Jul 08 2024

Over $10 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold in the United States in First Half of 2024

Legal marijuana states combined for over $10 billion in sales in the first half of the year, according to an analysis by The Marijuana Herald.

Among the 24 legal marijuana states in the US, 20 have licensed marijuana stores currently operating and reporting sales data. Virginia is the only legal marijuana state that does not currently allow licensed sales, while Minnesota, Ohio, and Delaware have legalized too recently to have marijuana stores open.

Using data compiled by state regulatory agencies, below is a breakdown of each state’s marijuana sales data from January to June, followed by accumulative totals.
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Jul 07 2024

Florida: Three Recent Polls Shows Support for Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana Above 60%

Voters in Florida are less than four months away from deciding the fate of Amendment 3, which aims to legalize recreational marijuana. Multiple polls indicate that it is on track for passage.

Amendment 3 would allow individuals aged 21 and older to possess up to three ounces of dried marijuana flower and up to five grams of marijuana concentrates. These products would be available through licensed marijuana retailers, with medical marijuana dispensaries able to apply for a dual license to sell to both patients and recreational consumers. These outlets would be supplied by licensed growers and producers, with marijuana tested through licensed testing labs.

Since Amendment 3 would change Florida’s constitution, it requires at least 60% support to be enacted into law. Based on recent polling, support is well above this level.
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Jul 07 2024

Clinical Trial Finds Marijuana May Decrease Diabetes Risk

Those who consume marijuana have “healthier inflammatory cytokine profile, better insulin sensitivity, and higher levels of physical activity than nonusers,” all of which can be linked lower diabetes, according to an ongoing clinical trial presented at the 2024 annual American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions.

In the findings from the ongoing SONIC trial, first reported by Medscape, Angela Bryan, PhD, professor and codirector of CUChange at the University of Colorado, and her colleagues hypothesized that “those inflammatory profiles would improve over the course of 4 weeks, particularly for those using a CBD as opposed to a THC product.”

The SONIC study involved regular cannabis users with an average age of 30 and a healthy body mass index (BMI). The study group was predominantly White (86%) and male (59%). These participants were matched with a similar group who had not used cannabis for at least a year. At baseline, the overall NSDR Healthy Eating Index score for participants was 51.24, indicating a “need for improvement/poor diet.”
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Jul 07 2024

These Four States are Set to Legalize Marijuana in 2025

In 2025, at least four states are poised to join the ranks of those that have legalized recreational marijuana.

Three states — North Dakota, South Dakota, and Florida — have marijuana legalization initiatives on this November’s ballot, potentially increasing the number of legal states to 27. Additionally, several states came close to legalizing this year and have garnered enough momentum and support (or are close to it) to pass marijuana legalization bills in 2025.

With that said, here are the four states we believe will legalize marijuana next year.
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Jul 06 2024

Colorado: $101 Million Worth of Marijuana Sold in June, All-Time Sales Reach $16 Billion

In June, legal marijuana sales in Colorado topped $100 million, with all-time sales reaching an eye-opening $16 billion.

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, there was approximately $101 million worth of marijuana and marijuana products sold through legal means in June. This is roughly on par with the $103 million sold in May, but it’s a noticeable drop from the $116 million sold in June 2023.

The year-to-date total for marijuana sales in Colorado is now $667 million, with the total since the start of legal sales over a decade ago now standing at around $16 billion.
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Jul 06 2024

Massachusetts: June Marijuana Sales Top $150 Million, Prices Drop to All-Time Lows, Active Strain Count Now 660

Massachusetts saw over $150 million in legal marijuana sales for the sixth straight months.

According to data released by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), marijuana sales in June totaled $152.4 million. Recreational consumers purchased $137 million worth, while licensed medical marijuana patients accounted for $15.4 million. This brings the total marijuana sales for the first half of 2024 to $799.7 million, with all-time sales reaching $6.34 billion.

Prices in June hit an all-time low, with the average cost per gram of dried marijuana at $5.06, over $0.20 cheaper than the previous low. The cost per ounce is now $143.53, notably lower than the previous record of $149.97.
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Jul 06 2024

Study: THC Shows Promise in Alleviating Pain in Sickle Cell Disease

A recent study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics highlights the potential of the marijuana compound THC in managing pain associated with sickle cell disease.

The study, titled “Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Alleviates Hyperalgesia in a Humanized Mouse Model of Sickle Cell Disease,” was published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by chronic pain and unpredictable episodes of acute pain, severely affecting patients’ quality of life and life expectancy. Traditional pain management for SCD relies heavily on opioid analgesics, which often have limited efficacy and significant adverse effects. Researchers note that “Cannabis has emerged as a potential alternative, yet its efficacy remains uncertain.”
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Jul 06 2024

Psilocybin “Demonstrated Pronounced Pro-Social and Antidepressant Effects” in New Study

A newly published study investigated the mechanisms behind the efficacy of psilocybin in treating treatment-resistant depression.

The study was published in the journal Psychopharmacology as well as published online by the US National Library of Medicine with the title Unraveling psilocybin’s therapeutic potential: behavioral and neuroplasticity insights in Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar male rat models of treatment-resistant depression.

“Our study aimed to unravel the unknown mechanisms behind the exceptional efficacy of Psilocybin (PSI) in treating treatment-resistant depression (TRD)”, states the study’s abstract. “Focusing on Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats with a TRD phenotype and Wistar (WIS) rats as a normative comparison, we investigated behavioral and neuroplasticity-related responses to PSI, striving to shed light on the distinctive features of its antidepressant effects.”
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Jul 06 2024

The 10 States Next in Line to Legalize Marijuana

With marijuana legalization continuing to gain traction across the United States, several states are positioning themselves to join the ranks of those that have already embraced this shift.

This year, three states have marijuana legalization initiatives on the November ballot, while others are gearing up for potential legalization in 2025. Here’s a look at the ten states that are next in line to legalize marijuana, along with current polling data where available.
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Jul 05 2024

Study: Marijuana Oil Shows Potent Anti-Cancer Effects Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

A recent study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology has highlighted the potential anti-cancer properties of cannabis oil extract (COE) in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The study, published online this week by the US National Library of Medicine, explores the effectiveness of COE in both cellular and animal models.

Researchers focused on WEHI-3 cells and a WEHI-3-induced leukemia mouse model to evaluate the efficacy of COE. The cells were treated with various concentrations of COE. The results were promising, with the extract demonstrated significant cytotoxicity.
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