Weed Munchies Under Fire In NY, Marijuana Law In MD In Not Perfect & More Cannabis Reg Updates

As the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference returns to Chicago this September bringing together top CEOs, investors, leaders, advocates and politicians, let's scroll through the latest regulatory changes in the space.

New York Cracks Down On Illicit Shops Selling Potent Marijuana Munchies

In New York, a crackdown on illicit shops following legislation is underway. Except now, law enforcement agencies are also targeting shops that sell unregulated, potent cannabis munchies, reported the New York Post. 

In the past month alone, the New York City Sheriff's office has managed to seize over $2 million worth of products from unlicensed vendors, Sheriff Anthony Miranda said at a city Office of Public Safety briefing last week.

Miranda added that the city's Department of Health also cracked down on "locations that were baking with cannabis."

Additionally, fines totaling a whopping $4.5 million have been issued to those breaking the state law.

The legislation Gov. Kathy Hochul fought for in this year's state budget granting gave New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and the Department of Taxation and Finance new powers to combat unlicensed cannabis businesses.

Meanwhile, on Friday, a New York judge blocked the state from issuing new marijuana dispensary licenses after ruling in favor of a group of four service-disabled veterans in a lawsuit against New York cannabis regulators for not giving them a priority in the initial dispensary licensing process. The case is expected to continue for several months, representing another setback for the state's marijuana industry.

Maryland's Marijuana Law Is Comprehensive But Not Perfect

Lawmakers in Maryland are planning on adding some changes to the recently enacted marijuana law, reported Maryland Matters.

Will Tilburg, the acting director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration said the comprehensive new law, spanning approximately 100 pages, aimed to take valuable lessons from the experiences of other states that had previously legalized recreational cannabis use.

However, although "comprehensive," he said the measure is not "perfect."

"We do expect that this year in the 2024 session and moving forward, we will see additional legislation to tweak this industry," Tilburg continued.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Melony G. Griffith (D-Prince George's) agreed with Tilburg.

"I don't think there's any possibility we get through the '24 session without some tweaking on the cannabis," Griffith said. "I don't think there's any possibility we get through the '24 session without some tweaking on the cannabis," Griffith said recently during the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference. "This is not going to be 'We fixed it and we've solved all the issues and we'll never have a bill on this subject again."

Maryland's cannabis users collectively spent $87.43 million on weed during the state's first full month of recreational sales. During just the first seven days after legal cannabis sales on July 1, licensed shops raked in $20.9 million in weed products and have been going strong ever since.

Marijuana Tax Dollars Fighting Violence In New Jersey Communities

This week, Governor Phil Murphy (D) and AG Matthew J. Platkin (D) revealed that a grant program focused on violence intervention and prevention in New Jersey would be partially funded by revenue generated by the state's legal marijuana industry, accounting for one-third of its cost, reported Marijuana Moment.

The fund was established via the state's marijuana legalization law, including money from taxes on legal sales, industry fees and civil penalties.

The community organizations will have $15 million in grant money at their disposal for the coming fiscal year.

Platkin said in a press release on Tuesday the initiative represents a "part of our public safety mission," "Our comprehensive approach to public safety focuses support for community-led violence intervention efforts that are disrupting cycles of violence at the ground level," he added.

USDA's Ghostbuster Vacuum Collects Cannabis Pollen In Record Time

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is urging hemp cultivators to create a novel backpack vacuum resembling the iconic equipment used by Ghostbusters. This innovation would allow growers to garner up to 10 grams of cannabis pollen within a mere 60 seconds, reported Marijuana Moment.

Additionally, the effort seeks to gather the collected pollen resources so that a worldwide community of scientists and cultivators could further their research and breeding pursuits.

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, the place where deals get done, is returning to Chicago this Sept 27-28 for its 17th edition. Get your tickets today before prices increase and secure a spot at the epicenter of cannabis investment and branding.

Photo: Courtesy of succo, mrkukuruznik5 by Pixabay