Jan 31 2025

Maryland Governor Proposes 66% Marijuana Tax Increase, Poll Finds 60% of Voters Support

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has proposed a series of budget-balancing tax increases, including increasing the tax rate on licensed marijuana sales.

Governor Moore is proposing an increase in the state’s marijuana excise tax from 9%, to 15%, marking an increase of 66%.

Despite such a significant increase, it appears that a strong majority of voters approve the move. According to a recent Washington Post – University of Maryland poll, 60% of voters in the state support the move, with 34% opposed and 6% unsure. This was tied for the most popular among Governor Moore’s proposals.
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Jan 31 2025

Bastrop, Texas City Council Overturns Voter-Approved Marijuana Decrim Law

The Bastrop City Council has voted to overturn a voter-approved ordinance that would have decriminalized marijuana possession, making it the only one of 11 ballot measures rejected by the council.

Bastrop, Texas.

In November, Bastrop residents overwhelmingly approved the initiative, which would have prevented arrests and criminal charges for possessing up to four ounces of marijuana. Instead, individuals caught with small amounts would have faced a civil infraction similar to a traffic ticket. Despite this strong voter support, with 70% in favor, the City Council voted 3-2 to reject the measure, reversing the decision made by the electorate in the city of approximately 11,000 people.

The ordinance was part of a broader movement across Texas, with similar decriminalization measures passing in multiple cities, including Lockhart and Dalas. In previous years, cities like San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, Denton, and Harker Heights have adopted similar policies. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has actively sought to challenge them in court, but his lawsuits have already been thrown out in two cities.
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Jan 31 2025

Washington Senate Committee Schedules Public Hearing on Bill to Legalize Medical Psilocybin

Senate Bill 5201, legislation that would establish a regulated psilocybin therapy program in Washington State, has been scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM on February 6.

Psilocybin mushrooms.

Introduced by Senator Jesse Salomon with support from eight cosponsors, the bill would create a structured framework allowing licensed facilitators to administer psilocybin in supervised settings. The Washington State Department of Health would oversee the program, with input from a newly formed Psychedelic Substances Board responsible for developing licensing requirements and safety protocols.

The proposed model is similar to Oregon’s existing psilocybin therapy system, aiming to provide treatment options for individuals suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
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Jan 31 2025

RFK Jr. Says He Will Defer to DEA on Marijuana Rescheduling if Confirmed as HHS Secretary

RFK Jr. says he will leave the decision on marijuana rescheduling to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) if confirmed as secretary of HHS.

When asked by Elizabeth Warren (D)  “Do you commit to working with the DOJ and DEA to swiftly resume proceedings on the scheduling of marijuana (which are currently paused)?”

RFK Jr. responded: “I defer to the DOJ and DEA on the allocation of their resources and the development of their priorities. Consistent with all applicable laws, I will ensure that HHS’s expertise is available to assist those agencies as needed.” He goes on to say that “if an assessment backed by robust evidence concludes that marijuana has accepted medical uses, I have no reason to question that assessment.”
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Jan 31 2025

Montana Committee Overwhelmingly Approves Resolution Endorsing Federal SAFER Banking Act

A resolution urging the federal government to approve marijuana banking legislation has been approved by the Montana’s Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee.

Senate Joint Resolution 5 was approved by the committee today by a vote of 9 to 2, indicating strong bipartisan support.

The resolution urges federal lawmakers to pass the SAFER Banking Act, which would allow banks and other financial institutions to serve state-legal marijuana businesses, enabling these businesses to move away from a risky cash-only model. The measure would also grant them access to banking services such as lines of credit and allow them to claim standard IRS tax deductions.
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Jan 31 2025

Connecticut Lawmakers to Hold Public Hearing on Minimum Wage Rules for Marijuana Industry Workers

House Bill 6842, which would ensure that employees at cannabis establishments receive at least the state’s minimum fair wage, has been scheduled for a public hearing on February 6 in the Joint Committee on Labor and Public Employees.

The bill, introduced in the Connecticut House of Representatives by the chair of the House Labor and Public Employees Committee, clarifies that cannabis industry employees must be paid the full minimum wage and that employers cannot count gratuities toward that wage. While some industries, such as restaurants and hospitality, are allowed to apply tips toward meeting minimum wage requirements, HB 6842 explicitly prevents marijuana businesses from doing the same.

The legislation states that “nothing in this section, or any regulation adopted pursuant to this section, shall be construed to require the Labor Commissioner to recognize, as part of the minimum fair wage, gratuities in an amount equal to the difference between the minimum fair wage and the employer’s share for persons who are employed at a cannabis establishment.” It defines “cannabis establishment” based on the existing legal definition in Section 21a-420 of Connecticut law.
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Jan 31 2025

Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Sees “Path Forward On Cannabis”

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is set to include marijuana legalization in his upcoming budget request, marking the third consecutive year he has advocated for the reform, with House Leader Matt Bradford (D) saying he sees “a path forward”.

Next week, Governor Shapiro is set to release his proposed 2025-2026 budget, which he has promised will include the legalization of recreational marijuana. House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D) has expressed confidence that legalization could move forward this session, after years of attempts from proponents.

“Yes, our numbers are close, but we are confident that we can get our numbers together and show that there is a path forward on cannabis,” says Bradford.
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Jan 31 2025

Virginia Senate Passes Bill to Legalize Recreational Marijuana Sales

Virginia has approved legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana.

By a vote of 21 to 19, the Senate advanced Senate Bill 970 to the state’s House of Representatives. Approval through the House would send the measure to Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has promised to veto the bill. The legislature can override a veto, but only with a 2/3rds majority.

Sponsored by State Senators Aaron Rouse (D), Jennifer Carroll Foy (D), and Lashrecse Aird (D), Senate Bill 970 would establish a retail marijuana market in Virginia, which remains the only one of the 24 states with legal marijuana to prohibit retail sales.
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Jan 31 2025

Psilocybin Shows Strongest Evidence for Treating Alcohol Use Disorder in Psychedelic Therapy Review

A new systematic review highlights the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy for substance use disorders, finding psilocybin to be the most promising treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Psilocybin mushroom.

Researchers from King’s College London, the University of Birmingham, and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust reviewed 37 studies involving 2,035 participants, assessing treatments with LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, ayahuasca, ketamine, ibogaine, and MDMA.

According to the study, published in the journal Addiction, “A two-centre, placebo-controlled, phase 2 superiority RCT of psilocybin for AUD, and a two-centre, double-blind, four-arm, placebo-controlled phase 2 RCT of ketamine for AUD yielded the best evidence of efficacy.”
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Jan 30 2025

New Mexico Bill Would Restrict Workplace Cannabis Testing for Medical Marijuana Patients

A bill to prohibit employers from considering an employee impaired based solely on the presence of cannabis metabolites in their system has been filed in New Mexico.

House Bill 230, introduced today by Representatives Reena Szczepanski (D) and Elizabeth Thomson (D), has been assigned to the House Health & Human Services Committee.

The proposal bans random drug testing for marijuana, allowing testing only in cases where an employer has reasonable suspicion of impairment while on the job or after an accident involving another person or significant property damage. Any positive test for marijuana would need to be reviewed by a medical review officer to determine if there is a legitimate medical explanation.
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