May 01 2023

Report: Legal Marijuana States Have Garnered $15 Billion in Tax Revenue Since 2014

According to a new report released by the Marijuana Policy Project, legal marijuana states have made over $15 billion in taxes since the first states began legal sales in 2014.

As of the end of 2022, states have reported a combined total of $15,114,520,975 in tax revenue from legal, adult-use cannabis sales since 2014 when sales began in Colorado and Washington. In 2022 alone, legalization states generated more than $3.77 billion in cannabis tax revenue from adult-use sales.

“States that have made the decision to legalize and regulate cannabis are benefiting from hundreds of millions in tax revenue each year”, said Toi Hutchinson, President and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project. “These new streams of revenue are helping to fund crucial social services and programs across the country, such as education, alcohol and drug treatment, veterans’ services, job training, and reinvestment in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the war on cannabis.”
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Apr 30 2023

New Mexico Marijuana Sales Surpass Half a Billion Dollars Since April, 2022

In New Mexico legal recreational marijuana sales began a little over a year ago on April 1, 2022. Since then sales have surpassed half a billion dollars.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

According to data released by the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department, those 21 and older purchased $488 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. A spokesperson for the department tells us that sales for April are expected to be over $40 million, meaning marijuana sales have officially passed the $500 million mark.

With April not yet finished and data for the final days not yet tabulated, it’s not yet known if April will be able to top the $47 million sold in March, which was a new monthly record. Marijuana sales in April, 2022 were $39.5 million.
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Apr 30 2023

Study Finds CBD and THC Have No Impact on Testosterone Production

In a new study being published in The World Journal of Men’s Health, testosterone production did not change upon CBD and/or THC exposure versus controls.

testosterone production

In addition to being published in The World Journal of Men’s Health, the study was published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine with the title The Acute Exposure of Human Adult Testis Tissue to Cannabinoids THC and CBD Does Not Impact Testosterone Production Nor Germ Cell Lineage.

“While an increased risk of developing germ cell tumors has been established in regular cannabis consumers, there is conflicting evidence about an association between cannabis use and testosterone levels in those regular consumers”, states the study’s abstract. “In this context, we aimed to determine whether Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the two major and best-studied cannabinoids present in cannabis, also the most used for therapeutic applications, can directly impact the steroidogenic function and germ cell lineage of the human adult testis.”
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Apr 30 2023

Ohio Marijuana Legalization Initiative Campaign to Begin Collecting Signatures Soon

Ohio’s Legislature has until Wednesday to legalize recreational marijuana, or a campaign to put the issue before voters can begin collecting signatures on their initiative.

ohio

If the legislature doesn’t act on marijuana legalization by Wednesday (at this point no bill has even been filed to do so), the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol can begin collecting signatures on their marijuana legalization initiative with the goal of putting it on the November 7 ballot.

“We’re committed and confident that we will have the team and time to get on the ballot,” said Tom Haren, a spokesperson for the Coalition. The group’s proposal would legalize the possession and personal cultivation of marijuana for those 21 and older. The initiative would also establish a legal marijuana industry, with licensed retail outlets authorizes to sell marijuana and marijuana products.
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Apr 30 2023

Colorado Legislature Passes Bill to Prohibit License/Certification Denials for Marijuana Convictions

Colorado’s Legislature has passed legislation to prohibit regulators from denying applications for licenses and certifications based solely on a civil or criminal judgement regarding the consumption, possession, cultivation, or processing of marijuana.

Colorado Senate Bill 265 was passed through the Senate on April 20 by a vote of 32 to 1. Today it was passed by the House of Representatives through its second reading, with one final vote required before it can be sent to Governor Jared Polis. The proposal was filed by Senator Kevin Van Winkle along with a bipartisan coalition of 17 cosponsors.

According to its official summary, the bill “prohibits regulators within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) from denying applications for licensure, certification, or registration, or taking disciplinary action against a licensee, certificate holder, or registrant, based solely on a civil or criminal judgement regarding the consumption, possession, cultivation, or processing of marijuana.”
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Apr 29 2023

Colorado Bill to Allow Online Marijuana Sales and Deliveries Passed by Senate, Already Passed House

A proposed Colorado law that would allow marijuana stores to sell marijuana and marijuana products online and deliver it to customers has been passed through its second reading in the state’s Senate.

House Bill 1279 advanced through the House of Representatives earlier this month with members voting 40 to 23 in favor. Yesterday the measure was passed through its second reading in the Senate, with just one final vote needed before it can be sent to a supportive Governor Jared Polis.

“Current law prohibits a licensed retail marijuana store from selling retail marijuana or retail marijuana products over the internet or through delivery”, states the measure’s official text. “The bill repeals the prohibition.”
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Apr 28 2023

Minnesota Senate Votes to Legalize Marijuana

Minnesota’s full Senate has approved legislation to legalize marijuana. The vote was 34 to 33.

The Senate’s approval of HF 100 comes just three days after the state’s House of Representatives voted 87 to 59 to pass the measure. The proposed law would allow those 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana and grow up to eight plants.

Under HF 100 licensed marijuana retail outlets would be authorized to sell marijuana and marijuana products. Retail outlets would be supplied by licensed cultivators, with regulations for the industry overseen by a newly-created Office of Cannabis Management.
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Apr 28 2023

Colorado Senate and Two House Committees Pass Psychedelics Bill

Colorado’s full Senate and two House committees have passed a bill to create a regulatory framework for legal psychedelics including psylocibin (magic mushrooms), ibogaine and DMT.

Psilocybin mushrooms (aka "magic mushrooms").

Psilocybin mushrooms (aka “magic mushrooms”).

Earlier this week The Colorado Senate voted 25 to 10 to pass Senate Bill 23-290, sending it to the House. On Thursday the measure was passed through the House Finance Committee 8 to 2, and today it was passed by the House Appropriations Committee in a unanimous 11 to 0 vote. It’s now been sent to the House floor for consideration.

The legislation is in response to a voter-approved initiative that legalized certain psychedelics while tasking the legislature with establishing a regulatory framework. Proponents of the measure are working to get it approved through the legislature prior to the end of the session on May 6.
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Apr 28 2023

Missouri to Issue Dozens of Licenses for Marijuana Microbusinesses in October

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has announced their licensing plans for marijuana microbusinesses.

When voters approved Amendment 3 in November, 2022, they tasked the DHSS with creating a lottery process for granting a limited number of new small business licenses called “microbusinesses.” Microbusinesses are marijuana facility licenses issued only to eligible entities and individuals, and are designed to allow marginalized or under-represented individuals to participate in the legal marijuana market.

There are two types of microbusiness licenses: dispensary and wholesale. A microbusiness dispensary facility is licensed to engage in the process of dispensing marijuana product for medical or adult use. A microbusiness wholesale facility is licensed to engage in the process of cultivating and/or manufacturing marijuana product for medical or adult use.
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Apr 28 2023

California Committees Vote to Establish Marijuana Catering License

California legislation that “would add acting as a cannabis caterer for a private event to the definition of commercial cannabis activity” has been passed by two Assembly committees.

(Photo credit: New Food Magazine)

Filed by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, Assembly Bill 471 was passed late last month by the Committee on Business and Professions Committee by a vote of 14 to 3. Yesterday the measure was passed through the Committee on Governmental Organization, with members voting 17 to 4 in favor.

Assembly Bill 471 has now been sent to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, with passage in that committee allowing it to be debated on the Assembly floor.
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