A bill authorizing cannabis showcase events in New York has passed the Assembly Ways and Means Committee with a vote of 24 to 10.

Assembly Bill 418, introduced by Assemblymember Donna Lupardo (D), will now head to the full Assembly for consideration. The measure is mirrored by Senate Bill 818, introduced by Senator Michelle Hinchey (D), which contains identical language and recently advanced through the Senate Rules Committee, signaling bipartisan interest in establishing a framework for cannabis showcase events.

If passed into law, the legislation would allow licensed cannabis retailers and cultivators to collaborate in hosting showcase events, including “pop-up” events at venues such as farmers’ markets and other temporary locations. These events, as defined in the bill, would permit the display, sale, and promotion of cannabis products, provided participants obtain a cannabis showcase event permit issued by the state.
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Colorado Senate Bill 72, which would regulate the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of kratom products, was introduced yesterday by State Senators Kyle Mullica and Byron Pelton, with support from State Representatives Lindsay and Matt Soper.

The bipartisan legislation, supported by two Democrats and two Republicans, has been assigned to the Senate Finance Committee for initial review.

The bill proposes several measures to enhance consumer safety and oversight of kratom, a plant which has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal and therapeutic properties and is currently legal in all but six states. Under the bill, kratom manufacturers would be required to register their products with the Colorado Department of Revenue. To obtain registration, manufacturers must pay an annual fee and provide proof of federal certifications, including registration with the Food and Drug Administration.
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The South Dakota House of Representatives approved House Bill 1056 yesterday with a unanimous 66 to 0 vote, taking a major step toward regulating kratom products statewide.

Originally introduced by eight Republican lawmakers and now supported by 12 sponsors, the bill would impose regulations on the preparation, sale, and distribution of kratom products. It also establishes penalties for violations, categorizing them as Class 2 misdemeanors.

Key measures in the bill include limiting the level of 7-hydroxymitragynine, a primary kratom alkaloid, to no more than two percent, prohibiting synthetic derivatives, and banning products containing harmful substances and additives.
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State Representative Mark DeCaprio (R) introduced House Bill 6325 today, aiming to limit the maximum allowable THC content in marijuana sold in Connecticut’s recreational market.

House Bill 6325, fittingly titled An Act Reducing the Maximum Allowable THC Content of Cannabis and Cannabis Products Sold to Consumers in the Recreational Cannabis Market, would amend Connecticut law to prohibit cannabis establishments from selling products with THC concentrations exceeding 15%, measured on a dry-weight basis. The legislation applies to cannabis flower, plant material, and other cannabis products.

Earlier this month, a similar bill was filed in New York by State Representatives Phil Steck (D) and Keith Brown (R). Their proposal also seeks to establish a 15% THC cap on dried flower, citing potential health risks associated with high-potency cannabis. That bill would allow marijuana concentrates to have a THC content of up to 25%.
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A legislative proposal that would decriminalize the personal possession of psilocybin has been filed in Connecticut.

Today, State Representative Joshua Elliott (D) filed House Bill 6380, which has been assigned to the Joint Committee on Judiciary.

The measure states: “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: That title 21a of the general statutes be amended to decriminalize the possession of psilocybin.”
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In Canada, there was CA$452 million in legal marijuana sold in November, bringing the year-to-date total to almost $5 billion.

There was CA$452.8 million in marijuana sold via legal outlets in Canada in November, a slight increase from the $450 million sold in October, according to data released by Statistics Canada.

The year-to-date total for marijuana sales in Canada is now around $4.8 billion.
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Between August 7 and January 15, marijuana sales in Ohio totaled $414,671,359.

This includes $147,862,618 in medical marijuana purchases and $266,808,741 in recreational marijuana sales. During this period, there were 3,573,632 recreational transactions and 1,565,444 medical transactions.

The average price per gram as of January 15 is $6.89, considerably lower than the $9.40 average as of August 10. This is according to data released by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC).
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Maryland Governor Wes Moore has appointed Tabatha Robinson, a cannabis official from New York, as the new director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration, the agency responsible for overseeing the state’s recreational and medical marijuana markets.

Tabatha Robinson.

Robinson, currently the executive deputy director of economic development and acting chief equity officer for the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, will begin her new role on February 19. She will replace Will Tilburg, who announced his departure from the agency late last year. Robinson will serve as acting director until confirmed by the state Senate during the ongoing 90-day legislative session.

“Maryland’s cannabis industry is a national model, and its success is a testament to prioritizing product safety for consumers and promoting social equity market-wide,” Robinson said in a statement released by Moore’s office.

Before her work in New York, Robinson served as a corporate attorney and as a special assistant attorney general in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. She entered the cannabis industry in 2018, conducting research on how legacy markets adjusted pricing and distribution strategies in newly legalized states, according to the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.

Maryland legalized recreational marijuana through a ballot measure approved in November 2022, with licensed sales beginning on July 1, 2023. The law allows those 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana. In 2024 alone, licensed marijuana stores generated over $1.1 billion in sales.