Maryland Governor Wes Moore has appointed Tabatha Robinson, a cannabis official from New York, as the new director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration, the agency responsible for overseeing the state’s recreational and medical marijuana markets.

Tabatha Robinson.

Robinson, currently the executive deputy director of economic development and acting chief equity officer for the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, will begin her new role on February 19. She will replace Will Tilburg, who announced his departure from the agency late last year. Robinson will serve as acting director until confirmed by the state Senate during the ongoing 90-day legislative session.

“Maryland’s cannabis industry is a national model, and its success is a testament to prioritizing product safety for consumers and promoting social equity market-wide,” Robinson said in a statement released by Moore’s office.

Before her work in New York, Robinson served as a corporate attorney and as a special assistant attorney general in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. She entered the cannabis industry in 2018, conducting research on how legacy markets adjusted pricing and distribution strategies in newly legalized states, according to the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.

Maryland legalized recreational marijuana through a ballot measure approved in November 2022, with licensed sales beginning on July 1, 2023. The law allows those 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana. In 2024 alone, licensed marijuana stores generated over $1.1 billion in sales.

Green Thumb Industries (GTI), which operates Rise dispensaries in Florida, is continuing its effort to sell marijuana alongside convenience stores by filing an appeal with the 1st District Court of Appeal.

The appeal follows a January 7 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Joshua Pratt, who sided with state health regulators in rejecting the company’s proposal.

GTI initially announced plans in October 2022 to launch a pilot program with 10 dispensaries located adjacent to Circle K convenience stores in Florida, beginning in January 2023. However, Christopher Kimball, director of Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, denied requests for dispensary locations in St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Ocala. Kimball cited noncompliance with state laws as the reason for the rejection.
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State Representative Aundre Bumgardner (D) filed House Bill 6056 today, introducing legislation that would allow for the creation of cannabis cafes and restaurants in Connecticut.

The bill, titled “An Act Concerning The Establishment Of Cannabis Cafes And Restaurants Offering Cannabis-infused Food Items, Beverages And Other Products,” has been referred to the Joint Committee on General Law for further consideration.

The proposed bill would amend the state’s general statutes to allow businesses to serve cannabis-infused food, beverages, and other products in designated cafes and restaurants. If passed, Connecticut would join a growing number of states exploring cannabis consumption venues as part of their broader legalization frameworks, including California whose marijuana café law took effect recently.
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Legislation to establish collective bargaining rights for marijuana workers was given approval today by the Washington State House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards.

Introduced by State Representatives Lillian Ortiz-Self and Mary Fossee on December 30, House Bill 1141 would grant workers in marijuana cultivation and processing the right to unionize and engage in collective bargaining. Proponents of the bill say that its a stepping stone to eventually allowing collective bargaining for all cannabis employees.

The measure, which was approved by the committee 6 to 3, includes provisions for organizing labor unions, resolving disputes, and protecting employees’ rights to negotiate with employers. It specifies that workers involved in growing, harvesting, drying, and trimming marijuana on licensed farms are covered under the bill, while excluding managers and supervisors with decision-making authority.
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Mike Tyson, renowned boxing champion and cannabis entrepreneur, and Weldon Angelos, who received a full presidential pardon for marijuana offenses, say they’re optimistic about President Donald Trump’s recent support for marijuana reforms.

Weldon Angelos (left) and Mike Tyson (right).

Both Tyson and Angelos have seen firsthand how the cannabis industry can transform lives and believe Trump’s commitments to reschedule marijuana, expand banking access, and grant clemency could mark a turning point for justice and economic opportunity. They say they’re “optimistic” that change will happen under Trump’s second term.

For years, cannabis reform has been a broken promise in Washington. While President Joe Biden campaigned on decriminalization and expunging records, his actions have largely fallen short. His widely publicized misdemeanor pardons left thousands in federal prison, with Biden choosing not to commute their sentences despite a strong push from advocates in the final weeks of his term. He was the first president since Jimmy Carter to support decriminalizing marijuana, but he did little to push the issue and didn’t endorse any specific legislation that would accomplish it.
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A former cannabis executive used insider information obtained from his employment to purchase shares of a rival cannabis company that was privately the target of an acquisition, according to an indictment returned in federal court in Chicago.

The indictment accuses Anthony Marisco of obtaining material, non-public information about his company’s agreement to purchase the rival company, according to a press release sent by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the North District of Illinois.

Prior to the public announcement of the agreement, and while the two companies were privately negotiating the proposed acquisition, Marsico allegedly used the information to purchase more than 900,000 shares in the rival company’s stock, resulting in illegal profits of approximately $607,338, the indictment states.  Marsico later sold all of the stock before it was publicly announced that the potential acquisition was canceled, the indictment states.
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Kratom, a plant used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, is facing a potential ban in Washington State, with the officials considering reclassifying it as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa).

In order to voice their opinions, advocates are being urged to submit comments and participate in a listening session scheduled for February 6, 2025. Those interested in submitting oral comments at the meeting can sign up by emailing [email protected] by noon on January 23, 2025. Written comments will be accepted until noon on January 30, 2025.

This move stems from a CR-101 (a formal document used in the rulemaking process by Washington state agencies) filed by the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission in August 2024, which initiated the process of reviewing kratom’s legal status. While the commission discussed the issue during its December 2024 meeting, it decided further input was necessary before proceeding. This decision highlights the contentious debate over kratom’s benefits versus potential risks.
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Legislation to legalize the personal cultivation of marijuana has been filed in the Washington State House of Representatives.

House Bill 1449 was filed today by a coalition of 16 state representatives, all Democrats. The measure wood allow everyone 21 and older to cultivate marijuana for personal use. The bill has been referred to the Consumer Protection & Business Committee for consideration.

Under the proposed legislation, individuals could grow up to six cannabis plants on the premises of their housing unit, with a maximum of 15 plants allowed per household, regardless of the number of occupants. Cannabis derived from these plants would also be permissible for personal use, allowing for possession above the state’s current one ounce limit,
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Idaho’s full House of Representatives voted today to approve legislation that would establish a mandatory minimum fine for possessing less than three ounces of marijuana.

The House voted 54 to 14 on House Bill 7, sending the measure to the state’s Senate. Approval through the Senate will send the bill to Governor Brad Little.

Under current Idaho law, possessing less than three ounces of marijuana is a misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000, with no set minimum. This has led to some judges issuing fines as little as $1 or $2, something that proponents of HB 7 argue encourages cannabis use.
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