There are currently 644 different marijuana strains being sold legally throughout Massachusetts.

According to data compiled and released by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), there were 644 active marijuana strains as of May 2024. This is nearly double the number of strains reported in June 2022 (330) and significantly more than the total for June 2023 (487).

The CCC also reported that the average price per gram of legal marijuana is $5.36, slightly higher than the $5.32 low set in February of this year, but drastically lower than the $14.68 average in 2020. The average cost per ounce is currently $151.94, marking an over 60% drop from the $416 average in 2020.

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Frederick County, Maryland, has removed pre-employment drug screening requirements for most public employees.

(Photo credit: Emily Koonce)

This change, announced by Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, affects the county’s workforce of approximately 3,400 people, except for those in specific “safety-sensitive” roles like law enforcement, who will still be subject to testing.

This policy shift follows the state’s legalization of cannabis production, sale, and use last year. However, the legislation did not include explicit workplace protections for employees who use cannabis off-duty. A separate bill introduced this year aimed at limiting employers’ ability to penalize workers for past cannabis use did not advance.
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There was roughly $11 million in legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in Vermont in March.

According to the Vermont Department of Taxes, there was $10.98 million in legal marijuana sales in March, bringing the yearly total to $32 million. Marijuana sales brought in $1.54 million in tax revenue for March, and around $4.5 million for the year.

The only month in Vermont with more legal marijuana sales is December 2023, with $11.10 million, with $1.55 million in taxes garnered.
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According to new polling released by Stockton University’s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, a solid majority of New Jersey residents support legalizing the medical use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms”.

Dried psilocybin mushrooms.

The poll, with a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, found that most New Jersey residents (57%) were at least somewhat aware of the medicinal use of psychedelics to treat mental health disorders. Additionally, a little more than half of New Jerseyans (55%) support legalizing such treatment under a doctor’s supervision, while 20% oppose it and 24% are unsure.

Specifically, participants were asked: “Psilocybin is the psychoactive ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms. Do you support or oppose the New Jersey government legalizing psilocybin for medicinal use to treat mental health disorders under a doctor’s supervision?”
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Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, implied that calling marijuana a gateway drug is antiquated thinking and suggested that resources spent on marijuana prohibition would be better used to combat opioid addiction.

During the interview Jimmy Kimmel focused heavily on the Biden and Harris Administration’s recent efforts to reform federal marijuana laws, including the DEA’s move to reschedule marijuana.

“I think we both agree that people shouldn’t have to go to jail for smoking weed”, said Harris. “And we’ve pardoned a number of people.”
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The Ohio Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has posted online instructions for those wanting to apply for a dual license to sell both medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, with the application process officially opening on Friday.

“Applications and materials related to the conversion of a current medical marijuana license to a dual-use cannabis license and new 10(B) dispensary licenses will be posted on this page when available. Frequently Asked Questions will be regularly updated”, states the new webpage, posted on the website for the Ohio Department of Commerce. “Pursuant to the initiated statute approved by Ohio voters in November 2023, the initial non-medical cannabis license applications are only open to current medical marijuana license holders.”

The page says that “Each current medical marijuana cultivator, processor, testing laboratory, and dispensary that wishes to participate in the non-medical cannabis market at their current location must apply for a dual-use cannabis license. Pursuant to O.R.C. 3780.10(B), the following licenses (i.e., “10(B)” dispensary licenses) must be issued:
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Federal legislation designed to permit banks to engage with licensed marijuana businesses has now received 124 bipartisan sponsors in the US House of Representatives.

The SAFE Banking Act (H.R. 2891) has gained an additional sponsor, Congressmember Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), who joined the initiative yesterday. This proposed law aims to offer federal protections for banks and credit unions that provide financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. These businesses include medical marijuana dispensaries in the 38 states where they are legal, and recreational marijuana stores in the 23 states where they are authorized.

Furthermore, the legislation would enable state-legal marijuana businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions, a practice currently forbidden.
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