Jan 28 2025

Montana Resolution Urging Feds to Pass SAFER Banking Act Scheduled for January 31 Public Hearing

Montana’s Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee has scheduled a Friday public hearing for Senate Joint Resolution 5, which would urge the federal government to enact the SAFER Banking Act.

Originally scheduled for January 16 before being cancelled on January 15, the resolution was scheduled today for a public hearing at 8:30am in Room 422 on Friday, January 31.

The resolution calls on federal lawmakers to approve the SAFER Banking Act, a proposal to allow banks and other financial institutions to provide financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. In addition to allowing marijuana businesses to move away from a dangerous cash-only model, it would given them access to other banking services like lines of credit, and the measure would allow these businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions.
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Jan 28 2025

Missouri Lawmaker Proposes Constitutional Amendment to Restrict Marijuana Advertising

A constitutional amendment to restrict the advertising and promotion of marijuana sales in Missouri has been filed by State Representative Bruce Sassmann (R).

The resolution (House Joint Resolution 72), introduced yesterday and read for a second time today, would amend Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution to address concerns about the “public impact of marijuana advertising”.

The measure would impose stricter regulations on how marijuana businesses can advertise their products in Missouri, including prohibiting ads that target minors, restrict marketing efforts that promote “excessive consumption”, and prevent “misleading claims about the health benefits of marijuana”.
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Jan 28 2025

Ohio Marijuana Sales Top $450 Million Since August, Resulting in $55 Million in Tax Revenue

Marijuana sales in Ohio have surpassed $450 million since the recreational marijuana market launched on August 7, with total revenue reaching $452,179,289 as of January 25.

Recreational sales accounted for $292,874,669, while medical marijuana sales contributed $159,304,620. During this time, there were 3,938,452 recreational transactions and 1,689,532 medical transactions, according to figures released by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC).

The average price per gram has dropped slightly to $6.80, a notable decrease from the $9.40 reported in August. Since the start of legal medical marijuana sales in the state, Ohio has generated $2,370,189,100 in all-time sales, with a total of 32,919,728 transactions recorded.
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Jan 28 2025

Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Approves Bill to Legalize Marijuana Sales

The Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee approved legislation today that would legalize licensed marijuana sales.

Sponsored by State Senators Aaron Rouse (D), Jennifer Carroll Foy (D), and Lashrecse Aird (D), Senate Bill 970 would establish a retail marijuana market in Virginia, which remains the only one of the 24 states with legal marijuana to prohibit retail sales. The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee approved the measure by a vote of 10 to 5.

The bill proposes a regulatory framework to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Under the legislation, the authority could begin issuing licenses for marijuana-related businesses starting September 1, 2025, with sales beginning by May 1, 2026.
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Jan 28 2025

Annapolis, Maryland City Council Votes Unanimously to End Marijuana Testing for Public Employees

Alderpersons on the Annapolis City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 35-24, amending the city’s employment policy to eliminate marijuana drug testing for most public employees.

(Photo credit: Emily Koonce)

The ordinance specifies, “The city shall not conduct cannabis testing during pre-employment screening or after hiring an employee.” The city of Annapolis, Maryland’s state capital, employs over 600 workers.

Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML, testified in favor of the policy during committee hearings. He argued that marijuana urinalysis testing “discriminates against people who are compliant with the state’s marijuana legalization laws, unnecessarily limits the pool of applicants seeking public employment, and punishes those who rely on the use of cannabis as a medicine.”
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Jan 28 2025

Florida Lawmaker to Refile Medical Marijuana Home Grow Bill Without Hemp Restrictions

A bill initially filed by State Senator Joe Gruters that proposed allowing registered medical marijuana patients in Florida to grow marijuana plants at home, along with stricter regulations on the state’s hemp industry, has been withdrawn and will be reintroduced as a home grow-only measure.

The original legislation, Senate Bill 334, would have allowed patients to grow up to two marijuana plants for personal use. The bill specified that plants must be cultivated in secure, enclosed spaces hidden from public view and inaccessible to individuals under 21 years old. Violations would be classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, and probation. The initial version also required renters to obtain landlord approval before cultivating plants.

However, the bill’s original provisions targeting Florida’s hemp industry—including banning smokable hemp products, restricting THC levels in hemp items, and prohibiting certain marketing practices—sparked significant debate. These provisions were seen as potentially harmful to the hemp market, with critics arguing they would impose excessive regulatory burdens. The hemp restrictions were ultimately excluded from the upcoming revised bill.
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Jan 27 2025

The Most Effective Cannabis Strains for Improving Sleep

For individuals seeking a better night’s sleep, certain marijuana strains stand out for their their calming, sedative effects.

God’s Gift

Using strain data supplied to us by our readers and the strain review website Leafly, below are the strains that many believe are the most effective for improving sleep quality.
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Jan 27 2025

Virginia Senate Committee Approves Bill to Seal Marijuana Possession Charges

A key Senate committee in Virginia has approved legislation that would seal all marijuana possession-related charges.

Today, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee voted 9 to 3 to approve Senate Bill 1466, filed recently by Senator Scott Surovell (D). A companion bill in the House —House Bill 2723— was also filed recently, by Delegate Charniele Herring (D).

Both measures seek to ensure that all charges and convictions for marijuana possession are sealed automatically, eliminating the need for court orders. Although the proposals would not cover certain Department of Motor Vehicle records, businesses that perform background checks would be obligated to quickly remove marijuana-related offenses that have been sealed from their databases.
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Jan 27 2025

Over 1,200 Bills Have Been Filed in the U.S. Congress this Year: 0 Mention Cannabis

The 2025-2026 session of the United States Congress has seen 1,227 bills filed so far, covering a wide array of issues. However, not a single piece of legislation introduced this year addresses cannabis policy.

This marks a notable absence given the momentum marijuana reform has gained in recent years, with 68% of voters nationwide supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana and an even higher percentage backing lesser reforms, such as medical marijuana legalization. At the state level, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana, while 39 have legalized it for medical use.

Despite this lack of action, congressional staffers tell us that the SAFER Banking Act is expected to be reintroduced in both the House and Senate in the coming weeks, with “strong bipartisan support”. This legislation, which would provide legal marijuana businesses with access to banking services, has been a recurring topic in Congress. Last year, the bill advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support and has repeatedly passed the House in previous sessions. However, it has yet to receive a full vote in the Senate, despite Senator Chuck Schumer promising to do so when he was leader of the Senate.
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Jan 27 2025

WA Senate Committee Holds Public Hearing on Bill to Allow Direct-to-Consumer Sales for Marijuana Producers and Processors

A public hearing was held today in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce for Senate Bill 5403, a measure designed to bolster the sustainability of Washington’s marijuana industry by authorizing direct-to-consumer sales of certain marijuana products.

The bill, introduced on January 21, 2025, is sponsored 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 flower directly to consumers, provided the products are limited to those produced by the licensee. These direct sales would need to comply with existing purchase limits for adults 21 and older, which include up to one ounce of usable marijuana or seven grams of marijuana concentrate, among other restrictions.
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