Oct 12 2024

New Mexico Board Votes to Add Female Orgasmic Disorder as Qualifying Medical Marijuana Condition

In their recent meeting, New Mexico officials took a step toward adding female orgasmic disorder (FOD) to the list of conditions eligible for medical marijuana.

The state’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Board voted 7 to 2 this week to recommend the inclusion of FOD in the state’s medical marijuana program. The board’s recommendation will now be reviewed by the health secretary, who will assess the proposal and consult with staff before making a final decision to approve, reject, or modify it.

According to a study published in May in the journal Sexual Medicine, marijuana significantly improves the sexual experiences of women facing orgasmic disorders.
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Oct 12 2024

US House Bill to Deschedule Marijuana Nationwide and Allow Expungements Gains 96th Sponsor

The MORE Act in the US House of Representatives now has 96 sponsors.

Yesterday, Congressmember Jahana Hayes (D-CT) became the newest cosponsor of the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, bringing the total number of sponsors to 96. Hayes is the first new sponsor on the bill since August. The only marijuana-related bill in the US Congress with more sponsors is the SAFE Banking Act.

The MORE Act, which is supported by Vice President Kamala Harris, would completely remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act, effectively decriminalizing it nationwide. The bill also establishes a federal excise tax on state-legal marijuana sales, starting at 5% and eventually increasing to a maximum of 8%. Additionally, it includes provisions to expunge past marijuana convictions and protect marijuana consumers from being denied public benefits.
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Oct 11 2024

Arizona: In September, Marijuana Tax Revenue Tops $20 Million for 34th Consecutive Month

In September, Arizona’s marijuana industry generated $20,090,881 in tax revenue, marking the 34th consecutive month of surpassing $20 million.

This brings the state’s year-to-date total to approximately $210 million and the all-time total to over $970 million since the state legalized marijuana.

According to the Arizona Department of Revenue, the bulk of September’s tax revenue came from the state’s 16% recreational marijuana excise tax ($12,309,439) and from the 5.6% adult-use tax ($6,276,735).
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Oct 11 2024

Connecticut Marijuana Sales Reach Over $23 Million in September, Bringing 2024 Total to Above $220 Million

In Connecticut, over $23 million worth of marijuana was sold legally in September, marking another strong month for the state’s marijuana market.

A total of $23,445,921 was sold, with $16,612,316 coming from recreational marijuana and $6,833,605 from medical marijuana purchases.

This follows August’s impressive sales of $25,664,059, which marked the first time the market crossed the $25 million mark since December 2023. While September’s sales were slightly lower, they continue to demonstrate the steady demand for both recreational and medical cannabis in the state.
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Oct 11 2024

New Jersey Now Has 175 Licensed Marijuana Stores: Here’s Where They’re All Located

New Jersey’s legal marijuana market has continued to expand, albeit at a relatively slow pace, with the state nearing the milestone of 200 licensed recreational retail outlets.

New Jersey legalized recreational marijuana during the November 3, 2020, election. The law allows those 21 and older to legally possess and use up to an ounce of marijuana, marijuana concentrates and marijuana-infused products such as edibles and tinctures. The state legislature followed up the voter-approved law by passing the necessary regulatory framework in early 2021, and the first legal sales of recreational marijuana began on April 21, 2022.

According to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, as of October 2024, the state has 175 open marijuana retail outlets across the state. Camden County leads with 19 marijuana stores, while Hudson and Burlington Counties both have 16. Atlantic and Union Counties each operate 15 dispensaries.
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Oct 11 2024

Maine Issues Recall of Multiple Marijuana Products

The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) has announced a health and safety recall for certain marijuana products, including dried flower, pre-rolls, and blunts, due to contamination concerns involving bacteria and mold.

The affected products, produced by Nova Farms, include the strain “Frosted Cookies” and were sold at 14 adult-use retail locations across Maine, including stores in Brunswick, Columbia, Greenville Junction, Lebanon, Lisbon, Mechanic Falls, Medway, Newport, Portland, Presque Isle, South Portland, and Turner.

The recall comes roughly a month after the state issued its first-ever marijuana recall in September.
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Oct 10 2024

Study: Slow-Release CBD Hydrogel Shows Potential in Treating Chronic Inflammation

Researchers from Jiamusi University, Tianjin First Central Hospital, and Nankai University in China have developed a novel CBD-loaded hydrogel system that may offer a new therapeutic approach for chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a new study.

Published in the Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Functional Materials, the study addresses the growing incidence of IBD, a condition marked by persistent inflammation and a high recurrence rate.

The research team designed a hydrogel (GelMA + CBD) capable of delivering cannabidiol (CBD) in situ, improving its bioavailability through slow release. The hydrogel’s structure, observed under scanning electron microscopy, demonstrated favorable properties such as controlled swelling and release rates. This innovative system allows CBD, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, to be released steadily, overcoming its natural limitations like poor solubility and low bioavailability.
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Oct 10 2024

Study: CBD May Improve Mobility in Dogs

A study conducted by researchers from Colorado State University, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, evaluated the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on dogs with mobility impairments.

The double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study involved 42 dogs, with 38 completing the trial.

For the study, dogs were randomly assigned to receive either CBD oil or a placebo over 45 days, with a 30-day washout period between treatments. Outcome measures included gait analysis, accelerometry, and clinical assessments.
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Oct 10 2024

Study: Cannabis Legalization Linked to Increased Physical Activity

A study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research and accessible online via the U.S. National Library of Medicine investigated the association between cannabis use and physical activity in the United States.

The research, conducted by researchers from Brigham Young University, examined how cannabis legalization and health status influenced this relationship, using data from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) between 2016 and 2022.

The study found that physical activity among adults increased from 73.16% in 2016 to 75.72% in 2022, while cannabis use rose sharply from 7.48% to 14.71% over the same period. Notably, cannabis use was higher in areas with legalized recreational marijuana (6.5% higher) and legal medical marijuana (0.7% higher) compared to regions where cannabis remained illegal.
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Oct 10 2024

Colorado: Over $120 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in August, Nearly $1 Billion Year-to-Date

Colorado saw over $120 million in legal marijuana sales for the second consecutive month.

According to data from the Colorado Department of Revenue, licensed retail outlets and dispensaries sold $122,481,187 worth of marijuana in August, closely matching the $122,550,314 sold in July. However, this is a decline from the $132 million recorded in August of last year.

Of the total sales in August, approximately $109 million was for recreational use, while medical marijuana sales totaled around $13.5 million.
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