Jan 14 2025

New Hampshire: Republican Lawmaker Files Bill to Legalize Psilocybin for Those 21+

New Hampshire State Representative Kevin Verville (R) has introduced House Bill 528, legislation that would legalize psilocybin for those 21 and older.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

Filed today, the bill has been referred to the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee for review. The measure “establishes that it is not an offense for a person 21 years of age or older to obtain, purchase, transport, possess, or use psilocybin”, according to its official analysis.

Specifically, the measure states that “Any person under 21 years of age who obtains, purchases, transports, possesses, or uses psilocybin shall be subject to the penalties in RSA 318-B:26.”
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Jan 14 2025

First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens in Miami After Years of Legal Battles

Nearly a decade after Florida voters approved the legalization of medical marijuana, the first dispensary has officially opened within Miami city limits.

Ayr Wellness inaugurated its Midtown location at 3160 N. Miami Ave. on Friday, January 10, marking a significant milestone in a city that has long resisted the presence of dispensaries.

“This has been a five-plus-year process since we started planning this particular dispensary,” said Rob Vanisko, vice president of public engagement for Ayr Wellness, in an interview with the Miami New Times. “From lease signing to all the approvals to the appeals to actually be able to get this open has been quite the process.”
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Jan 14 2025

Arkansas Governor Announces Medical Marijuana Tax Revenue to Fund Free School Meals and Programs

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has unveiled plans to allocate tax revenue from medical marijuana sales and licensing to fund free school meals across the state.

“I’ve already announced that Arkansas will participate in summer EBT this year. And today, I’m announcing my plan to use medical marijuana money to make both this program and our free lunch and breakfast programs financially sustainable for years to come”, said Sanders in her State of the State address.

Sanders said “We will also use those funds to make school breakfasts in Arkansas completely free for ay student that chooses to participate.”
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Jan 14 2025

Maryland Legislation to Allow On–Site Cannabis Consumption Establishments and Events Scheduled for Public Hearing

Legislation allowing on-site cannabis consumption establishments and regulated cannabis events has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Maryland Senate.

Senate Bill 215 has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Finance Hearing on January 30 at 1pm. Companion measure House Bill 132 has been assigned to the House Economic Matters Committee, but not yet scheduled for a public hearing.

The legislation establishes detailed regulations for on-site consumption establishments, initially limiting license applications to social equity applicants until mid-2028. These establishments would be authorized to distribute, repackage, and process marijuana products, including cannabinoid beverages, exclusively for on-site consumption. However, indoor smoking of marijuana would remain prohibited. Local jurisdictions would have the authority to regulate operating hours, enforce zoning restrictions, or entirely ban these establishments.
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Jan 14 2025

Study: High-Potency Cannabis Use Linked to Improved Mood and Decreased Anxiety, No Negative Impact on Emotional Regulation

A study by researchers from Oregon State University and Washington State University has found that high-potency cannabis may improve mood and decrease anxiety in young adults, while having no affects on emotional regulation.

Published in Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical & Experimental, the study “used a novel methodology to examine the acute effects of high-potency cannabis flower on emotion regulation.”

The study involved 12 participants aged 21 to 30 who used cannabis at least once per week. Researchers assessed their emotion regulation abilities through two tasks: the Emotional Go/No-Go Task for implicit emotion regulation and a cognitive reappraisal task for explicit regulation. These tasks were conducted under both sober and intoxicated conditions, with participants smoking cannabis flower at home under video observation.
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Jan 14 2025

South Carolina Bill to Legalize Medical Marijuana Assigned to Senate Committee on Medical Affairs

The South Carolina Senate took a step forward today in the consideration of medical marijuana legislation as Senate Bill 53 was assigned to the Committee on Medical Affairs.

Filed in December by State Senator Thomas Davis, the bill proposes the creation of a legal framework for the medical use of marijuana in South Carolina. It closely aligns with a similar effort introduced in the state’s House of Representatives—House Bill 3019, known as the “Put Patients First Act,” filed by Representative Todd Rutherford.

Both measures aim to establish comprehensive guidelines for medical marijuana use in South Carolina, targeting patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Jan 13 2025

New York Senators File Bill to Restrict Density of Cannabis Stores

Legislation to limit the density of licensed marijuana stores has been filed in the New York Senate.

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

Today, New York State Senators Nathalia Fernandez and Joseph Addabbo, both Democrats, introduced Senate Bill 1769, proposing significant amendment to the state’s cannabis law to address the proximity of licensed cannabis stores.

The bill would prevent new cannabis dispensaries from opening within 500 feet of an existing licensed retail outlet in cities, towns, or villages with populations exceeding 20,000. Measurements would be taken in a straight line from the nearest entrances of the respective establishments.
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Jan 13 2025

Indiana Senate Bill Filed to Legalize Medical Marijuana

Today, Indiana State Senator Greg Taylor (D) introduced a measure to establish a comprehensive medical marijuana program.

Senate Bill 400 has been assigned to the Committee on Health and Provider Services. Notably, this filing comes just five days after State Representatives Jim Lucas (R) and Shane Lindauer (R) introduced House Bill 1178, which also seeks to legalize medical marijuana.

Senate Bill 400 proposes a detailed framework for the regulation and oversight of medical marijuana in Indiana. The legislation would allow qualified patients and their designated caregivers, with a physician’s recommendation, to possess specific quantities of marijuana for treating approved medical conditions. The program would be overseen by a new regulatory agency, supported by an advisory committee tasked with evaluating its effectiveness and recommending improvements.
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Jan 13 2025

New Washington Senate Bill Proposes Changes to Marijuana Advertising Rules

Washington State Senator Drew MacEwen (R) has introduced Senate Bill 5206, a proposal seeking to amend the state’s marijuana retailer advertising regulations.

The legislation, which has been referred to the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee for consideration, outlines significant modifications to advertising restrictions for licensed cannabis businesses.

These changes primarily address signage, advertising content, and the use of mascots. Under the proposed legislation, cannabis retailers would be permitted to display up to four trade name signs on their licensed premises, a notable shift from current limitations. Each sign must adhere to a size restriction of no more than 1,000 square inches and must be either affixed to the building or placed in a window visible to the public.
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Jan 13 2025

New Mexico’s Marijuana Industry Generates $48 Million in Sales in December, Bringing 2024 Total to $540 Million, All-Time Total $1.5 Billion

New Mexico’s legal marijuana market generated over $48 million in sales in December, bringing the 2024 total to well above $500 million, according to data released today by the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department.

In total, there was $48,721,851.36 worth of marijuana sold via licensed retail outlets and dispensaries in December, spread across 1,177,712 different transactions. This brings 2024’s total to around $540 million, with around 75% of these sales going to recreational consumers and 25% to medical marijuana patients.

The all-time total for marijuana sales in New Mexico is now $1,506,133,863.88, spread across 33,264,974 transactions.
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