What we know from the first 265 days of D.C. medical cannabis retail license hearings
Almost eight months ago, D.C. opened its doors to new medical cannabis retail applicants. The Outlaw analyzed ABCA Board decisions from November 1, 2023 to July 22, 2024 to get a sense of the makeup of the District’s growing cannabis industry.
There are 214 new retail licenses currently in the process of opening. 162 licenses are classified as social equity licenses. 52 are standard applicants who did not qualify as social equity. This analysis does not include cultivation or manufacturer or past medical retail licenses. There are a little over half a dozen current medical retailers in the city.
84 of the licenses are placard or further along in the opening process compared to 130 conditional licenses that may or may not move forward within the year they have to complete the licensing process.
52 of the licenses were unlicensed applicants that transitioned from the gray market. 23 of those licenses were unlicensed social equity candidates that qualified to transition.
Also from D.C.:
- Listen to yesterday’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board meeting.
- A D.C. artist mentioned the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) shutting down I-71 stores in their most recent single.
- Mayor Bowser officially signed a bill extending the validity of conditional licenses to two years and a bill allowing enforcement against shops with untested cannabis after the new cannabis lab opens.
MoCo allocates cannabis tax revenue to communities harmed by past prohibition
Montgomery County passed a law creating a commission to decide how cannabis tax money will be directed to communities most affected by the past prohibition on cannabis. This follows Maryland legalizing recreational cannabis and setting up a fund to aid such communities statewide. The commission will distribute funds based on how often residents were charged with cannabis possession in the past. This aims to address the disproportionate impact of cannabis laws on minority communities.
Virginia hemp farmers see potential in recreational cannabis market, awaiting legalization
Virginia cracked down on unregulated hemp products, confusing farmers. They’re unsure if hemp has a future, but some hope to switch to cannabis if it becomes legal for recreational use, leveraging their experience for a potential license. The future seems tied to cannabis legalization.
East Coast Roundup
New York City’s mayor and police officials announced the seizure of over $1 million worth of illegal products from a network with multiple locations.
Delaware is launching recreational marijuana sales. Existing medical marijuana businesses like The Farm will be able to apply for conversion licenses to grow, manufacture, test and sell recreational cannabis.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says he and lawmakers will keep pushing for marijuana legalization despite it being left out of the recent budget bill.
Culture & More
Snoop Dogg is diving deeper into the legal cannabis market with his first dispensary, S.W.E.D. (“Smoke Weed Every Day”), located in Los Angeles.
Wiz Khalifa was arrested in Romania for smoking marijuana onstage at a music festival. Recreational marijuana is illegal in Romania. He was released but acknowledged the arrest on social media, apologizing for disrespecting the country.
The Federal Trade Commission again cracked down on companies selling edibles containing a marijuana ingredient (likely THC). These edibles were packaged to look like popular children’s snacks (Froot Loops, Chips Ahoy!).
Around the Country
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging parents to warn their teens about the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis. This follows a tragic accident in Oklahoma where investigators believe a 16-year-old driver who was likely high on marijuana caused a crash that killed six high school girls.
Illinois’ social equity weed program allows people hurt by cannabis laws to sell it legally. But half haven’t opened up shops and risk losing licenses.
From the Swamp
FEATURED: Bipartisan congressional members are attacking part of the spending bill that would block the Department of Justice (DOJ) from rescheduling cannabis. A GOP-led committee passed a bill last month that would block the rescheduling of cannabis. The House and Senate committees that control spending will decide what gets included in the final budget bills, including any measures related to cannabis.
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Republican vice presidential nominee, JD Vance, has a track record of backing states’ rights to choose their own cannabis laws.
DOJ argues medical cannabis patients shouldn’t own guns due to safety concerns, despite a recent Supreme Court case allowing some gun restrictions. They want a lower court to keep the federal ban on guns for pot users.
Public comment on the DOJ reclassifying cannabis ended yesterday. Even if reclassified, some restrictions would remain and it wouldn’t affect existing state laws or past convictions.
A new bill called the DOOBIE Act is being considered by the Senate. This act would prevent federal agencies from denying jobs or security clearances solely because of someone’s past cannabis use.
Shrooms
A study found that some mushroom candies marketed as legal psychedelics actually contain illegal hallucinogens like psilocin, a substance found in magic mushrooms. These candies were sold at gas stations and smoke shops. Other candies contained unrelated stimulants or hallucinogens. None of the products were labeled accurately.
