Aug 21 2024

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Endorses Florida’s Amendment 3 to Legalize Marijuana

The Florida chapter of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has announced their support for Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older.

“SEIU proudly endorses Amendment 3 on the November ballot as a significant step toward true justice and freedom in Florida,” said SEIU Florida Vice President Coyuca Jones. “Legalizing recreational marijuana will not only end the unjust criminalization that has disproportionately affected our communities, but it will also benefit workers by creating new job opportunities and fostering economic growth. By supporting Amendment 3, we are advocating for a fairer, more prosperous future for all Floridians.”

SEIU Florida represents over 80,000 employees across the state.
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Aug 21 2024

Massachusetts Recreational Marijuana Sales Set New Monthly Record in July

Massachusetts’ legal marijuana market broke the record for the most recreational marijuana sales in a single month with $142 million.

According to data released by the research firm Headset, there was a total of $142 million in recreational marijuana sales in July, beating the previous monthly record of $140 million set in December. Medical marijuana sales added another approximately $17 million, bringing the monthly total to nearly $160 million.

Sales figures for July bring the year-to-date total to around $860 million, with all-time sales reaching $6.5 billion.
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Aug 21 2024

South Dakota Committee Approves Increasing Medical Marijuana License Fees by $4,000

South Dakota’s Legislative Rules Review Committee has approved a significant increase in the annual fee for medical marijuana business licenses.

By a vote of 4 to 1, the committee agreed to raise the fee by nearly $4,000, bringing the total annual cost to $9,000. This move comes in response to the state’s rapidly growing number of medical marijuana cardholders, which has far surpassed initial projections. While the state anticipated 6,000 cardholders by 2024, there were approximately 13,000 as of July.

The Department of Health (DOH) requested the fee increase to amend a 2021 law that originally set the fee at $5,310. Emily Kerr, Program Administrator for the DOH Medical Cannabis Program, explained that the additional funds are necessary to meet the department’s legal obligations, which include the thorough review of applications, providing technical guidance, customer service, and conducting inspections.
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Aug 20 2024

Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) Releases New Hampshire Voter Guide Ahead of Primary Election

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has released their 2024 New Hampshire Cannabis Policy Voter Guide to help inform voters where candidates, as well as incumbent legislators, stand on a variety of cannabis issues.

MPP was founded in 1995 and has played a central role in passing dozens of cannabis policy reforms in states across the country, including 14 successful cannabis legalization campaigns. The group created this primary voting guide based on incumbent lawmakers’ records, public comments, and responses to questions we emailed. The full voter guide is available by clicking here.

“This year’s elections will be key in shaping New Hampshire’s prospects for legalization in the following years”, said Karen O’Keefe, MPP’s director of state policies. “All of New Hampshire’s neighbors have already legalized cannabis for adults, and a majority of voters believe cannabis should be legal. Our goal is to educate voters on where candidates stand on cannabis policy reform so that they can cast informed votes”.
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Aug 20 2024

Second GOP Senator Backs Federally Taxing Marijuana

A second Republican member of the US Senate has endorsed taxing marijuana at the federal level.

In an interview with AskAPol, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said “let’s tax it”, when it comes to legal marijuana. The comments come just three weeks after Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced his support for a comprehensive regulatory framework for marijuana, similar to that of tobacco.

During the interview, Senator Cassidy also said “that’s a good thing” in regards to the Biden Administration’s effort to reschedule marijuana. Cassidy also expressed support for federal marijuana banking legislation, saying “I’ve supported that in the past, because just I think it’s better not to have millions of dollars beneath the mattress.” Let’s tax it.”
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Aug 20 2024

Morocco Pardons 5,000 Marijuana Cultivation Charges

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has issued a pardon approximately 5,000 individuals previously convicted or wanted for illegal growing marijuana, a move aimed at encouraging lawful cultivation of the crop.

Rabat, the capital of Morocco.

Since 2021, Morocco has allowed the licensed the cultivation, export, and use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes, though recreational use remains illegal. This royal pardon is seen as a push for farmers to transition into the legal cannabis market, which would “improve their livelihoods”, according to Mohammed El Guerrouj, head of the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis Activities (ANRAC).

In 2023, Morocco’s first legal cannabis harvest yielded 294 tons, though only 225 kilograms were legally exported, El Guerrouj told Reuters. This figure pales in comparison to the estimated 100,000 tons harvested annually in the Rif mountains, much of which is illegally exported.
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Aug 20 2024

Study: CBD Boosts Effectiveness of Chemotherapy in Prostate Cancer Treatment

A new study conducted by researchers at Suleyman Demirel University in Türkiye has found that cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from cannabis, may significantly enhance the effectiveness of the chemotherapy drug etoposide in treating prostate cancer.

Published in the US National Library of Medicine, the study suggests that CBD could play a vital role in improving therapeutic outcomes for patients with this common cancer.

The study focused on the effects of combining CBD with etoposide on prostate cancer cells, specifically evaluating the impact on cell growth, survival, and various cancer-related signaling pathways. The researchers found that “CBD strongly enhanced the etoposide-mediated suppression” of key factors involved in cancer progression, including androgenic signaling, angiogenic factors, and the proto-oncogene c-Myc.
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Aug 20 2024

Ohio Recreational Marijuana Sales Top $22 Million in First 11 Days

Ohio’s recreational marijuana market continues to surge, with sales reaching $22.5 million in the first 11 days of legalization, according to the state’s Division of Cannabis Control (DCC).

During this period, marijuana stores across Ohio sold thousands of pounds of marijuana flower and thousands of units of other cannabis products, including edibles and topicals. The average price per gram of marijuana flower was $9.40, with the average price per 1/10oz being $26.67, according to the DCC.

Currently, 120 dispensaries in Ohio are licensed to sell recreational marijuana. Stand-alone recreational marijuana stores are expected to open sometime in 2025.
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Aug 20 2024

California Senate Approves Bill Allowing Direct Marijuana Sales at Farmers Markets

Yesterday, Assembly Bill 1111 passed its second reading in the full Senate and was ordered to a third and final reading.

The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D), would allow marijuana growers to sell their products directly to consumers at state-sanctioned farmers markets, as well as some other temporary events.

Even though the measure has already been approved by the state’s full Assembly 74 to 1, if it passes its third reading in the Senate, it will head back to the Assembly for a vote of concurrence due to amendments made in committee. Should the Assembly concur, the bill will then be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for his consideration.
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Aug 19 2024

Charleston, West Virginia City Council Approves Marijuana Decriminalization Ordinance 20 to 5

The Charleston City Council has approved an ordinance to modify the city’s municipal code to reduce penalties associated with the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Today, the Charleston City Council passed Bill No. 8039, introduced by Councilmembers Chad Robinson and Frank Annie, by a vote of 20 to 5. The proposed law eliminates fines for first-time offenders possessing under 15 grams of marijuana, provided they haven’t had any drug-related convictions in the past year. For those caught a second time, a fine of $250 will be imposed, with fines rising to a maximum of $500 for third and subsequent offenses.

The path to Bill 8039’s approval included extensive discussion and revisions. It was initially discussed in a Committee on Ordinance & Rules meeting in early July and revisited in a subsequent council meeting where it caused some confusion about whether it would legalize marijuana in Charleston, leading to its return to the committee.
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