NC MMJ Bill, Cannabis Legalization Into WI Budget, CT Weed Measure, Hemp In Ukraine, CA $20M Grant Program

NC Compassionate Care Act

North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee debated new medical marijuana legislation recently introduced by GOP Sen. Bill Rabon and his colleagues from the chamber, including Senators Michael Lee and Paul Lowe.

If enacted into law, the new legislation would set up the Medical Cannabis Production Commission.

Additionally, under the Compassionate Care Act, those with conditions like cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, ALS, sickle cell anemia, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, and multiple sclerosis would qualify to use medical marijuana.

Moreover, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) would be required to grant registry identification cards to those over 21 with debilitating medical conditions.

Rabon says the "only change in existing state law is to protect patients and their doctors from criminal charges and penalties and not change laws governing marijuana for non-medical purposes.”

Marijuana Into Wisconsin Gov. Budget

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently proposed a $103.8 billion two-year budget that addresses medical and recreational marijuana legalization in the state.

Evers hopes to create a fund that will collect all excise tax revenue generated from the legalization of recreational and medicinal marijuana. The funds would support mental health and substance use disorder services.

Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican, opposes medical marijuana legalization in the state.

A New Bill In Connecticut Aims To Educate People About DUI

Connecticut legislature’s Transportation Committee discussed a bill that seeks to educate drivers about the risks of driving a vehicle under the influence of substances, including cannabis.

Sponsored by House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, the bill would “require that private driver instruction courses or those offered at high schools and secondary schools include education” on the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and cannabis, (which is not included in the current state regulation yet).

Hemp Textile Industry In Ukraine

Ukraine officials launched a project to develop a hemp industrial park that could become the development of a “modern cluster of technical cannabis cultivation and processing,” reported Hemp Today.

The “Ma’rijanni Hemp Industrial Park” Project, a factory and warehouse facility expected to open in October 2024, seeks to develop industrial hemp textile production in Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine.

The initiative "strives to attract small and large companies developing such products as packaging and biodegradable towels, high-quality paper, insulation and building materials, nonwoven mattresses, and biomass pellets," according to Michel Terestchenko, a majority shareholder of the Volodarsko-Volyn Flax Mill.

California Launched $20M Grant Program

The California Department of Cannabis Control reportedly launched a new $20 million grant program to develop and implement cannabis retailer licensing programs.

Additionally, the grant program prioritizes funding to local jurisdictions that:

• Propose to assist cannabis equity businesses
• Address gaps in consumer access to the safe and regulated cannabis
• Plan to permit cannabis retailers through existing business permitting processes

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Is Back!

The most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference returns to Miami for its 16th edition. This is the place where DEALS GET DONE, where money is raised, M&A start, and companies meet investors and key partners. Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel in Florida on April 11-12. Don’t miss out. Secure your tickets now. Prices will surge very soon.

Image Credits: AJEL, lindsayfox by Pixabay Edited By Benzinga