Jan 08 2025

New Kentucky Bill Would Remove Criminal Penalties for Marijuana Possession and Cultivation, Allow Expungements

Yesterday, State Representative David Yates (D) filed legislation that would remove criminal penalties for possessing and cultivating certain amounts of marijuana.

If enacted, Senate Bill 33 would amend existing statutes to remove criminal penalties for possession up to eight ounces of marijuana, and cultivating up to five marijuana plants. Penalties for possessing over the allotted amount would be reduced, from a Class A misdemeanor (punishable by up to 12 months in jail) to a Class B misdemeanor (normally punishable by up to 90 days in jail, but the bill specifies the max penalty as 45 days). In addition, the penalty for trafficking would be reduced from a felony, to a misdemeanor.

The measure also introduces a retroactive expungement process for certain prior marijuana-related convictions, aiming to provide relief to individuals previously penalized under outdated laws.
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Jan 08 2025

Bipartisan Bill Filed in New York Proposes Strict THC Limits on Marijuana Products

A bill to limit the potency of marijuana products in New York was introduced today by State Representatives Phil Steck (D) and Keith Brown (R).

The bipartisan legislation, NY A00977, seeks to amend New York’s cannabis law to establish maximum THC concentrations for cannabis flower and other related products. Under the proposal, cannabis flower would be capped at 15% THC, while all other cannabis and hemp products, including medical cannabis and cannabinoid hemp, would be limited to 25% THC.

If enacted, individuals or businesses that knowingly violate these potency restrictions could face a class B misdemeanor. Such offenses carry potential penalties of up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine.
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Jan 08 2025

Legislation to Legalize DMT, Ibogaine, Mescaline and Psilocybin Filed in New York Assembly

State Representative Linda Rosenthal, joined by eight cosponsors, introduced Assembly Bill A00628 today in the New York Legislature.

Mescaline (top left), ibogaine (top right), psilocybin mushrooms (bottom left), and DMT (bottom right).

The measure seeks to legalize the possession, use, and cultivation of certain natural plant- and fungus-based hallucinogens for those 21 and older. The bill has been referred to the Health and Social Services Committee for review.

If enacted, A00628 would legalize substances including psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, mescaline, and ibogaine. These hallucinogens would be removed from New York’s list of schedule I controlled substances, making their use, cultivation, and sharing legal within defined parameters. The legislation includes broad protections for individuals and organizations engaging with these substances.
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Jan 08 2025

Study: Cannabichromene (CBC) May Help Treat Atopic Dermatitis

Cannabichromene (CBC), a lesser-known cannabinoid found in marijuana, may offer therapeutic benefits for inflammatory skin conditions like atopic dermatitis (AD), according to new research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

The study, conducted by researchers at The Catholic University of Korea, investigated CBC’s impact on AD using a 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced BALB/c mouse model. CBC was topically administered in two doses: 0.1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg.

Findings revealed significant improvements in skin lesion severity, ear and epithelial thickness, and reduced mast cell infiltration in the 0.1 mg/kg treatment group compared to the DNCB-only group.
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Jan 08 2025

Cannabinol (CBN) and Cannbigerol (CBG) Show Promise in Fighting Leukemia, Study Finds

A study published in the journal Molecules highlights the potential of two cannabis-derived compounds, cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG), in combating acute myeloid leukemia.

“Several cannabis plant-derived compounds, especially cannabinoids, exhibit therapeutic potential in numerous diseases and conditions”, states the study’s abstract. “In particular, THC and CBD impart palliative, antiemetic, as well as anticancer effects. The antitumor effects include inhibition of cancerous cell growth and metastasis and induction of cell death, all mediated by cannabinoid interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).”

However, “the exact molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. In addition, their effects on leukemia have scarcely been investigated.”
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Jan 07 2025

Delaware and Minnesota Remain On Track to Launch Recreational Marijuana Markets This Year.

Since the start of the new year, marijuana agency heads in both Delaware and Minnesota have stepped down. Even so, both states remain on track to launch licensed recreational marijuana sales in the coming months.

Currently, 21 states have active recreational marijuana markets, with Delaware and Minnesota set to join that list later this year. Of the 24 legal marijuana states, only Virginia does not allow licensed sales.

In Delaware, the state’s first-ever marijuana commissioner, Robert M. Coupe, recently stepped down to join the private sector as Chief of Staff at CRx Construction. The move comes just as the state’s legal marijuana market is about to launch, and comes just two weeks after the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) conducted a public license lottery to select applicants in the Open Retail category for Delaware’s regulated marijuana industry.
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Jan 07 2025

Illinois House Rejects Bill to Tighten Hemp Regulations, Including Delta-8 THC

Legislation that would have imposed strict regulations on hemp-derived THC products has failed to advance in the final moments of the 103rd General Assembly’s lame-duck session.

Gummies made with hemp-derived Delta-8 THC.

Despite passing the state Senate 54 to 1 in May, and despite the backing of Governor J.B. Pritzker, the bill encountered resistance within the House’s Democratic supermajority.

The legislation, known as the Hemp Consumer Products Act, proposed limiting sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries, banning synthetic THC production, and introducing age restrictions, testing, and labeling requirements.
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Jan 07 2025

Florida Senate Bill Filed to Protect Parental Rights of Medical Marijuana Patients

State Senator Tina Polsky (D), Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, filed Senate Bill 146 today, aiming to protect the parental rights of qualified medical marijuana patients in Florida.

The proposed legislation would amend section 39.806 of the Florida Statutes to prohibit courts from denying or restricting a parent’s custody, visitation, or parenting time solely because of their status as a qualified medical marijuana patient. It also ensures that such status cannot create a presumption of child neglect or endangerment. If passed, this measure would take effect on July 1, 2025, providing greater security for parents using medical marijuana under Florida law.

Florida legalized medical marijuana in 2016 through a constitutional amendment, allowing patients with qualifying conditions to access cannabis as a treatment. The law, governed by section 381.986 of the Florida Statutes, allows patients with conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, and chronic pain to use medical marijuana with a physician’s recommendation. Patients must obtain a state-issued Medical Marijuana Use Registry Identification Card to legally purchase and use cannabis products through the state’s
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Jan 07 2025

U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Again Rules Prosecuting Marijuana Users for Gun Possession Violates Second Amendment

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has once again ruled that prosecuting individuals for gun possession based solely on marijuana use violates the Second Amendment.

This decision, issued by a three-judge panel, reverses the conviction of Patrick Darnell Daniels Jr., a Mississippi resident sentenced to nearly four years in prison under 18 USC 922(g)(3), a law that prohibits firearm possession by users of controlled substances. In August, the court ruled that a Texas resident cannot be prosecuted under a federal law that prohibits drug users from owning firearms, stating that the law is unconstitutional when applied to individuals with past drug use.

When it comes to Daniels, he was arrested in Hancock County, Mississippi, during a routine traffic stop in April 2022. Officers found firearms in his vehicle along with the remnants of marijuana joints. He was convicted of illegal gun possession and subsequently lost his Second Amendment rights permanently. However, the 5th Circuit overturned his conviction in 2023, ruling that the federal statute did not align with the Supreme Court’s test for gun regulations, established in the 2022 case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
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Jan 07 2025

Maine Marijuana Sales Pass $20 Million in December, Bringing 2024 Total to Over $240 Million

In Maine, the over $20 million in legal marijuana sold in December brought the total for 2024 to above $240 million.

There was $20,154,122 worth of legal marijuana sold in December in Maine, including $11.28 million in “usable cannabis” (flower, pre-rolls and shake/trim), $5.6 million in concentrates and $3.25 million in infused products (edibles, drinks, capsules, etc.), according to data released by the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy. This brings 2024’s total to $243,876,905.

2024’s sales were split across 4,559,786 different transactions, with an average price per gram of dried flower standing at $7.24. The average price for December was lower than the yearly average, at $7.09.
In October, $11.9 million of marijuana sales was attributed to “usable cannabis,” $5.7 million to marijuana concentrates, and $3.2 million to “infused products.”
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