Jun 18 2025

Colorado Governor Issues Mass Pardons for Psilocybin Possession Following New Law

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has issued a sweeping round of pardons for individuals with past psilocybin-related convictions, marking the state’s first-ever move of this kind for psychedelics.

The announcement came Wednesday during the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference, just two weeks after Governor Polis signed legislation granting himself and future governors the authority to issue clemency for offenses involving substances that have since been legalized. The new law, backed by State Senator Matt Ball and Representative Lisa Feret, allows pardons for low-level possession convictions involving psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, and ibogaine.

Under the executive order, anyone convicted at the state level for possession of psilocybin or psilocyn is now eligible for a pardon. Governor Polis called the measure part of Colorado’s ongoing shift “towards a fairer future,” echoing his support for reform since the state approved natural medicine legalization in 2022.
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Jun 18 2025

Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management Issues First Marijuana Business License, Announces Upcoming License Application Opportunities

Today, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced that it has issued the first cannabis business license in the state of Minnesota.

(Photo credit: Getty Images).

The first licensee, Herb Quest, LLC, is a microbusiness located in Brook Park in Pine County, Minnesota, whose initial primary business activity will be outdoor cultivation of cannabis plants.

“Issuing the first business license is a major milestone for the office,” said OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel. “With our first licensed cultivator now able to begin growing plants, and more than 600 businesses within the final steps of completing their applications and securing approvals from local governments, we are now seeing the first pieces of Minnesota’s adult-use market fall into place.”
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Jun 18 2025

Colorado Marijuana Taxes and Fees Total Over $20 Million in May, Year-to-Date Total Tops $95 Million

Colorado brought in $20,143,978 in marijuana taxes and fees in May, bringing the state’s year-to-date total for 2025 to $95,461,601. That’s according to new data published by the Colorado Department of Revenue.

(Photo credit: USA Today).

Of the revenue collected in May, $19,284,989 came from marijuana-related taxes, while $858,990 was generated through licensing and other regulatory fees. The single largest contributor was the state’s 15% retail marijuana sales tax, which brought in just under $15 million. An additional $3.96 million came from the 15% excise tax imposed on wholesale marijuana transfers.

Other revenue sources included the 2.9% state sales tax on medical and retail marijuana, public school funds, local government distributions, and licensing charges for marijuana businesses.
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Jun 18 2025

Ohio Marijuana Sales Reach $849 Million, Nearly 11 Million Transactions 10 Months After Legal Market Launch

Ohio’s legal marijuana market continues to grow at a steady pace, with new data showing the state has now surpassed $849 million in total marijuana sales since the launch of adult-use sales in August.

According to the Division of Cannabis Control, from August 7 through June 14, Ohio retailers brought in $849,695,302 in marijuana sales. This includes $587,448,062 from the adult-use market and $262,247,240 from medical marijuana sales.

In that time, consumers have completed a combined 10,948,491 marijuana transactions. That includes 8,143,830 adult-use purchases and 2,804,661 from registered medical marijuana patients.
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Jun 17 2025

Michigan Marijuana Industry Now Employs 38,827 Workers, Surpasses $1.3 Billion in 2025 Sales

Legal marijuana sales in Michigan totaled over $272 million in May, according to a report released by the Cannabis Regulatory Agency (CRA), bringing year-to-date sales to $1,327,428,076.88.

May’s sales figure includes $553,000 in medical marijuana sales and $272 million from the adult-use market.

Adult-use flower remained the top-selling product, generating nearly $118 million in sales. Other popular items included vape cartridges ($49 million), inhalable concentrates ($44 million), and infused edibles ($24 million). In total, 617,538 pounds of product and 2.7 million fluid ounces were sold in the recreational market during the month. The average retail price for an ounce of flower was $63.17.
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Jun 17 2025

Maine Legislature Passes Bill Creating Separate Licensing System for Sun-Grown Marijuana With Significantly Lower Fees

A bill to establish a distinct regulatory structure for sun-grown marijuana, with lowers costs, has passed both chambers of the Maine Legislature and is now on its way to Governor Janet Mills for consideration.

(Photo credit: Danaan/stock.adobe.com).

The legislation was approved by the Senate in a 21 to 14 vote, after clearing the House 110 to 35. The measure defines “sun-grown cultivation” and “sun-grown cultivator” under state law, applying to those who grow marijuana primarily using natural sunlight and limited artificial lighting.

The bill creates a separate licensing framework for outdoor cultivators, including significantly lower fees. For example, a Tier 4 outdoor cultivation license would cost $15,000 annually—half the cost of an equivalent indoor operation.
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Jun 17 2025

Massachusetts Cannabis Commission Eyes Final Vote on Social Consumption Rules by Late July

The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) is moving forward with finalizing regulations that would allow adults to use marijuana in designated social settings, with a vote on the final rules expected by the end of July.

Despite the final vote expected to come next month, CCC Acting Chairman Bruce Stebbins emphasized during a Tuesday meeting that no part of the draft regulations is locked in.

The commission held a policy discussion this week aimed at guiding the final version of rules for social consumption licenses, which have been in development for months. Stebbins said the meeting was meant to help shape an “updated framework and draft regulations for us to consider,” leading up to a potential vote in the last week of July.
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Jun 17 2025

Alaska: Proponents of Legalizing Psychedelics Begin Signature Drive for 2026 Initiative

A group of Alaska advocates has launched an effort to legalize certain natural psychedelics and establish a regulated system for their supervised use.

Organizers with Natural Medicine Alaska began collecting initial signatures this week in Anchorage and Palmer. The move kicks off the state’s ballot initiative process, with the first step requiring just 100 valid signatures from registered voters. Once those are submitted, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R) will have up to 60 days to determine whether the measure can proceed to full signature gathering in time for the 2026 general election.

The proposal would legalize the cultivation, sharing and non-commercial use of psilocybin, psilocin, DMT and non-peyote mescaline. It follows a “grow, gather, gift” model already embraced in other states by psychedelic reform campaigns.
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Jun 17 2025

Study: Full-Spectrum Cannabis Extracts Reduce Chronic Pain, Anxiety, and Insomnia Symptoms in Majority of Patients

A study published in the Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy found that full-spectrum cannabis extracts containing both THC and CBD significantly improved symptoms of chronic pain in most patients, while also reducing anxiety and insomnia.

(Photo credit: Marie Jeanne).

The prospective, open-label study followed 88 patients between the ages of 35 and 88 who were diagnosed with chronic pain. Researchers evaluated patients using a visual analogue pain scale, a quality of life numerical scale, and a self-administered health survey. Over the course of the study, 51 patients reported a reduction in pain by at least 50%, while 38 experienced a similar reduction in anxiety and 48 saw major improvements in insomnia. Appetite was the only quality-of-life measure that did not show statistically significant change.

In addition, 23 participants either reduced or stopped using other pain medications, including analgesics and anti-inflammatories. All reported adverse effects were mild and reversible.
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Jun 17 2025

New Jersey Assembly Committee Advances Bill to Expand Labor Rights for Cannabis Workers

A New Jersey bill that would provide cannabis workers with the same collective bargaining protections as other private sector employees has been approved by the Assembly Labor Committee and now moves to the full Assembly for consideration.

Filed in April by Representatives Warne DeAngelo (D) and Reginald Atkins (D), the legislation would close a gap in labor protections by extending key rights to cannabis employees who are currently excluded from federal and state labor laws, including the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Workplace Democracy Enhancement Act.

Under the measure, cannabis workers would gain protections against unfair labor practices and would have the right to join and form labor organizations without interference. The bill gives the New Jersey State Board of Mediation new authority to address and remedy unfair labor practices within the cannabis industry. Employers would be barred from discouraging union membership or failing to negotiate in good faith, while labor organizations would also be held to standards requiring fair conduct and negotiations.
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