Jun 01 2023

California Assembly Passes Bill to Allow Marijuana Cafes

California’s full Assembly has voted to pass legislation that allows marijuana consumption lounges/cafes that can serve freshly made food and beverages (including marijuana-infused products) and host live events.

California’s Assembly voted 64 to 9 to pass Assembly Bill 374, filed by Assembly Member Matt Haney. The proposal now goes to the Senate for consideration.

“Cannabis cafes in the Netherlands capitalize on the social experience of cannabis by offering coffee, food, and live music, all of those opportunities are currently illegal under California law,” said Haney in a press release. “AB 374 will allow struggling cannabis businesses to diversity away from the marijuana-only ‘dispensary’ model and bring much needed tourist dollars into empty downtowns.”
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Jun 01 2023

New Mexico: $47 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in May, Over 1 Million Transactions

There was $47 million in legal marijuana sold in May in New Mexico.

According to the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department, there was $47.7 million in total marijuana sales in May, coming from 1,013,476 different transactions. This is more than the $46.07 million sold in April, and identical to the $47.7 million sold in March. 

Of the $47.7 million sold, $15,399,985.91 came from medical marijuana sales, with the remaining $32,359,270.41 being from the distribution of recreational marijuana.
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Jun 01 2023

$75 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in Nevada in March, $634 Million During Current Fiscal Year

Legal marijuana stores in Nevada sold over $75 million in legal marijuana and marijuana products in March.

There was $75,023,166 in marijuana sold in May, according to data released by the Nevada Department of Taxation. This is an over 10% increase from the $67 million sold in February.  The state garnered $12,288,541 in taxes from the $75 million in marijuana sold. This is a roughly $1.7 million increase from February, and a $300k increase from January.

Of the $75 million sold in January, a large majority came from Clark County with $57 million, with the second highest being Washoe County at $10.4 million.
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Jun 01 2023

Study: Low-Dose CBD as Effective as Melatonin in Improving Sleep

The daily use just 15mgs of CB improves sleep quality in patients with a history of sleep disturbances, according to a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the University of California LA and Scripps Clinic Sleep Center. The study was published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine.

For the study 1.793 participants experiencing symptoms of sleep disturbance were randomly assigned to receive a 4-week supply of 1 of 6 products (all capsules) containing either 15 mg CBD or 5 mg melatonin, alone or in combination with minor cannabinoids. Sleep disturbance was assessed over a period of 5 weeks (baseline week and 4 weeks of product use) using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS™) Sleep Disturbance SF 8A, administered via weekly online surveys.
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Jun 01 2023

Colorado Governor Signs Bill Banning Denial of Professional Licenses Over Marijuana Charges

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed legislation into law that prevents a denial of professional licenses and certifications based solely on a civil or criminal judgement regarding the consumption, possession, cultivation, or processing of marijuana.

Senate Bill 265 was sent to Governor Polis last month after passing the Senate 32 to 1 and the House 49 to 13. The legislation was filed by Senator Kevin Van Winkle along with a bipartisan coalition of 17 cosponsors.

According to its official summary, the bill “prohibits regulators within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) from denying applications for licensure, certification, or registration, or taking disciplinary action against a licensee, certificate holder, or registrant, based solely on a civil or criminal judgement regarding the consumption, possession, cultivation, or processing of marijuana.”
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Jun 01 2023

Florida: State Confirms Enough Signatures Collected to Put Marijuana Legalization to a Vote

An initiative campaign in Florida aiming put marijuana legalization on the November, 2024 ballot in Florida has collected nearly 1 million signatures, more than enough to put the issue before voters.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, the Smart & Safe Florida campaign has submitted 967,528 validated signatures as of the end of May. This is more than the 891,523 signatures required to put an initiative to legalize marijuana on the November, 2024 general election ballot.

The initiative would allow those 21 and older “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.” Licensed marijuana retail outlets would be allowed to distribute the plant, with any of the state’s licensed medical-marijuana dispensaries allowed to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and accessories.”
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May 31 2023

Kentucky Allocating $42 Million in Opioid Lawsuit Money to Fund Psychedelic Ibogaine Research

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced today that the state will be allocating $42 million to research the therapeutic potential of the psychedelic substance ibogaine for the treatment of opioid addiction.

(Photo credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Attorney General Cameron said at a press conference that the state will be using $42 million that was obtained via lawsuits against opioid manufacturers to study a potential key benefit of the psychedelic substance ibogaine. The funding will lead to the establishment of clinical trial sites: a state commission will coordinator with state colleges in order to facilitate the research.

Ibogaine is a “dissociative psychedelic with oneiric properties that has multiple aforementioned anti-addictive mechanisms, as well as the ability to generate therapeutic psychological insights”, according to the journal Progress in Brain Research.
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May 31 2023

Louisiana Senate Committee Passes House-Approved Marijuana Expungement Bill

Louisiana’s Senate Judiciary Committee has voted in favor of legislation designed to allow for the quick expungement of marijuana possession convictions.

House Bill 286 was reported favorably out of the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, just six days after it was passed through the House of Representatives in a 69 to 30 vote. The measure will need to be passed through one more committee before it can be considered by the full Senate. Passage in the Senate would send the bill to Governor John Bel Edwards.

HB 286 would allow those with a misdemeanor conviction for marijuana possession to file a motion to expunge the charge 90 days following their conviction. First-time offenders would be exempt from processing fees.
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May 31 2023

California Senate Passes Bill to Ban Employers From Asking About Past Marijuana Use

California’s full Senate has passed a bill that would provide legal protections to marijuana consumers who are seeking employment.

Filed by Senator Steven Bradford, Senate Bill 700 “would make it unlawful for an employer to request information from an applicant for employment relating to the applicant’s prior use of cannabis”. The Senate voted yesterday 29 to 9 to send the proposal to the House of Representatives.

The proposal would not apply to applicants or employees hired for positions that require a federal government background investigation or security clearance in accordance with regulations “issued by the United States Department of Defense pursuant to Part 117 of Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or equivalent regulations applicable to other agencies.”
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May 30 2023

Arizona Court Ruling Expands Eligibility for Marijuana Expungements

A ruling by the Arizona Court of Appeals allows for more marijuana-related convictions to be expunged (removed) from people’s records.

Following Arizona’s legalization of marijuana in 2020, thousands of marijuana charges have been expunged or are in the process of being expunged, including over 10,000 in Maricopa County. The charges that have been made eligible for expungement include:

  • Possessing, consuming or transporting 2.5 ounces or less of marijuana
  • Possessing, transporting, cultivating or processing not more than six marijuana plants at the individual’s primary residence for personal use
  • Possessing, using or transporting paraphernalia relating to the cultivation, manufacture, processing or consumption of marijuana

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