the …
Washington Committee Schedules Vote on Bill to Allow Direct-to-Consumer Marijuana Sales
Washington’s Senate Labor & Commerce Committee has scheduled a vote on Senate Bill 5403, which would allow marijuana producers and processors to sell directly to consumers. Introduced on January 21 by State Senators Rebecca Saldaña (D), Deborah Krishnadasan (D), and T’wina Nobles (D), the legislation would allow licensed marijuana producers and processors to sell marijuana …
Missouri Marijuana Sales Top $122 Million in January
Missouri marijuana sales in January fell short of December’s record-breaking total, but remained strong. Data released today by the Missouri Department of Health and senior Services shows that there was a total of $122.88 million worth of licensed marijuana sales in January. The vast majority of these sales —$108.17 million—was purchased by recreational consumers. Medical …
DEA Official Says Marijuana Rescheduling Is “Delayed, But Certainly Not Dead”
A DEA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, says the agency is still moving forward with rescheduling marijuana, despite delays that have raised concerns among supporters. The official described the process as “delayed, but certainly not dead” and emphasized that Acting Administrator Derek Maltz has made it clear internally that he does not intend …
Government-Funded Study Finds Marijuana Stores Reduce Opioid Deaths, But Do Not Increase Suicides or Car Crashes
A large-scale study analyzing over a decade of data from Washington state suggests that a higher density of marijuana retail stores is associated with lower mortality rates from opioid overdoses and accidental poisonings. Published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the study examined county-level mortality data from 2009 to 2020, comparing it …
Michigan Governor Proposes Increasing Marijuana Excise Tax from 10% to 32%
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is proposed to more than triple the state’s excise tax on recreational marijuana sales. In order to fund $3 billion in needed road repairs, the governor is proposing a series of tax increases. One of those increases would impact recreational marijuana sales, with the governor wanting to increase the excise tax …
Connecticut: Over $23 Million Worth of Marijuana Sold Legally in January
In January, licensed marijuana stores in Connecticut sold $23,585,404 worth of marijuana and marijuana products. According to data released today by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, there was $17,218,699 in recreational marijuana sold in December in addition to $6,366,705 worth of medical marijuana. The combined $23,585,404 marks a slight decrease from the record-breaking $25.4 …
U.S. Court of Appeals Overturns Marijuana User’s Gun Ban Conviction, Citing Second Amendment Concerns
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has vacated a three-year prison sentence for a man convicted of possessing a firearm while using marijuana, determining that the government’s ban on gun ownership for drug users cannot be applied indiscriminately. The ruling by the court found that while restricting firearm access for certain drug …
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