Mar 14 2025

Maryland Senate Committee Approves Bill to Protect Fire and Rescue Workers From Employment Penalties for Medical Marijuana

The Maryland Senate Finance Committee has passed legislation to protect fire and rescue workers from employment penalties for medical marijuana use.

Filed by Senator Carl Jackson (D), Senate Bill 1023 would prohibit employers from taking adverse actions against fire and rescue public safety employees who are certified medical marijuana patients.

If enacted, SB 1023 would safeguard firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and other fire and rescue personnel from discrimination based on their legal medical marijuana use. The bill 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 allow employees to work while impaired or use marijuana within 12 hours of a work shift.
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Mar 14 2025

Texas Lawmaker Files Bill to Legalize Adult-Use Marijuana, Including Home Grow and Licensed Stores

State Representative James Talarico (D) has introduced House Bill 5307, a measure that would legalize recreational marijuana in Texas, allowing adults 21 and older to purchase, possess, and cultivate cannabis for personal use.

The bill, filed today, would establish a regulated market for marijuana, setting up licensing for growers, distributors, and retailers. Under the proposal, adults could legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and 15 grams of cannabis concentrate. Home cultivation would also be allowed, with individuals allowed to grow up to six plants, and a maximum of 12 per household.

HB 5307 also includes provisions for expunging past marijuana-related convictions, along with taxation measures directing revenue to public education, substance abuse treatment, and local governments. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation would oversee the program.
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Mar 13 2025

West Virginia Bill Banning Multiple Artificial Food Dyes and Additives Sent to Governor

West Virginia’s House of Representatives and Senate have both voted to approve the same version of House Bill 2354, officially clearing the way for it to be sent to Governor Patrick Morrisey.

The measure, which would ban the sale of foods containing certain artificial dyes as well as the food additives butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben, received a concurrence vote in both chambers today, with lawmakers agreeing on the same language. It would also prohibit these substances from being used in school nutrition programs, with that provision set to take effect on August 1, 2025.

The House initially passed the bill in a 93 to 5 vote, and the Senate later approved it by a wide 31 to 2 margin. However, given it was amended slightly in the Senate, it needed to go back to the House.
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Mar 13 2025

Texas Senate Committee Unanimously Approves Bill to Expand Medical Cannabis Compassionate-Use Program

A Texas bill to expand the state’s Compassionate-Use Program for low-THC medical marijuana products has passed the Senate State Affairs Committee in a 8 to 0 vote.

Sponsored by State Senator Charles Perry (R), SB 1505 would allow licensed dispensaries to operate satellite storage locations, a move advocates say would improve access for patients. The bill also sets a statewide cap of six dispensing organization licenses, up from the current three, and requires licensed entities to begin dispensing low-THC cannabis within 24 months of approval.

Additionally, the measure imposes a 300-milligram limit on individual packages of low-THC cannabis products, replacing the existing regulation that caps THC concentration at 1% by weight. It would also prevent local governments from banning the cultivation, production, storage, or dispensing of low-THC cannabis within their jurisdictions.
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Mar 13 2025

Washington House Passes Bill to Establish Collective Bargaining Rights for Cannabis Growers

Legislation that would establish collective bargaining rights for some marijuana workers has been passed by Washington’s full House of Representatives, sending it to the Senate for consideration.

Introduced by State Representatives Lillian Ortiz-Self and Mary Fossee in, House Bill 1141 was passed this week by the House by a vote of 55 to 40. The proposal 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 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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Mar 13 2025

New Jersey Reports $294 Million in Legal Marijuana Sales in Q4 2024, Highest Quarter So Far

New Jersey’s legal marijuana market reached a new milestone in the fourth quarter of 2024, reporting a record $294.1 million in total sales according to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

This marks the highest single quarter since the launch of legal sales in the state, driven largely by the continued growth of the recreational market.

The Q4 total includes $277.2 million in recreational sales and $17 million from medical marijuana purchases. This follows a steady increase throughout the year, with total marijuana sales in 2024 reaching $1.08 billion. The state’s recreational market alone accounted for just over $1 billion in sales, while medical sales continued to decline as more consumers shifted to adult-use purchases.
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Mar 13 2025

Vermont Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Decriminalize Personal Drug Use and Fund Harm Reduction Services

A bill introduced today in Vermont’s Senate would eliminate criminal penalties for possessing and dispensing small amounts of drugs while directing cannabis tax revenue toward harm reduction services.

Vermont flag.

Senate Bill 120, filed by Senators Anya Vyhovsky (D), Martine Gulick (D), and Rebecca White (D), was read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary today. If passed, the legislation would mark a significant shift in Vermont’s approach to drug policy, focusing on public health rather than criminalization.

The bill proposes the elimination of misdemeanor charges for possessing and dispensing what it defines as a “benchmark personal use supply” of regulated drugs. Instead of arrest and prosecution, individuals found in possession of small amounts would be provided with health screenings and referrals to available services. A new Drug Use Health and Safety Advisory Board would be established to determine the specific quantity limits for personal use.
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Mar 13 2025

Maryland House Advances Legislation to Legalize Cannabis Concentrate Production for Personal Use, Expand Resentencing Options

The Maryland House of Delegates has given second-reading approval to a measure that would legalize the personal production of solventless cannabis concentrates while enabling certain individuals to seek reduced sentences for specific marijuana-related offenses.

A third and final reading on House Bill 413 is expected soon, which would send the bill to the Senate.

“A person who is at least 21 years old may manufacture a personal use amount of cannabis products or concentrated cannabis for personal use or adult sharing at a private residence if the manufacturing process does not involve the use of a volatile solvent,” states the proposed law.
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Mar 13 2025

Study: 40% of Veterans With Chronic Pain Use Cannabis to Manage Symptoms

According to the results of a new study, 40% of military veterans in the United States who suffer from chronic pain consume cannabis to treat their ailment.

(Photo credit: Getty Images Plus)

Published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health, the study was conducted by researchers from the University of California at San Francisco and Yale University. Researchers examined patients suffering from chronic pain who were enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration primary care services program.

The study found that 40% use cannabis products to manage their pain symptoms, a number researchers claim is likely to be under-reported.
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Mar 12 2025

Idaho: New Bipartisan Legislation Would Legalize Medical Cannabis

A bill to legalize medical marijuana in Idaho was introduced today in the state legislature.

House Bill 401 would create a regulated program allowing qualified patients to access medical marijuana for various health conditions. Sponsored by State Representatives Jordan Redman (R) and Ilana Rubel (D), the measure would allow the use, possession, and transportation of medical marijuana for those with a valid medical cannabis card issued by the state.

The bill outlines a list of qualifying conditions, including cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and other serious ailments. Patients would be allowed up to 4,000 milligrams of THC in processed forms or 60 grams of unprocessed flower, with higher limits for those in hospice care or suffering from terminal illnesses.
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