Cannabis Regulatory Update: New York, Oregon, Arizona, Nebraska

Survey: Most New Yorkers Support Legal Weed But Not Near Their Home

As marijuana legalization in New York continues to be on the fast track, with  Gov. Andrew Cuomo expressing his support, an issue of cannabis retail locations arises.

According to the Consensus Strategies' study, 52% of New Yorker City residents oppose marijuana sales in their neighborhoods.

"The fight to find viable sites will be intense," Consensus Strategies CEO Patrick Fox said Wednesday.

Even though 61% of those living in New York State support the legalization of adult-use cannabis sales, the number of those willing to live near retail and cultivation facilities is significantly lower.

"We often hear from cannabis entrepreneurs who think that the level of support for legalization will translate into support for siting a retail or cultivation facility," Fox added. "It often does not."

Moreover, local zoning and planning authorities will have the final word on locating facilities within their communities.

Currently, 53% of New Yorkers think that marijuana retail "should keep a low profile" and avoid high visibility retail areas.

In February, New York State's legislators gathered at the first public hearing of the year to debate proposals supporting marijuana legalization.

Besides budget implications, policymakers also discussed Cuomo's recently amended marijuana legalization plan.

Oregon’s Gov. Appoints Advisors For Legal Psilocybin Therapy Measure

Meantime, it seems that efforts to legalize psilocybin mushrooms for therapeutic purposes in Oregon are paying off, as Gov. Kate Brown has gathered an advisory board to help implement the initiative.

According to Marijuana Moment, the board counts 17 members. It includes physicians, psychologists, public health experts, researchers, a harm reduction specialist, as well as representatives of state agencies such as the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and the Justice Department, to name a few.

“If we can help people suffering from PTSD, depression, trauma, and addiction—including veterans, cancer patients, and others—supervised psilocybin therapy is a treatment worthy of further consideration,” Brown noted.

Oregonians approved a ballot initiative (Measure 109) supporting the cause in November.

Shortly after, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) set the criterion for advisers poised to give recommendations on “requirements, specifications, and guidelines for providing psilocybin services,” the newsletter wrote.

OHA is given a two-year deadline to set out rules for the psilocybin program.

Arizona Marijuana Taxes Exceed $2M Since Launch Of Sales

Arizona has raised over $2 million in taxes on marijuana to date after launching adult-use cannabis sales in January.

According to data from the Arizona Department of Revenue, the sum includes over $1.3 million in taxes on medical marijuana sales and more than $226,000 in taxes on recreational cannabis, as well as an excise tax on cannabis and a transaction privilege tax.

Over the last month, dispensaries in the Copper State sold over 214,500 total ounces of medical marijuana products, such as cannabis flower, edibles, and concentrates, High Times writes.

Arizonians welcomed recreational cannabis in November, with over 1.4 million of the state's voters — 59.9% — voting "yes" on Proposition 207.

Nebraska Gov. Claims Medicinal Marijuana Will 'Kill Your Kids'

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts is gearing up in the fight against cannabis legalization, calling it "a dangerous drug that will impact our kids," Insider reported.

During a news briefing last week, he disclosed that by legalizing marijuana, "you're gonna kill your kids," adding, "that's what the data shows from around the country."

Ricketts' remarks, initially linked to recreational marijuana, come as a reaction to the state's latest attempts to make medical marijuana legal.

The bill proposes that medical marijuana can be recommended by a practicing physician who would have control over a patient's consumption, the Lincoln Journal Star wrote last week.

Ricketts said that "big marijuana" is a "big industry that is trying not to be regulated, to go around the regulatory process."