Marijuana Legalization

First Cannabis Club In Germany Opens, Lawmaker Says It Will Stem Illicit Marker, Cops Say The Opposite
Cannabis Legalization Initiative In North Dakota: Activists Submit More Than Enough Signatures To Place The Measure On November Ballot
Cherokee Tribe In North Carolina Kick Off Legal Weed Sales As State Lawmakers Turn A Deaf Ear To Medical Marijuana Yet Again
Cannabis Legalization Initiative In North Dakota: Activists Submit More Than Enough Signatures To Place The Measure On November Ballot
Cherokee Tribe In North Carolina Kick Off Legal Weed Sales As State Lawmakers Turn A Deaf Ear To Medical Marijuana Yet Again
North Dakota Cannabis Legalization Initiative Garners Enough Signatures For November Ballot, Activists Say
Majority Of North Dakotans Are Against Legal Weed, New Poll Finds

Marijuana Legalization Recent News

Pennsylvania Could Miss Out On Billions Of Dollars In Cannabis Sales If Legalization Efforts Fail
After Pennsylvania's hopes for marijuana legalization reached new highs in February when Gov. Josh Shapiro(D) called on lawmakers to legalize cannabis in his February budget address, The Pennsylvania recreational marijuana market has a huge economic potential, an analysis by FTI Consulting suggests. The results showed the Keystone State could witness up to $2.8 billion in sales in the first year of operations, creating nearly 45,000 jobs, as highlighted by Green Market Report's John Schroyer.policymakers and cannabis advocates these days are not that optimistic the much-needed reform will take place any time soon. Why?The Citizens' Voice's Stephen Caruso pointed out the opposition from "the lawmaker who controls what legislation the GOP-majority state Senate considers," is still strong. That said, the state House members led by Democrats have yet to come to understand oh how to regulate the new industry while including people most harmed by drug criminalization.
Medical Marijuana Could Finally See The Light Of Day In This Southern State As Senators Approve Legalization Measure
A measure that would legalize medical cannabis in North Carolina got the green light from the state Senate members on Thursday.The Senate Rules Committee picked up on the House Bill 563 and passed it, after the Judiciary Committee approved the medical cannabis language being added to a hemp- and kratom-related measure that first originated in the state House of Representatives.The legislation from state Rep. Jeff McNeely (R) was then approved on the Senate floor on second reading in a 33-9 vote, reported Marijuana Moment. Before sending the bill back to the House the measure will be once again reviewed and voted upon by Senate members on Monday.
Legal Weed Is Now Available In Many Parts Of The Netherlands As Government Cannabis Trial Enters Next Stage
The cannabis experimental trial program in The Netherlands, which was met with controversy from some politicians, just got expanded to eight new cities countrywide. Initially launched last year in the municipalities of Tilburg and Breda the country's four-year cannabis experiment has entered its next stage. The expansion allowed for cannabis cafes, or "coffeeshops" in Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Voorne aan Zee, Heerlen and Maastricht to sell marijuana and hashish produced by licensed growers.
Weed Dispensaries Drive Up Home Values, New Analysis Of Legal Cannabis Sales Shows Impact On Housing Prices
According to a recent study by Tomo, which compiles real estate data to help home buyers by providing relevant information to make more informed purchases, it can actually add value to your home."On average, if a dispensary opens in your area, you're likely to see an additional $4,400 increase in your property value each year," the results suggest.
CBD Fraud Case In UK, Canada Wants To Reduce Regulatory Burden On Weed Companies And More Global Updates
Cannabis company Bloomwell Group GmbH revealed on Tuesday that it decided to combine its existing brands and operations to form Germany's largest digital platform for medical marijuana. The UK-based Chill Brands Group PLC (LON: CHLL) opted to suspend the trading of its shares on the London Stock Exchange as its board members and executives are not on the same page. In Australia, efforts to legalize the recreational use of marijuana are stalling, as a Senate committee recently rejected a measure that was introduced by Greens senator David Shoebridge.
It's Time To Legalize Weed Say Voters In Slovenia, AKA 'The Promised Land For Cannabis'
Slovenia voters gave the green light to adult-use cannabis legalization measure and a proposal to allow medical marijuana patients to grow the plant for personal use this past weekend.On Sunday, voters in the Central European nation provided feedback on two cannabis-related measures. Cannabis vote came alongside the wider 2024 European election, reported the International Cannabis Business Conference.
Public Comments Favor Marijuana Rescheduling, Cannabis To Blame For Nearly Half Of Gun Permit Rejections In Hawaii And More Updates
Bipartisan Push In Congress Seeks To Ease Access To Medical Marijuana For Veterans
The latest bipartisan push in Congress to address cannabis reform comes as cannabis-related amendments to a large-scale spending bill covering Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilConVA) for the 2025 fiscal year that were filed recently.The measure from Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Dave Joyce (R-OH) seek to enable veterans to take part in state medical marijuana programs and has its footholds in the Veterans Equal Access Act. The proposal would also abolish a directive that bars the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs doctors from issuing cannabis recommendations.
Medical Marijuana Giant Trulieve, Backer Of Florida's Recreational Cannabis Ballot, Narrows Loss, Reports Uptick In Q1 Revenue, Gross Profit
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. announced on Thursday its first quarter results for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The Tallahassee, Florida-based medical cannabis giant reported revenue of $298 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2024, representing an increase of 4% sequentially and year-over-year, with 96% of revenue from retail sales.
Ho-Chunk Nation Decriminalizes Cannabis On Its Land In Wisconsin, Viewed As 'An Island Of Prohibition'
Congressman Blumenauer Calls Marijuana Schedule III Status 'A Revolutionary Step' But 'Not Quite What We Wanted,' Here's Why
Prompted by Attorney General Merrick Garland's proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, continues to push President Joe Biden's administration to put an end to the failed federal prohibition of cannabis. In an updated cannabis policy memorandum issued on Tuesday, the Congress' top cannabis advocate signaled optimism.  
GOP Gubernatorial Candidate In Indiana Says Cannabis Legalization Is 'Inevitable,' Local NYC Pols Are Against Licensed Pot Shops And More Reg Updates
Local authorities in central Queens, New York City, don't want any new licensed cannabis shops until illegal ones are eradicated. Sherry Algredo, chairwoman of Community Board 9 covering Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Woodhaven, reached out to state regulators to address the issue. In New Jersey, recreational cannabis revenues topped $201 million in the first quarter of 2024, coming from 130 dispensaries and representing a 38% year-over-year increase,A Democratic lawmaker in Indiana said the state lawmakers should reevaluate its stance on marijuana legalization following the recent Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) decision to reclassify cannabis under federal law.
Deterrence Or Free Will? This Texas City To Vote Against Weed Decriminalization Following Opposition From Gov. Abbott And AG Paxton
Residents of Lubbock, West Texas' largest city with 264,000 residents, said no to a measure to decriminalize local low-level marijuana offenses. Saturday's election day saw Lubbockites voting on a 65–35 margin, failing to make Lubbock yet another city in the Lone Star State to enact marijuana policy reform. Adam Hernandez, the Lubbock decriminalization campaign director, attributed the election defeat to low voter turnout."We worked hard on it, we had a lot of volunteers," Hernandez told The Texas Tribune. "We just weren't able to get the voter turnout high enough."Going forward the focus will be on "voter education and voter turnout," he added. The movement was spearheaded by Lubbock Compact, a local advocacy group, which launched the initiative to end some low-level pot arrests after the proposal was previously killed by the City Council.
CBD of Denver Reports YoY Increase In 2023 Gross Profit, Reduces Loss As It Continues To Expand Internationally
CBD of Denver, Inc. has filed its financial results for the year ended Dec. 31, 2023.The Colorado-based cannabis company said total current assets increased to $117,218 in 2023, up from $28,043 in 2022. Gross profit for the year totaled $595,417, representing a significant recovery from a gross loss of $284,734 in the prior year, due to a 27% increase in sales and a reduction in cost of goods sold. Net income before provision for income tax showed improvement with a loss of $377,729 in 2023, compared to a loss of $3,257,710 in 2022. CBD of Denver attributed it to the company's efforts to enhance operational efficiency and improve cost management.
Third Time's The Charm? North Dakota Ballot Initiative Group Gets Green Light To Collect Signatures For Marijuana Legalization
Over a week after a group of North Dakotans filed a 2024 ballot measure petition to legalize recreational cannabis, the state's top election official gave the green light for signature gathering. The New Economic Frontier, a cannabis advocacy committee behind the push, needs to garner and submit 15,582 valid signatures to Secretary of State Michael Howe by July 8 to place the measure on the November general election ballot. Under a measure's text that spans 20 pages, recreational marijuana use at home would be legal for those 21 and older. Moreover, the measure proposes setting up a regulatory framework for the production and processing of cannabis as well as prohibited uses. Steve Bakken, a Burleigh County commissioner and former Bismarck mayor, who is behind the initiative, said law enforcement resources "should be directed someplace a little more effectual."
Cannabis Reform A Priority For Congressional Progressive Caucus And More News From South Carolina, Utah, Montana & Maine
A restrictive medical cannabis bill passed by the South Carolina Senate in February, aimed at aligning the state with national trends toward compassionate care got a hearing in a state House committee this week. Meanwhile, A new legislative agenda by the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) that was published last week, lists marijuana as one of the priorities. In part on criminal justice, CPC said it will work toward legalizing cannabis, expunging records and providing restorative justice for those with cannabis-related convictions.The number of medical cannabis patients in Utah went up 19% year-over-year, reaching 83,000 at the end of March.In Montana, lawmakers fell short of their intention to override Governor Greg Gianforte's (R) last year's veto on the proposed redistribution of recreational cannabis tax revenues.n Maine, the recently enacted bill, which was signed by Gov. Janet Mills into law earlier this month now makes it possible for people to apply to get their criminal histories for now-legal marijuana crimes sealed. LD 2236, previously advanced through the state legislature.
Tell-Tale Signs Led To Cannabis Bust In Maine As Feds Crack Down On International Criminal Organizations Growing Illegal Weed
Maine law enforcement has recently busted another illegal grow operation seizing 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of processed cannabis, reported the Associated Press. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in China Xisen Guo has been running a hidden high-tech cannabis grow operation from his house in Passadumkeag, as per court documents. In February, he got arrested following the police raid on his home. Guo's operation appeared on the police radar due to the home's utility bills that surged to nearly $9,000 a month from $300 prior to the house being purchased for $125,000 in cash by a limited liability company. During the raid, police also found heat pumps, lighting and additional gear used for the cultivation of marijuana, according to court documents. Guo's was ordered held on Friday on federal drug charges.
GOP Bill Would Allow Medical Marijuana Patients In Pennsylvania To Own Guns
Last week, a top Pennsylvania Republican senator made a significant step toward amending the state's Uniform Firearms Act to conform with the legalization of medical cannabis. Sen. Dan Laughlin introduced previously announced Senate Bill 1146 on 2nd Amendment Day, a public awareness day observed on April 17. Even though the use of medical marijuana for specific conditions is considered legal in Pennsylvania, possessing a firearm is illegal at the federal level for those who admit to consuming cannabis. "My legislation will make sure a valid medical marijuana cardholder is no longer considered an unlawful marijuana user," Laughlin said in a memo. "Although marijuana remains illegal under federal law, we should be updating Pennsylvania's laws to ensure valid medical marijuana cardholders are not denied their rights."
One In Two Biden Voters Want To Live In A Place Where Marijuana is Legal, One In Eight Trump Supporters Want The Same
Nearly half (46.8%) of homeowners and renters nationwide who plan to give their vote to President Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election this November want to live in a place where recreational weed is legal, a new report from Redfin revealed. Donald Trump's supporters are not too fond of the idea, with only 12.4% of residents wanting the same. The data come from a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Qualtrics in February 2024. Run by the technology-powered real estate brokerage, the survey included 2,995 U.S. homeowners and renters, of whom 1,162 said they plan to vote for Trump and 1,171 for Biden.
GOP Bill On Alabama Cannabis Regulator's Duties Heads To Senate As Licensing Saga Continues
A measure under which Alabama cannabis regulator would be given more rights to regulate medical cannabis got the green light from the state House members on Tuesday. HB390 from Danny Crawford (R-Athens) was approved in a 95-4 vote in House and is now heading to the Senate for a committee vote. The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is "responsible for the regulation, licensure, and enforcement of all aspects of the processing and dispensing of medical cannabis, while the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries shares responsibility with the commission for the regulation and enforcement of the cultivation of cannabis to be used for medical cannabis products," the bill stipulates.
Another Cannabis Pioneer Expands In Germany Via Acquisition As Experts Say 'There's No Stepping Back' From Legalization Wave
Flora Growth Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Hamburg, Germany-based TruHC Pharma GmbH. The company's latest move to further cement its global footprint comes on the heels of a new German cannabis law that went into effect on April 1, which partially legalized cannabis. The new law allows adults over 18 in Germany to legally possess up to 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to three marijuana plants at home.As previously announced, Flora agreed to purchase TruHC Pharma GmbH in an all-stock deal in exchange for 2,770,562 of its common shares, valued at $6.4 million.
Fed-Funded Study Finds Increase In Medical Marijuana Patient Enrollments, Chronic Pain Most Common Reason
The state-legal medical marijuana programs nationwide have seen an uptick in the number of new patients enrolled since 2020, according to newly published federal research in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The study, conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the University of Michigan showed that there were 4.1 million registered medical cannabis patients in 2022 countrywide, compared to 3.1 million in 2020. That's a 33.3% increase over two years. The researchers proposed that the increase is simultaneous with "increasing cultural acceptance of cannabis, recognition of the harm of the ‘war on drugs' (for example, mass incarceration and related consequences, such as family separation, trauma, and economic loss), and interest in the potential therapeutic properties of cannabis," reported Marijuana Moment.
'Predatory Practices' In Missouri, Washington D.C. Mayor Declares 4/20 Tax Holiday On Medical Marijuana And More Cannabis Reg Updates
Massachusetts saw $154 million worth of cannabis products sold in March, representing a 2.3% year-over-year increase, according to the data from the Cannabis Control Commission. The sum included $136.8 million in recreational and $17.2 million in medical cannabis sales.Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has signed into law an initiative enhancing the medical marijuana program by extending the tax holiday from April 15 through April 28, in honor of the 4/20 holiday.The first and only recreational dispensary in North Carolina is set to open on April 20, 2024. The move would follow last year's decision by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' (ECBI) members to legalize cannabis for recreational use.Missouri cannabis regulator recently revoked 9 social-equity cannabis licenses of the winners of 48 cannabis microbusiness licenses under Amendment 3, which legalized marijuana in 2022.