Mar 07 2025

Government Data Shows Canadians Consuming Less Alcohol as Marijuana Sales Climb

Canadians are drinking less alcohol while spending more on marijuana, according to a report released today by Statistics Canada.

The shift marks a record decline in alcohol consumption and continued growth in the marijuana market, according to government data tracking sales trends for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Liquor authorities and retail outlets recorded a 3.8% drop in alcohol sales by volume, the largest decrease since Statistics Canada began tracking sales in 1949. Beer saw the sharpest decline, with sales falling 4.5% to 1,950 million liters, marking the eighth consecutive year of decreasing beer consumption. Wine and spirits sales also dropped by 4.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Despite these declines, alcohol prices increased by 2.5% over the same period.
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Mar 07 2025

New West Virginia Bill Would Legalize Marijuana Cultivation for Patients

A bill introduced today in the West Virginia House of Delegates would allow registered medical marijuana patients and caregivers to cultivate their own plants.

House Bill 3230, filed by Delegate Mike Pushkin (D), has been referred to the House Health and Human Resources Committee. The measure would amend the state’s medical cannabis law to allow home cultivation for qualifying patients.

The bill states: “Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a patient who receives certification from a practitioner and is in possession of a valid identification card issued by the bureau or a caregiver who is in possession of a valid identification card issued by the bureau may grow medical cannabis in its plant form: Provided, That the medical cannabis may only be used by the patient in accordance with certification from a certifying physician: Provided, however, That the patient or caregiver may not grow more than 10 cannabis plants, no more than five of which may be mature, flowering plants.”
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Mar 06 2025

New Jersey Committee Approves Bill to Add Sickle Cell Anemia as Qualifying Medical Cannabis Condition

A New Jersey Assembly committee has approved legislation to include sickle cell anemia as a qualifying medical cannabis condition.

Assembly Bill 913 was passed today by the Assembly Health Committee in a 9 to 1 vote. The measure would explicitly authorize medical marijuana as a treatment option for sickle cell anemia, a painful and debilitating blood disorder.

New Jersey has had a medical marijuana program since 2010, with qualifying conditions including chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. While the state also legalized recreational marijuana in 2021, medical authorization still provides significant benefits. Medical patients are exempt from the state’s standard cannabis tax and are allowed to possess up to three ounces in a 30-day period—higher than the limits set for recreational users. Additionally, medical dispensaries often have priority access to products and lower costs.
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Mar 06 2025

Kansas Senate Bill Filed to Legalize Medical Cannabis

Legislation to legalize medical cannabis in Kansas was filed today in the state’s Senate.

Kansas Senate Bill 294 was introduced today by the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. The bill, titled the Kansas Medical Cannabis Act, outlines a comprehensive framework for the cultivation, processing, distribution, and use of medical marijuana, establishing licensing requirements and regulatory oversight.

The bill would create a statewide system for medical marijuana access, allowing patients with qualifying medical conditions to obtain marijuana products if they receive a recommendation from a physician. Conditions covered under the bill include cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, among other ailments. The legislation also proposes the creation of a medical marijuana advisory board to oversee implementation and recommend regulatory adjustments.
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Mar 06 2025

Oklahoma Senate Committee Unanimously Approves Bill to Establish Mandatory Medical Cannabis Physician Database

Oklahoma Senate Bill 1066, introduced by Senator Randy Grellner (R), has cleared the Senate Business and Insurance Committee in a unanimous 10 to 0 vote.

The bill would create a mandatory registry of physicians authorized to recommend medical marijuana, requiring doctors to register with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) and complete ongoing medical education to remain eligible.

Starting January 1, 2026, only registered physicians will be allowed to issue medical marijuana recommendations. The legislation also prohibits doctors from working at the same location as a licensed dispensary and mandates that physicians notify OMMA if they determine a patient no longer meets the state’s requirements for medical marijuana use. In such cases, the patient’s license would be immediately revoked without a formal hearing.
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Mar 06 2025

Georgia Senate Passes Bill to Drastically Increase Allowable THC in Medical Marijuana, Authorize Vaping

Legislation designed to enhance Georgia’s medical marijuana program has been given approval by the state’s Senate.

The Senate passed Senate Bill 220 today with a 39 to 17 vote, garnering bipartisan support. Sponsored by Senator Matt Brass (R-Newnan), the bill would increase the allowable concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in medical marijuana by tenfold. Additionally, it allows patients to use vaping devices for faster relief during severe health episodes, such as epileptic seizures.​

Established in 2019, Georgia’s medical marijuana program currently serves approximately 26,000 patients diagnosed with conditions like cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS. House Bill 220 would expand this list to include lupus and inflammatory bowel disease, potentially offering relief to a broader patient population.​
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Mar 06 2025

Minnesota Bill Would Cap THC in Cannabis Products at 30% for Concentrates and 10% for Flower, Ban Infused Prerolls

A trio of Minnesota lawmakers have filed a bill that would introduce new restrictions on THC potency in cannabis and hemp-derived products.

Senate Bill 2174, introduced today by State Senator Carla Nelson (R) with cosponsors Senators Warren Limmer (R) and Jim Abeler (R), has been referred to the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee for review.

The bill mandates the Office of Cannabis Management to enforce strict THC limits across multiple product categories. If passed, adult-use cannabis concentrates could not exceed 30% THC, while cannabis flower would be capped at 10% THC.
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Mar 06 2025

U.S. House Bill to Block Marijuana Tax Deductions Even if Marijuana is Rescheduled Gains Eighth Sponsor

Legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would prohibit marijuana businesses from claiming tax deductions, even if marijuana is rescheduled under federal law, has gained an eighth sponsor, with Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) signing on this week as a cosponsor.

Filed last month by Representative Jodey Arrington (R-TX), House Resolution 1447 would amend the Internal Revenue Code to ensure that businesses involved in marijuana sales remain ineligible for standard tax deductions, even if marijuana is reclassified under federal law. The bill initially had six cosponsors.

Under current law, state-licensed marijuana businesses are unable to deduct common expenses, such as rent and payroll, due to Section 280E of the tax code. This provision applies to any business engaged in the trafficking of Schedule I or II substances. If the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) follows through on its proposal to move marijuana to Schedule III, businesses would ordinarily gain access to these deductions. However, Arrington’s bill would explicitly maintain the ban, ensuring marijuana companies continue to face a significantly higher tax burden than other industries.
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Mar 06 2025

Ohio House GOP Introduces Bill to Restrict Voter-Approved Marijuana Law, Less Restrictive Than Senate Version

Today, GOP members of the Ohio House of Representatives introduced a competing measure in response to the Senate’s recently passed Senate Bill 56, which would roll-back much of the voter-approved marijuana legalization law.

The House version maintains certain restrictions but is notably less severe, including maintain current home grow limits. It was officially introduced today at a press conference led by House Finance Chair Brian Stewart (R).

Ohio voters legalized marijuana in 2023, with the law allowing those 21 and older to possess 2.5 ounces of marijuana and 15 grams of concentrate, in addition to allowing them to grow up to six cannabis plants. Licensed dispensaries are authorized to distribute marijuana and marijuana products.
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Mar 06 2025

New York Bill Would Let Parolees and Probationers Work in the Legal Marijuana Industry

A bill introduced in the New York Senate today would remove barriers preventing individuals on parole, probation, or other forms of state supervision from working in the legal marijuana industry.

Senate Bill 6181, sponsored by Senator Kevin Parker (D), has been referred to the Investigations and Government Operations Committee for consideration. The measure updates state law to ensure that individuals required to be employed as a condition of their supervision can meet that requirement by working at a licensed marijuana business—unless their specific terms of supervision explicitly prohibit it.

The bill adds language stating that a person under state supervision “may fulfill such employment requirement through employment at any licensee under this chapter unless the terms and conditions of said parole, probation, or state supervision explicitly prohibit such person’s employment at such licensee.”
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