GOP-Led Bill To Reform Weed Sentencing, Canada's Responsible Stokers, TN's Legalization Push & More

GOP-Led Bill To Reform Marijuana-Related Sentencing Heads To Ohio Gov

An Ohio bill seeking to prevent people from the burden of a criminal record for a simple marijuana paraphernalia arrest was sent to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine last week, reported the Columbus Dispatch.

The large-scale criminal justice legislation from Sen. Nathan Manning (R), contains marijuana-specific provisions under which misdemeanor cannabis paraphernalia possession cases would not need to be disclosed “in response to any inquiries about the person’s criminal record.”

The measure advanced through the Ohio legislature earlier this month and would maintain that cannabis possession is considered a minor misdemeanor offense.

Canadians Are Using Cannabis Responsibly, New Survey Shows

Canadians still prefer smoking as the most common method of consuming cannabis, despite a decline over the past few years, a new 2022 Canadian Cannabis Survey showed.

The survey asked roughly 10,000 respondents aged 16 and older from each province and territory to “better understand how Canadians view and use cannabis.”

Key Findings

• Cannabis use among those aged 16-19 has returned to pre-legalization levels in 2021 and 2022.
• Vaporizing cannabis using a vape pen as a method of consumption has increased since 2021.
• The majority of respondents said they purchased products at legal stores.
• Driving after recent marijuana use dropped between 2018 and 2021 and remained unchanged in 2022.

Tennessee Lawmakers Plan To File Bill To Legalize Marijuana

Tennessee lawmakers say they will file new legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, reported WKRN.

Rep. Bob Freeman (D-Nashville), who is behind the effort alongside Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville), signaled that the next move might follow within the next few days.

“It’s a full legalization of cannabis across the state,” Freeman said.

Campbell pointed out that Tennessee needs to stop missing out on tax revenue from cannabis sales.

“Let’s not delude ourselves that people aren’t crossing the border and getting cannabis from other states. Of course, they are,” Campbell said. “So, that’s just income we’re missing out on.”

New Jersey Pot Sales Up, Washington State Slows Down

Since recreational cannabis sales became legal in New Jersey in April, the marijuana market has grown substantially, with recreational cannabis sales exceeding $100 million for the first time in the third quarter of this fiscal year.

According to New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s data, total combined marijuana purchases amounted to $177,710,764 for the same period, including $116.57 million worth of recreational marijuana sold and $61.14 million of medical marijuana.

“New Jersey is only seeing the beginning of what is possible for cannabis,” NJ-CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown said in a press release.

Meanwhile, marijuana sales have slowed in 2022 in Washington for the first time in a decade since voters approved a ballot measure to legalize the plant, reported The Seattle Times.

Even though marijuana sales in the Evergreen State exceeded $1.3 billion as of July 2022, retail sales saw an 8% decline over 2021, equaling a roughly $120 million drop in revenue.

“What you’re seeing as a ‘dip’ is really sales returning to normal growth as more people returned to in-person work,” Brian Smith, spokesperson for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, said.

Former GOP Lawmaker & Ex NBA Player Launch New Tool: Alternative To Traditional Banking Solutions

With the marijuana reform banking measure stalled in Congress, Former Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) and former Indiana Pacers player David Harrison have a new product to address the issue.

The newly formed business duo told Marijuana Moment that the current policy landscape is making their product more appealing.

Token HiFi, a marijuana-focused digital asset exchange program is designed to simplify cannabis transactions and provide individualized tracking and reporting services to keep users compliant with each state’s regulatory needs.

Donovan explained that he ventured into partnership due to its “mission to allow folks who are in legal [cannabis] businesses to be able to conduct financial transactions the way everyone else who is in a legal business is able to do so, and our government doesn’t allow that at this point.”

Photo: Courtesy of succo, mrkukuruznik5 by Pixabay