D.C’s first transitioning I-71 cannabis gifting stores cleared to open as legal medical dispensaries
Three unlicensed cannabis stores are the first to complete the process to become legal medical dispensaries in Washington D.C. This comes after a long period where gifting stores operated in a legal gray area. The new system aims to bring these businesses into a regulated market, but there are concerns about the number of licenses issued compared to available cannabis supply and competition from Maryland’s recreational market. Read more here.
Medical Cannabis Use Steady in Maryland After Legalization, But Patients Report More Benefits, MCA study
A Maryland medical patient survey revealed that patients are happy with the program, especially product safety, price, and availability. Frequency of use and preferred methods (flower, edibles, etc.) haven’t changed much. Patients spend less on medical cannabis now. More patients reported using cannabis in public (smoking/vaping). More pregnant/breastfeeding patients reported using cannabis. Fewer patients reported always storing cannabis securely. Legalization seems to have had a modest impact on how patients use medical cannabis.
Gov. Youngkin vetoed a democratically passed cannabis adult-use market bill maintaining his blockage to set up the Virginia legal market. Democrats sent a bill to Gov. Youngkin’s desk a few weeks ago that would launch the market. He let it sit on his desk, but said people who thought he would sign it “must be smoking something.” He vetoed the Bill yesterday citing the endangerment of Virginians’ health and safety. “States following this path have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue,” he wrote in his veto statement. However, research does not back up his claims.
- East Coast Collective was featured in Inside NOVA.
East Coast Round Up
New York’s cannabis regulatory agency, OCM, published a list of cannabis businesses while criticism grows.
New Hampshire Lawmakers Working to Meet Governor’s Demands in Latest Cannabis Legalization Bid
Around the country
Cookies, a major cannabis brand with roots in San Francisco’s pre-legalization scene, no longer has a store there due to a terminated licensing agreement.
A ProPublica investigation dives into a quadruple murder and the Chinese organized crime dominating the illicit cannabis market in Oklahoma and beyond. Most important quote:
“The challenge we are having is a lack of interest by federal prosecutors to charge illicit marijuana cases,” said Ray Donovan, the former chief of operations of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “They don’t realize all the implications. Marijuana causes so much crime at the local level, gun violence in particular. The same groups selling thousands of pounds of marijuana are also laundering millions of dollars of fentanyl money. It’s not just one-dimensional.”
Culture & More
San Francisco’s ‘Hippie Hill’ Organizers Say This Year’s 4/20 Event Is Canceled
The latest Pew Research poll found that 88% of Americans support legalizing cannabis for either medical or adult use — 57% supported legalizing both forms of cannabis access and 32% supported only medical use
Cannabis is officially legal in Germany.
Around the Country
THCA could be squeaking under the Farm Bill’s 0.3% THC cap and be federally hemp compliant. It’s the third most sold hemp product.
Colorado’s cannabis sales flat lined in January at a little over $115 million.
From the Swamp
A GOP committee is against two marijuana-related bills. One would allow banks to work with cannabis businesses, the other would remove past marijuana use from disqualifying someone for a federal job. They argue marijuana is a dangerous drug that leads to worse problems.
The DEA is assuring the public their review of marijuana’s scheduling isn’t secretive. They typically take up to 6 months to analyze recommendations, which would bring us to this month.
The House Committee on Agriculture mentioned Chinese “cartel” illicit cannabis grows.
The House Safe Banking bill received five new democratic sponsors
Shrooms
Maryland’s “Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances” bill is getting closer to the Governor’s desk.