Mar 13 2025

Maryland House Advances Legislation to Legalize Cannabis Concentrate Production for Personal Use, Expand Resentencing Options

The Maryland House of Delegates has given second-reading approval to a measure that would legalize the personal production of solventless cannabis concentrates while enabling certain individuals to seek reduced sentences for specific marijuana-related offenses.

A third and final reading on House Bill 413 is expected soon, which would send the bill to the Senate.

“A person who is at least 21 years old may manufacture a personal use amount of cannabis products or concentrated cannabis for personal use or adult sharing at a private residence if the manufacturing process does not involve the use of a volatile solvent,” states the proposed law.
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Mar 13 2025

Study: 40% of Veterans With Chronic Pain Use Cannabis to Manage Symptoms

According to the results of a new study, 40% of military veterans in the United States who suffer from chronic pain consume cannabis to treat their ailment.

(Photo credit: Getty Images Plus)

Published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health, the study was conducted by researchers from the University of California at San Francisco and Yale University. Researchers examined patients suffering from chronic pain who were enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration primary care services program.

The study found that 40% use cannabis products to manage their pain symptoms, a number researchers claim is likely to be under-reported.
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Mar 12 2025

Idaho: New Bipartisan Legislation Would Legalize Medical Cannabis

A bill to legalize medical marijuana in Idaho was introduced today in the state legislature.

House Bill 401 would create a regulated program allowing qualified patients to access medical marijuana for various health conditions. Sponsored by State Representatives Jordan Redman (R) and Ilana Rubel (D), the measure would allow the use, possession, and transportation of medical marijuana for those with a valid medical cannabis card issued by the state.

The bill outlines a list of qualifying conditions, including cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and other serious ailments. Patients would be allowed up to 4,000 milligrams of THC in processed forms or 60 grams of unprocessed flower, with higher limits for those in hospice care or suffering from terminal illnesses.
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Mar 12 2025

Tennessee Lawmakers to Consider Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization Bills on March 19

The Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee has scheduled consideration and a potential vote on two marijuana-related bills—one to legalize recreational use and another to decriminalize possession—on March 19.

House Bill 836, titled the “Tennessee Cannabis Act,” would allow everyone 21 and older to possess up to 60 grams of marijuana flower and 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. It would also allow home cultivation of up to 12 plants, and licensed sales. The proposal includes a 15% tax on marijuana sales, with most revenue directed to the state’s general fund.

House Bill 981 takes a narrower approach, decriminalizing the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis and the personal cultivation of up to five plants. It would also give local governments the authority to impose civil penalties instead of criminal charges for low-level marijuana offenses.
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Mar 12 2025

Maine: Bipartisan and Bicameral Coalition of Lawmakers File Bill to Decriminalize Psilocybin

A bipartisan and bicameral group of nine Maine lawmakers introduced legislation that would decriminalize the possession of personal-use amounts of psilocybin.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Filed today, House Bill 1034 has been referred to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety for consideration.

If enacted, the bill would remove criminal penalties for adults 21 and older who possess up to one gram of psilocybin or one ounce of psilocybin-containing mushrooms. The legislation does not establish a regulated framework for sales or therapeutic use but instead seeks to prevent individuals from facing criminal prosecution for possessing small, personal-use quantities.
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Mar 12 2025

Iowa House Committee Overwhelmingly Approves Bill to Expand Medical Marijuana Program by Allowing Dried Flower

A bill that would allow qualified patients to purchase and possess dried marijuana flower for vaporization has been passed by the House Health and Human Services Committee in a decisive 19 to 1 vote.

House File 105, now renumbered as House File 950, seeks to amend Iowa’s medical marijuana program by permitting the use of vaporized dried cannabis flower. Current state law restricts medical marijuana products to items like tinctures, capsules, and transdermal patches, barring patients from accessing raw cannabis flower for inhalation.

Supporters argue that the bill would provide patients with a more affordable and effective option, as raw flower is typically less expensive than processed cannabis products. They also contend that Iowa’s restrictions force some patients to seek marijuana from out-of-state sources or unregulated markets.
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Mar 12 2025

Maryland House Committee Approves Bill to Legalize Personal Cannabis Concentrate Production and Expand Resentencing Options

The Maryland House Judiciary Committee has approved a measure that would legalize the personal production of solventless cannabis concentrates while enabling certain individuals to seek reduced sentences for specific marijuana-related offenses.

Hash (photo credit: WeedMaps).

“A person who is at least 21 years old may manufacture a personal use amount of cannabis products or concentrated cannabis for personal use or adult sharing at a private residence if the manufacturing process does not involve the use of a volatile solvent”, states House Bill 413.

Additionally, the legislation modifies sentencing laws for high-volume cannabis offenses, reducing penalties for volume dealers and drug kingpins involved in marijuana-related activities. The bill also allows certain individuals serving mandatory minimum sentences for specific cannabis-related offenses to apply for a sentence reduction under defined conditions. Continue reading

Mar 12 2025

New Mexico Senate Passes Bill to Legalize Medical Psilocybin

New Mexico’s full Senate has given approval to legislation that would legalize medical psilocybin.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The New Mexico Senate voted 33 to 4 today to approve Senate Bill 219, the Medical Psilocybin Act, moving the measure to the House for consideration. The legislation had previously cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, following earlier approvals by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee.

If enacted, the bill would allow individuals with certain behavioral health conditions—including major treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and end-of-life care—to receive psilocybin-assisted treatment. It would also establish an advisory board, a treatment equity fund, and a research fund, while removing psilocybin from the state’s Controlled Substances Act to protect patients, clinicians, and producers.
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Mar 12 2025

Minnesota Senate Committee Advances Bill to Expand Marijuana Expungement and Resentencing Eligibility

The Minnesota Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee has unanimously approved Minnesota Senate Bill 204, a measure that would expand eligibility for expungements and resentencing for individuals with marijuana-related convictions.

The bill, introduced by State Senators Lindsey Port, Clare Oumou Verbeten, and Matt Klein, now moves towards a vote by the full Senate.

SF 204 would amend Minnesota Statutes section 609A.06, subdivision 3, to clarify that individuals convicted of certain first- through fifth-degree marijuana-related controlled substance crimes may be eligible for resentencing or expungement (current law provides for expungement of lower-level offenses but does not specify eligibility for more serious convictions). To qualify, the conviction must not have involved a dangerous weapon, intentional bodily harm, or an attempt to inflict bodily harm. Additionally, the act in question must either be a lesser offense under current law or no longer considered a crime after August 1, 2023, the day the state’s adult-use marijuana law took effect.
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Mar 12 2025

Missouri Senate Committee Approves Medical Psilocybin Bill

The Missouri Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee has approved Senate Bill 90, advancing a proposal that would provide legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy for certain patients.

Filed in December by State Senator Stephen Webber (D), the bill now moves forward for further consideration in the legislature.

SB 90 would allow veterans suffering from PTSD, individuals with major depressive disorder or substance use disorder, and patients in end-of-life care to legally acquire and use psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. The measure establishes a framework requiring physician oversight, participation in a study on psilocybin’s effects, and adherence to safety protocols, including product testing.
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