South Dakota Tightens THC Job Rules, New York's Home Grow And Licenses, New Jersey's Road To A Billion-Dollar Cannabis Market

South Dakota Tightens Job Rules For THC

Governor Kristi Noem signed a bill into law last week that allows employers in South Dakota to discipline workers in safety-sensitive roles, such as pilots, construction workers, healthcare professionals, teachers, nursing home employees and truck drivers among others, who test positive for THC.

However, SB 12 safeguards employees who are not working in safety-sensitive positions, by stipulating that "a registered qualifying patient who uses cannabis for a medical purpose shall be afforded all the same rights under state and local law, as the person would be afforded if the person were solely prescribed a pharmaceutical medication."

The policy change builds on the state's workplace drug law, as it also says that being disciplined or fired for violating a drug-free workplace policy can't be used as a basis for claiming employment discrimination or wrongful termination, reported Marijuana Moment.

Gov. Noem recently approved a measure requiring South Dakota's registered medical cannabis patients to acknowledge in writing that they are aware of being barred from owning a firearm in keeping with federal law.

Meanwhile, South Dakota-based Rosebud Sioux Tribe is launching its medical marijuana program, reported KELO.

According to Rosebud Sioux Tribe Communications' announcement, patients 21 and older with a valid tribal medical cannabis card will be allowed to possess three ounces of cannabis per person and will not be allowed to drive under the influence.

The other two tribes that already sell both medical and recreational cannabis are the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

NY Cannabis Expansion: Home Grow Rules And New Licenses

As previously expected, New York cannabis regulators approved over 100 new marijuana business licenses for retailers, microbusinesses, cultivators, processors and distributors on Friday, alongside draft rules for the home cultivation of recreational cannabis.

Besides approving the first non-conditional licenses, the Cannabis Control Board (CCB) also voted to grant two cannabis research licenses

"Adult-use cannabis is a growing industry in New York that will help local economies across the state," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a press release. "The approval of over 100 licenses is a good start and provides individuals with the opportunity to apply for licensing to help drive up local economies around them."

See also: NY Gov. Hochul ‘Fed Up’ With Slow Marijuana Market Rollout While Maine And Delaware Seek To Loosen Weed Regulations

The Road To A Billion-Dollar Cannabis Market In New Jersey

New Jersey is paving its way toward reaching $1 billion in cannabis sales in 2024. That's according to New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission's (NJ-CRC) executive director Jeff Brown.

"We're making progress here, and the market is making incredible progress, and I've said before that that we are headed to a billion-dollar market," he said at a public hearing Thursday. "I've seen enough now in the data—and we'll be releasing more data in the coming weeks and months—but 2024 is the year this is the billion-dollar market. This is the year that New Jersey does a billion dollars in cannabis sales."

The top cannabis official in the state spoke about ways to boost the state's marijuana industry in the years to come, citing proposed rules to expand edible offerings at retailers as an example, reported Marijuana Moment.

"It's something that will set New Jersey's market up to compete in decades to come," Brown said of proposed edible regulations that incorporate Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) provisions. "I'm not counting on federal legalization happening anytime soon, but nonetheless we want to make sure businesses in New Jersey are prepared to compete whenever that opportunity arises."

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Now read: New Jersey’s Cannabis Boom: Dispensary Count Nearly Triples In 2023