Author: News Room

Maryland lawmakers took another step toward establishing a regulated, adult-use marijuana market on Friday, holding a hearing on a reform proposal months after voters approved legalization at the ballot last year. The House Economic Matters Committee discussed the legislation from Dels. C. T. Wilson (D) and Vanessa Atterbeary (D), taking testimony from dozens of people as members raised questions about various provisions. The measure is meant to get the state prepared to regulate cannabis commerce as the state law legalizing possession of up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana for adults takes effect on July 1. Wilson, who chairs the committee,…

Separately, applications submitted by caregivers to access medical cannabis for on behalf of patients has increased over the past two years by 46 percent. By Andrew Powell, The Center Square. According to the official in charge of Florida’s medical marijuana program, the number of active patients has increased 71 percent over the past two years. Christopher Kimball, the Director of the Office of Medical Marijuana Use, provided statistics to the Florida House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee Tallahassee Wednesday as they discussed the medical marijuana industry in the Sunshine State. Kimball told the committee what the office is doing to ensure patients…

Oklahoma lawmakers have approved bill in committee to promote research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin while providing legal protections against prosecution for people with eligible conditions who possess the psychedelic. The House Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Committee passed a substitute of the legislation from Rep. Daniel Pae (R) in a 6-1 vote on Wednesday. As revised, the measure calls for the establishment of a pilot program that would let universities as well as research facilities that contract with Oklahoma institutions of higher education carry out studies into psilocybin and psilocyn. Research institutions would need to look into the…

In 2010, a leaked photo transformed Miley from Disney princess to Dank pioneer. Over a decade later, she’s still destigmatizing the plant with her sticky new hit “Flowers.” I first tried weed around the same time international popstar and provocateur Miley Cyrus did—or rather, around the same time it was publicly revealed that she had tried it. It was 2010, and a grainy cell phone video (remember, this was the iPhone 4 era) leaked of the Disney Channel princess ripping a dirty bong, chiefing on something so strong (TMZ reported it as salvia) she broke into infectious giggles and possibly…

President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Thursday that touts the administration’s efforts to address the “failed approach” on federal marijuana policy. The executive order doesn’t specifically build on any administrative cannabis reforms; rather it’s focused on promoting equity within federal agencies and the White House. But the president took the opportunity to connect the issue back to his marijuana actions. Biden issued a mass pardon for people with non-violent federal cannabis possession convictions late last year and directed a multi-agency review into marijuana scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). “My Administration has taken action to strengthen public…

“When Congress bucks conventional wisdom and shakes the cannabis world, you shouldn’t be surprised. You can take it to the bank.” By Don Murphy, Marijuana Leadership Campaign If you looked at the election returns in November, bought the conventional wisdom and believed that there would be no progress on cannabis policy reform until, “many years from now,” you would likely not have even looked for the silver lining in the results. If you were looking for reasons not to follow the herd, and you looked at the 118th Congress as half full instead of half empty, you would have found…

Teen marijuana use declined from 2019 to 2021—and hit a record low since 2011—according to a federal biennial report that was released on Monday. The declines in cannabis consumption by young people come as a growing number of states are legalizing it for adults—contrary to fears long expressed by opponents of the policy change. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) showed that 16 percent of high school students reported past 30-day cannabis use in 2021, compared to 22 percent in 2019. JUST RELEASED: The CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Data Summary &…

A bill to allow Washington State adults to grow marijuana at home cleared its first legislative hurdle on Thursday, passing out of the House Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee on a 7–4 vote. The proposal, HB 1614, would make it legal for people 21 and older to grow up to six plants for personal use, with a maximum of 15 per household. Plants would need to be labeled, grown out of public view and not “readily smelled” outside the premises. Washington is one of only a few other states, along with Illinois and New Jersey, where commercial cannabis is legal…

A pair of bills to legalize marijuana were approved in Hawaii Senate committees on Thursday, and a House panel has separately advanced legislation to promote research into psilocybin and MDMA. The Senate Judiciary Committee took up one of the cannabis bills from Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D), passing it in a 3-0 vote just days after taking testimony on the reform during a hearing. Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the Senate Health & Human Services and Commerce & Consumer Affairs Committee cleared a separate marijuana legalization bill sponsored by Sen. Chris Lee (D) on Thursday. The former panel voted 2-1,…

The governor of Illinois says that the state’s marijuana legalization law has created more than 30,000 jobs since the market launched in 2020. During his State of the State and Budget address on Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) touted the job creation figure, adding that “Illinois is home to the country’s most diverse cannabis industry and some of the largest companies.” He also included the marijuana company 4Front in a list of the “large businesses” that are “moving to and expanding in Illinois.” Job creation is just one way that legalization has impacted the economy in Illinois. The state also…