Mar 17 2025

Mississippi Senate Finance Committee Approves House-Backed Bill to Impose 15% Excise Tax on Kratom

Mississippi House Bill 1896, which would impose a 15% excise tax on kratom products, has been approved by the state’s Senate Finance Committee.

Kratom products.

The measure, filed by State Representative Kevin Horan (R), previously passed the full House with unanimous support in a 114 to 0 vote.

HB 1896 would establish a tax on kratom products, which include any food or dietary supplements containing kratom leaf or kratom leaf extract. The tax would be levied at 15% of the manufacturer’s list price and would apply to sales, use, consumption, handling, or distribution within Mississippi. Under the proposal, the tax burden would ultimately fall on consumers, as businesses would be allowed to pass the cost on at the point of sale.
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

Maryland Senate Approves Bill Protecting Fire and Rescue Workers From Employment Penalties for Medical Marijuana Use

The Maryland Senate has approved legislation to protect fire and rescue workers from employment penalties for medical marijuana use, passing Senate Bill 1023 with a vote of 36 to 8.

Filed by Senator Carl Jackson (D), the bill prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against fire and rescue public safety employees who are certified medical marijuana patients.

SB 1023 safeguards firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and other fire and rescue personnel from discrimination based on their legal medical marijuana use. The measure prevents employers from disciplining, discharging, or penalizing employees solely for possessing a valid medical marijuana certification or testing positive for marijuana components or metabolites. However, it does not permit employees to work while impaired or use marijuana within 12 hours of a work shift.
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

Illinois Lawmakers Schedule Public Hearing on Kratom Consumer Protection Act

A key committee in the Illinois House of Representatives has scheduled a public hearing on a bill dubbed the “Kratom Consumer Protection Act”.

A bowl of kratom powder, kratom pills, and kratom leaves.

Filed on January 13 by Representative Curtis Tarver, Illinois House Bill 1303 has since garnered three bipartisan sponsors. The bill would prohibit the distribution of kratom to individuals under 21, including establishing “online age verification”, and it would ban products that are deemed “attractive to children”.

The measure states that “no person shall offer for sale any kratom product that contains synthesized or semi-synthesized kratom alkaloids or kratom constituents.. or certain chemical compositions”
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

Mother of Five From Milwaukee Deported to Laos Over Marijuana Conviction, Now Stranded Without Medical Care

A Hmong American mother of five has been deported from Milwaukee to Laos—a nation she has never been to—following a prison sentence tied to a marijuana conviction.

Ma Yang (left).

Ma Yang, 37, is now being held in a rooming house in Laos under military guard, without any identification or legal documents, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She does not speak the language, has no known contacts in the country, and is now struggling to access basic necessities, including her medications for diabetes and high blood pressure. Yang has lived in Milwaukee since she was eight months old.

“The United States sent me back to die. I don’t even know where to go. I don’t even know what to do”, Yang told the Sentinel.
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

Vermont Marijuana Sales Reach $11.38 Million in January, 9% Increase From Previous Year

Vermont’s legal marijuana market recorded $11.38 million in sales in January, according to data from the state’s Department of Taxes.

January’s sales total resulted in $1.59 million in tax revenue, including the state’s 14% excise tax and 6% sales tax.

January’s sales reflect a slight decrease from the $11.82 million recorded in December but mark a more than 9% increase from the $10.42 million sold in January 2024.
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

Illinois Committee Schedules Public Hearing on Bill to Restrict Vehicle Searches Over Cannabis Odor

A public hearing has been scheduled for House Bill 2585 on March 18 at 2 p.m. in Room D-1 of the Stratton Building, where it will be reviewed by the Illinois House Judiciary – Criminal Committee.

Filed by State Representative Curtis Tarver (D), with Representative Kevin Olickal (D) signing on as a co-sponsor today, House BIll 2585 would prevent law enforcement from stopping, searching, or detaining a vehicle or its occupants solely based on the smell of burnt or raw cannabis. The bill also removes the current requirement that cannabis must be stored in an odor-proof container within a motor vehicle.

The proposal marks an effort to limit vehicle searches related to marijuana odor, a practice that has been widely debated since Illinois legalized recreational cannabis in 2019. Supporters argue that relying on odor alone leads to unnecessary traffic stops and potential profiling, while opponents contend it could complicate enforcement against impaired driving.
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

North Carolina Lawmakers File Bill to Legalize Marijuana

A coalition of six North Carolina lawmakers, led by State Representative Jordan Lopez (D), introduced House Bill 413 today, which would legalize and regulate marijuana across the state.

The Marijuana Legalization and Reinvestment Act would allow those 21 and older to possess, cultivate, and purchase marijuana while implementing a licensed regulatory system for production and sales.

The bill outlines a framework to regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol, establishing licensed cannabis cultivation facilities, retail outlets, and product testing requirements. It also proposes a 30% excise tax on retail sales, with revenues earmarked for community reinvestment programs, substance abuse treatment, public education, and law enforcement training to detect impaired driving. Although this would give North Carolina one of the highest marijuana tax rates in the nation, it would be less than Washington’s 37% marijuana excise tax.
Continue reading

Mar 17 2025

New Mexico House Committee Approves Senate-Backed Bill to Legalize Medical Psilocybin

The New Mexico House Health & Human Services Committee has approved legislation that would legalize medical psilocybin, advancing the bill to the full House for consideration.

The committee voted 8 to 1 today in favor of Senate Bill 219, the Medical Psilocybin Act. The measure previously cleared the Senate with a 33 to 4 vote after gaining approval from multiple Senate committees, including Finance, Judiciary, and Tax, Business and Transportation. If the bill is passed by the House, it will be sent to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for consideration.

If enacted, the legislation would allow individuals with specific behavioral health conditions—such as major treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and end-of-life distress—to receive psilocybin-assisted treatment. It would also create 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.
Continue reading

Mar 16 2025

Montana Lawmakers Move Forward With Measure to Restrict Recreational Marijuana Law

A Montana bill that would impose new restrictions on the state’s recreational marijuana market is advancing in the legislature.

House Bill 636, which passed the full House in an 84 to 15 vote last week, was referred on Friday to the Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee for further consideration.

The bill, introduced by Representative James Etchart (R), proposes significant changes to Montana’s marijuana laws. If enacted, it would cut the THC limit for edibles in half, reducing the maximum serving size from 10 mg to 5 mg and maintaining the 100 mg per package cap. It also bans candy and dessert-like edibles that could be considered appealing to children.
Continue reading

Mar 16 2025

Washington Senate Passes Bill Adjusting Distance Rules for Social Equity Marijuana Retail Outlets

The Washington Senate has voted 31 to 17 to pass Substitute Senate Bill 5758, which modifies distance requirements for social equity marijuana retailers.

The bill,  introduced by State Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D), is an attempt to support businesses owned by individuals disproportionately affected by past marijuana prohibition policies. The measure was approved by the Senate this week 31 to 17.

Under the bill, local governments are prohibited from requiring social equity marijuana retailers to be more than 250 feet away from other licensed marijuana retail locations. This marks a significant shift from existing regulations, which have often restricted where social equity licensees can operate due to strict zoning laws.
Continue reading