Mar 25 2025

North Dakota House Approves Medical Cannabis Reform Bill

North Dakota’s Legislature is moving forward with a significant overhaul of the state’s medical marijuana program after the House voted today in favor of advancing Senate Bill 2294 through its second reading.

A cannabis lozenge.

The vote in the House was 58 to 31, moving the measure to a third reading and final reading. Even though the Senate approved the measure last month by a vote of 35 to 11, once the House passes the measure through its third reading it will be sent back to the Senate for a vote of concurrence, given the House voted to make amendments to the proposal.

The bill proposes several key changes to the state’s medical cannabis law. Among its provisions, the legislation allows nonresident medical marijuana patients to obtain temporary North Dakota registry identification cards if they already hold valid out-of-state medical marijuana credentials.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

Colorado Generated $19.8 Million in Marijuana Taxes in February, Over $2.9 Billion All-Time

Colorado collected nearly $20 million in marijuana tax revenue in February, according to data released by the Colorado Department of Revenue.

The state brought in exactly $19,814,219 from licensed cannabis sales in February, bringing total tax revenue from marijuana to $2,913,811,769 since the start of recreational sales. While February’s total was slightly lower than January’s $20,474,864, the per-day tax revenue in February averaged $707,000, a 7% increase over January’s $660,000 per day.

Colorado legalized cannabis in 2012, tying Washington as the first state to do so. The law allows individuals aged 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of dried cannabis, eight grams of concentrates, and edibles containing up to 800 milligrams of THC. Legal sales officially began in 2014.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

Arizona Attorney General Says Only Licensed Marijuana Stores Can Sell THC Products, Enforcement to Begin April 24

Attorney General Kris Mayes issued letters to Arizona law enforcement agencies and retailers yesterday, making it clear that the sale of THC-infused products is only legal via licensed marijuana stores.

Attorney General Kris Mayes (photo credit: GETTY Images).

“The Attorney General’s Office is aware that some businesses—including national chains and local shops—are selling THC-infused beverages and edibles without marijuana establishment licenses”, states a press release, which notes that “Many of these businesses may believe the sales are legal under the Federal Farm Bill of 2018. ”

Attorney General Mayes says “If you’re selling THC edibles or beverages and you’re not a licensed dispensary, you’re violating Arizona law”.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

North Carolina Senators File Bill to End Mandatory Minimum Sentences

North Carolina Senators Kandie Smith (D) and Natalie Murdock (D) introduced the Fair Sentencing Act today, a bill that would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for certain criminal offenses.

Senate Bill 686 would provide judges with greater discretion in sentencing, particularly for firearm-related crimes, impaired driving offenses, and drug trafficking cases.

Under current North Carolina law, mandatory minimum sentences require judges to impose set prison terms for specific offenses, limiting the ability to consider mitigating circumstances. SB 686 would remove these mandatory minimums, allowing judges to tailor sentences based on individual case details.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

Montana House Committee Approves Senate-Backed Resolution Urging U.S. Congress to Pass the SAFER Banking Act

A Montana resolution urging the federal government to pass the SAFER Banking Act into law was given approval today by the House Business and Labor Committee.

(Photo credit: GETTY Images).

The committee voted 12 to 8 to advance Senate Joint Resolution 5. The resolution was given approval by the full Senate last month by a vote of 35 to 14.

The resolution calls on the federal government to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act into law. The proposal would allow banks and other financial institutions such as credit unions to provide financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses, including debit card services and access to loans. The legislation would also enable marijuana businesses to claim standard IRS tax deductions.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management Completes Next Step Toward Launching Recreational Cannabis Market

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced today it has submitted its proposed rules governing legal cannabis for final approval – the next step in launching Minnesota’s new adult-use cannabis industry.

In drafting the rules, OCM conducted a series of surveys that focused on specific rulemaking topics and held meetings with partners and interested parties, including cannabis management offices from other states. OCM can begin issuing cannabis business licenses once the rules are formally adopted.

“Our timeline for launching the adult-use market has forecasted completing rules by the end of first quarter 2025,” said OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel. “With the rules now in the hands of an administrative law judge for final approval, we’ve reached a crucial milestone. Following approval, prospective businesses will be able to complete their final steps and receive a cannabis license.”
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

Study Finds Psilocybin May Offer Breakthrough Relief for Phantom Limb Pain

A clinical trial from UC San Diego has found that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, could provide lasting relief for amputees suffering from phantom limb pain, which affects 60-80% of amputees and has no reliable cure.

Psilocybin mushrooms.

Dr. Fadel Zeidan, co-founder of UCSD’s Center for Psychedelic Research, led the first-ever randomized controlled trial on psychedelics for chronic pain. Participants took either a high dose of psilocybin, equivalent to 4 to 5 grams of dried mushrooms, or a placebo dose of niacin. Both groups underwent three days of psychological preparation before their psychedelic session, followed by a month of integration therapy.

The results were remarkable.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

The First Plastic-Free Child-Resistant Joint Box Now Available for Cannabis Operators

After years of development, Contempo Specialty Packaging has succeeded in innovating the world’s first child-resistant and plastic-free cigarette/joint box.

“Traditional cigarette boxes often feature a flip-top design, which, during child-resistant testing, can be vulnerable to tearing”, note a press release, sent today. “These weak points make it easier for children to open the box and access the contents. Contempo’s new design addresses this issue by offering a durable, secure, and plastic-free structure that passes rigorous child-resistant testing, ensuring both safety and reliability.”

This breakthrough “provides cannabis producers and retailers with a safer, more sustainable packaging solution for their products in a familiar package style that consumers love”, notes the company.
Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

The Current Best-Selling Cannabis Strain in Every Legal State

Over 20 states allow licensed recreational marijuana sales. In this article, we break down the best-selling strain in each one.

Bubba Kush.

Although 24 states have legalized recreational cannabis, 23 allow licensed sales (only Virginia doesn’t), and 21 have currently operation adult-use markets (Delaware and Minnesota are expected to launch theirs later this year). Using data provided by state regulatory agencies, the strain review site Leafly, and the research firm Headset.io, below are the top-selling strains in each of the 21 states with operating recreational cannabis markets. Continue reading

Mar 25 2025

New Economic Report Finds Texas Hemp Market Generates $5.5 Billion in Annual Sales, Supports Over 53,000 Jobs

A newly released economic report reveals that the hemp industry is a major contributor to the Texas economy, generating $5.5 billion in annual sales with an estimated tax revenue of $268 million.

Hemp field.

Developed by Whitney Economics, the report finds that “in 2025, retail revenue reached $4.3 billion, up from $3.3 billion in 2023, highlighting sustained consumer demand.” Total employment in the hemp industry “grew to 53,300 jobs in 2025, an increase of 3,200 from 50,100 in 2023”, according to a press release sent today.

The report found that industry-wide wages rose to $2.1 billion in 2025, up from $1.6 billion in 2023, with hourly pay increasing across all sectors.
Continue reading