The National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) and US Cannabis Council (USCC) today announced an agreement to combine the two organizations that represent leading multi-state and single-state cannabis operators, retailers, ancillary businesses, and advocacy organizations.

The combination, which will be known as the US Cannabis Roundtable, immediately establishes a singular voice representing the cannabis industry to the newly sworn in 119^th Congress and the incoming Trump Administration. The combined organization will represent operators across 38 states and a substantial amount of the 13,000 retail locations and nearly 450,000 full-time employees working in the state-licensed cannabis industry.

“This is a pivotal time for the regulated cannabis industry with a newly elected Congress and an incoming President who has publicly supported and pledged to advance commonsense cannabis reform,” said Charlie Bachtell, CEO of Cresco Labs and Chairperson of both NCR and USCC. “As the Chairman of both groups, I have seen first-hand the incredible talent of each organization and know that the combined group will be the unified authority advocating on behalf of the legal cannabis industry and a resource on all things cannabis for members of the Trump Administration and Congress.”
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Two bills were introduced today in the Iowa House of Representatives that aim to reduce penalties for marijuana possession in the state.

Filed by Republican lawmakers, the proposals take slightly different approaches but share a common goal of reforming Iowa’s marijuana laws.

House File 72, sponsored by State Representative Josh Meggers, would lower the penalty for possessing 10 grams or less of marijuana. Under the proposed legislation, such possession would be reclassified from an aggravated misdemeanor to a simple misdemeanor with a $500 fine. The bill eliminates the potential for jail time.
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A new report compiled by the Marijuana Policy Project demonstrates that legalizing recreational cannabis has not led to increased cannabis use among youth. In fact, data that was recently released shows decreases in youth cannabis use in 19 of the 21 states with before-and-after data.

“Over a decade into state-level cannabis legalization, the data is unequivocal: Legalization does not increase youth cannabis use. In fact, evidence suggests the opposite. By transitioning cannabis sales from the illicit market to a regulated system with age-restricted access, we’ve seen a decrease in youth cannabis use,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project.

Nationwide, both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Monitoring the Future survey indicate significant drops in youth marijuana use between 2011 and 2023/2024, while half of the country legalized and regulated cannabis for adults. These findings challenge the notion that adult-use cannabis legalization is a gateway to increased youth use.
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Newly released figures from the Maryland Cannabis Administration reveal that the state’s marijuana industry generated $1.14 billion in total sales in 2024.

December alone accounted for $98,867,338 in sales, with $74 million from recreational purchases and the remainder from medical marijuana. The average price per gram in December was $9.43.

Breaking down December’s sales, dried marijuana flower remained the top product, generating $46 million in revenue. Concentrates followed with $30 million, while edibles contributed $12.5 million to the monthly total.
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December marijuana sales in Massachusetts topped $154 million.

Data released today by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) shows that there was $140.2 million worth of recreational marijuana sold in December. When combined with the $14.5 million in medical marijuana sold during the same month, there was $154.7 million in total marijuana sales.

December’s sales total brings the total for 2024 to $1.65 billion. The all-time total since 2018 is now $7.20 billion.
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State Senators Lindsey Port, Matt Klein, and Clare Oumou Verbeten unveiled Senate File 204 today, a measure that would expand expungement and resentencing opportunities for past cannabis convictions.

If enacted, the legislation would amend Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 609A.06, subdivision 3, to broaden the scope of offenses eligible for expungement or resentencing. Under the bill, individuals convicted of first- through fifth-degree controlled substance crimes involving marijuana or tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) may qualify, provided specific criteria are met. These criteria include:

1. The absence of dangerous weapons, intentional bodily harm, or acts intended to cause fear of harm in connection with the offense.
2. The offense being classified as a lesser crime or no longer considered a crime following Minnesota’s marijuana reforms effective August 1, 2023.
3. Exhaustion of all appeals related to the conviction.

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New research published in Molecular Psychiatry explores the anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cue-induced anxiety, offering insights into its potential as a therapeutic treatment for anxiety disorders.

The study, conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, Indiana University, and the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai, examined how CBD influences behavior and molecular changes in the brain.

The researchers used a fear conditioning model in male rats, exposing them to a shock-paired odor to trigger cue-induced anxiety. CBD (10 mg/kg) was administered one hour before anxiety assessments. The results showed that CBD significantly reduced avoidance behavior, but only in rats exposed repeatedly to the anxiety-inducing cue.
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U.S. Representative Dina Titus is advocating for cannabis banking reform, improved access to medical marijuana for veterans, and expanded research opportunities as top priorities for the 119th Congress.

These initiatives echo long-standing efforts that have yet to cross the legislative finish line, Titus acknowledged in an interview with MJBizDaily.

Titus, a Nevada Democrat and newly appointed co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, has partnered with Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar in this leadership role. Speaking with MJBizDaily shortly after Congress reconvened, she outlined her hopes for legislative action in a session dominated by new members and the return of Donald Trump to the presidency.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has released a request for information (RFI) soliciting comments from the public, particularly veterinarians, related to the use of cannabis-derived products (CDP) in animals.

The focus of this RFI is on cannabidiol (CBD) products and other products derived from hemp. The FDA is interested in general trends associated with these products, such as information about usage trends (e.g., product selection, indications, etc.), quality standards, benefits of use, potential drug interactions, adverse events and safety problems, and toxicological concerns.

Information received through this RFI “will enhance the FDA’s knowledge of potential safety signals associated with CDPs and improve the FDA’s understanding of veterinarians’ experiences related to the use of CDPs in their animal patients”, states the agency.
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Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman has softened his stance on altering the state’s marijuana legalization law, a significant change from his November promise to undo the law.

This change follows discussions with State Representatives Jamie Callender, a marijuana legalization advocate, and industry representatives.

Ohio voters approved Issue 2 in November 2023, legalizing marijuana for everyone 21 and older. The law allows individuals to grow up to six plants, with a maximum of 12 per household. Since the first licensed recreational marijuana store opened on August 7, the state has generated a combined $397,777,981 in marijuana sales.
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