Jan 22 2025

Florida: Green Thumb Industries Appeals Ruling Against Selling Marijuana at Convenience Stores

Green Thumb Industries (GTI), which operates Rise dispensaries in Florida, is continuing its effort to sell marijuana alongside convenience stores by filing an appeal with the 1st District Court of Appeal.

The appeal follows a January 7 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Joshua Pratt, who sided with state health regulators in rejecting the company’s proposal.

GTI initially announced plans in October 2022 to launch a pilot program with 10 dispensaries located adjacent to Circle K convenience stores in Florida, beginning in January 2023. However, Christopher Kimball, director of Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, denied requests for dispensary locations in St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Ocala. Kimball cited noncompliance with state laws as the reason for the rejection.
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Jan 22 2025

Connecticut Lawmaker Files Bill to Legalize Cannabis Cafés and Restaurants

State Representative Aundre Bumgardner (D) filed House Bill 6056 today, introducing legislation that would allow for the creation of cannabis cafes and restaurants in Connecticut.

The bill, titled “An Act Concerning The Establishment Of Cannabis Cafes And Restaurants Offering Cannabis-infused Food Items, Beverages And Other Products,” has been referred to the Joint Committee on General Law for further consideration.

The proposed bill would amend the state’s general statutes to allow businesses to serve cannabis-infused food, beverages, and other products in designated cafes and restaurants. If passed, Connecticut would join a growing number of states exploring cannabis consumption venues as part of their broader legalization frameworks, including California whose marijuana café law took effect recently.
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Jan 22 2025

Washington Committee Approves Bill Establishing Collective Bargaining Rights for Marijuana Workers

Legislation to establish collective bargaining rights for marijuana workers was given approval today by the Washington State House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards.

Introduced by State Representatives Lillian Ortiz-Self and Mary Fossee on December 30, House Bill 1141 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, which was approved by the committee 6 to 3, 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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Jan 22 2025

Mike Tyson and Weldon Angelos Optimistic Trump Will Reform Marijuana Laws

Mike Tyson, renowned boxing champion and cannabis entrepreneur, and Weldon Angelos, who received a full presidential pardon for marijuana offenses, say they’re optimistic about President Donald Trump’s recent support for marijuana reforms.

Weldon Angelos (left) and Mike Tyson (right).

Both Tyson and Angelos have seen firsthand how the cannabis industry can transform lives and believe Trump’s commitments to reschedule marijuana, expand banking access, and grant clemency could mark a turning point for justice and economic opportunity. They say they’re “optimistic” that change will happen under Trump’s second term.

For years, cannabis reform has been a broken promise in Washington. While President Joe Biden campaigned on decriminalization and expunging records, his actions have largely fallen short. His widely publicized misdemeanor pardons left thousands in federal prison, with Biden choosing not to commute their sentences despite a strong push from advocates in the final weeks of his term. He was the first president since Jimmy Carter to support decriminalizing marijuana, but he did little to push the issue and didn’t endorse any specific legislation that would accomplish it.
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Jan 22 2025

Former Verano Executive and Three Others Indicted for Insider Trading in Cannabis Industry

A former cannabis executive used insider information obtained from his employment to purchase shares of a rival cannabis company that was privately the target of an acquisition, according to an indictment returned in federal court in Chicago.

The indictment accuses Anthony Marisco of obtaining material, non-public information about his company’s agreement to purchase the rival company, according to a press release sent by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the North District of Illinois.

Prior to the public announcement of the agreement, and while the two companies were privately negotiating the proposed acquisition, Marsico allegedly used the information to purchase more than 900,000 shares in the rival company’s stock, resulting in illegal profits of approximately $607,338, the indictment states.  Marsico later sold all of the stock before it was publicly announced that the potential acquisition was canceled, the indictment states.
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Jan 22 2025

Full-Spectrum CBD Oil Reduces Key Markers of Muscle Damage in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Muscle & Nerve shows that full-spectrum cannabidiol (CBD) oil may help treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Conducted by researchers at the Federal University of Alfenas in Brazil, the study focused on both in vitro and in vivo models, using an animal model.

“Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by pathogenic variants in the DMD gene, making muscle fibers susceptible to contraction-induced membrane damage”, states the study’s abstract. “Given the potential beneficial action of cannabidiol (CBD), we evaluated the in vitro effect of full-spectrum CBD oil on the viability of dystrophic muscle fibers and the in vivo effect on myopathy of the mdx mouse, a DMD model.”
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Jan 21 2025

Washington State Weighs Kratom Ban: Advocates Rally to Protect Legal Access

Kratom, a plant used for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, is facing a potential ban in Washington State, with the officials considering reclassifying it as a Schedule I controlled substance.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa).

In order to voice their opinions, advocates are being urged to submit comments and participate in a listening session scheduled for February 6, 2025. Those interested in submitting oral comments at the meeting can sign up by emailing [email protected] by noon on January 23, 2025. Written comments will be accepted until noon on January 30, 2025.

This move stems from a CR-101 (a formal document used in the rulemaking process by Washington state agencies) filed by the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission in August 2024, which initiated the process of reviewing kratom’s legal status. While the commission discussed the issue during its December 2024 meeting, it decided further input was necessary before proceeding. This decision highlights the contentious debate over kratom’s benefits versus potential risks.
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Jan 21 2025

Legislation to Legalize Personal Marijuana Cultivation Filed in Washington Legislature With 16 Sponsors

Legislation to legalize the personal cultivation of marijuana has been filed in the Washington State House of Representatives.

House Bill 1449 was filed today by a coalition of 16 state representatives, all Democrats. The measure wood allow everyone 21 and older to cultivate marijuana for personal use. The bill has been referred to the Consumer Protection & Business Committee for consideration.

Under the proposed legislation, individuals could grow up to six cannabis plants on the premises of their housing unit, with a maximum of 15 plants allowed per household, regardless of the number of occupants. Cannabis derived from these plants would also be permissible for personal use, allowing for possession above the state’s current one ounce limit,
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Jan 21 2025

Idaho House Votes 54 to 14 to Establish Mandatory Minimum Penalty for Marijuana Possession

Idaho’s full House of Representatives voted today to approve legislation that would establish a mandatory minimum fine for possessing less than three ounces of marijuana.

The House voted 54 to 14 on House Bill 7, sending the measure to the state’s Senate. Approval through the Senate will send the bill to Governor Brad Little.

Under current Idaho law, possessing less than three ounces of marijuana is a misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000, with no set minimum. This has led to some judges issuing fines as little as $1 or $2, something that proponents of HB 7 argue encourages cannabis use.
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Jan 21 2025

Nebraska Legislation Filed to Restrict Medical Marijuana to Pills and Tinctures

A month after two voter-approved medical marijuana initiatives took effect in Nebraska, State Senator Jared Storm has introduced a measure that would significantly restrict allowable forms of medical cannabis.

Marijuana capsules.

The bill, filed today, seeks to limit medical marijuana products to pills and liquid tinctures, excluding other forms such as edibles, concentrates, and smokable products.

This proposal comes in the wake of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection Act (Initiative 437) and the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation Act (Initiative 438), which both became law last month. These initiatives established legal protections for patients and healthcare providers, allowed patients to possess up to five ounces of marijuana with a physician’s recommendation, and set the framework for a regulated medical marijuana market.
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