OK legalization ballot measure clears key hurdle; HI gov signs hemp bill; CA marijuana decrim 50th anniv; PA medical cannabis & anxiety
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/ TOP THINGS TO KNOW
The Virginia Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Retail Cannabis Market held its first meeting, with the chairman saying the goal is to “craft the best bill possible to reintroduce the next session.”
Oklahoma marijuana activists cleared a challenge period for their legalization initiative without incident and expect to begin collecting signatures by early next month to place the measure on the 2026 ballot.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) signed a bill to require hemp product distributors and retailers to register with the state, and to limit the sale of hemp-derived tinctures to adults over 21.
California NORML activists celebrated the 50th anniversary of the state’s marijuana decriminalization law on Wednesday, which they say “resulted in an 80% reduction in felony marijuana arrests, saving the state an estimated $100 million per year in enforcement costs, and saving well over a million users from a criminal record over the years.”
A new study of Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program found that adding anxiety disorders as a qualifying condition led to “an overall increase in certifications,” with anxiety “rapidly becoming the most common qualifying condition, comprising 60.26% of certifications since it was added.”
The director of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission said he is “kind of coming around to being very hopeful” that patients could finally get access to legal medical marijuana by the end of this year amid the state’s stalled licensing process.
The North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives have passed differing versions of legislation to address the state’s hemp product market.
/ FEDERAL
Customs and Border Protection defended its agents blocking a man who has lived in the U.S. since he was three years old from returning to the country after a visit to Canada due to misdemeanor marijuana and suspended license offenses.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) cited “legalized Industrial Hemp in the Farm Bill” in response to a question about policy reforms he has championed that were actually enacted.
/ STATES
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced the allocation of marijuana revenue to combat impaired driving, saying that “as the legal cannabis market continues to grow, so do the state’s efforts to ensure Californians are recreating responsibly.”
Florida’s agriculture commissioner announced that more than 85,000 packages of illegal hemp products have been removed for violations of child-protection standards for packaging, labeling and marketing.
Ohio Republican representatives discussed their opposition to their party leaders’ moves to undermine the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law.
Colorado regulators sent a bulletin about people with revoked marijuana licenses who are attempting to engage in business dealings with licensed businesses.
Minnesota regulators sent a newsletter with updates on various cannabis issues.
The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Executive Advisory Council will meet on Friday.
The Massachusetts Cannabis Social Equity Advisory Board will meet on Monday.
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/ INTERNATIONAL
A Canadian senator joined the board of Australian drug policy reform organization the Penington Institute.
/ SCIENCE & HEALTH
A review concluded that “despite clinical and regulatory obstacles, nano-CBD platforms provide a safe, focused, and efficient approach to improving dermatological care.”
A study of military veterans found that “psilocybin can elicit sustained reductions in depression up to 12 months.”
/ BUSINESS
Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. closed two debt reduction transactions.
Canopy Growth Corporation has a new interim chief financial officer.
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