Sep 05 2023

Amendment Filed in US Congress to Block Federal Agencies from Testing Applicants for Marijuana

A federal amendment filed in the United States Congress would prohibit most federal agencies from testing job applicants for marijuana.

Filed by Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California, the amendment was filed as part of a larger spending bill and is cosponsored by Representatives Daniel Goldman (New York) and Earl Blumenauer (Oregon). The latter is the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

Specifically the amendment would bar most federal agencies from conducting a drug test for THC on those seeking employment. Agencies would still be allowed to test those already employed with the agency if they have reasonable suspicion to believe marijuana is being used on-the-job, and the amendment would not apply to certain positions like those involving the carrying of a firearm.
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Sep 05 2023

Teamsters Ratify Contracts With Green Thumb Industries, Covers Three Illinois Dispensaries

Teamsters Local 777 members at three dispensaries operated by Rise – a subsidiary of the multi-state marijuana company Green Thumb Industries (GTI) – have ratified their first collective bargaining agreements.

The contract will cover workers at two locations in Joliet, Ill. and another in Niles, Ill, according to a press release. This victory marks the end of a protracted fight with GTI that included a 13-day work stoppage that ended back in May – the longest Unfair Labor Practice strike at a cannabis retailer in U.S. history.

“This fight should be a lesson to cannabis companies all across the country and not just Illinois – Teamsters don’t back down,” said Jim Glimco, Local 777 President. “A lot of people who went through what these men and women went through would’ve thrown in the towel. Not this group. They’re young, energetic, tough, smart; they look out for one another, and they embody what being a part of this union is all about.”
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Sep 05 2023

Maryland: Over $90 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in August

In the second month of legal recreational marijuana sales, Maryland’s marijuana industry saw over $90 million in sales.

Licensed marijuana retail outlets sold $91.7 million worth of marijuana in August, a $4.3 million increase over the $87.4 million sold in July. This is more than double the marijuana sales total for June, the last month in which marijuana was legal exclusively for those with a qualifying condition.

A little over $55 million of total marijuana sales was “buds” (dried flower), with marijuana concentrates coming second at $24.6 million. Sales for infused edibles was $6.1 million, $5.1 million for infused non-edibles, $512k for shake and $9.5k for plants.
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Sep 05 2023

Colorado Governor Sends Letter to President Biden In Support of Rescheduling Marijuana

On Tuesday Colorado Governor Jared Polis sent a letter to President Biden declaring support for the Department of Health’s recent request to reschedule marijuana.

colorado governor

“We are pleased to hear that you have recently received Health and Human Services (HHS) recommendation to move cannabis to Schedule III”, Governor Polis says in the letter. “It’s about time. This is an historic moment and we owe you and your Administration a debt of gratitude for your leadership on catching up with where the science is.”

Polis continues: “Cannabis’ current classification under federal law as a Schedule I drug is contradicted by the scientific evidence. The notion, as previously considered, that cannabis has no accepted medical use, a high potential for abuse, and no accepted safety standards even under medical supervision has been widely disproven, HHS’s recommendation is evidence-based and a move in the right direction.”
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Sep 05 2023

Nevada: $68 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in June, $10.9 Million in Taxes Garnered

In Nevada legal marijuana retail outlets sold over $68 million in product in June.

According to data released by the Nevada Department of Taxation, there was $68,588,014 in legal marijuana sold in June, resulting in $10,932,417 in tax revenue for the state. $53,280,093 of this was sold in Clark County, $8,369,706 in Washoe County and $6,938,215 among all other counties.

Of the $10.9 million in taxes garnered, $4 million came from the state’s 15% excise tax on marijuana wholesale, with $6.8 million coming from the state’s 10% marijuana retail tax.
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Sep 05 2023

Biden Official Says Marijuana Will Likely to be Rescheduled Before the 2024 Election

An official with the Biden Administration tells us it’s their belief that marijuana will be moved to schedule III prior to the 2024 election.

In a letter sent recently to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Department of Health (DOH) officially requested that marijuana to be reclassified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act. This would effectively legalize it for prescription use, with other schedule III drugs including codeine, ketamine and testosterone. The letter comes in response to an executive order issued last year by President Biden asking Health Secretary Xavier Becerra and Attorney General Merrick Garland to initiate a review process to consider marijuana rescheduling.

Currently marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, putting it alongside hard drugs such as heroin and LSD and indicating that it has “no known medical benefit”. This makes it illegal for all purposes under all circumstances.
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Sep 05 2023

August is a Record-Breaking Month for Massachusetts Marijuana Sales, $5 Billion in Marijuana Sold Since 2018

In August there was $158 million in legal marijuana purchased in Massachusetts, according to the state’s Cannabis Control Commission.

The nearly $160 million in legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in August breaks the state’s previous monthly record of $151.8 million set in June of this year. Although medical marijuana sales mirrored recent months with around $19 million sold, recreational marijuana sales reached an all-time high of almost $140 million.

These numbers include the legal distribution of dried marijuana flower and marijuana concentrates, as well as products containing marijuana including edibles, tinctures and topicals.
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Sep 05 2023

Marijuana Drive-Thru Opens in Ohio

A marijuana drive-thru is now open in Mount Carmel.

Last week the medical marijuana dispensary The Forest opened the the first marijuana drive-thru in southwest Ohio, located at Mount Carmel (4412 Mount Carmel Tobasco Road). The dispensary allows patients to preorder marijuana and marijuana products online, which they can then pickup and purchase by using the drive-thru or coming inside.

Despite medical marijuana being legal in 39 states and recreational marijuana being legal in 23 states, only a few allow marijuana to be sold via drive-thru.
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Sep 05 2023

North Carolina Tribe to Vote Thursday on Proposal to Legalize Marijuana for Everyone 21+

On Thursday, September 7 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) in North Carolina will vote on a proposal that would legalize recreational marijuana.

The EBCI legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2021, and subsequently allocated $50 million to refurbish a bingo hall to become a medical marijuana superstore (which they recently began accepting applications for). The proposed law being consider on September 7 would open this store to everyone 21 and older, whether or not they’re a medical marijuana patient or a tribal member.

The referendum was placed on the tribe’s general election ballot by the EBCI Tribal Council.
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Sep 03 2023

Oregon Marijuana Stores Sold $81 Million in August, Marijuana Taxes Reach $1 Billion Since 2016

Licensed marijuana retail outlets in Oregon sold over $80 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products in August.

oregon marijuana sales

According to data released by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, total marijuana sales for August was $81,631,600, roughly a quarter million dollars shy of the $81,880,154 sold in July. These sales include dried marijuana flower and shake as well as other marijuana products such as concentrates (hash, oil, wax, etc.), edibles, tinctures and topicals.

Based on Oregon’s 17% marijuana excise tax, the state garnered just shy of $14 million in taxes for the marijuana sold in August. This does not include taxes garnered from the up to 3% citywide tax implemented by some localities.
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